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Christmas Karol
Karol Charles does not have time for ghosts. It’s Christmas Eve and she’s at the office. Sure, her kids thought she’d be making cookies with them back at home, but this is important . This is what it means to “have it all.” Then, a familiar cough from the adjacent room jolts her out of her work. It can’t be possible. Marley is dead. She has been for years. With Marley’s death, Karol is now running their law firm by herself. But she still strives to live by her best friend and law partner’s The job makes the money and the money buys the things that make your family happy. Working all the time is a sacrifice Karol has made willingly. However, Karol’s life takes a drastic turn when she falls outside of Rockefeller Center and has to be hospitalized. But something is wrong with this hospital. There’s a ghost in the waiting room and another magical visitor in the lobby. With them, Karol revisits long-forgotten memories and begins to unravel the truth about her current situation—and a future that is anything but cheery and bright. In this modern twist on Dickens’s A Christmas Carol , Karol’s journey through her past, present, and future reveals a difficult yet liberating It is far better to have what matters than to have it all.
288 pages, Paperback
Published November 6, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
November 20, 2023
My favorite retellings of classical stories in no particular order: (1) Bridget Jones's Diary, the book over the movie, although Colin Firth reprising his role as the Darcy character was sublime; (2) 10 Things I Hate About You, the best version of Taming of the Shrew (bad-boy Heath Ledger as Petruchio); which is surpassed only by my favorite version of Emma, (3) Clueless. But my truly favorite retelling has to be Robin McKinley's Beauty: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Reading that story is like slipping into some Platonic fairy-tale ideal. The atmosphere, the details, McKinley's unironic commitment to the entirety of the story--it's just lovely. And Faith Moore's version of Dicken's A Christmas Carol is wonderful for the same reason.
There are thousands of retellings of a Christmas Carol, and most of them are awful. My favorite of of this genre is definitely Scrooged with Bill Murray as the obnoxious TV exec, but that one is pure camp. It's funny in a satirical slapstick sense (not counting Alfre Woodard's spin on Bob Cratchit). But Dickens story isn't satirical. It's a parable, an authentic call for redemption, and most modern audiences don't do unironic, authentic redemption. This version isn't satirical in the least, however. It's earnest and it captures Dicken's call for human connection, family, love of your neighbor, and meaning through service perfectly.
In this version Scrooge is a high-powered woman executive who has bought into the narrative that the only way a woman can have meaning in her life is to focus entirely on her career, that her family is a hindrance to her success. She gets called into work at the law firm she owns on Christmas Eve, leaving her family home to bake cookies without her. The rest of the story everyone knows. But Moore tells it with such warmth and with such obvious love for the source material that you just get swept up in the narrative. And the writing is excellent--understated and sharp and it creates an atmosphere that is part modern ghost story, part fable. I actually cried at the end, so there you go.
Definitely pick this up if you need some authentic, real Christmas joy this year. I know I do.
There are thousands of retellings of a Christmas Carol, and most of them are awful. My favorite of of this genre is definitely Scrooged with Bill Murray as the obnoxious TV exec, but that one is pure camp. It's funny in a satirical slapstick sense (not counting Alfre Woodard's spin on Bob Cratchit). But Dickens story isn't satirical. It's a parable, an authentic call for redemption, and most modern audiences don't do unironic, authentic redemption. This version isn't satirical in the least, however. It's earnest and it captures Dicken's call for human connection, family, love of your neighbor, and meaning through service perfectly.
In this version Scrooge is a high-powered woman executive who has bought into the narrative that the only way a woman can have meaning in her life is to focus entirely on her career, that her family is a hindrance to her success. She gets called into work at the law firm she owns on Christmas Eve, leaving her family home to bake cookies without her. The rest of the story everyone knows. But Moore tells it with such warmth and with such obvious love for the source material that you just get swept up in the narrative. And the writing is excellent--understated and sharp and it creates an atmosphere that is part modern ghost story, part fable. I actually cried at the end, so there you go.
Definitely pick this up if you need some authentic, real Christmas joy this year. I know I do.
December 10, 2024
Loved this book more than I expected to! It was very well written, and the storyline was so compelling, especially as a mom. I cried my way through the last few chapters.
December 9, 2023
4 shining stars. Maybe even 4.5. Heck maybe I should just round up to five.
Despite the oddly horror-ish looking cover, this book is like that delicious cup of hot chocolate you crave on a snowy day. While so many retellings fall shamefully flat, Faith Moore’s fresh take on a timeless classic is endearing, humorous, and heartwarming — it made me tear up.
Scrooge is now a lawyer named Karol Charles, mom of two, and wife to a wonderful artist. After her mom dies, Karol is determined, come hell or high water, to keep her family thriving according to “her plan.” She takes the money-making job over her ideal job, and through a friendship with Marley Jacobs, finds her way climbing the ladder of success. Yet, what she can’t come to terms with is that, through all her hard efforts and enormous salary achieved for her family, she feels painfully betrayed by them — her husband, sister Fran, heck! Even her children!
At first I was somewhat worried this book would read like a cringe-condemnation of working moms, or in other words, a cheesy lecture. But I was foolish to worry, as this story was simply a story, and a really touching one at that.
What I loved about this book is how real it is. I felt as if I have met all of these characters at some point or another. And!!! When most modern authors do a dismal job at crafting children characters (they’re always soooo cringe!!), Faith Moore does an EXCELLENT job.
And best of all, Karol isn’t just some crotchety Scrooge; from her POV, we get to see her ache regarding her marriage, we experience her exasperation and fear regarding her family as she buries herself in work. You see her lie to herself that she is “doing it all” for the sake of her family, and you get it. Because many of us, at some point, have tasted the belief that in order to be a good woman— a good mom— you have to do it all. And so your hands grasp onto control as you turn your back on holy receptivity; it’s exhausting, and it’s a painfully relatable struggle.
Absolutely beautiful and perfect for this time of year, I would recommend this book without pause. Especially to my female friends who have felt the grind of the corporate world and/or the need to be super-mom.
I seldom cry when I read books, but this one really touched my heart.
Faith Moore, thank you! This was such a lovely read. I look forward to reading more by you.
