Some Christmas Short Readings #ALiteraryChristmas

To compliment the end of Advent and the approaching of Christmas Eve, I have read three short stories and one memoir with Christmas theme:

🎄Christmas Magic 1959: Short Memoir by Kathryn Meyer Griffith 🎄

Kathryn Meyer Griffith is a prolific author with more than thirty five novels, mostly in the romantic or suspense genre. In this short memoir, she recounted her one most memorable childhood Christmas she'd ever spent with her parents and siblings, at her grandparents house, in 1959. I can mostly relate to Griffith's sentiment, as Christmase is also something I cherished most of my childhood, as Griffirh put it, "a childhood that strongly shaped me as an individual, and some of my fondest recollections". This memoir is short, but packed with the spirit of Christmas - a perfect vehicle to reminisce on our own childhood Christmases.

🎄 Crime at Lark Cottage: Short Story by John Bingham 🎄
Narrator: Gordon Griffin

The weather was foul on that Christmas Eve. John Bradley stopped his troubled car outside Lark Cottage, planning to call the garage from there. A frightened woman and her eager little daughter were resided. They heard a click down the gate, signaling that someone is arriving. The woman insisted Bradley to stay, and he complied. But who was the visitor? And why was the woman so horrified? Would a crime be committed? Or could it be averted with Bradley's presence? - A very short but gripping crime story with unusual plot and unexpected twist.

🎄 The Lights Before Christmas: Short Story by J.R. Albert 🎄

This short story was told from the perspective of a string of Christmas lights that adorned one particular house in Maple Street. Each light has it's own voice and character, with Karl as its natural leader with his cheerful passion to shine as bright as he could. It's a sweet story of the truly meaning of Christmas.

🎄 The Man with the Sack: Short Story by Margery Allingham 🎄

This short story was told from the perspective of a string of Christmas lights that adorned one particular house in Maple Street. Each light has it's own voice and character, with Karl as its natural leader with his cheerful passion to shine as bright as he could. It's a sweet story of the truly meaning of Christmas.

From the bottom of my heart, I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

Lady Osbaldestone's Christmas Goose (2017) by Stephanie Laurens #ALiteraryChristmas

🎄 It's December 1810, and the widowed Lady Osbaldestone is back to her dower property, Hartington Manor, intended to settle for good in the village of Little Moseley in Hampshire. This Christmas, three of her grandchildren - Jamie, George, and Lottie are staying with her, sent by their mother during their father's recuperating. Lady Osbaldestone has never dealt with little children (they're around 7-9 y.o.) before, and is wondering what would amuse them during the holiday.

🎄 A problem is soon presented itself. The village's geese which had been fattened for the villagers' Christmas dinner had vanished - the whole flock of them - as if into thin air. Unless they were to be found before Christmas, the whole village's Christmas would be ruined! And that's how Therese (the first name of Lady Osbaldestone) sees a perfect way to distract the children from doing mischief out of bore: solving the mystery of the missing geese!

🎄 That is not the only project Therese set task upon herself. Matchmaking is a perfect job for a keen eye of human being like her. A young Lord came home from the war, wounded. It left an ugly scar on one side of his face, but even uglier in his heart, that he becomes a recluse.

🎄 On the other hand, a young woman must run the estate by herself and manage her spoilt Oxfordian brother, after his father's death. These two had been attracted to each other when they were first met under Therese's eyes, and now she prepared a subtle but effective campaign to draw them together, then leave the rest to cupid's. Her three young charges are excited with their two projects, and follow their grandmother's instructions thoroughly, while sometimes bring out their own brilliant ideas into action (these are solely from Lord James aka Jamie - an intelligent lad!)

🎄 Needless to say, this is a delightful charming book very suitable for the season, for it emphasizes love, family, friends, kindness, acceptance, and courage. It's packed with little mysteries, humorous but witty banters, and adventurous actions. The skating incident on the frozen lake, especially, surprisingly brought me to the edge of my seat - quite suspenseful! The plot on vanishing geese is also smartly written. Well done, Stephanie Laurens! And now I can't wait to read the rest of the Christmas series!

Rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄1/2

A Bramble House Christmas (2015) by C.J. Carmichael #ALiteraryChristmas

🎄 Willa Fairchild, accompanied by her son Scout, arrived for Christmas holiday at Bramble House B&B in Marietta, Montana, followed by Finn Knightly at the same time. Willa's intention is to have a Christmas holiday, which, somehow, is important for Scout. Finn, however, are following Willa there for, as yet, an obscured purpose.

