Official Review: A Christmas Carol 2: The Return of Scro...
Posted: 17 Mar 2014, 12:54
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Christmas Carol 2: The Return of Scrooge" by Robert J. Elisberg.]
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“A Christmas Carol 2: The Return of Scrooge” is presented as an “original long lost manuscript by Charles Dickens, revised by Robert J. Elisberg.” This “sequel” to the beloved Dickens classic, “A Christmas Carol” is a fantastic sequel/parody combination in which many Dickens characters, from many unrelated Dickens stories, make appearances alongside the Cratchit family and other “Christmas Carol” characters. Throughout the story, Bob Cratchit learns that being too giving and trusting can have dire consequences, and that it doesn’t hurt to have a little essence of Scrooge, from his days before the visits of the three Christmas Spirits, in one’s life.
As with many books that are claimed to be from original manuscripts by famous classical authors, the claim that this was originally Dickens’ own work is questionable. This matter is addressed at the beginning of the book with a publisher’s note that reads, “Our researchers have been unable to find evidence of any claims that the author makes for the existence of the original manuscript he says Charles Dickens wrote. However…Mr. Elisberg insists it’s all true…” Frankly, I can only hope that this is not originally Dickens’ work because that means it’s purely Mr. Elisberg’s talent which so brilliantly mimics Dickens’ writing style (amazingly similar, yet with an air of parody entwined within the writing style itself). In this case, even the publisher’s note carries that potential air of parody and humor, as the note concludes with, “we have been advised by our legal department that if it turns out we’re wrong, since Mr. Dickens passed away in 1870, we’re on pretty solid ground against a lawsuit.”
One aspect of this sequel/parody that I really enjoyed was the inclusion of footnotes that accompanied the Dickens characters not normally associated with “A Christmas Carol.” Not only did this aid in identifying these characters’ original stories, but the footnotes themselves carried the same tone of parody, humor, and creativity of the story line and publisher’s note. This tone is wound into every aspect of the book, which makes it even more wonderful.
While the idea of bringing characters from different, yet related, stories is not exactly a novel concept, the way in which this story was crafted kept it from crossing the very fine line between a funny parody and a tacky one. This book was tastefully done, and I even laughed out loud a couple of times (which is a rarity for me). The author also included some humorous aspects such as the unavailability of the three Christmas Spirits, meaning that their places had to be taken by other spirits, instead (which, in itself, led to some interesting and amusing issues).
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I was amused throughout the whole story, and excited to see that it never crossed into the “tacky” category. I have already started recommending this book to others and will continue to do so! I think that anyone who enjoys Dickens classics would enjoy this lighthearted parody.
***
Buy "A Christmas Carol 2: The Return of Scrooge" on Amazon
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As with many books that are claimed to be from original manuscripts by famous classical authors, the claim that this was originally Dickens’ own work is questionable. This matter is addressed at the beginning of the book with a publisher’s note that reads, “Our researchers have been unable to find evidence of any claims that the author makes for the existence of the original manuscript he says Charles Dickens wrote. However…Mr. Elisberg insists it’s all true…” Frankly, I can only hope that this is not originally Dickens’ work because that means it’s purely Mr. Elisberg’s talent which so brilliantly mimics Dickens’ writing style (amazingly similar, yet with an air of parody entwined within the writing style itself). In this case, even the publisher’s note carries that potential air of parody and humor, as the note concludes with, “we have been advised by our legal department that if it turns out we’re wrong, since Mr. Dickens passed away in 1870, we’re on pretty solid ground against a lawsuit.”
One aspect of this sequel/parody that I really enjoyed was the inclusion of footnotes that accompanied the Dickens characters not normally associated with “A Christmas Carol.” Not only did this aid in identifying these characters’ original stories, but the footnotes themselves carried the same tone of parody, humor, and creativity of the story line and publisher’s note. This tone is wound into every aspect of the book, which makes it even more wonderful.
While the idea of bringing characters from different, yet related, stories is not exactly a novel concept, the way in which this story was crafted kept it from crossing the very fine line between a funny parody and a tacky one. This book was tastefully done, and I even laughed out loud a couple of times (which is a rarity for me). The author also included some humorous aspects such as the unavailability of the three Christmas Spirits, meaning that their places had to be taken by other spirits, instead (which, in itself, led to some interesting and amusing issues).
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I was amused throughout the whole story, and excited to see that it never crossed into the “tacky” category. I have already started recommending this book to others and will continue to do so! I think that anyone who enjoys Dickens classics would enjoy this lighthearted parody.
***
Buy "A Christmas Carol 2: The Return of Scrooge" on Amazon