Thirteen years ago, the Spirits of Christmas visited Ebeneezer Scrooge to turn his life around. Now, it’s Bob Cratchitt’s turn.
This was certainly an interesting continuation of A Christmas Carol; I don’t think anyone at the end of the first book would expect Bob Cratchitt of forgetting Christmas, but here he certainly has. No one in the Cratchitts are really happy, in fact, and it all comes back to Bob and his social climbing which this author compares to Scrooge, a man who became so beloved the people have erected a statue to him in a square (I suppose in the Financial District), where people frequently leave offerings. Scrooge, from hated miser to near-Saint and Bob Cratchitt, from loving family man clerk to lying, drunken social climber in thirteen years; how the world changes. Everyone has gone through changes in this book, which I don’t know how much I can go into because at 144 pages I feel like I’d give away too much to really say anything about anyone.
Sufficed to say that if you thought the “Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come” segment was depressing in Dickens, hold onto your hat because you ain’t read nothing yet. All I will say is that boy, do the Spirits enjoy kicking a man when he’s down. And who knew that the Ghost of Christmas Past has a sense of humor, yet here he’s the funniest of them all. Belinda, has a trait that is in no way visible in the original work, but I guess we needed something to give her tragedy, other than her matyr-like devotion to family. (I will say at this point that at least three of the Cratchitt children and their choices in partners put their parents as having near unbelievable for the time period amounts of acceptance in them.) Tiny Tim has had a personality shift as well, on top of being one of the main problems between Bob and Ebeneezer. Holding a a grudge and jealousy, just what you need for plot development.
As harmless as it is (and it was a harmless little book), it does have moments that strain credulity. The climatic scene near the end is a little too coincidental, never mind when the true identity of the perpetrator behind Bob’s trouble comes to light. I seriously had more questions than answers over the events of plot, which is frequently a problem when anyone writes a sequel to a developed plot. Where was this person in the original story? Why were they never mentioned? How did they come about, because I have no idea how/why they would exist as their parent seemed of identical temperament as someone else? I know this is all confusing to read, but I can’t say anything more because
I also don’t understand the introduction of a character that seems only to exist to fill in for Marley. Why them, why not Scrooge? Why was Bob Cratchitt there in the first place? What caused him to go to meet them?
It’s a quick, reasonably enjoyable read that I don’t regret reading and would recommend. I will say though that you will after reading it probably have the same questions I have.
