Holiday Romance

by Charles Dickens

A Holiday Romance is a collection of four short interconnected stories written from the point of view of four children. The children are on holiday and are living out their fantasies, which come from all manner of adventure and romance stories and involve everything from weddings to courts martial, to pass the time. With this work, Dickens seeks not only to entertain but to advocate for freedom of imagination and fancy.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Short Stories, Christmas, Literature, 19th Century, Childrens

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1868

About the author

Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870) was a writer and social critic who created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity.

Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.

Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.

On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Bettie · Rating 2 out of 5]

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/809

Opening: This beginning-part is not made out of anybody’s head, you know. It’s real. You must believe this beginning-part more than what comes after, else you won’t understand how what comes after came to be written. You must believe it all; but you must believe this most, please. I am the editor of it. Bob Redforth (he’s my cousin, and shaking the table on purpose) wanted to be the editor of it; but I said he shouldn’t because he couldn’t. He has no idea of being an editor.



Just the titular story, which is written by four young people from their position in a joint role playing game:

William Tinkling Esq. - Aged 8
Miss Alice Rainbird - Aged 7
Lieut.-Col Robin Redforth - Aged 9
Miss Nettie Ashford - Aged half-past six

I can't see today's youngsters buying into this and there is little by way of a hidden stream to keep adults interested, yet it does hold a certain charm.

Could not be confused with Angria.

[[ J o ] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Utterly charming short stories "written" by four children. The language and humour is so utterly Dickens, but the way in which they're written truly seem as if by children. The stories reflect the social standings of the day, wherein the boys have adventure and the girls have romance, but the boys also have romance in their own way, and the girls also have adventure in their own way. I often forgot they were not actually written by children at all.


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[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25⭐
PART I.
INTRODUCTORY ROMANCE PROM THE PEN OF WILLIAM TINKLING, ESQ. 3.5⭐

PART II.
ROMANCE. FROM THE PEN OF MISS ALICE RAINBIRD 3⭐

PART III.
ROMANCE. FROM THE PEN OF LIEUT.-COL. ROBIN REDFORTH 3.25⭐

PART IV.
ROMANCE FROM THE PEN OF MISS NETTIE ASHFORD 3.25⭐

[Max · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty unusual collection of four short romance stories, "written by four children" but actually written by Dickens, of course. They are easy to read and quite enjoyable, though I find the premise of the collection a bit weird. I enjoyed the third story of Captain Boldheart the most, probably because it was the most adventurous and featured not so much romance. :-)

[ikaalore · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dickens REALLLYYY lives upto his name (yes. Pun indeed was intended)
Everything I’ve ever read from his has always been whimsical and magical. It’s oddly nostalgic.

[Srđan · Rating 3 out of 5]

First story - 3.5/5
Second story - 1/5
Third story -2/5
Fourth story - 4/5

[Sladjana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charles Dickens-Holiday romance
"-We will pretend-said Alice-that we are children; not that we are those grown-up people who won't help us out as they ought,and who understand us so badly."
🇷🇸
👫👫Četiri pričice
👫👫Četiri naratora-Vilijam,koji ima 8 godina,Alis-7,Robin-9, Neti-šest i po.
👫👫Sva deca na raspustu moraju da se zabavljaju,uglavnom sama među sobom
👫👫Imamo jedno osujećeno venčanje,prinčeve i princeze,kapetane i posadu gusarskih lađa.
👫👫Duhovito i veoma,veoma slatko
👫👫Uverljivo pripovedanje iz dečije perspektive
👫👫Ovo je da se ne zaborave vremena kad je svaka mašta realna
✒❤🔟
🇺🇸
👫👫Four stories
👫👫Four narators-William,aged 8,Alice-7,Robin-9, Nettie-aged half past six
👫👫Kids are on holiday and they have to entertain themselves
👫👫We have a wedding,princes and princesses,captains and pirate crews
👫👫Funny and so,so cute
👫👫Interesting perpective from the children's point of view
👫👫This one is for remembering times when imagination is real
✒❤🔟

[Tricia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I only read the title story (novella?) Holiday Romance. Not sure what Dickens was going for, but I found it a bit tedious and didn't really enjoy the read. It was made of four parts, stories by each of the four children characters of their romance, but the whole thing could have done with a better context. I was expecting the thing to at least sum up at the end or give it some remedial morality.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute book written from the perspective of very imaginative children. Quite fun and still Dickens-esque.

[Irene García · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holiday Romance is a collection of 4 stories written from the point of view of the 4 main characters, who are 4 children aged between 6 and 9 years old. Each one of them writes one of the stories and they imagine themselves in different situations in a kind of “upside down world” in which children have the power and adults have to obey them.

The first story is that of William Tinkling, who narrates his romantic adventures with Nettie Ashford and marrying her, while his friend Robin Redforth is engaged to Alice Rainbird. In addition, William and Robin had to rescue their girlfriends who were imprisoned. They finally decide that they will wait until they are 90 years old so the adults won't bother them. I loved it because it is told with great humor and innocence.

The second story is that of Alice Rainbird, a princess who is given a gift by the fairy Grandmarina consisting of a magic fishbone that she can use only once to fulfill a wish, but only if she does it at the right time.

