I didn't even realise I had missed Dickens before I strated to read him again. The rhythm of the prose and the word play is clever and fun, in this case like ringing of the bells, and there's humour as well. I also noted this was the first time I'd read Dickens in English, and it was definitely worth every second. The Finnish translations are good, but the descriptions of weather and London feel more vivid in the original language. I especially loved the beginning where Dickens describes how the wind goes through the church and the bell tower.

However, I can't help but compare this to A Christmas Carol, and the latter wins without a doubt. Despite the similar concept, The Chimes is still good. You just have to consider it as an independent novel instead of a part of the Christmas Books -series or as a companion piece to A Christmas Carol. During these final hours of the old year it was great to just calm myself down, and prepare to receive the new year before all the partying. During this time of the year I always get chills, because one period of time is ending and the next is about to start. The most exciting thing is that there's no way of knowing what the future will bring, so you can grab onto it with a new kind of attitude and enthusiasm, and forget all the bad stuff of the previous year. You can start with a clean slate.

This is also the case with Trotty. Even though Scrooge is a more effective character, there's room for improvement with the melancholic Trotty as well. The passing of time offers a chance to improve. There's no use worrying about the past, because it's just that - the past. Don't doubt yourself, but instead you should trust and hope that everything will be alright eventually.