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A review by welllovedspines
The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The Verdict: I keep trying to get myself to enjoy Dickens on some level, but I don't think this story did it for me. It is a decent enough story that is perfect for the holiday and winter season in terms of vibes though.
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REVIEW:
The Cricket on the Hearth is another well-known "Christmas" story from Dickens. However, I liked this one less than some of the others I've read. I find his descriptions of some things to be so meandering and metaphorical that it's honestly just confusing. And I love lyrical writing. But something about Dickens just doesn't click for me. I really struggled to follow this one and stay engrossed in the story. And then the betrayal that is part of the plot came across as really gross and wrong to me. There is a happy ending at least.
Overall, I still don't think Dickens is for me, but I know there are other short stories and novels of his that are on my "want to read" list. I haven't quite given up yet. This story was perfectly fine, but I tend to think the concept behind the story was better than what it actually was in execution.
.
.
REVIEW:
The Cricket on the Hearth is another well-known "Christmas" story from Dickens. However, I liked this one less than some of the others I've read. I find his descriptions of some things to be so meandering and metaphorical that it's honestly just confusing. And I love lyrical writing. But something about Dickens just doesn't click for me. I really struggled to follow this one and stay engrossed in the story. And then the betrayal that is part of the plot came across as really gross and wrong to me. There is a happy ending at least.
Overall, I still don't think Dickens is for me, but I know there are other short stories and novels of his that are on my "want to read" list. I haven't quite given up yet. This story was perfectly fine, but I tend to think the concept behind the story was better than what it actually was in execution.