Many have read or are at least aware of the timeless classic A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. This novel is a new twist on a wonderful classic, yet still brings forward something new. Ebenezer Scrooge wakes on Christmas eve to find a group of unusual visitors in his room. He finds the figures to be the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future, but what concerns him most are the two figures that look to be non other than different variations of himself. One is our typical Scrooge, known to be stingy and selfish as in the classic tale. The second is one who seems to have been hardened by battle and is covered in scars. They discover that at some point, an event caused their life to split into three different paths. This disastrous event has not only impacted the three Scrooges, but everything in existence. Together they must travel through time and uncover what point in their lives caused such a tragic ending. Which path is the right one? Will they be able to work together to save the entire universe itself?
The first thing that caught my eye about this book was that it is written using the same language style as the original classic tale. This warmed my heart. I love seeing that a new twist can be made while still keeping components of the original that made it timeless. This book not only holds onto the language used, but the insightfulness as well. The Three Scrooges holds a much deeper meaning, just as A Christmas Carol does. From reading the timeless tale, we know about being kind to others, being selfless…which is more true now that ever. This new rendition brings forth another powerful lesson for its readers.
In our lives we are faced with decisions on a daily basis. Ones that are difficult, hurt those we love, hurt ourselves, or even ones that we think have no impact on anything. I know that my life has been riddled with these difficult decisions that impact my entire family. It is not easy to make big decisions, and the one that benefits us personally is not always the right one to choose. This story shows the reader that we are all faced with difficult decisions, and that one event can change the entire course of our lives. The willingness to talk to someone rather than ignore them can change who you become as a person in the future. We need to be strong and make the hard choices.
We are all brought up being taught to know right from wrong. Often that distinction becomes blurry. Here, we learn that the choice that gives us the most happiness and joy, may not actually be the right one. We need to take into consideration those around us, others who are affected by our daily choices. No matter the choice we choose, there will always be positives and negative associated with it.
I really enjoyed this book and all that it brought to the table. Each version of Scrooge was unique and had new traits. It was neat seeing how each version interacted with the others and how they evolved through their time travels. If you love a book that spins off of a classic, or has deeper meaning for the readers…this is the book for you. How can you get a better rendition than one that holds meaning and lessons that become timeless. These lessons are what make books classics.
Get your copy of The Three Scrooges here.