A Christmas Carol is exactly what you would expect it to be. If you have seen any of the many adaptations then nothing in the book will surprise you, particularly if you have watched the Zemeckis Disney version, which is remarkably faithful. Yes that movie was blamed for being a bit soulless, but I say look to the original material and I reiterate that it was remarkably faithful. However, no review could add or take away from this story and how someone feels about it. A Christmas Carol is ubiquitous, but it's popularity, despite my opinion, is well deserved and it is worth a read.

The same could not be said about The Chimes and The Cricket on the Hearth. These stories are nonsensical, hard to follow, and difficult to care about. There is a reason you don't see successful adaptations of these novellas, despite one of them taking place during New Years. Don't we need a good New Year's story?

Read A Christmas Carol. Skip the rest.