The Cricket on the Hearth A Fairy Tale of Home

Last Christmas, a group of us sat around and watched a DVD collection of Christmas Classics. In it was the Cricket and the Hearth, a movie none of us had heard of... So we watched it. It was the most ridiculous cartoon/movie I have ever seen. Between random songs that went on way too long and made no sense, being told the cricket was good luck and watching all sorts of depressing horrors happen (including Bertha losing her sight), and some random Cat and Dog being shot... it's a movie we won't forget and continue to laugh hysterically to to this day.I'm soo pleased to say this book was nothing like the movie! Poor Dickens is probably rolling in his grave that such master piece was turned into such a ridiculous cartoon. It's a story proving that love is beautiful! Whether it's between a husband and father, the blooming love of time and dedication, or the passionate romance that was torn apart and rekindled.It was beautifully written (as Dickens usually does) and a great story! While it really tells of its time setting, it can also be meaningful to anyone in any time.I would have given it 5 stars, but there were parts that went on too long and were hard to get through. But the story itself was incredible enough to get me through!

I've been meaning to read this forever and finally did this past Christmas. It's a very sweet story, in the Dickens style with quaint lodgings and peculiar last names and charming details of daily life among simple people. The gentle plot twist near the end was not entirely unexpected and did a good job of knitting up the tension and anxiety that Dickens had created. Nice and short read, a novella basically. It only makes peripheral mention of the recently past Christmas, but it's a good cozy read for the holidays.

Great classic book. Gifted it along with a bronze cricket to a new home owner. She loved it.

A novella to warm the heart, especially during the holidays. This is the story of John Peerybingle, a carrier, lives with his young wife Dot, their baby boy and their nanny Tilly Slowboy. A cricket chirps on the hearth and acts as a guardian angel to the family. One day a mysterious elderly stranger comes to visit and takes up lodging at Peerybingle's house for a few days. Truly a good story to read.

I enjoyed this tale despite its odd style. I gave it four stars, instead of five, because the blind girl was left out of the wrap-up at the end. The toy maker was beginning to become the man she believed him to be, and there could have been some hint that he would come to love her. The story did keep me coming back for more, even though I did not understand some of the old phrases. Fans of Charles Dickens and Shakespeare and Robert Service would probably enjoy this story.

Initial reading (first few pages) was a little rough. However, once you were able to gather who was who it was an enjoyable read. I finished it in one sitting. Not what you expect, but then again most Dickens novels call into that category.

Dickens is still one of my favorite writers and, as per his usual, he did not disappoint with this one either. A short read, this story still carried all of his usual turns and thrills of the one swift twist near the end.

I ordered several of this book to be given at Christmas gift, along with brass cricket and everyone loved it, I was so pleased with their response

Great wee read for Christmas - perfect fireside story - indulge yourself

Der gar keiner ist. Ich meine: Es handelt sich um die englische Fassung. Dabei muss man sich darüber im Klaren sein, das Englisch von Ch. Dickens ist zwar nicht gekünstelt aber erlesen. Die in den e-book Lesegeräten eingebauten Wörterbücher versagen dabei oft.Zum Buch an sich: Ich glaube jeder hat von ihm reden hören, fast so viel wie von Oliver Twist. Dickens zu lesen ist auch dann zu empfehlen, wenn man kein besonderes Interesse an die von ihm so meisterhaft beschriebenen damaligen geselllschaftlichen Umstände. Und zwar weil er auch genauso meisterhaft Charaktere, Situationen, Atmosphäre, Beziehungen, Gefühle... beschreiben kann.Ein Buch für ruhige, besinnliche Stunden.

My 8 year old son loved to read the book, for him was nice to see how English language changed from the Victorian times to our present.

Like "A Christmas Carol", this is a short, sweet, sentimental and heartwarming story in praise of goodness, generosity and simple, harmonious domesticity.

It took a bit of getting into because of the archaic language. But eventually I got used to it and found it quite enjoyable.