Unique

I was quite uncertain what to expect from this audiobook. Scrooge before the ghosts? What did that even mean? I’m very familiar with A Christmas Carol, having watched it numerous times as a child. I even stage managed a production back in the nineties. So I believed I knew the story.

According to Sarah Whelan, I clearly had no idea.

Which is why this is such a wonderful book. Ebeneezer Scrooge had an entire life…before the ghosts. A full and fulfilling life – until multiple tragedies struck.

I’ll admit I cried. The book is sad in that Ebeneezer dies – but that was an inevitability. We all die. What I didn’t expect was to feel so invested. Right from the start, I kept expecting bad things to happen to Scrooge. After all his name is so much part of modern-day lexicon that most people recognize it instantly.

Without giving too much away, I hope I’ve convinced you to give the book a try. I will also add that Charles Robert Fox was a delightful narrator and I’ll definitely grab something by him again. And Sarah Whelan’s fiction novels are going to the top of my TBR pile…

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A Heartbreaking View of Scrooge

So both the author and the narrator were new to me. And because I love A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, I was really looking forward to the retelling.
The author did a really good job, because both the setting and the narrator fitted in wonderfully with Victorian England.
The beginning of the book dragged on a bit, but at some point I got to the point where the story began to captivate me. Scrooge's life and everything that happened to him was told convincingly and yes, it was also very emotional at times. Scrooge is a kind-hearted person who has had to deal with a few blows of fate. Very touching. And for me, it ended up fitting in well with the Scrooge I remember from Charles Dickens.

Charles Robert Fox was a new narrator for me, but he managed to convince me. I liked both his voice and his delivery. He conveyed the emotions well and I think he chose appropriate voices for the protagonists.
I can highly recommend this audiobook for the run-up to Christmas!

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I wouldn't have enjoyed this as much, if I read it

Indpendent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted the AUDIO version of this book.

Ok, 2 things: First I've read of this author, and first I've listened to of this narrator. These two things are intertwined.

I really enjoyed this reworking of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. It takes us on a more indepth and more deliciously different path that follows Scrooge from the very beginning. I'm not going to go into the storyline too much, but for spoilers, but suffices to say, I really enjoyed the path this took.

The way Whelan builds the world around Scrooge, and gets over the descriptions of the places and the peoples he comes across, is astounding and I could see myself sitting there with Scrooge. Loved the descriptions of everything.

Charles Robert Fox narrates.

Now, for the most part, narrators have American accents, and there is nothing wrong with that but I am so very glad that this narrator was used for this book. His accent is very VERY English and fits in the Victorian England setting so beautifully! He uses a much OLDER voice for Scrooge, when talkignt ot he ghosts, than he does when he is telling his story, and I love that the voice ages as the story goes on.

It goes without saying, that my enjoyment of this book would be very different had I read it, or had a different narrator been used.

I'd like to read more of this author and listen to more of this narrator's work.

4 stars for the book
4 stars for the narration

*same worded review will appear elsewhere

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1 person found this helpful

Fantastic!

While this started out a bit slow for me (possibly my fault) I was eventually totally captivated and ended up loving it. I think it was a very inventive take on what could have happened to make Scrooge behave the way he did. I listened to this at the perfect time of year. By the time finished I had tears in my eyes which happens when a story really moves me.

Charles Robert Fox is a new to me voice actor and I think he did a wonderful job performing this story.

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Narrator was really good

An enjoyable listen. The narrator was new to me, he was great. The author was also new to me so I didn't know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised, this was very well written. I did have to keep reminding myself this is was not set in modern day. This was an interesting retelling, listening to how Scrooge became Scrooge.

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Standout story

I have never read nor heard any background story about Scrooge before I listened to this.
Right from the beginning I was hooked. I normally listen to books as I’m doing something else so they don’t always get my full attention. This story demanded my attention. There are so many details that can’t be missed.
Scrooge as a child was sad. His life was full of situations that almost forced him to become the sad old man he ends up being. His interactions with family, employers, fiancée, lover and others all play into the path he takes that makes him hate Christmas. These also state the big heart and feelings of taking care of others that is seldom acknowledged.
I love this story and will revisit it again and again.


The narrator, Charles Robert Fox, is perfect for this story. He brings all the accents and tones needed to make this story so realistic.

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