Despite the oddly horror-ish looking cover, this book is like that delicious cup of hot chocolate you crave on a snowy day. While so many retellings fall shamefully flat, Faith Moore’s fresh take on a timeless classic is endearing, humorous, and heartwarming — it made me tear up.
Scrooge is now a lawyer named Karol Charles, mom of two, and wife to a wonderful artist. After her mom dies, Karol is determined, come hell or high water, to keep her family thriving according to “her plan.” She takes the money-making job over her ideal job, and through a friendship with Marley Jacobs, finds her way climbing the ladder of success. Yet, what she can’t come to terms with is that, through all her hard efforts and enormous salary achieved for her family, she feels painfully betrayed by them — her husband, sister Fran, heck! Even her children!
At first I was somewhat worried this book would read like a cringe-condemnation of working moms, or in other words, a cheesy lecture. But I was foolish to worry, as this story was simply a story, and a really touching one at that.
What I loved about this book is how real it is. I felt as if I have met all of these characters at some point or another. And!!! When most modern authors do a dismal job at crafting children characters (they’re always soooo cringe!!), Faith Moore does an EXCELLENT job.
And best of all, Karol isn’t just some crotchety Scrooge; from her POV, we get to see her ache regarding her marriage, we experience her exasperation and fear regarding her family as she buries herself in work. You see her lie to herself that she is “doing it all” for the sake of her family, and you get it. Because many of us, at some point, have tasted the belief that in order to be a good woman— a good mom— you have to do it all. And so your hands grasp onto control as you turn your back on holy receptivity; it’s exhausting, and it’s a painfully relatable struggle.
Absolutely beautiful and perfect for this time of year, I would recommend this book without pause. Especially to my female friends who have felt the grind of the corporate world and/or the need to be super-mom.
I seldom cry when I read books, but this one really touched my heart.
Faith Moore, thank you! This was such a lovely read. I look forward to reading more by you.
November 26, 2023
Short Review: Get the book. Read the book. Then get a few copies for your friends and family this Christmas.
Long Review: ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens may be the most perfect set of prose and narrative ever written in the English language. Not only that but it has been adapted into some of the best movies ever made (especially the version with Alastair Sim, and the version with The Muppets) So when I heard that Faith Moore’s book was supposedly a retelling of ‘A Christmas Carol’ I was skeptical, to say the least. After all, how can you improve on perfection?
Well, I was wrong. Very wrong. And in many ways saying that it’s retelling Dickens is a bit misleading. Christmas Karol isn’t trying to tell a modernized version of Dickens, but rather it takes the heart and soul of the original tale and repackages it in a way that strikes very close to home through the way it’s retold. Christmas Karol has a similar structure to Dickens, but the content of the book is wholly original if not equally gripping. (Although it has plenty of nods to the beloved original)
The book absolutely justifies its existence in this way. I’m sure that the original story felt relatable and current to the readers of its day, but now it can feel quant and historical to some. Christmas Karol grounds those themes of the original in the 21st century with amazing results. It can be easy to read the original story and judge Scrooge for being a mean old grumpy man. But what happens when you read a story and suddenly you notice how similar you are to them. It’s a lot more difficult to demonize Scrooge when you notice your own selfishness being reflected in him, or her in the case of this novel.
And finally, Faith Moore is a fantastic writer. I mean really REALLY good! Debut novels are tricky and often rough around the edges. You could’ve handed me this book and told me it was from an author with 30 years of published experience and I would’ve believed you! She writes with skill, wit, and mountains of heart! (Idk maybe it’s a genetic thing) I am impressed by her skill as an author and eagerly await what she writes next.
I originally bought this as a Christmas gift for my wife, but couldn’t wait till Christmas. So I read it ahead of time and didn’t tell her. (Shhhhhhhhh!) In fact, I think I need to buy more copies for some other family members and friends. This is a really good Christmas book. If you love the original, then absolutely read this book as you’re in for a treat of something different while having the same heart. If you don’t like the original, first off shame on you, but secondly this book is worth a shot. It’s different enough that I could see you loving it for its own merits.
5/5 stars, a truly excellent work of Christmas art!
Ps. Shout out to the cover artist. This simple yet evocative cover is what caught my attention in the first place!
Long Review: ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens may be the most perfect set of prose and narrative ever written in the English language. Not only that but it has been adapted into some of the best movies ever made (especially the version with Alastair Sim, and the version with The Muppets) So when I heard that Faith Moore’s book was supposedly a retelling of ‘A Christmas Carol’ I was skeptical, to say the least. After all, how can you improve on perfection?
Well, I was wrong. Very wrong. And in many ways saying that it’s retelling Dickens is a bit misleading. Christmas Karol isn’t trying to tell a modernized version of Dickens, but rather it takes the heart and soul of the original tale and repackages it in a way that strikes very close to home through the way it’s retold. Christmas Karol has a similar structure to Dickens, but the content of the book is wholly original if not equally gripping. (Although it has plenty of nods to the beloved original)
The book absolutely justifies its existence in this way. I’m sure that the original story felt relatable and current to the readers of its day, but now it can feel quant and historical to some. Christmas Karol grounds those themes of the original in the 21st century with amazing results. It can be easy to read the original story and judge Scrooge for being a mean old grumpy man. But what happens when you read a story and suddenly you notice how similar you are to them. It’s a lot more difficult to demonize Scrooge when you notice your own selfishness being reflected in him, or her in the case of this novel.
And finally, Faith Moore is a fantastic writer. I mean really REALLY good! Debut novels are tricky and often rough around the edges. You could’ve handed me this book and told me it was from an author with 30 years of published experience and I would’ve believed you! She writes with skill, wit, and mountains of heart! (Idk maybe it’s a genetic thing) I am impressed by her skill as an author and eagerly await what she writes next.
I originally bought this as a Christmas gift for my wife, but couldn’t wait till Christmas. So I read it ahead of time and didn’t tell her. (Shhhhhhhhh!) In fact, I think I need to buy more copies for some other family members and friends. This is a really good Christmas book. If you love the original, then absolutely read this book as you’re in for a treat of something different while having the same heart. If you don’t like the original, first off shame on you, but secondly this book is worth a shot. It’s different enough that I could see you loving it for its own merits.
