A review by dutchlee
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
4.0
Read this back in high school and decided to reread it this Christmas season. A great short novel about Christmas. A book where even some of the minor characters touch your heart (I'm looking at you Tiny Tim). Its lighthearted yet still manages to say a lot about the dangers of greed, the value of friends and family, and the blessings of charity and generosity. It can be easy to dismiss Scrooge's change as unnatural, superficial, and much too easily accomplished, but this is more of a feel good Christmas story than a realistic story.
Some classic quotes:
"I do," said Scrooge. "Merry Christmas! What right have you to be merry? What reason have you to be merry? You're poor enough."
"Come, then," returned the nephew gaily. "What right have you to be dismal? What reason have you to be morose? You're rich enough."
"It isn't that, Spirit. He has the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil. Say that his power lies in words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count 'em up: what then? The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune."
"God bless us every one!" said Tiny Tim, the last of all.
YES! and the bedpost was his own. The bed was his own, the room was his own. Best and happiest of all, the Time before him was his own, to make amends in! (a perfect summary of what it feels like to come home after spending the holidays abroad. Nothing like coming home to your own bed and 'making amends' with your body by getting some much needed rest)
Some classic quotes:
"I do," said Scrooge. "Merry Christmas! What right have you to be merry? What reason have you to be merry? You're poor enough."
"Come, then," returned the nephew gaily. "What right have you to be dismal? What reason have you to be morose? You're rich enough."
"It isn't that, Spirit. He has the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil. Say that his power lies in words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count 'em up: what then? The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune."
"God bless us every one!" said Tiny Tim, the last of all.
YES! and the bedpost was his own. The bed was his own, the room was his own. Best and happiest of all, the Time before him was his own, to make amends in! (a perfect summary of what it feels like to come home after spending the holidays abroad. Nothing like coming home to your own bed and 'making amends' with your body by getting some much needed rest)