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A review by bookbirder
Christmas Stories by Charles Dickens
1.0
This book has literally taken months to get through, though to be fair I did take (much-needed) breaks in that time. Dickens is excellent at finishing a book well (therefore making me want to leave a good review and read another) and I did highly enjoy the last short story No Thoroughfare (the only co-written one, interestingly).
As I have found this pattern before when reading Dickens’ work, I was hoping the short stories would be perfect at keeping to the point while still showing off the famous literary skills of Charles Dickens. Unfortunately, it was the opposite, and I mostly got the long setting of the scene without much of a plot.
I have also noticed that Dickens’ books have not all stood the test of time, in terms of offensive language or stereotypes. If you ignore my advice and read some of these short stories, don’t read those from the point of view of Mrs. Lirriper, who presumably thinks in a way that Dickens considered most women to think.
For the record, I don’t regret reading any of Dickens’ work. I just wish I’d read fewer or spaced them out more. I think I know the pattern now, so do not plan on reading another for many years, if ever.
As I have found this pattern before when reading Dickens’ work, I was hoping the short stories would be perfect at keeping to the point while still showing off the famous literary skills of Charles Dickens. Unfortunately, it was the opposite, and I mostly got the long setting of the scene without much of a plot.
I have also noticed that Dickens’ books have not all stood the test of time, in terms of offensive language or stereotypes. If you ignore my advice and read some of these short stories, don’t read those from the point of view of Mrs. Lirriper, who presumably thinks in a way that Dickens considered most women to think.
For the record, I don’t regret reading any of Dickens’ work. I just wish I’d read fewer or spaced them out more. I think I know the pattern now, so do not plan on reading another for many years, if ever.