5/5 stars, a truly excellent work of Christmas art!
Ps. Shout out to the cover artist. This simple yet evocative cover is what caught my attention in the first place!
December 1, 2025
I was gifted this book against my will (with a signed bookplate, yippee!), and as soon as I saw “It is far better to have what matters than to have it all” in the synopsis, I knew this was written specifically to ragebait me. After a lengthy rant with my sister and a 24-hour cooldown period, I decided to make the most of the situation and skim through the book for some highlights. I sat down with my Post-it notes and a glass of wine, ready to face whatever the book had to say to me.
Boy, did it deliver.
The premise is a spin on Charles Dickens a Christmas Carol, as the title suggests. However, the Scrooge character, Karol, is a woman who’s a successful lawyer and the breadwinner for her family. Aside from making her employees work on Christmas Eve (normal in corporate America), all of her “shortcomings” are normal struggles of the breadwinner in a family with children: missing out on fun times with the kids, staying late at work, and not being 100% tuned into your child’s goings on.
The difference here is that this book is written by Faith Moore, a conservative writer whose dad has a show on The Daily Wire. Considering the source, the story, and the fact that praises for the book come from the likes of Classically Abby (Ben Shapiro’s sister), it’s safe to say this book is more about ideology than it is about Christmas.
In addition to heinous writing, this book contains gems like a cynical joke about false rape accusations on the first page, a "good" character who drops out of college to be a wife (she's single), and quotes like “You’ve been given a sacred duty. And you’re squandering it.” The message we're supposed to take away from this book is that it's wrong to buy into what "the world" tells women we should pursue and instead fulfill our God-given roles: mother and homemaker.
As a college-educated woman with a master's degree and a lot of spite in my heart, I sleep perfectly fine knowing Faith Moore thinks I'm a bitter hag.
TL;DR: This is dogwater. Would give 0 stars if I could lol
Boy, did it deliver.
The premise is a spin on Charles Dickens a Christmas Carol, as the title suggests. However, the Scrooge character, Karol, is a woman who’s a successful lawyer and the breadwinner for her family. Aside from making her employees work on Christmas Eve (normal in corporate America), all of her “shortcomings” are normal struggles of the breadwinner in a family with children: missing out on fun times with the kids, staying late at work, and not being 100% tuned into your child’s goings on.
The difference here is that this book is written by Faith Moore, a conservative writer whose dad has a show on The Daily Wire. Considering the source, the story, and the fact that praises for the book come from the likes of Classically Abby (Ben Shapiro’s sister), it’s safe to say this book is more about ideology than it is about Christmas.
In addition to heinous writing, this book contains gems like a cynical joke about false rape accusations on the first page, a "good" character who drops out of college to be a wife (she's single), and quotes like “You’ve been given a sacred duty. And you’re squandering it.” The message we're supposed to take away from this book is that it's wrong to buy into what "the world" tells women we should pursue and instead fulfill our God-given roles: mother and homemaker.
As a college-educated woman with a master's degree and a lot of spite in my heart, I sleep perfectly fine knowing Faith Moore thinks I'm a bitter hag.
TL;DR: This is dogwater. Would give 0 stars if I could lol
November 14, 2023
I love this book. I can see myself reading it each year. It follows the story of Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol pretty closely. The names are all the same or very close to the same- business partner is Marley Jacobs, little sister is Fran, etc. There was a slight twist at the end that still managed to catch me off guard though and it was great.
For anybody worried that this is going to be all one sided against mothers who work in any capacity, don’t worry about that. Working mothers are praised throughout the book as well as non working mothers. This book shows how important moms are to their families and, more emphatically, how important families are to their moms. It’s a real shot in the arm for the committed mother.
I didn’t give 5 stars only because the writing never blew me away. I love to be caught off guard by a turn of phrase or description. There were a lot of recycled phrases from chapter to chapter, and sometimes the writing felt clunky. BUT! That didn’t stop me from reading it in 5 days. And the voice of the narrator is often the inner monologue of the main character, so it actually works. We don’t often wax eloquent in our own daily thoughts. (I don’t even care for Dickens’ writing style either if that tells you anything.)
But the structure, imagination, message, and characters make this a book I’ll come back to many other times. Definitely worth the read.
For anybody worried that this is going to be all one sided against mothers who work in any capacity, don’t worry about that. Working mothers are praised throughout the book as well as non working mothers. This book shows how important moms are to their families and, more emphatically, how important families are to their moms. It’s a real shot in the arm for the committed mother.
I didn’t give 5 stars only because the writing never blew me away. I love to be caught off guard by a turn of phrase or description. There were a lot of recycled phrases from chapter to chapter, and sometimes the writing felt clunky. BUT! That didn’t stop me from reading it in 5 days. And the voice of the narrator is often the inner monologue of the main character, so it actually works. We don’t often wax eloquent in our own daily thoughts. (I don’t even care for Dickens’ writing style either if that tells you anything.)
But the structure, imagination, message, and characters make this a book I’ll come back to many other times. Definitely worth the read.
December 5, 2023
My husband gifted this to me (because he heard good things about it and follows the author’s father on Daily Wire), and it’s seasonally appropriate so I dug right in. This was a good book! The message is so needed, and I appreciate the new take on the original “Christmas Carol” story. For me, having been convicted of the truth of this book’s message for some time now, and already understanding and experiencing the deep importance of being present in your family’s lives as a mother, I think this book felt a little redundant. BUT! It’s still a very well written story, and it was fun to find some Christmas Carol “Easter eggs” in this iteration. And I still found plenty to be convicted of in my own mothering journey. I do recommend it.
February 19, 2024
Honestly a very cute and fresh/modern take on the typical Christmas Carol story. A very nice light read as a pallet cleanser between SJM worlds. For a while I thought this was going to be a solid 3 star because of the predictability of the story, but then I was shocked for a second there so for that reason 4 stars.
November 17, 2023
I thought I knew what to expect with this book but it was so so much better than even that. Faith Moore has a distinctive voice that made this classic story her own. I loved it!
November 13, 2023
An amazing read!
I could hardly put it down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. It is incredible!
I could hardly put it down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. It is incredible!