The third story is written by Robin Redforth, who fancies himself a pirate, chases his grammar teacher and engages in adventures and battles with other pirates. His crew is made up of his friends.

The fourth story is the one I enjoyed the most. It is narrated by Nettie Ashford, who imagines herself living in a world where adults are obliged to obey children, go to school and cook rich desserts for the children.

These stories are far from the best stories Charles Dickens ever wrote, but I think it's worth reading this book. I found it very amusing and I found the way and the innocence with which each child tells his/her story very adorable. It really seems as if they were written by children not only because of the fantastic and imaginary ideas they have but also because of the style and the way they express them.

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute little short story told from the perspectives of four children ages 6-9. Each child makes up a story about being a sea captain, or living in a land without grownups, having a magic godmother, or simply playing with their friends. It's whimsical and cute, but has no story structure at all. The narrative is sweet, and the writing is a delight, but the characters are flat with no development.

A quick little read, but nothing special.

[Shawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an odd collection of stories - all written from the points of view of children of various ages. All the stories are very fanastical with the children imagining themselves in different grown-up situations such as married to one another, or as pirates terrorizing their grammar teacher, or as the "parents" of THEIR OWN parents who they call them their "children" - and they send them away to boarding school. It's all quite amusing once you get into the swing of what's going on - but it's not really holiday-ish or romantic so if you think you're picking this up to read about a Christmas romance, you're barking up the wrong pine tree.

[Maria Tsak · Rating 1 out of 5]

πολύ κακό
Δεν είμαι σίγουρη κατά ποσό θα ωφελούσε ένα παιδάκι να διαβάσει ένα τέτοιο βιβλίο. Εκτός από ότι είναι σχετικά δύσκολο για παιδιά, δεν έχει και κάποιο ηθικό δίδαγμα στο τέλος. Η τετάρτη ιστορία είναι κάπως καλύτερη και στην ουσία η περιγραφή του βιβλίου αφορά αυτήν. Οι υπόλοιπες ιστορίες εντελώς βαρετές.

[Gemma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweet short story, made up of 4 shorter stories, told from the perspectives of four very young children. Each of their stories centre around love and capture a child-like sense of imagination, role-playing and adventure. This was a sweet and fun read.

[Oleksandr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nobody told me that Dickens is fun.

[Janice · Rating 2 out of 5]

I get what Dickens was doing here but I didn't really enjoy reading it.

[Joan K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charming!

[C. Alfonso Juárez · Rating 3 out of 5]

The kind of story I’d like to read (or write) when I was child

[Gill James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charles Dickens really captures the voice of the child her though I think it would be quite hard for a 21st Century child to read. A charming story.

[Vidyaa Krishna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed a charming collection of four short stories told through the eyes of children. The innocent perspectives made it all the more amusing and heartwarming. Was a delightful read!

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admittedly gave it 4 stars because it reads exactly as you’d predict - nothing more, nothing less. Charming, humorous stories that offer a reminder of childhood imagination.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charming and entertaining. I would have given 4 stars, but the 4th story (Nettie) was a bit tedious.

[Meg Onthemove Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although these are charming little stories, they seem rather experimental on Dickens part and don't really seem to capture a true child's voice.

[CadyCan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started Holiday Romance 21 December 2013, Finished 23 December 2013 as part of challenge to read all of Dickens' works.
A cutesy story of romance as written by children. Pure fantasy and an amazing insight into a child's way of thinking.
The first part portrays the childhood romance as a whole, which ends because they "have to wait until they are 90 before adults no longer get in the way of their romance" and then each part thereafter tells of each of the individual sweethearts' imaginings of the romance. By imaginings I mean fantasy view of how the world works and how the romance triumphs against all odds ranging from a pirate world to a world where adults are referred to as children and treated as such.

Again wasn't left in awe of Dicken's mastery although I will say it is amazing to think that an adult wrote the story because you can truly imagine it to be the way kids would think so mastery there was but am thinking a break from Dickens may be required at this stage.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The romances of 2 couples (aged 6 to 8 years old) - each child has their own short story of what their romance is like. Charming stories - I especially liked the one where children are in charge and grown ups (called children in that land) have to do as they are bid & can be sent off to boarding school!

[Imaya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though the story itself lacks depth and character growth, it was quite entertaining to read these stories “written” by little kids. Dickens did a wonderful job bringing to life the childish and innocent imaginations of 2 little boys and 2 little girls. It reminded me of my own childhood dreams; I was smiling all throughout the book!

[Veronica Noechel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief, festive fun from the reliable Dickens. Snicker-worthy commentary by predictably charming Victorian British moppets. Nothing earth-shattering, but makes a quick, enjoyable read on a cold night.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute book consisting of four stories written by small children. It shows their imagination at work and most likely allowed Dickens to have fun at his writing table.

S quick, but worthwhile, read.

[Paulita · Rating 2 out of 5]

What in the world is the point to these little tales?

This was not one of my favorite collections. The stories seemed disconnected and pointless. Continuing to read through Dickens entire collection.

[Berna · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Very interesting book. The stories are childish (as it should be). The idea of the book and the children's imagination both being very interesting and limited to their experiences was very well done.