🎄 That's how this novella starts, with a snowy village, a cozy inn with lovely people, enshrouded with thin mysteries. Only gradually that the mysteries are unfolding. We came to know that Finn, a children book's illustrator, wants to know why his deceased father had left fifty thousand pounds to the nurse (Willa) who treated him during final illness. The reason behind Willa's over-protectiveness towards Scout soon becomes clear too.

🎄 Then there's also the mystery around the sapphire ring Finn's father had gifted Willa. The Brambles family - owner of the B&B - recognize the ring as an heirloom. Are there more than one ring, then? And how did Finn's father own the ring in the first place?

🎄 Amidst all these mysteries, one thing is sure. Finn and Willa are attracted to each other. Willa eventually opens up about her fuss over Scout all the time. But Finn still hasn't confessed that he is the son of her ex-patient, and that Finn isn't his real name. How would Willa react about his true purpose of getting to know her in the first place? That he had thought her a scheming ambitious woman?

🎄 This seemingly short, light, soppy Christmassy romance, turned out to have more depth than you would've expected - personal struggles in facing illness and death is one, and family secrets is another. All is encased with Christmas and winter cheerfulness - skating, skiing, tobogganing, hot cocoa, snowman's building, gifts, scrumptious Christmas dinner - just all you could imagine of a wonderful Christmas. And of course, there's love, forgiveness, and hopeful future - the essence of Christmas.

🎄 If it sounds like a perfect Christmas read, well.... it is!

Rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄1/2

Miss Marley (2018) by Vanessa Lafaye #ALiteraryChristmas #InspiredByClassics

🎄 We all know A Christmas Carol is the most famous Christmas story ever, written by Charles Dickens, the man who re-invented the Christmas spirit. It' is about Ebenezer Scrooge's transformation - perhaps the biggest character transformation in literature. We know what has made him the hard miser we have known him at the start. And his transformation begun with Jacob Marley. But what we know about Marley? What had made him ended up a tormented spirit burdened with those self-forged chains? This novella, Miss Marley, is our answer, written as a prequel to A Christmas Carol.

🎄 Miss Marley is Clara Bell Marley, sister to Jacob Marley. The siblings lived comfortably in their big house. But after their parents death, they were expelled from their house by their corrupt wicked uncle. Thus begun their wretched lives in London's slump. It began in working house, which infected poor Clara's lung and gave her severe coughing. Then Jacob brought her out in the street. And that's where we saw them at the beginning of the story.

🎄 Few days before Christmas, cold, hungry, and homeless, the siblings kept dreaming of a better life. Jacob was caring and attentive towards his sister. During their wretched hours, he kept telling her that he will fight and work hard to make Clara's life happier. One night they witnessed a man dying in the corner of the street. Instead of calling for help, Jacob picked one the man's two purses, and they ran away.

🎄 The money provided them shelter and medicine for Clara. They started working, and with the money, Clara suggested to lend money to the poor - thus the start of their money-lending business. Later on Jacob would find the acquaintance of a young ambitious Ebenezer Scrooge, with whom he would partner in building Scrooge and Marley counting house.

🎄 As soon as they started the money-lending business, Clara witnessed how Jacob gradually changed, from the caring and attentive boy who protected her in the street, to be the ruthless businessman who ignored his clients' plight for the sake of gain. This makes Clara abandoned their joint business, and chose to work at the store instead. After Scrooge and Marley, Jacob's transformation to the heartless man became more permanent. He didn't even relent when Clara and her fiancée needed business fund.

🎄 If you love A Christmas Carol, then this novella might thrill you. But let me warn you that it's less cheerful and hopeful for a Christmas read. It's about what had led Marley to be the doomed spirit, is it not? You can't hope that kind of story would make you feel Christmassy. But as a classic reader, I'm sure you'll appreciate it. Moreover, Vanessa Lafaye has kept the atmosphere true to Dickensian London.

🎄 An interesting fact: Lafaye died in the midst of writing this novella. The publisher and her husband then asked her writer friend Rebecca Mascull to continue. And we must give credit to Mascull for a seamless story, which you wouldn't know had been penned by two writers.

Rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄

Mystery in White (1937) by J. Jefferson Farjeon #ALiteraryChristmas

🎄 A Literary Christmas is always a seasonal reading event I'm looking forward to. This year, however, Tarissa @ In The Bookcase doesn't host the reading Challenge, so Brona @ This Reading Life suggested that we will just share the #ALiteraryChristmas hashtag for fun - no event, just sharing hashtag and to be connected. So that's what I'm going to do. This is my first book, a Christmas murder

🎄 When the six passengers found themselves being trapped in a snow-bound train, they decided to leave the train, and walk to the next station. They consist of one theater girl, one clerk, one psychic, one old pompous man, and a brother and sister who were on holiday. The psychic left first, running abruptly chasing someone. Then the others followed his trail. They were all eventually lost, like you would imagine during the blizzards. Tired, cold, and hungry, they were relieved when they find a house, imagining the warmth shelter it'll provide!