November 26, 2023
A sweet retelling of the Dickens classic. Shows the joys and importance of family in a compelling way.
December 8, 2023
This is quite a hard one to review. I've given it five stars because I read it avidly and really enjoyed it.
However.
I would not recommend this story to older people or those on their own (especially at Christmas). It's an intensely feel-good novel, but speaks to a world of magic which doesn't exist. Don't all novels, to some extent, present a wholly unrealistic world, and we read them for escapism? Yes, but Christmas Carol and this version based on that classic novel directly use the device of magic to change reality. You might as well read a vampire novel and spend your life wanting to be immortal. It's not going to happen. And so although I really enjoyed this, some scenes hitting very hard indeed, it's also rather depressed me. I was interested to note the changes from the original story. Scrouge is a childless old man, and his change of heart is purely directed at charity and giving (ie, he's encouraged to give his money away to help other people). Therefore, when you think about it, Dickens is really saying that rich people are extremely important to society... Just as well Scrouge worked so hard all those years... However, Karol, our heroine in this story, is a young wife and mother. Almost all of the novel is centred around how her life choices affect her, and when she has her ghost-led revelation, it's really about her life and how it can improve. Interesting but subtle differences between a nineteenth-century vision of improvement and our more narcissistic one.
I'm being a bit picky. This is undoubtedly a five-star read. Although the affluence of these characters is astounding. I wonder if a single mum who has to work all hours just to feed her kids would enjoy this book much. The author, I ought to note, comes from wealthy parents and this book was published by the company her father works for. The rich are different.
Damn, I'm coming over as a bitter old curmudgeon about a book that made me tear up at times and read in one day.
Ignore me. Five stars. It's Christmas. Enjoy the escapism of this lovely story.
However.
I would not recommend this story to older people or those on their own (especially at Christmas). It's an intensely feel-good novel, but speaks to a world of magic which doesn't exist. Don't all novels, to some extent, present a wholly unrealistic world, and we read them for escapism? Yes, but Christmas Carol and this version based on that classic novel directly use the device of magic to change reality. You might as well read a vampire novel and spend your life wanting to be immortal. It's not going to happen. And so although I really enjoyed this, some scenes hitting very hard indeed, it's also rather depressed me. I was interested to note the changes from the original story. Scrouge is a childless old man, and his change of heart is purely directed at charity and giving (ie, he's encouraged to give his money away to help other people). Therefore, when you think about it, Dickens is really saying that rich people are extremely important to society... Just as well Scrouge worked so hard all those years... However, Karol, our heroine in this story, is a young wife and mother. Almost all of the novel is centred around how her life choices affect her, and when she has her ghost-led revelation, it's really about her life and how it can improve. Interesting but subtle differences between a nineteenth-century vision of improvement and our more narcissistic one.
I'm being a bit picky. This is undoubtedly a five-star read. Although the affluence of these characters is astounding. I wonder if a single mum who has to work all hours just to feed her kids would enjoy this book much. The author, I ought to note, comes from wealthy parents and this book was published by the company her father works for. The rich are different.
Damn, I'm coming over as a bitter old curmudgeon about a book that made me tear up at times and read in one day.
Ignore me. Five stars. It's Christmas. Enjoy the escapism of this lovely story.
January 3, 2024
First read of the year is an easy five stars. I’m not the biggest fan of the original Christmas Carol for a variety of personal reasons, but I do LOVE the message and its depth… and this retelling preserves and even expands both of those while removing almost everything I don’t quite enjoy about the original story. What’s more, the setting, the premise, and the expansions all add so much to the story. All in all, this is a great read.
First off, Karol is a horrible character. Not in an annoying way, but in a “this arc is gonna be good” way. I mean, making Scrooge a mom and giving him children? SO MUCH WORSE. But also… relatable. This book is to the modern world as the original book must have been to the man of the era in which it was written. We all justify the way we treat our family and friends, the negative or hard life choices we might make, and our forced busyness. This book and this character give us time to reflect and ponder our own lives and choices.
Second, the plot choices were brilliant. The way in which everything unfolds is so natural and … believable. The various twists are told perfectly. Things are sufficiently explained so that we aren’t left with unanswered questions, but nothing is over explained. The pacing is perfect. The emotions are portrayed well. The logic of the character is natural and believable.
Third, the characters themselves are all distinct and memorable. Each family member and major character and minor character is drawn with just enough unique brushstrokes to make them unforgettable. Unique personalities shone through well.
Fourth, the humor. The children. ALFIE. Oh my. Little Alfie is amazing. New life goal: “Yay! Mommy’s weird!”
Last and most importantly, the message. So we’ll done. So much depth. So much insight into human character and choices with lifelong and eternal impact. This book leaves you with something to take away.
First off, Karol is a horrible character. Not in an annoying way, but in a “this arc is gonna be good” way. I mean, making Scrooge a mom and giving him children? SO MUCH WORSE. But also… relatable. This book is to the modern world as the original book must have been to the man of the era in which it was written. We all justify the way we treat our family and friends, the negative or hard life choices we might make, and our forced busyness. This book and this character give us time to reflect and ponder our own lives and choices.
Second, the plot choices were brilliant. The way in which everything unfolds is so natural and … believable. The various twists are told perfectly. Things are sufficiently explained so that we aren’t left with unanswered questions, but nothing is over explained. The pacing is perfect. The emotions are portrayed well. The logic of the character is natural and believable.
Third, the characters themselves are all distinct and memorable. Each family member and major character and minor character is drawn with just enough unique brushstrokes to make them unforgettable. Unique personalities shone through well.
Fourth, the humor. The children. ALFIE. Oh my. Little Alfie is amazing. New life goal: “Yay! Mommy’s weird!”
Last and most importantly, the message. So we’ll done. So much depth. So much insight into human character and choices with lifelong and eternal impact. This book leaves you with something to take away.
December 5, 2023
I really enjoyed this modern retelling of A Christmas Carol. A perfect reminder of what is most important in life. Sadly, there are too many people who could use this reminder. The audiobook narrator was excellent. Highly recommend!
December 21, 2023
I loved, loved, loved this retelling. I didn’t want to put it down but also didn’t want it to end.
