2012 Book 172: A Christmas CarolWritten by Charles Dickens, Narrated by Tim Curry
Reason for Reading: I read this for a Dickens in December readalong hosted by Beauty is a Sleeping Cat and Postcards from Asia. Unfortunately, I'm a day behind on my post! This is also one of the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (sign-up for Team 1001 here).
Review (contains spoilers :p)
When grumpy and miserly Ebeneezer Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his long-deceased business partner, he gets the shock of his life. Apparently, a person's job on earth is to walk among his fellow men and help them. For those who were too selfish to help during life, they are doomed to an eternity of walking among men while desiring to help, but not being able to. Scrooge is about to be given a chance at redemption. He will be visited by three ghosts. The Ghost of Christmas Past will remind him that although he'd had a rather dreary childhood, he'd had plenty of chances to make people (rather than wealth) his passion. The Ghost of Christmas Present will show him how happy people can be when they are surrounded by the people they love at Christmas. And the Ghost of Christmas Future will reveal a dreary future which may come to pass if Scrooge continues on his miserly path. On Christmas morning, Scrooge will awaken a new man - someone who knows how important it is to love one's neighbors and to rejoice in their friendship. This is such a great story because it reminds us that wealth does not necessarily make us happy. It reminds us to look at the world through a different perspective. And, it's pretty darned funny. :)
This well-known story was excellently narrated by Tim Curry...and I'm SO glad I decided to pay the extra couple of dollars for the Curry narration! His voice is soothing yet engaging at the same time. His voices for each character are spot on. And his delivery of the humor was so well-timed!
It looks like we both liked The Ghost of Christmas Past. I was intrigued by the brief part where Scrooge's sister makes a comment about their father. I wish we were given more details about his family.
ReplyDeleteHe was rather funny on Christmas morning, jumping about all excited. :)
Thank you for taking part in the read-along. I enjoyed reading your answers and hope you'll join us in the future as well.
Happy holidays!
Thanks for stopping by Delia! And thanks for hosting the event. It's been fun. I'm still working on Old Curiosity Shop though! Not done yet!
DeleteAs you say, we all want to know more about Scrooge's lost love (as I mentioned in my own review, we are never even told her name).
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I agree with your view of the story as "funny" though. Overall, it's rather sad - because, as in the parable of the boy who had to knock nails in a fence each time he lost his temper but was permitted to pull them out each time he did a good deed to atone, the scars remain forever.
It is rather sad, but I think Dickens meant to keep it a little light-hearted as well.
DeleteI think it has funny momements, for example when he tells Marley's ghost he can't belive in him and that he is certainly just a bit of indigestion. I also find it funny when he calls Christmas Humbug.
ReplyDeleteI'm really glad you liked it and joined us in reading the book.
The lost love is a remarkable character but i would have liked to know more about Marley.
Marley is an interesting character too. Dickens is so good at writing characters in even such a short book that so many of them are intriguing.
DeleteOh yes, his lost love! I'm really interested! It's a pity they weren't fond of prequels at that time =)
ReplyDeleteHaha! Yes, a prequel! That's a good idea. :)
DeleteOh it would be awesome to have Tim Curry read it to me, I am going to look that version up for next year! :)
ReplyDeleteYou should, it was fantastic!
DeleteI didn't know that Tim Curry read this one. I may track down a copy for next year--I love his voice! This is a fun story--a good mix of drama and seriousness.
ReplyDeleteI've only listened to one other book narrated by him - Dracula - but I really enjoyed that one too. I'm going to make more effort to seek him out now. :)
DeleteI missed the Dickens read along, but this is one of my favorite stories. I would also like to know what happened to his lost love. I had no idea there was a version narrated by Tim Curry. I must find that one. I think I may need to find his narration of Dracula too.
ReplyDeleteThis version of A Christmas Carol is definately worth it. :) Dracula was very well-done, too, but it's a "full cast" so Tim Curry only narrates one of the characters - I forget which one.
DeleteI love your answer to the question - do you know anyone like Scrooge? Your movie reviews are most enjoyable to read. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThanks Patricia!
DeleteI also liked The Ghost of Christmas Past--any of them are better than creepy Christmas Future, though! ;) And I'm so glad you liked the Curry narration. I did enjoy it for the most part but felt that some of the parts were a bit to caricaturized. Though--I guess that's Dickens! I'm reading/listening to Bleak House right now and the characters do lend themselves that type of narration! I see in another comment that you enjoyed Dracula via audio. That one's been on my wishlist for ages!
ReplyDeleteThe Dracula narration was pretty good because it was full-cast. I love a well-done full-cast audiobook. :)
DeleteNice review, Rachel! I loved it, too!
ReplyDelete