A Christmas Carol

This version of ' A Christmas Carol' was modernised by Pauline Francis from the original by Charles Dickens. Charles Dickens lived in London in the Victorian period and this book is set in London in the 1840's.

Two themes are developed in the book : money is not everything and that people can change.

This book is written from the third person narrator's view. I liked this as it reads as though someone is telling you the story.

There were some excellent character descriptions. On the first page, the main character, Ebenezer Scrooge, is described by the author.

' He was as hard and as sharp as flint and as secretive and solitary.'

' He was as bitter as the coldest wind.'

To me, these words summed up the meaness and isolation of the character.

The descriptions gave me a good mental picture of the different ghosts. There is a striking contrast between the luxury surrounding 'The Ghost of Christmas Present' and the two ragged children, Poverty and Ignorance, who appear from his robe. In Victorian London there was a big difference between wealthy and poor people, who lived in dreadful conditions, and the author seemed to use this description to show this.

The author also used a good technique when the ghosts use Scrooge's sayings, from the first chapter, to show the shock he now feels when they are repeated to him. This proves that Scrooge is changing for the better.

This book can seem quite depressing at times, but has a happy ending as the ghosts visits have shown Scrooge the error of his ways. The ending shows that people can change.

This was a good short read which made you think, but finished with a feel - good ending.

I would rate this book 5/5.

Marion P.