December 8, 2024
I can’t remember the last time I read a book that fast! Perfect book for the season, really really enjoyed it! Faith Moore is an excellent writer!
November 24, 2023
A modern retelling of the Dickens' classic.
November 15, 2023
Yup, a 2 day read because it’s a clever, cautionary tale that I couldn’t put down. I love Dickens A Christmas Carol (a classic and only timeless classics get 5 stars). I was skeptical it could be spun into a new tale but Faith Moore a did it!
November 29, 2023
Seriously, one of the best books I’ve read in a long time… caused me to rethink my life.
December 28, 2024
Of course it's just an updated, gender-switched Dickens Christmas Carol. Of course it has a happy ending. But it is Good. Really, really good. A creative, smart, beautiful, moving, well-crafted, excellently written story which I recommend you go read right now. Merry Christmas, and you're welcome.
2nd read, Dec 2024. Yup. Still just as good. Why haven't you read it yet??
2nd read, Dec 2024. Yup. Still just as good. Why haven't you read it yet??
December 21, 2023
I had a hard time getting into this book. It felt like the time spent with the first ghost took up most of the book. I like the twist the author made from the original story but it just didn’t move at a good pace for me.
December 23, 2024
I listened to Faith Moore's podcast series on A Christmas Carol this year and loved it. She does a great job of narrating the book as well as interjecting short "notes" to clarify what's going on and bring out important pieces. So, reading her spinoff novel seemed like the perfect companion to the podcast.
This book reimagines Scrooge as a middle-aged workaholic woman named Karol. Unlike Scrooge, she has a family, but she has disconnected from them and isn't interested in spending time with them. Christmas isn't a happy time for Karol, as it causes her to remember her mother's death and her estrangement from her sister. But she does find solace in her career as a lawyer, which is going very well.
Karol believes that her husband and kids don't need her—they only need her to work to provide money to sustain their lifestyle. She likes the way she feels when she's at work: in control, successful, powerful. She doesn't like the way she feels at home: trapped, out of the loop, redundant. This leads her to where she is at the start of the book: A success at work, and a failure at home. But she doesn't see her homemaking failures as a big deal. She's a high-powered NYC lawyer...and that's the very definition of success, isn't it?
Karol calls her employees to work on Christmas Eve to handle an issue regarding a Very Important Client, but on her way to a meeting, she slips and hits her head in Rockefeller Center and ends up in the hospital—but it's not your typical hospital. There, she has three separate encounters with the past, present, and future. These cause her to rethink her notions of success and confront the deep unhappiness that she's been trying so hard to mask with money and makeup.
I really enjoyed this book because I've chosen to devote my talents and energies to professional homemaking. I've largely phased out of any type of money-making work. I stay at home with my kids and homeschool them. My days are dominated by parenting challenges and household chores. I have chocolate-chip banana bread in the oven as I type this book review. I'm one of those. Naturally, I enjoy reading books that reinforce my life choices.
But, I also believe that what Faith Moore is saying about finding joy is true. Investing in my husband and my kids is something I won't regret. I may not make any money, but I save a heck of a lot of it. I know my kids inside and out, better than they know themselves. My husband and I agree that we have the best marriage of anyone we know. These are not small matters. They are what a fulfilled life is built on.
Are there days when I wish I could put my kids on the school bus and let someone else deal with them? Sure! Are there days when I die a little bit inside, knowing that I will perform grunt work from morning til night? Of course! Are there times when I look with envy at beautifully dressed women who have important jobs to run off to? Yes. But I wouldn't trade what I have.
Let me be clear: This book isn't saying that all women should be homemakers. It is saying that all women should prioritize the human connections in their lives over material gains. Making husbands and kids a priority (instead of an afterthought) will lead to a correct ordering of affection, which leads to joy and fulfillment. No amount of money or success can fill the void when husband and kids have grown cold and indifferent.
Some may find this message grates on them or feels too political, and it's hard for me to offer an unbiased opinion because I agree with what this book is saying. But, if you value the home and the woman's role in it, then I think you'll find a lot to like in this retelling.
This book reimagines Scrooge as a middle-aged workaholic woman named Karol. Unlike Scrooge, she has a family, but she has disconnected from them and isn't interested in spending time with them. Christmas isn't a happy time for Karol, as it causes her to remember her mother's death and her estrangement from her sister. But she does find solace in her career as a lawyer, which is going very well.
Karol believes that her husband and kids don't need her—they only need her to work to provide money to sustain their lifestyle. She likes the way she feels when she's at work: in control, successful, powerful. She doesn't like the way she feels at home: trapped, out of the loop, redundant. This leads her to where she is at the start of the book: A success at work, and a failure at home. But she doesn't see her homemaking failures as a big deal. She's a high-powered NYC lawyer...and that's the very definition of success, isn't it?
Karol calls her employees to work on Christmas Eve to handle an issue regarding a Very Important Client, but on her way to a meeting, she slips and hits her head in Rockefeller Center and ends up in the hospital—but it's not your typical hospital. There, she has three separate encounters with the past, present, and future. These cause her to rethink her notions of success and confront the deep unhappiness that she's been trying so hard to mask with money and makeup.
I really enjoyed this book because I've chosen to devote my talents and energies to professional homemaking. I've largely phased out of any type of money-making work. I stay at home with my kids and homeschool them. My days are dominated by parenting challenges and household chores. I have chocolate-chip banana bread in the oven as I type this book review. I'm one of those. Naturally, I enjoy reading books that reinforce my life choices.
But, I also believe that what Faith Moore is saying about finding joy is true. Investing in my husband and my kids is something I won't regret. I may not make any money, but I save a heck of a lot of it. I know my kids inside and out, better than they know themselves. My husband and I agree that we have the best marriage of anyone we know. These are not small matters. They are what a fulfilled life is built on.
Are there days when I wish I could put my kids on the school bus and let someone else deal with them? Sure! Are there days when I die a little bit inside, knowing that I will perform grunt work from morning til night? Of course! Are there times when I look with envy at beautifully dressed women who have important jobs to run off to? Yes. But I wouldn't trade what I have.