🎄 Fortunately the door wasn't locked, so they welcomed themselves in after knocking on the door without avail. The fire was lit, kettle's boiling, and tea were laid for three, but mysteriously, there's no one in the house! Since the theater girl's leg was injured, and the clerk's having fever, they decided to stay on. Then mysterious things started happening, like the sounds in the locked attic room, but next was found empty but not locked! A knife was found lying on the kitchen floor when they were entering it. There's also the framed photo of an old malicious man above the fireplace which felt like following them with his gaze!

🎄 Then a stranger came, a Cockney man, whom the old pompous man recognized as another train passenger who has killed another passenger! What was really happening? Was there a murderer among them? And yet... where were their hosts?

🎄 This, as you would imagine, was a perfect murder mystery you would love to read while curling under the blanket during a cold winter night - or in my case, cold rainy night! It might not be a proper Golden Age mystery - if you expect one by one were killed, you'll be disappointed - but it was fun and delightful nonetheless. There are the murder, family conflict of the past, little Christmassy stuffs, little sparkling romance, and the warm cozy atmosphere near the crackling fire amidst the snowy freezing storm outside, with a tinge of mystery and supernatural aspect. What more do you expect? I say, this is a perfect cozy Christmas mystery!

Rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄1/2

I also read this for:

British Crime Classics Challenge 2023

Merry Christmas! A Literary Christmas 2022: WRAP-UP

First of all, I’ve been thoroughly enjoying this year’s jolly season's reading. Thanks abundantly to Tarissa @ In The Book Case for hosting it! I’ve planned to read four books, but end up with five (thanks to Hamlette/Rachel @ The Edge of the Precipice! 😉). Click the link to bring you to the reviews!

Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas by Stephanie Barron - 💗💗💗1/2

It’s just as I have expected. (Very) cozy murder mystery. Witty, with a bit of romances, and packed with Christmas jolly – English Christmas jolly!

 

A Very French Christmas: TheGreatest French Holiday Stories - 💗💗💗1/2

A mixed of some Christmas delights and some not very Christmassy. Some were jolly, but some quite bleak. All in all, a good collection to be devoured with a blanket each night before Christmas!

 

Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie - 💗💗💗💗

It’s a great murder mystery that happened to be committed on Christmas, but it’s definitely not what I’d hope for a Christmas read. There’s just too much blood for the festive seasons!

 

The Christmas Hirelings by MaryElizabeth Braddon - 💗💗💗💗💗

The perfect Christmas one can ever hope for! Joyful, heartwarming, full of love and forgiveness. 

 

Miracle on 34^th Street by Valentine Davies - 💗💗💗💗

A novella based on 1947's movie; heartwarming and a little inspiring. 

 

And last but not least, I would like to wish you all, from my heart to yours.…

Image by pikisuperstar on Freepik

 

Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davies

🎄 Kris Kringle, a kindhearted old man who lives at a senior house, believes himself to be the real Santa Claus. On the other hand, Doris, who works at Macy, is a hardworking sceptical widow who doesn't believe in miracles, let alone Santa Clause. Her only daughter, Susan, also shares her skepticism.

🎄 Several days before Christmas, Macy needs a 'Santa Claus', and Doris offered the job to Kris, who took it. He instantly becomes a star, Macy's customers loves his genuine kindness and cheerful nature. Kris even brings the Christmas spirit far beyond Macy.

🎄 However, he also realized that his main mission is to turn Doris and Susan into believers. And it's not an easy thing to do; when a selfish and greedy man turned a nasty obstacle into real impossibility. If he's really Santa Claus, can he do it?

🎄 As a Christmas story, this novella seems to be an ordinary modern tale about Santa Claus. What makes it special is because this novella is, in fact, an adaptation of a film Davies wrote in 1947, which earned him an Academy Award for Best Story.

🎄 If the story isn't that special, perhaps the hidden message it conveys is significant. No, it's not just about whether Santa Claus exists or not, it's about letting your heart takes control, together with your brain, in steering your own life. Let it embraces new hopes, and trust it.

🎄 What about the miracle? Well, miracle happens when you have faith. Because when you do, good things will happen through other people. How it works, nobody knows. But it's not a hocus-pocus thing, it's just believing that things could happen even when you don't have control over it.

Rating: 4 / 5

The Christmas Hirelings by Mary Elizabeth Braddon

🎄 Sir John Penlyon is a wealthy landowner. He became a cantankerous, hard hearted old man after the death of, first, his wife, then his first daughter. His youngest daughter's elopement was only the last straw.

