Author: Charles Dickens (English, 1812-1870)
Originally published: 1846
Page count: 88 (Av. of several versions: 120)
Dates read: 10/4/19-10/9/19
2019 book goal progress: 28 out of 41
Back to the Classics category:
Classic Novella (under 250 pages)
Read my other Dickens at Christmas reviews HERE.
Read my other book reviews for the challenge HERE.
Description on back of book:
The Battle of Life: A Love Story is the 4th of Charles Dickens' five "Christmas Books." The setting is an English village that stands on the site of a historic battle. Some characters refer to the battle as a metaphor for the struggles of life, hence the title.
First sentence:
"Once upon a time, it matters little when, and in stalwart England, it matters little where, a fierce battle was fought."
CAWPILE Rating: Overall - 5.1 - ⭐⭐⭐
Characters - 5
Atmosphere - 4
Writing Style - 8
Plot - 6
Intrigue - 6
Logic - 3
Enjoyment - 4
What is a CAWPILE Rating?
Review:
I did not like this story and I found it very confusing. There is one scene in the middle of the book around Christmas time, but most of it is during Autumn - despite this supposedly being a Christmas novella. The book does not have ghosts or spirits that visit. It also does not have a social narrative to it like the other stories do - which, to me, is what makes Dickens' books so deep and rich. This story is sadly lacking depth and I never was drawn into it.
It starts with a grotesque, macabre, and excessively gory description of a blood-soaked battlefield. Then skips forward 100 years and the main story covers 9 years from that point. The story is about extravagant and unnecessary self-sacrifice that could have been avoided if people were just willing to talk about their feelings. The only thing that made this OK to read was Dickens' incredible writing and the side story of Mr. Britain and Clemency. I think I get the idea Dickens was trying to get across but he fell short of its attempted grand delivery.
It starts with a grotesque, macabre, and excessively gory description of a blood-soaked battlefield. Then skips forward 100 years and the main story covers 9 years from that point. The story is about extravagant and unnecessary self-sacrifice that could have been avoided if people were just willing to talk about their feelings. The only thing that made this OK to read was Dickens' incredible writing and the side story of Mr. Britain and Clemency. I think I get the idea Dickens was trying to get across but he fell short of its attempted grand delivery.
Now I'm off to read another book... but since a review should be more about the author of the book than about the writer of the blog, I will let Charles Dickens have the last words:
"Doctor Jeddler was a great philosopher and the heart and mystery of his philosophy was to look upon the world as a gigantic practical joke; as something too absurd to be considered seriously by any rational man."
Philosophy of life as told by a nutmeg-grater and a thimble:
"Do as you would be done by! Forget and forgive!"
"Doctor Jeddler was a great philosopher and the heart and mystery of his philosophy was to look upon the world as a gigantic practical joke; as something too absurd to be considered seriously by any rational man."
Philosophy of life as told by a nutmeg-grater and a thimble:
"Do as you would be done by! Forget and forgive!"
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