With the Christmas season upon us I decided to take in another Christmas Novella by Charles Dickens in The Chimes. Oddly enough the word Christmas does not appear in the story, which is in fact about the New Year holiday, but the work is still classified as a Christmas novella.
It's organized in four quarters; my thoughts as I progressed through the story:
First Quarter
Not having read any Dickens in a while I was once again reminded of his brilliant characters and mastery of setting. He always creates a rich scene filled with the liveliest of characters. The Chimes is no exception; he makes you almost want to be poor, he creates such an animated, descriptive, human setting.
Second Quarter
The story begins to take shape, following standard Dickensian lines. The poor are getting poorer while the rich are getting richer. The plot is not new, but the characters always make it seem completely original.
Third Quarter
He's starting to lose me a little. The Chimes are coming to life in a mystical way that is a little hard to follow. He's using the same device as A Christmas Carole, where Trotty - the protagonist - is watching how the world would develop after his untimely death. Haven't I read this before?
Fourth Quarter
I'm winding down, enjoying the novella but glad that it's a short read. I'm ready for the story to end when WHAM, in the final pages the story takes a new, happy turn, resulting in the most unexpected way (for me). I was SURE that everything would end sadly, but Dickens finds a way to surprise and delight by turning on a dime.
All in all I am glad this was a novella rather than a full-length novel. There's not enough new material to carry the story much longer.
But the happy, unexpected, comedic ending sent chills down my spine with the rapidity of its wonderful resolution.
The master at work.
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