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auqse's review against another edition
3.75
Loved this story! The only problem was that it was hard to get into this book, especially at the beginning, so I had to put off taking this story into my hands for a long time. Nonetheless, the other half was much more interesting and easy-flowing (is that a word?). I think it would be a perfect read around Christmastime.
katiedreads's review against another edition
4.0
I have not read a lot of Charles Dickens stories so have never heard of this one. It is similar in theme to a Christmas Carol. Christmas for Dickens seems to be for telling ghostly stories around the hearth, with a cosy fire blazing. It seems fitting to be a time for examination of your life and experience. For Victorians these ghost stories began to be associated with Christmas time. "Then, as Christmas is a time in which, of all times in the year, the memory of every remedial sorrow, wrong, and trouble in the world around us, should be active with us,"
It is at times darkly weird and bleak story for much of the time, but there is selections of Christmas festivity, remunerations on the luck and value of the characters life and a happy ever after as per a lot of Dickens. But over all the lyrical writing style and dark atmosphere is very interesting. The characters are deep, dimensional each with their own dark pasts, but with the will to be better. The concept of having your memories removed, affecting your empathy is unique. I also love how the story presents that without your memories of past changeless you cannot value your life.
I also had a 1907 version of the book re-published in 1937 with some beautiful illustrations by C.E. Brock that added to the experience.
It is at times darkly weird and bleak story for much of the time, but there is selections of Christmas festivity, remunerations on the luck and value of the characters life and a happy ever after as per a lot of Dickens. But over all the lyrical writing style and dark atmosphere is very interesting. The characters are deep, dimensional each with their own dark pasts, but with the will to be better. The concept of having your memories removed, affecting your empathy is unique. I also love how the story presents that without your memories of past changeless you cannot value your life.
I also had a 1907 version of the book re-published in 1937 with some beautiful illustrations by C.E. Brock that added to the experience.
crescentpages's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
“All human memory is fraught with sorrow and trouble. My memory is as the memory of other men, but other men have not this choice. Yes, I close the bargain. Yes! I will forget my sorrow, wrong, and trouble!”
The Haunted Man is a story about a man who wishes to forget the sorrow that haunts him. However, as we soon discover, it is not as simple as rooting out sad memories to only be left with the good.
Similar to A Christmas Carol, this is a simple story that offers a simple moral. I enjoyed this simplicity and how the message was woven throughout the text. The characters were included to represent different angles of the conversation Dickens wished to initiate, and yet they had the distinct personalities we know Dickens for.
I did find that the story was quite haphazardly structured. The different threads of the story were tangled together, and I had to flick back a few pages to regain my bearings occasionally. However, this didn’t severely impact my enjoyment of the story.
I will note that the ending of the story features a woman discussing the loss of her child, which is framed in a way that focuses mostly on her resulting sympathetic outlook on others. This can be seen as disregarding the long-term and grievous impact of loss for a mother.
Overall, I enjoyed Dickens’ way of delivering a simple moral in a beautifully written way.
“All human memory is fraught with sorrow and trouble. My memory is as the memory of other men, but other men have not this choice. Yes, I close the bargain. Yes! I will forget my sorrow, wrong, and trouble!”
The Haunted Man is a story about a man who wishes to forget the sorrow that haunts him. However, as we soon discover, it is not as simple as rooting out sad memories to only be left with the good.
Similar to A Christmas Carol, this is a simple story that offers a simple moral. I enjoyed this simplicity and how the message was woven throughout the text. The characters were included to represent different angles of the conversation Dickens wished to initiate, and yet they had the distinct personalities we know Dickens for.
I did find that the story was quite haphazardly structured. The different threads of the story were tangled together, and I had to flick back a few pages to regain my bearings occasionally. However, this didn’t severely impact my enjoyment of the story.
I will note that the ending of the story features a woman discussing the loss of her child, which is framed in a way that focuses mostly on her resulting sympathetic outlook on others. This can be seen as disregarding the long-term and grievous impact of loss for a mother.
Overall, I enjoyed Dickens’ way of delivering a simple moral in a beautifully written way.
nadyne's review against another edition
3.0
This was again a Christmas story that resembled my all time favourite A Christmas Carol, but it wasn't near as good. Yet I rather liked it, although I all sure I won't read it again.
zaphirenia's review against another edition
4.0
Υπέροχη και καλογραμμένη ιστορία
Μικρή χριστουγεννιάτικη ιστορία από τον ειδικό. Ο Dickens είναι απολαυστικός όπως πάντα! Παρασέρνει τον αναγνώστη με πλούσιες εικόνες και άψογο γράψιμο και δημιουργεί την τέλεια ατμόσφαιρα και στη μικρή φόρμα.
Μικρή χριστουγεννιάτικη ιστορία από τον ειδικό. Ο Dickens είναι απολαυστικός όπως πάντα! Παρασέρνει τον αναγνώστη με πλούσιες εικόνες και άψογο γράψιμο και δημιουργεί την τέλεια ατμόσφαιρα και στη μικρή φόρμα.
charleylenden's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
motypeandroid's review against another edition
3.0
A story.
I read a Christmas Carol before reading this, and I think this story is more poorly done than that. But I do think in the end the story became a little more interesting that it had been in the middle. There was very little ghost, for a ghost story. That was....a choice.
I read a Christmas Carol before reading this, and I think this story is more poorly done than that. But I do think in the end the story became a little more interesting that it had been in the middle. There was very little ghost, for a ghost story. That was....a choice.
topazriver's review against another edition
3.0
This would have been a two star but for Dickens wonderful personification of the landscape. Poetic and perfectly wonderful even in at its most depressing. This isn't a story for everyone and it touches on tragic death in typical Victorian fashion. Overly sentimental, long winded at times but in conclusion, Dickens is saying, let us be thankful for our joys and sorrows. I say... have a very merry Christmas!