The Chimes

Dickens on Dickens

By: Charles Dickens

Narrated by: Gerald Dickens

On New Year’s Eve, Trotty becomes disheartened with life and feels that the working classes are wicked by nature after so many report of crime and mortality. His daughter, Meg, announces her plans to marry her fiancé on New Year's Day, something that Trotty is not particularly happy about. After meeting Will and his niece Lilian, the group return to Trotty's house. During the night, Trotty feels the church bells are calling him, so heads to the tower and climbs up to the bell chamber. Here he discovers the spirits of the bells and their goblin attendants who take him on a journey.

'The Chimes: A Goblin Story of Some Bells that Rang an Old Year Out and a New Year In' is a short novel by Charles Dickens, written and published in 1844, and read today by his great great grandson Gerald Dickens.

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A decent follow-up to "A Christmas Carol."

Although this is not my favorite of Dickens' Christmas books, the skill of his great grandson's narration lifts the book up to a higher level. Gerald Dickens' reading of the story is the best part of a novella that in some ways attempts to repeat the magic of "The Carol" but is not overly succesful. I admit I have come to like the story more with repeated listens, however it is clear that's Charles Dickens was never able to recreate "The Carol." Yet, this book is worth a listen.

Great narration and great story

Gerald Dickens is an excellent narrator....he leaves nothing to be desired.

The story is nearly as good as that classic A Christmas Carol...a good plot, nice sentiments, and lovable characters....and a happy ending.

Enjoy!!!!

The Chimes

I so enjoyed listening.l to a story read by a Dickens. I am excited to read the next.

Dickens is Great

Would you listen to The Chimes again? Why?

Yes. Every new year, this story is a reminder of class struggle and the importance of being meek and big-hearted.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Trotty Veck, the protagonist, is my favorite character for his humanness, his mercy, and his inner conflict which propels the story.

What about Gerald Dickens’s performance did you like?

G. Dickens' performance was spot on, especially with the repetition he frequently employs to emphasize the rhythm of the piece.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Trot into the new year with Dickens' classic story about faith, redemption, and love

"Dickens on Dickens"

If you could sum up The Chimes in three words, what would they be?

As a loyal Dickens follower, this was still a delightful surprise

Who was your favorite character and why?

Trotty Veck was my favorite character representing all which was honest and good in the social class of the poor during Dickens time, in spite of staggering adversities.

Which character – as performed by Gerald Dickens – was your favorite?

Gerald Dickens is an unexpectedly brilliant reader who performs many voices with ease and excellence. He is obviously not just content to "ride on" the successes of his great-great grandfather.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This work was new to me, and took such an unexpected direction and so caught me up in the suspense, that it frequently made me chuckle.

Any additional comments?

This work is very similar to A Christmas Carol in many aspects. I am very surprised that it is not better known by the reading public, since The Christmas Carol is so popular and so frequently performed.