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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
A man notices a train signalman and waves a hello. Casual enough interaction, yet the signalman seems unnerved by his presence. The signalman tells him, over the course of a few visits, that he's been haunted by an omen of death. He wants to warn people but he doesn't know how or which direction to alert.
This a very short story but there's enough to it to give you a little spook. Definitely worth a listen, and definitely worth it on a stormy October night.
DISCLAIMER: I did not read this paperback version so I can't speak to the illustrations. I listened via Audible which provided a fantastic atmosphere in the background.
This a very short story but there's enough to it to give you a little spook. Definitely worth a listen, and definitely worth it on a stormy October night.
DISCLAIMER: I did not read this paperback version so I can't speak to the illustrations. I listened via Audible which provided a fantastic atmosphere in the background.
I listened to this as an audiobook narrated by Sam Mendes while driving home in the dark. Perfect setting to listen to a very effective audio production. It felt really quite spooky!
The perfect gothic short story for this spooky season! Great writing by Charles Dickens! Totally unxpected!
The two short stories in this collection were directly influenced by Dickens' experiences on the railway. In June 1865 Dickens was on a train that derailed causing injuries and death to many on board. The intro to this collection explains what happened, how Dickens helped following the incident and the effects the event had on him, which I imagine would be considered as PTSD. The first story follows an unnamed narrator who comes down the bank and strikes up a conversation with a signalman. The signalman tells how he is unsettled by a stranger at the mouth of the tunnel indicating that there was danger coming and the ghostly ringing of bells. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the end is a nice twist, its a creepy read.
The second story 'The Boy at Mugby' discusses the refreshment services at Mugby station. At the time refreshments were not available on the trains only at station stops and these stops were notoriously bad. Poor service, poor food, not a place you would want to go. The story follows the staff and their quest to offer terrible service and terrible food. It is rather funny, at one point the leader 'Our Missis' goes to France to see how service is offered across the pond. She comes back with horror stories to tell her staff about the French refreshment rooms which contained ' not only eatable things to eat, but also drinkable things to drink' and other things like that. I imagine the story went down a storm at the time.
The second story 'The Boy at Mugby' discusses the refreshment services at Mugby station. At the time refreshments were not available on the trains only at station stops and these stops were notoriously bad. Poor service, poor food, not a place you would want to go. The story follows the staff and their quest to offer terrible service and terrible food. It is rather funny, at one point the leader 'Our Missis' goes to France to see how service is offered across the pond. She comes back with horror stories to tell her staff about the French refreshment rooms which contained ' not only eatable things to eat, but also drinkable things to drink' and other things like that. I imagine the story went down a storm at the time.
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
We follow a single narrator as he tells the story of meeting a tunnal worker, known as a Signal Man. Upon his meeting with this worker, the narrator learns that the man has been visited on a few occasions by a ghostly figure. Each meeting has led to a tragic event on the travel tunnel. The narrator attributes this to the worker's lack of mental clarity and proceeds with his life. Until one day the foreboding incident the signal worker mentioned occurs. I really enjoyed this adaptation of Charles Dickens short ghost story. I have listened to one other telling, and this one was much crisper and easier to follow along. Sam Mendes did a lovely job of keeping the reader engaged, while the sound effects added to the errieness of the story rather than overpowering it. Great short listen!
3.5 Stars rounded up
After the less than satisfactory The Chimes it’s nice to return to a Dickens fully in control of the narrative and with a crisp and controlled language.
The story is is full of atmosphere, but a little too short and sketchy for my taste, I prefer my Dickens long winded and in full technicolour.
After the less than satisfactory The Chimes it’s nice to return to a Dickens fully in control of the narrative and with a crisp and controlled language.
The story is is full of atmosphere, but a little too short and sketchy for my taste, I prefer my Dickens long winded and in full technicolour.
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No