🎄 His best friend, Mr. Danby, and his niece, Adella, have persuaded him to hire poor but respectable little children to liven up the Christmas at the mansion. An agreement was binding between the parties. Mr. Danby agreed to bring the hirelings, but Sir John should never ask about their background; while Sir John agreed to pay for everything on condition that the children leave the house immediately after Christmas - no strings attached!

🎄 Three little cute hirelings (a little boy and two little girls) arrive on Christmas Eve. The youngest girl, Moppet, instantly steals Sir John's heart with her sweet precocious nature.

🎄 Christmas celebration in the mansion is as joyful as one hopes; even Sir John's heart is warming up. But when he becomes quite attached to Moppet, something happens that threatens to take her away from him.

🎄 This story is the epitome of what true Christmas is about; joyful, heartwarming, love, forgiveness, and the chance to let go of the past, to right the wrongs, to start all over again with open heart.

🎄 A perfect Christmas read, that I might re-read again and again in the future - maybe as much as A Christmas Carol?...

Rating: 5 / 5

A Very French Christmas: The Greatest French Holiday Stories

🎄 A compilation of fourteen Christmas-themed short stories from ten of French most prominent authors, classics as well as contemporary. Old tales as well as modern portrayals of Christmas, are packed into one collection to lift up your holiday spirits. Here are the fourteen stories:

🎄1. The Gift - Jean-Philippe Blondel
An lonely old man who loathes Christmas, unexpectedly met an old crush during a family Christmas dinner (where he's ignored by the family members), and believed that she was sent by his late wife as his last Christmas gift.

🎄 2. St. Anthony and His Pig - Paul Arène
St. Anthony (the Saint himself) tells some children of his temptation story on Christmas Eve. In a vision of lavish pork dishes (black pudding, roast pork and gravy, sausages, etc.), the devil tempted him to kill and cook his only friend, a pig called Barrabas.

🎄 3. The Louis d'Or - François Coppée
A gambler who's lost all his money on Christmas Eve, found a louis d'or (golden louis) inside a sleeping child-beggar's shoe. He stole it to gamble and won back his money, all the while ensuring himself that he's doing it for the child's sake. An interesting story with a touching ending.

🎄 4. Christmas in Algiers - Anatole le Braz
An ex-soldier is reminiscing the Christmas Eve he's spent in Algiers during war, where he was drawn by Arabic chant, and entered a mosque. During the prayer, visions of Christmas in his fatherland and of his lover appeared vividly before his eyes. A story without a plot.

🎄 5. The Wooden Shoe of Little Wolff - François Coppée
A kindhearted little orphaned boy (Wolff) who is treated wickedly by his aunt and bullied by his rich friends gives his wooden shoe to a barefooted child out of compassion, and must bear his aunt's wrath for that, but what a rewarding ending!

🎄 6. Christmas Eve - Guy de Maupassant
A hilarious story of a man who hates Christmas Eve due to an unpleasant event occurred the year before. He invited a stout street girl to supper with him at home. It turns out she's not curvy, but pregnant! She gave birth that night, and the man must bear all the consequences...long after.

🎄 7. Christmas at the Boarding School - Dominique Fabre
The title promises a jolly story, but it's not. It's a stream-of-consciousness styled story about mixed-race Senegal boy, Joseph aka Black Jo, whose parents sent him to France due to "events" (what does it mean?) Homesick and doesn't get along with other boys, he's devastated when he can't come home for Christmas.

🎄 8. Salvette and Bernadou - Alphonse Daudet
A sad Christmas Eve at the hospital for two wounded infantry: Salvette and Bernadou. Salvette spent his last money to grant Bernadou's wishes of celebrating Christmas with wine and bread... just in time! A sad but sweet story.

🎄 9. A Christmas Supper in the Marais - Alphonse Daudet
A seltzer water manufacturer in Marais lives in an old mansion which was formerly Hôtel de Nesmond. On Christmas Eve ghosts of its old time guests arrive with their splendor, partying until morning light creeps upon them. A charming ghost story!

🎄 10. A Miracle - Guy de Maupassant
It's a miracle story that happens on Christmas, when a woman was possessed after eating an egg her husband found mysteriously laid on the snow. A priest then celebrated eucharist, and raised the holy communion over the possessed woman until the devil surrendered. Well, it's not an unusual "miracle", and not really Christmassy!

🎄 11. I Take Supper With My Wife - Antoine Gustave Droz
A middle aged wife arouses a Christmas spirit long forgotten in her husband by giving him a proper Christmas supper, where they are reminiscing their fifty years of marriage. A sweet little story, written in stream-of-consciousness style.