Let me be clear: This book isn't saying that all women should be homemakers. It is saying that all women should prioritize the human connections in their lives over material gains. Making husbands and kids a priority (instead of an afterthought) will lead to a correct ordering of affection, which leads to joy and fulfillment. No amount of money or success can fill the void when husband and kids have grown cold and indifferent.
Some may find this message grates on them or feels too political, and it's hard for me to offer an unbiased opinion because I agree with what this book is saying. But, if you value the home and the woman's role in it, then I think you'll find a lot to like in this retelling.
July 5, 2025
This is one of the most creative retellings of a Christmas classic of which I can think. Moore modernizes the old story without in any way ruining the old story.
Karol Charles has it all. She’s a hotshot lawyer who runs her own firm now that her partner, Marley Jacobs, is dead. Yeah, so she misses a few musical performances by her nine-year-old, and sure, things seem a bit distant between her and her artist husband, and ok, she hasn’t spoken to her estranged sister in years, but hey, sometimes you sacrifice a little so you can have life’s little luxuries and toys in abundance.
On Christmas Eve, Karol is slated to bake cookies with the two children. She’d rather put her head into a woodchipper; in fact, because of the holiday party the night before, it feels like she already has. When an opportunity arises to go into the office in Manhattan on Christmas Eve, she leaps at the chance, knowing this will secure a big client. Besides, it keeps her away from those dreadful cookies. Since her mom died despite Karol’s prayers years ago, she’s not big on church services. So, the artist husband must shepherd the children to church where the little girl will sing, and again, Mom won’t be there to hear it.
While on the way to the meeting with the client, Karol sustains a nasty fall near Rockefeller Square. When she awakens, as she supposes, she’s in a hospital, and one of her visitors is her old, dead friend Marley Jacobs. Don’t glaze over at this point. You haven’t heard the story like you think you have. Determined to leave the hospital, Karol opens a door she thinks will lead her to an exit. In a room sits a solitary woman-child. She appears to be a little girl, and yet there is something poignantly mature about her. She’s a wizard with that remote, and soon, scenes from Karol’s life are in full view on the room’s TV.
Moore does a beautiful job of demonstrating those small areas where Karol initially went wrong. They were initially small and became gigantic and seemingly unchangeable.
It’s incredibly refreshing to have the old story told anew from the viewpoint of a mom and wife. Moore brilliantly helps the reader see how easy it is to fall into the wrappings and trappings of a cold, unfeeling world and lose the very things you think you’re protecting by your long nights away from the family, etc.
I spent an uninterruptable three hours with this early today, and I came away feeling as festive as if I’d read it on Christmas Eve instead of in the early morning hours of the day after Independence Day. In short, there’s no wrong time to read this.
Karol Charles has it all. She’s a hotshot lawyer who runs her own firm now that her partner, Marley Jacobs, is dead. Yeah, so she misses a few musical performances by her nine-year-old, and sure, things seem a bit distant between her and her artist husband, and ok, she hasn’t spoken to her estranged sister in years, but hey, sometimes you sacrifice a little so you can have life’s little luxuries and toys in abundance.
On Christmas Eve, Karol is slated to bake cookies with the two children. She’d rather put her head into a woodchipper; in fact, because of the holiday party the night before, it feels like she already has. When an opportunity arises to go into the office in Manhattan on Christmas Eve, she leaps at the chance, knowing this will secure a big client. Besides, it keeps her away from those dreadful cookies. Since her mom died despite Karol’s prayers years ago, she’s not big on church services. So, the artist husband must shepherd the children to church where the little girl will sing, and again, Mom won’t be there to hear it.
While on the way to the meeting with the client, Karol sustains a nasty fall near Rockefeller Square. When she awakens, as she supposes, she’s in a hospital, and one of her visitors is her old, dead friend Marley Jacobs. Don’t glaze over at this point. You haven’t heard the story like you think you have. Determined to leave the hospital, Karol opens a door she thinks will lead her to an exit. In a room sits a solitary woman-child. She appears to be a little girl, and yet there is something poignantly mature about her. She’s a wizard with that remote, and soon, scenes from Karol’s life are in full view on the room’s TV.
Moore does a beautiful job of demonstrating those small areas where Karol initially went wrong. They were initially small and became gigantic and seemingly unchangeable.
It’s incredibly refreshing to have the old story told anew from the viewpoint of a mom and wife. Moore brilliantly helps the reader see how easy it is to fall into the wrappings and trappings of a cold, unfeeling world and lose the very things you think you’re protecting by your long nights away from the family, etc.
I spent an uninterruptable three hours with this early today, and I came away feeling as festive as if I’d read it on Christmas Eve instead of in the early morning hours of the day after Independence Day. In short, there’s no wrong time to read this.
December 11, 2023
A good story allows us to imagine ourselves in someone else’s place, to experience things through another’s eyes. Christmas Karol by Faith K. Moore is one of those stories. In her debut novel, Faith wrestles with the complexities of modern life, loss, and the most wonderful time of year when it feels awful. It’s on honest story about both the pain and redemption that anyone can find in the midst of the season.
So yeah, not a Hallmark romance (though those are nice too).
Here, Charles Dickens’ 200 year old A Christmas Carol is transposed for modern day. It’s not the factories and poor houses that threaten us now as much as business, though like Scrooge we can still choose bitterness. The main character, Karol, is a successful lawyer, too busy for her husband and children, who carries a deep resentment toward the holidays. She’ll do anything to avoid acknowledging them, even if it means avoiding her husband and kids.
And then the ghost of her old business partner and mentor shows up.
Don’t assume that this is just a gender and time swap pastiche. Faith put real thought and heart into crafting a novel that’s honest and true. As Karol is forced to literally look back on her life, the present circumstances of others, and her likely future, she gains a deeper appreciation for all the opportunities and gifts she has. Mistakes were made, life was often unfair, and that pain isn’t discounted or denied.
But there’s also hope.
Faith paints all her characters with loving detail. So many television writers have never met a child and their depictions of them are annoying and false. The children in this story are real. Too many screenwriters have never been in a healthy relationship and only know what they’ve seen in other movies. The romance here is authentic to what we see between couples we know in real life. And too few people have experienced pure redemptive moments.
Christmas Karol doesn’t disappoint there either.
