The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
loyaultemelie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
There are also parts of the book, often left out of adaptation for time's sake, which are absolutely worth reading. One example is when the Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge the ways in which all sorts of people celebrate, from the Crachits to sailors. Dickens' prose is as beautiful and flowing as always, and it makes for a lovely landscape.
I think there really is a reason that this book is the quintessential Christmas book, in a way that no other book is. Its success is the way it ties merriment and cheer with nostalgia, memory, and, yes, death. Christmas is a time to look back upon life, upon the year. Reflection is almost built into it. It is this reflection - of past, present, and future - which is the backbone of the carol and makes it so good.Â
Lastly, I would like to mention that the copy (well, one of the four copies) of this book that I own - the reproduction of the original - is absolutely beautiful. I would recommend it more as an object d'art, though the binding looks pretty sturdy.Â
Graphic: Child death and Death
erebus53's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I realised that although I am familiar with the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, I had not actually read it for myself. I was interested to find that it is not just a cautionary tale against miserliness, but really it is a story that is about empathy and that it really goes both ways. By exploring the childhood events that lead to the general curmudgeonly meanness of spirit in the old man, the audience gets to empathise with those who have a gruff exterior.
The spooky scary descriptions of the ghosts that come to visit the old man (and scare him straight) are interesting to me because this was published in 1843, and to this day spectres are pictured like this in both books and video media. The idea of a spirit being faintly bioluminescent and translucent, with floaty hair that that moves like it's in a breeze is something I have seen many times over.
(tangent) In this story it actually refers to that same sort of glow that you see in the pantry when the meat goes off.. which I think is amusing. This is a phenom that was noted in the wars with wounded soldiers, and something I first learned of as a wee thing when the cat didn't eat her meat quick enough.
I really like the way the story is written. The banter is witty and the descriptions are clever. For all it's scariness and death and things I can see why it is an enduring favourite.
Graphic: Grief, Terminal illness, and Death
octagon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Death and Child death
nick13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Death
Minor: Child death
atalea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death
Minor: Child death
lindseyhall44's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Classism, Terminal illness, Death, and Grief
forgetfulreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Death
lalu's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Chronic illness and Child death
jaimc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Minor: Classism, Death, Chronic illness, and Child death
maeverose's review against another edition
3.0
The muppets version remains superior
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Classism, Death, and Grief
Minor: Ableism and Misogyny