🎄 12. The Lost Child - François Coppée
The best story of this collection, of a millionaire banker whose life is centered upon moneymaking, and only realizes that love is much more important than money when his beloved son is lost, then found, on Christmas Eve. Loving and inspiring!

🎄 13. The Juggler of Notre Dame - Anatole France
A non-Christmas story of a skillful but ignorant juggler who is devoted to the Holy Virgin, that he becomes a monk. Eager to use his talent to praise the Holy Virgin, he performs his juggling before the altar of the Holy Virgin, to the consternation of the other monks.

🎄 14. Noel - Irène Némirovsky
The last story of this collection is the most poignant of all. It shows how Christmas is celebrated by a disintegrated family with a forced artificial joy. It is written as if we are watching disjointed but chronological snippets from movie scenes. A great warning of Christmas spirit which has sadly faded from our world...

🎄 My favorite is The Lost Child, it's the only one of the whole collection which connects itself with the real Christmas. The beautiful ending, in particular, is quite heartwarming:

"...I am compelled to attribute this miraculous event to the influence of the Divine child who came down to earth nearly nineteen centuries ago to command men to love one another."

🎄 On the whole, what a refreshing Christmas read 

this has been!

Rating: 3,5 / 5

Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie

🎄 Despite the title, I wouldn't dream to categorize this book as a Christmas read. In fact, Agatha Christie wrote this in particular to answer a critic who said that her books are too "pristine", they lack of blood. Hence, this bloody murder mystery - a fantastic novel nevertheless - which is happened to be set on Christmas Eve.

🎄 Simeon Lee is a tyrannical multi-millionaire. He ruled his family with fearmongering. His wife died unhappy, and of his four sons, only Alfred, the meek son, who stays with him and adores him. George left the house, while Harry is the "prodigal son", while David the sensitive boy couldn't forgive his father for making his mother unhappy.

🎄 This Christmas Simeon Lee invites his children to family reunion with their spouses. His Spanish granddaughter, daughter of his dead child also appears, as well as his longtime friend's son. But it's not for reconciliation, no.. far from it. First he let's them know that he's changing his will, then he triggers their anger in a cunning way. He really knows each son's sensitive weakness, and uses it to mercilessly torture them. To George, the money-lover, he cuts his comfortable allowance. To David, the mother's son, he insults his mother. To Alfred (the first son in the Bible's prodigal son parable), he specifically shows his preference to the prodigal son. And to Harry who boasts his manhood, he reproaches his sons as useless.

🎄 That night Simeon Lee was killed in his locked bedroom. But before that, he reported to the police that his collection of rough diamonds was stolen. So, is it a theft-outsider murder or a vengeful-insider one? Of course we know it's the latter because - as Hercule Poirot said from the beginning - the character of the victim determines the murderer identity, and the kind of murder itself.

🎄 All in all, it's a wonderful story. I always love Christie's psychological side in her stories, and this one provides a handful. It reminds me too of the tyrannical matriarch in Appointment with Death. The plot is fantastic, and the twisted ending is a refreshing surprise.

Rating: 4 / 5

Jane and The Twelve Days of Christmas by Stephanie Barron #InspiredByClassics

🎄Jane Austen is famous for her wit and intelligence in her writings. Now imagine, what if she's used those qualities to investigate a murder mystery? That's what Stephanie Barron captured in her "In Being Jane Austen Mystery" series. This Christmas story is the first time I heard about this series, but I loved it, so I might read more in the future.

🎄 The Austens were invited to celebrate Christmas at the Vyne, home of William Chute, a prominent figure in British politics. By the Austens I meant Jane, her mother, her sister Cassandra, her brother James and his family. Yes, Barron brought the real Austen's family and friends into the story. Not only that, in fact Barron based her story on Jane Austen's letters and journals.

🎄 It's the year of 1714; Napoleon has been banished to Elba, and John Quincy Adams signed the Treaty of Ghent on Christmas Eve. A messenger was sent to dispatch the treaty, but was killed while staying at the Chutes' while the area was snowbound. Meaning, that the murderer is one of the staying guests. The question is, is it a political murder, or a personal one?