If your holiday experience this year is lacking, or you just need a good cry, this is the perfect novel to fill that void. It’s not a treacly, trite, tale. Those tears will come from a profound and authentic place deep in your soul. Christmas may never be what is was, but there’s always the hope that better days are coming. If we can experience it through Karol’s eyes, maybe we can see a similar story through our own.
So yeah, not a Hallmark romance (though those are nice too).
Here, Charles Dickens’ 200 year old A Christmas Carol is transposed for modern day. It’s not the factories and poor houses that threaten us now as much as business, though like Scrooge we can still choose bitterness. The main character, Karol, is a successful lawyer, too busy for her husband and children, who carries a deep resentment toward the holidays. She’ll do anything to avoid acknowledging them, even if it means avoiding her husband and kids.
And then the ghost of her old business partner and mentor shows up.
Don’t assume that this is just a gender and time swap pastiche. Faith put real thought and heart into crafting a novel that’s honest and true. As Karol is forced to literally look back on her life, the present circumstances of others, and her likely future, she gains a deeper appreciation for all the opportunities and gifts she has. Mistakes were made, life was often unfair, and that pain isn’t discounted or denied.
But there’s also hope.
Faith paints all her characters with loving detail. So many television writers have never met a child and their depictions of them are annoying and false. The children in this story are real. Too many screenwriters have never been in a healthy relationship and only know what they’ve seen in other movies. The romance here is authentic to what we see between couples we know in real life. And too few people have experienced pure redemptive moments.
Christmas Karol doesn’t disappoint there either.
If your holiday experience this year is lacking, or you just need a good cry, this is the perfect novel to fill that void. It’s not a treacly, trite, tale. Those tears will come from a profound and authentic place deep in your soul. Christmas may never be what is was, but there’s always the hope that better days are coming. If we can experience it through Karol’s eyes, maybe we can see a similar story through our own.
December 7, 2023
In this modern take on the Dickens classic, Karol Charles is an ambitious 30-something lawyer who seems to have it all: a successful law practice, two adorable children, a beautiful home, a husband who adores her, and employees who heed her every command. Karol has bought into the story she is telling about herself and her success, namely that “the job makes the money and the money buys the things that make your family happy.” But that vision comes to a screeching halt one Christmas Eve when Marley Jacobs, Karol’s former law partner and best friend, makes an appearance at the office. The problem is that Marley has been dead for years . . .
Things grow stranger for Karol when she takes a spill outside of Rockefeller Center and has to be hospitalized. But this is unlike any hospital she’s seen, haunted by ghosts who tell her she’s doing everything wrong and show her visions of her past and her present, and of what is to come. In one night, Karol sees the heartache and brokenness that led to her poor decisions, mistaken priorities, and alienation of those she once loved most.
I really enjoyed this particular spin on A Christmas Carol and the way it addresses the contemporary issues of workaholism and the endless pursuit of an elusive American dream. As a stay-at-home mom myself, I appreciated the novel’s valorization of marriage and motherhood. Moore is clever with her retelling, adapting characters to the present day in ways that felt relevant without straying from the framework and morals of the the original story.
One aspect of the book I initially disliked was that Karol, our female “Scrooge,” is a lot to handle: her harsh treatment of her children, husband, and employees literally left me weeping, and even after walking through her past, it was hard to wrap my head around how someone could be so awful. But in discussing the book with Luke, he helped me see that this was likely the original intent behind the Scrooge character. Scrooge is SUPPOSED to be awful (hence the miraculousness of his transformation), yet the atrociousness of his behavior has been softened by nostalgia for the traditional story. In Karol, Moore has succeeded in reviving that spiteful spirit of Scrooge, setting her up for the most beautiful of redemption stories.
My only other frustration with the novel was with the prose, which is descriptive to a fault. The incessant descriptions of outfits and hairstyles grew cumbersome and left me wondering where the editors were; this book easily could have been half the length and made just as strong of an impression. Despite far too many adjectives, this was an enjoyable and provocative holiday read that all readers (particularly mothers of young kids) can appreciate.
My Rating: 4 Stars // Book Format: Kindle
Things grow stranger for Karol when she takes a spill outside of Rockefeller Center and has to be hospitalized. But this is unlike any hospital she’s seen, haunted by ghosts who tell her she’s doing everything wrong and show her visions of her past and her present, and of what is to come. In one night, Karol sees the heartache and brokenness that led to her poor decisions, mistaken priorities, and alienation of those she once loved most.
I really enjoyed this particular spin on A Christmas Carol and the way it addresses the contemporary issues of workaholism and the endless pursuit of an elusive American dream. As a stay-at-home mom myself, I appreciated the novel’s valorization of marriage and motherhood. Moore is clever with her retelling, adapting characters to the present day in ways that felt relevant without straying from the framework and morals of the the original story.
One aspect of the book I initially disliked was that Karol, our female “Scrooge,” is a lot to handle: her harsh treatment of her children, husband, and employees literally left me weeping, and even after walking through her past, it was hard to wrap my head around how someone could be so awful. But in discussing the book with Luke, he helped me see that this was likely the original intent behind the Scrooge character. Scrooge is SUPPOSED to be awful (hence the miraculousness of his transformation), yet the atrociousness of his behavior has been softened by nostalgia for the traditional story. In Karol, Moore has succeeded in reviving that spiteful spirit of Scrooge, setting her up for the most beautiful of redemption stories.
My only other frustration with the novel was with the prose, which is descriptive to a fault. The incessant descriptions of outfits and hairstyles grew cumbersome and left me wondering where the editors were; this book easily could have been half the length and made just as strong of an impression. Despite far too many adjectives, this was an enjoyable and provocative holiday read that all readers (particularly mothers of young kids) can appreciate.
My Rating: 4 Stars // Book Format: Kindle
January 27, 2024
I went into this book with some hesitancy, braced to roll my eyes at another “girl boss” story where the protagonist “learns something”, while still ending up right where she started, or even more powerful and epic than before. It’s every female protagonist story these days, and I’ve come to avoid a significant percent of new female authors for this very reason.
