A review by samdalefox
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

adventurous hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I've read this before, but many years ago. Mostly my love of 'A Chistmas Carol' has continued through watching 'A Muppets' Christmas Carol' annually with my family (which we love). I re-read it this year as an audiobook read by Hugh Grant, which I also loved. I loved the performance and continue to love the book, so much of the text is unaltered between the original writing and the various screen adaptations. The story is as relevant today as it was a hundred years ago, which is sad, but also shows how insightful Dickens was to the prevailing cruelty of the class system. I wish more billionnaires would read it and really digest the social injustice messages conveyed. The only part of the book I wish was more regularly portrayed on screen are the children of Christmas present 'ignorance' and 'want'.

Favourite quotes:

“Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!”

In response to Scrooge's earlier quote "If they would rather die, they’d better do it, and decrease the surplus population"...

"'If man you be in heart, not adamant, forbear that wicked cant until you have discovered What the surplus is, and Where it is. Will you decide what men shall live, what men shall die? ”