🎄 It being a cozy mystery, the murder itself only happened after one third of the book. And if you worry lest the Christmas vibes is going to be polluted by the murder, don't be! There's a lot of Christmassy things to be enjoyed despite of the murder. Jane and Cassandra's Christmas presents to their niece, for instance. A beautiful doll and its twelve gorgeous handmade outfits, each submitted in twelve days of Christmas, is perhaps what most girls would ever dream of! And don't forget about the hint of a (promising) romance throughout the story..l. 😘

🎄 All in all, if you are a fan of Jane Austen, or at least of 18-19th century literature, and in need of cozy mystery with Christmas vibes, then this book is a perfect one. But diehard fans of crime novel might be disappointed by the plot.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

A Literary Christmas 2022

It’s that time again! Tarissa of In The Bookcase is hosting another A Literary Christmas Challenge – though “Christmas” and “challenge” should not be in one sentence, right? Anyway, I’m joining again, and this year I’m planning (hoping) to read:

A Very French Christmas: The Greatest French Holiday Stories
French and Christmas in one sentence – now, c'est superb! It’s a compilation of Christmas or holiday stories by French writers such as: Guy de Maupassant, Alphonse Daudet, Irène Némirovsky, and some other contemporary authors.

Miracle on 34^th Street by Valentine Davies
A holiday classic and a novella, yum!

Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie
It’s not a Christmas reading list without at least one murder mystery, right? And it’s on my list of Agatha Christie Perpetual Reading Challenge anyway, so why not reading it on Christmas?

Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas by Stephanie Barron
What if Jane Austen investigates a murder mystery that happened at a Regency-era Christmas party? Delicious prospect, eh?

The Christmas Hirelings by Mary Elizabeth Braddon
Another novella which seems to be charming, inspired by Hamlette's review.

Have you also created your Christmas reading list? I’m even thinking of starting my 1^st book this month, or as soon as I’ve finished my current readings (two books)! If you want to participate in this event, go directly to the sign up post.

 

A Literary Christmas 2020 Wrap Up

Though my Christmas reading this year wasn't a blast, I still very much enjoyed it.

Books I've read for A Literary Christmas 2020:

1. Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva - interesting!
⭐⭐⭐⭐

2. The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum - heartwarming!
⭐⭐⭐⭐

3. Midwinter Murder by Agatha Christie - exciting!
⭐⭐⭐⭐

I've also watched some movies, though not as much as I wanted to, but my Christmas holiday begins today, so I'll still have enough time to catch up! 😉

Movies I've watched:

- Christmas Chronicles 1
- The Heart of Christmas part 1 & 2: When Calls the Heart TV series Season 4 - one of the sweetest and most heartwarming Christmas films I've ever seen! It's a shame though, that it won't be available on Netflix after January 25, 2021 - all the more reason to watch it today!!

Thanks again to Tarissa for hosting this festive reading event. I now have one whole year to collect more great stuffs for next Christmas. Meanwhile....

HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU & YOUR FAMILY, MY FRIENDS! 🎄⛄🎅

Midwinter Murder by Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie had written tons of short stories during her career, and within the last century, many compilations have been published. Midwinter Murder: Fireside Tales from the Queen of Mystery is the newest, published in 2020. "There's a chill in the air and the days are growing shorter… It's the perfect time to curl up in front of a crackling fireplace with this winter-themed collection from legendary mystery writer Agatha Christie." ~ agathacristie.com.

All the 12 short stories compiled here have been published before. So, if you're an Agatha Christie's hardcore fan, you've probably read all of them before, but with so many of her novels and short stories, it's most likely you've forgotten most of them. So, it's kinda refreshing, really, to read them for Christmas!

Despite of the title, at least four of the stories are non murder cases. But there are two points that make this compilation more interesting than its predecessors. First, it consists of random detectives; Poirot and Hastings appear most often (five stories), then there are two by Miss Marple, two of Mr. Quin's, one of Parker Pyne, and one of Tommy and Tuppence (which is pity, I expected more of them, as theirs are usually the most humorous). But the best part is the excerpt of Christie's autobiography about how she used to celebrate Christmas as a kid. Now, that seems like the best Christmas one could have!

Since I'm bad in memorizing plots, I jotted down short summary of each story here:

1. The Chocolate Box
Published earlier in: Poirot's Early Cases.
Poirot recounted his one failure to Hastings. He was a member of the Police force in Brussels.
Background: feud between church and state in France
Victim: Paul Deroulard, a French deputy, a Minister to be, who is against the church
Location: his own house
Suspect: two guests
Weapon: poison inserted in a piece of chocolate (victim's favorite)
Poirot's clue: chocolate box with unmatched box and lid colour.
Characteristic: simple familial murder.
Similarity: The Mysterious Affair at Styles
Interesting point: Poirot's failure

2. A Christmas Tragedy
Published earlier in: The Thirteen Problems
Miss Marple told a tragedy of a husband whom she knew instantly wanted to kill his wife. She couldn't prevent it. The wife (Gladys Sanders) was killed, but Mr. Sanders got himself a perfect alibi.
Location: a Hydro (health resort)
Suspect: the husband
Weapon: sandbag
Miss Marple's clue: the hat (found later beside the body, not ON its head as had found earlier when they found the body) and the locked hat cupboard.
Characterisic: simple but genius plot, understanding of human psychology.

