Weihnachten in Kirkby Cottage

by Anthony Trollope, Irmela Schautz (Illustrator), Andrea Ott (Translator)

Genres: Classics, Christmas, Short Stories, Fiction, Victorian, Literature

78 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1870

About the author

Anthony Trollope became one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of Trollope's best-loved works, known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire, revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire; he also wrote penetrating novels on political, social, and gender issues and conflicts of his day.

Trollope has always been a popular novelist. Noted fans have included Sir Alec Guinness (who never travelled without a Trollope novel), former British Prime Ministers Harold Macmillan and Sir John Major, economist John Kenneth Galbraith, American novelists Sue Grafton and Dominick Dunne and soap opera writer Harding Lemay. Trollope's literary reputation dipped somewhat during the last years of his life, but he regained the esteem of critics by the mid-twentieth century.
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_...

Reviews

[Petra X · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eligible bachelor falls for girl but has a snotty manner about him. Pretty girl falls right back but bristles at his attitude and is damned if she is going to let him know she likes him. Father wants it settled, mother thinks she knows how to play it, mild-mannered sister intervenes.

Where have you heard that before? Pride and Prejudice?It is essentially the same story. But there are several major differences between Trollope's and Austen's versions. Austen's was a book-length duelling of manners and confusions where there was time to play out the nuances and inferences that make the book so delightful. Trollope's version, a novella, by reason of length lacked the subtlety of Austen and it was just a headlong rush through the literary equivalent of uncooked meringue.

When Trollope writes well, it's blockbuster 5 stars all the way, think of the Pallisers Novels, but Trollope was just as much about quantity as quality and this ranks right down there with the just as sickly The Small House at Allington. Bit like the little girl with the curl, when he was good he was very very good but when he was bad he was horrid.

[Iza Brekilien · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know this short story didn't get a high rating on Goodreads and I understand why : it's very simple, it's predictable and the female love interest has a stupid reaction that doesn't ingratiate her much to us.

But I'll stick to my rating and I'll tell you why :

- First, I love Anthony Trollope, he's become one of my favourite Victorian authors in just three novels and he could rewrite the phone directory, I would read it. Even buy two copies, in the case someone would borrow it and not return it.

- Second, I read it just after I struggled through The way of all flesh by Samuel Butler and it felt like a much needed breath of fresh air ! Finally, normal people ! A clergyman who didn't beat his children ! A gallery of well balanced people !

- Third, it was a sweet short story and it doesn't hurt to read some now and then. I hate pink, I don't have a romantic bone in my body, but sweet can be good.

- Fourth, I didn't mind the stupid move : she was surprised, it happens. I can remember (with shame) a couple of times in my (long) life when I was saying things I didn't think, realised what I was saying when I was saying it, thought it wrong, but kept saying it, as if my mouth was independant from my brain. I'm not proud of it, I'm just saying it's human. And it's a short story, you don't have to suffer long.

So, to sum it up : not the greatest short story in the universe, but written by one of he greatest writers of his time, with the usual tenderness he shows toward his imperfect characters and I enjoyed reading it very much.

[Jersy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is so contrived and over the top - the humor worked perfectly for me. It's also kind of cute and contains some of the typical Trollope character writing.

[Penny -Thecatladybooknook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awwww.....a nice Christmas romance. Isabelle is offended because Maurice says he doesn't like Christmas but what he really means is he doesn't like all the "trappings" of Christmas but he does like the day itself. This very short novella of 4 chapters was a delight, and if you're a Trollope lover (or even if you're not), you'll love this little spark of romance set at Christmas time. A great introduction to Trollope too if you're not familiar with his writing.

[Kirsti (Kris) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet 😊

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is basically the song "One Week," by The Barenaked Ladies.
.
It was so bonkers and dramatic and I loved it.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mean, it's Trollope, so of course I enjoyed the writing at least. But the miscommunication and her needless angst. Not my favorite.🤷‍♀️

[Bobbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did like this story once all was resolved. The young man says "Christmas is a bore." And the young lady disagrees and almost will not speak with the young man. They remain like this for most of the story and the family is trying to get them together but no luck. Finally in the end they both agree that they love each other.

[Kathryn Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Christmas short story has a melodramatic feel that is a lot of fun. It begins with a man saying that Christmas is a bore and therefore offending a lady and the story continues over the course of the next 2 days. That plotline doesn't sound like much but Trollope really sells it!

[Pi · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOŻE NARODZENIE NA PLEBANII W KIRKBY CLIFFE, to kolejne rewelacyjne opowiadanie Anthony'ego Trollope'a, które przeczytałam. Zupełnie zauroczył mnie styl tego wiktoriańskiego pisarza, jego poczucie humoru i spostrzegawczość. W prosty, nienachalny i przyjemny sposób, posługując się satyrą i czarując klimatem opisuje charaktery Anglików.
W tym konkretnym tekście autor pokazuje, jak brak rozmowy, prawdziwej komunikacji, szczerości wpływa na bieg zdarzeń. Z niedopowiedzeń i próby zachowania się "właściwie" i z "godnością" rodzi się seria niefortunnych zdarzeń.
Fabułę Trollope osadził w Wigilię Bożego Narodzenia i w samo Boże Narodzenie. Te dwa dni obfitują w emocje i uniesienia. Mamy bowiem do czynienia z parą młodych ludzi, którzy przebywają w te Święta pod jednym dachem. Córka pastora i przyjaciel rodziny - oczywiście się w sobie zakochują... ale on, ach nieszczęsny! mówi jej, że Boże Narodzenie do NUDZIARSTWO! Och moi drodzy - to był wieki błąd!
Zabawna, ciepła, z dobry zakończeniem i uroczymi bohaterami opowieść. Idealna pod choinkę! Życzę wszystkim na te Święta i na każdy dzień MIŁOŚCI! Takiej, w której nie zabraknie dobroci, oddania i poczucia humoru... oczywiście :)

[Pages & Cup · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely short story, reminiscent of Austen in some ways. This was a re-read for me as part of the Dickens December group on Instagram. I’m glad I re-read this because I definitely liked it more this time around.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trollope wasn't a huge fan of saccharine Christmas. For his Christmas stories, which he hated writing, he wrote one of his usual stories, then set it at Christmas time. While not as hilarious as Christmas at Thompson Hall, it was still a lot of fun!

[Michael P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I try to read one of Trollope's Christmas books every December. This is not one of his best, but it is pleasant enough.

[Jess | Comfort Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first thing I’ve read of Anthony Trollope and I definitely like his writing. I’ll be reading more from him in the future!

[Olivia Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the Focus On the Family audio drama growing up, and reading the book was just as delightful! A cozy Christmas story 🎄

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet Victorian romance in which the plot centers around miscommunication - not my favorite trope but I enjoyed the Christmasy vibes.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to the incomparable Focus on the Family audio drama of this story, as is my mostly-yearly tradition. Always a treat.

[Trevor Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful & immensely clever, a Victorian romcom

[Bettie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A young man finds love with a vicar's daughter. Anthony Trollope's Victorian comedy stars Finty Williams and Julia McKenzie.

Broadcast on: BBC Radio 7, 3:00pm Friday 25th December 2009

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

From BBC Radio 4 Extra:
A young man finds love with a vicar's daughter.

[MalRoseMallory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Way too short. These people move way too quickly.

[Raquel Comden · Rating 4 out of 5]

HAHAHAHHA <--- is what I felt when reading this short story