All concerns and fears melted away the first chapter. The narrator was perfect, throwing open the door the story the author created, and drawing me in. I wanted to know Karol Charles, really know her and how she came to be the person we first meet within the first chapters. I ached over the silly hardships of home with her; ached over that tension and locked away longing in her marriage. Faith Moore captures something real and hard in family life. Family isn’t perfect; the day-to-day is quite often mundane and often feels unproductive, even pointless. Love covers every nook and cranny of Karol’s past, though. Love from people who show and are there for this woman. Love that doesn’t let go, and believes and hopes in the good. The best in someone.
I was captivated almost early in the story, but I didn’t expect to be so thoroughly enchanted. The book is beautiful and the narrator was fantastic. I will eagerly listen to this over and over again.
All concerns and fears melted away the first chapter. The narrator was perfect, throwing open the door the story the author created, and drawing me in. I wanted to know Karol Charles, really know her and how she came to be the person we first meet within the first chapters. I ached over the silly hardships of home with her; ached over that tension and locked away longing in her marriage. Faith Moore captures something real and hard in family life. Family isn’t perfect; the day-to-day is quite often mundane and often feels unproductive, even pointless. Love covers every nook and cranny of Karol’s past, though. Love from people who show and are there for this woman. Love that doesn’t let go, and believes and hopes in the good. The best in someone.
I was captivated almost early in the story, but I didn’t expect to be so thoroughly enchanted. The book is beautiful and the narrator was fantastic. I will eagerly listen to this over and over again.
January 11, 2024
I finished listening to this today.
It is a retelling of Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, updated to today. Our "Scrooge" character is a busy woman who owns her own law firm, Karol Charles. Her partner, Marley jacobs, has passed away.
Marley comes to Karol and then the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. Each ghost takes on a different form from the ones we meet in Dickens' Carol, but their mission is the same.
I enjoyed this version. Karol is a wife and the mother of two children. We see the neglect of her family as she pursues the financial advantages that her law firm can provide. What begins as just working for a short time while the family gets on their feet eventually morphs into a more than full time career that keeps her from enjoying her children and the love of her husband.
Finding a correct life balance is one of the messages here. She doesn't give up everything to stay at home but she does realign her priorities to ensure a happy balance that includes family and friends.
Dickens tells the story much more succinctly. I read his A Christmas Carol earlier this season. There were times that I thought Faith Moore was more long winded than necessary, but I am happy I took the time to listen.
It is a retelling of Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, updated to today. Our "Scrooge" character is a busy woman who owns her own law firm, Karol Charles. Her partner, Marley jacobs, has passed away.
Marley comes to Karol and then the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. Each ghost takes on a different form from the ones we meet in Dickens' Carol, but their mission is the same.
I enjoyed this version. Karol is a wife and the mother of two children. We see the neglect of her family as she pursues the financial advantages that her law firm can provide. What begins as just working for a short time while the family gets on their feet eventually morphs into a more than full time career that keeps her from enjoying her children and the love of her husband.
Finding a correct life balance is one of the messages here. She doesn't give up everything to stay at home but she does realign her priorities to ensure a happy balance that includes family and friends.
Dickens tells the story much more succinctly. I read his A Christmas Carol earlier this season. There were times that I thought Faith Moore was more long winded than necessary, but I am happy I took the time to listen.
March 16, 2025
I'm not really sure how I acquired this book but I'm happy that I did. OK everyone knows the story arc, even if it is via The Muppet Christmas Carol. I didn't have high hopes but the author gets this modern day take bang on. We have the MC Karol giving up the joyfulness of a loving family life in the belief that a work ethic and high salary will provide all these things and more. Instead she loses what she once held dear. A knock on the head and her ex-business partner Marley (haha, well done) appears and, before Karol recovers consciousness, she has been shown Christmases of the past, the present and that yet to come. And, quite predictably, redemption for Karol and joy for those around her. What the writer might not have in literary writing chops she certainly makes up for by understanding human emotion. Firmly one for the gals, this one had an old bloke dabbing away the tears. Bravo Ms Moore.
December 12, 2024
I listen to A Christmas Carol every Christmas season. It's one of my beloved Christmas stories outside of the actual Christmas story of Jesus' birth. I had already done my annual audiobook listen for 2024 (Audible's Tim Curry narrated version is wonderful), but someone linked to Faith Moore's novelization, Christmas Karol, on X. After finding it on GoodReads and reading some positive reviews, I added it to the queue and started listening.
It's a wonderful re-telling of Dickens' classic tale. Karol, even while Scrooge-like is still likeable and sympathetic. Unlike Dickens' Scroooge, Karol's heart was always in the right place, if misguided in action.
I finished it on my commute to work yesterday and should have expected the waterworks, but I was caught off guard by my leaky eyes. Needless to say, my makeup yesterday was not flawless, but well worth the hit to my vanity.
Thanks, Mrs. Moore, for write a heartwarming modern Christmas Karol.
It's a wonderful re-telling of Dickens' classic tale. Karol, even while Scrooge-like is still likeable and sympathetic. Unlike Dickens' Scroooge, Karol's heart was always in the right place, if misguided in action.
I finished it on my commute to work yesterday and should have expected the waterworks, but I was caught off guard by my leaky eyes. Needless to say, my makeup yesterday was not flawless, but well worth the hit to my vanity.
Thanks, Mrs. Moore, for write a heartwarming modern Christmas Karol.
December 6, 2025
“You just finished A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Your assignment is to write a contemporary novel based on that classic. You can change the characters and the setting. You must maintain the basic structure, and your plot must be so close to that of the original novel that all the connections will be clear. The relationship between your characters and those in the source material must be obvious, but you can change certain aspects of the portrayals to reflect current attitudes and mores.”
If Kate Moore submitted this book as a response to the fictional assignment above, she would have earned an A Plus! If you love The Dickens classic, you will be fascinated by her take on it, and if you don’t know that book, you’ll enjoy a compelling and heartwarming story. Is it “over the top?” Absolutely! So is the Dickens.
If Kate Moore submitted this book as a response to the fictional assignment above, she would have earned an A Plus! If you love The Dickens classic, you will be fascinated by her take on it, and if you don’t know that book, you’ll enjoy a compelling and heartwarming story. Is it “over the top?” Absolutely! So is the Dickens.
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