3. The Coming of Mr. Quin
Published earlier in: The Mysterious Mr. Quin
It's New Year's Eve. Three gentlemen, a woman, and Mr. Satthertwaite - the human lives observer - are reminiscing about the mysterious suicide of a Derek Capel, when a dark mysterious stranger comes. He subtly guided them to solve the problem, along with another murder case.
Characteristic: the enigmatic, mysterious, evasive Harley Quin, modern gothic story.

4. The Mystery of the Baghdad Chest
Published earlier in: The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories
A heavy oriental chest called Baghdad Chest is installed in Major Rich's house. The night after he gave a dinner party, a body of a Mr. Clayton - who suspected that his wife is having an affair with the Major - was found inside the chest. The wife asked Poirot's help to solve the case; and this story was told by Hastings.
Suspect: The Major
Weapon: stiletto knife
Poirot's clue: holes freshly bored in the chest
Characteristic: "A perfect murder. Épatant!" ~ Hercule Poirot

5. The Clergyman's Daughter
Published earlier in: Partners in Crime
Tommy and Tuppence investigate a very interesting non-murder case; actually it's the sweetest Christmas story from Midwinter Murder. A poor girl who lives with her mother inherited a house from her aunt. After she rejected offers from two buyers, strange and horrible incidents started to happen in the house, even poltergeist situations. The girl was also sure that the two buyers are actually one. So, what's in the house that someone insisted on buying at any value?
Location: Red House
Characteristic: poltergeist, treasure hunting, sweet

6. The Plymooth Express
Published earlier in: Poirot's Early Cases
The similarity in plot with The Mystery of the Blue Train is so striking. A rich daughter, who married a scoundrel and has an affair with a womanizer Count, is having a journey on the train. She was murdered, the jewels were stolen. The father employed Poirot to find the murderer, though at this story, Hastings was accompanying him, while in The Mystery of the Blue Train, a girl was Poirot's sidekick.
Location: Plymouth Express
Weapon: a knife
Suspect: the husband or the lover
Poirot's clue: the striking blue dress
Characteristic: red herring-motive-wise.

7. Problem at Pollensa Bay
Published earlier in: Problem at Pollensa Bay and other stories
Non murder case - it's hardly a case anyway - for Parker Pyne, the problem solver. A strictly conventional mother is worried over his son's choice of a modern girl as his future wife. Pyne solves the problem quite unexpectedly, though I could guess it easily.

8. Sanctuary
Published earlier in: Miss Marple's Final Cases
After finding a dying man inside the church, whose final words are "Sanctuary", something like "Julian" (the vicar's name), and "please..." the intelligent vicarage's wife asked her Aunt: Jane Marple, for advice.
Interesting point: "never underestimate woman's intuition!"

9. The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge
Published earlier in: Poirot's Investigate
Poirot is taken I'll by influenza, so Hastings performs the investigation of the murder of Mr. Havering's uncle.
Location: a hunting lodge
Suspect: a stranger, the black-bearded man, seen by the housekeeper.
Weapon: a pistol
Poirot's clue: Mrs. Havering's past occupation
Interesting point: justice prevails!

10. The World's End
Published earlier in: The Mysterious Mr. Quin
Another non murder story, but the most interesting so far. Mr. Satterthwaite is on holiday with a Duchess, where he meets a distracted girl. Together with an Indian judge they journey by car to a hilltop island called The World's End, where they meet Mr. Quin. A snowstorm forced them to take shelter in a house, where a forgetful actress tells a story about her treasured opal which was stolen by a young writer.
Clue: the actress' ingenious Indian box with hidden compartment.
Characteristic: two stories which seems unrelated, and vague uneasiness about a tragedy to come.

11. The Manhood of Edward Robinson
Published earlier in: The Listerdale Mystery
The young but immature Edward Robinson is seeking romance and adventure before tying the knot with his sensible and prudish fiancee. He bought his dream car with out of luck money, and involved immediately in a real adventure, with gorgeous lady, party, and jewels. Then something goes wrong, that will change the young man's life.

Characteristic: adventures 

12. Christmas Adventure
Published earlier in: The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding
Poirot is invited to spend Christmas in a manor house with some young people. An anonymous note warned him not to eat the plum pudding. The host, however, finds a ruby inside his pudding. The young people then staged a "murder" to prank Poirot. The "victim" is found dead the next day, clutching the ruby in her hand.
Characteristic: plot twists between real and fake - murder and jewel theft.

