10th January, 2025 in Recommended Reads

After the Spirits Come: A Continuation of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol by Beth Ford

“Scrooge’s decades of avariciousness were well known in London. Only time and concerted effort would erase that reputation.” The novel, After the Spirits Come: A Continuation of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, by Beth Ford leads us through the life of Scrooge after he has his change of heart, having learnt of his fate if he continued on with his miserly and covetous life. Ford artfully leads us through the honest reactions of Scrooge’s closest confidants and family, questioning how much a person that intends to change overnight can expect others to simply accept and trust this sudden transformation in character. The novel explores the effects of Scrooge’s actions as he attempts to rectify his many wrongs, even delving into considerations of Scrooge’s mental faculties as he touts the visit from three ghosts.