Short Stacks #6 // Classic Edition // From Animals Taking Over to Christmas Ghosts

We are getting awfully close to Christmas and I think that means that it is as good as any time to look at some classic novella’s I’ve read over the last few years. And because of the time of year of course two of those are Christmas related.

 

Title: Animal Farm by George Orwell
Release Date: 1945
Type: Novella

George Orwell does not do flowery prose and is very clear in his intentions with the Animal Farm. Capatilism and socialism. I can appreciate that. But that was it. His writing didn’t quite work for me.

Title: 1984 by George Orwell
Release Date: 1949
Type: Novella

Again the concept and idea that George Orwell has here is a very interesting one. Terms like big brother and thought police, words we use very much to this day to the point that a program was called big brother, are already being used in this book. The idea is just scary.

But again his writing does not work for me. It is dry. I did not care about the characters. It is repetitive.

Title: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Release Date: 1843
Type: Novella

Despite having seen numerous adaptations of A Christmas Carol I had never read the actual story before December 2018. But I am glad I did. It is just a wonderful story as most of the adaptations show and it is one I can see myself rereading in December often.

Title: The Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffmann
Release Date: 1816
Type: Novella

 

I really enjoyed this one but there are so many bits and pieces that could have and maybe should have been build out more. Some glaring holes too but since it is a classic meant as a fairytale like story I’ll forgive it.

Pages counts are calculated based on aprox. 250 words a page. Especially that last one cut off at 180 pages is iffy at best. Some novella’s are over 200 pages. But this is just meant as a guideline.