My favorite : The Clergyman's Daughter
My rating : 4,5 / 5

Mr. Dickens and His Carol: A Fictional Story on the Making of A Christmas Carol

In 1843 Charles Dickens has been a household name in England (and some parts of the world). He was on top if his career, rich, and successful, led a huge but happy family. However, his sixth novel, Martin Chuzzlewit, was a flop, while still in installments. Public mocked him, sales was decreasing. While he and Catherine was expecting their sixth child, his household debts were mounting, while friends and relatives kept expecting and squeezing him for charity and help. On top of everything, he was experiencing a writing block! The only thing he could do to avoid debtor prison is writing a fabulous Christmas book, and to do it fast. No pressure, indeed!

In the desperate moment, Dickens took a stroll at midnight, and met a theater woman in purple cloak: Eleanor. She was kind, gentle, and understanding, and her charm inspired Dickens to write. His best friend, John Forster, however, suspected Eleanor to be a book thief. So, it's either huge success or painful failure to Dickens, and he must choose to follow his mind or heart.

This book captured one of the most crucial points in Dickens' life, out of which, we know that he would write one of the most influential books ever written; book that will change how we celebrate Christmas: A Christmas Carol. Modern writers have tried to imagine what has inspired Dickens, and Samantha made Dickens' personal conflict to be the center of it. His bitter childhood made Dickens longed for affection and acceptance, while his family seemed to just use his influence and money for their own good.

"It was peculiar what she understood, with keen precision, without knowing him at all. That he wanted to be seen, cherished, and cared for, without demands, without the necessity of fixing everything—understood for who he was when he meant well and did what he could."

"But he knew, too, for the first time, what had always been true—that he wanted them to love him. In some shadow-corner of his being, he was the eleven-year-old at Warren’s Blacking even now, a boy all alone in the world, who wanted only to be seen and cared for. If they might only treasure the part of him that Eleanor had reawakened."

In short, he felt he was unfairly used by the world. And that has turned him to... Scrooge! It's Eleanor's and her son Timothy's trust that eventually warmed his heart and enouraged him to make peace with the past. But what about the ghosts? Well, Samantha keeps a little twist near the ending, just to make this book to have a little Victorian and a lot of Christmas feelings.

If you loved Dickens or A Christmas Carol, or at least, if you love Christmas reading, this book is just for you. It's fast paced and entertaining.

Rating: 4/5


And since today is the anniversary of A Christmas Carol (published in December 19, 1843), I'd like to say: Happy anniversary, A Christmas Carol!

"Christmas begins in the heart after all."

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum

 

A baby boy was found in the Forest of Burzee by one of the leaders in the immortals world: Ak, the Master Woodmans of the World. The baby was eventually adopted by a Wood Nymph called Necille, who named the mortal baby: Claus. When he's grown up to a young man, Ak took him on a journey to see the dwellings of his fellow human beings, where he first realized that there are many unfortunate children live in poverty and sorrow.

He then decided to leave the Forest of Burzee, and lived among his fellow mortals in the Laughing Valley. The immortals provided for all his needs, including a pet cat called Blinky. With nothing to do, young Claus amused himself by carving a piece of wood to the image of Blinky.

One day Claus found a stranded boy during a snow storm, and took him to stay in his house. He gifted the carved Blinky to the boy as a "toy", and made him very happy. Thereupon the story about a young man in Laughing Village who carved beautiful images of animals spread across villages, and children travelled from everywhere to Claus' dwellings to get the toys. His immortal friends helped him with supplies. Claus decided to dedicate his life to create as many toys and dolls as he can to make children happy. That's how people started calling him a Saint, for he is a kindhearted man; hence the Santa Claus!

Then the story unrolls to how Claus made it a tradition to take a journey on his sledge, pulled by the deer, only one day at a year: Christmas Eve. Also, he is the first to bring the Christmas tree tradition, and... how hanging stockings near the fireplace is just a coincidence!

It's really a heartwarming Christmas-themed book for children, and a kind of reminder for adults, that a small kindness can bring so much changes, if only we do it by heart and out of selflessness.

Rating: 4/5

 

A Literary Christmas 2020

I have been meaning to participate in this yearly Christmas reading challenge for some years, but what with the usual year-end hectic at the office and with my own reading challenges, I have skipped it the last two years. This time I've been looking forward to Christmas comfort reading more than ever, so I've made sure I completed most of my reading challenges beforehand. Now I have a free mouthful ahead of me, so I decided to join A Literary Christmas 2020 hosted by Tarissa of In the Bookcase.

My Christmas Reading List:

Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva (currently reading)

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum

Midwinter Murder by Agatha Christie

And, if I can squeeze one more novella between Christmas movies on my Netflix list, I'd love to give A Christmas Carol another reread!

What about you? What's in your Christmas to-read this year?