A Message from the Sea

by Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens is considered one of the greatest English authors of all time. Dickens often used the pen name Boz. Much of his work first appeared in periodicals and magazines in serialized form. Unlike many writers of his time Dickens wrote the entire novel before serializing it. He made frequent use of the cliffhanger to keep the public interested. A Message from the Sea begins, "Captain Jorgan had to look high to look at it, for the village was built sheer up the face of a steep and lofty cliff. There was no road in it, there was no wheeled vehicle in it, there was not a level yard in it. From the sea-beach to the cliff-top two irregular rows of white houses, placed opposite to one another, and twisting here and there, and there and here, rose, like the sides of a long succession of stages of crooked ladders, and you climbed up the village or climbed down the village by the staves between, some six feet wide or so, and made of sharp irregular stones. The old pack-saddle, long laid aside in most parts of England as one of the appendages of its infancy, flourished here intact. Strings of pack-horses and pack-donkeys toiled slowly up the staves of the ladders, bearing fish, and coal, and such other cargo as was unshipping at the pier from the dancing fleet of village boats, and from two or three little coasting traders. As the beasts of burden ascended laden, or descended light, they got so lost at intervals in the floating clouds of village smoke, that they seemed to dive down some of the village chimneys, and come to the surface again far off, high above others."

Genres: Fiction, Classics, Short Stories, Audiobook, British Literature, Adventure, Collections

52 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1860

About the author

Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870) was a writer and social critic who created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity.

Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.

Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.

On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Bionic Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let’s put the record straight. A Message from the Sea is decidedly not a short story. Nor, at 300 pages, is it a novella, but more the length of a novel. In fact it is a collaborative integrated work, with a central character, whose actions we follow from the very beginning, through the middle and right to the satisfying end. I can see some puzzling over their kindles or books. Yes, some editions are only 60 pages. Others, just 25. How can this be?

In their wisdom, and now that Victorian authors are well out of copyright, many editors and publishers have decided on our behalf that nobody would be interested in the “bits that weren’t written by Charles Dickens”. Therefore they have summarily chopped out several chapters, including any linking passages that were authored by the great man. Some editions do grudgingly allow Wilkie Collins’s stories to appear, but the result is a confused mess, leaving readers to wonder either why the story does not seem to go anywhere, or why it has little depth. The answer is easy. You need to read the middle chapters, which flesh it out! Also, A Message from the Sea is the overall title of the work; it is inaccurate to use the title for any single chapter, as all five each have their own name.

In 1911, G.K. Chesterton referred to the “strange sentimental and relic-hunting worship of Dickens”, and how an acquaintance had run up to him and told him that “he was sure he had found two and a half short paragraphs in All the Year Round, which were certainly written by Dickens, whom he called (I regret to say) the Master”. This thoughtless jettisoning of stories by other authors, excellent in their own right but now forgotten, is the logical, deplorable result.

Charles Dickens lived his life fast, and burned himself out at an early age. If we attempted half the things he did, we would be exhausted. Actor, theatre director, traveller, writer and tireless social campaigner, he threw himself into whatever he did. If his publisher did not do as he wished, why then he would publish his own magazine. And this is exactly what he did, at the end of April 1859, with “All the Year Round” the magazine which succeeded nine editions of “Household Words”.

“All the Year Round” was a big success, and included many excellent stories and features not authored by him. More than once, he would use his guiding hand and set then lesser known authors such as Wilkie Collins, Elizabeth Gaskell, Anthony Trollope et al on what he considered to be the right track. Dozens of authors passed through his hands in this way. Some are now famous names in Victorian literature, perhaps, in the minds of some, even surpassing Charles Dickens himself.

It was his policy however, not to credit individual authors, but to keep them as in-house authors. He had also developed a “collaborative” style of writing, which had proved very popular. Stories such as “The Lazy Tour of Two Apprentices” in 1857, were written by both himself and Wilkie Collins, but presented as a seamless whole. Another work, “The Wreck of the Golden Mary”, has six authors in total (although sadly, there are severely truncated editions of this around too). That had been published four years earlier, as the Christmas edition of “Household Words” for 1856. This must have suited Charles Dickens perfectly. He viewed himself as a mentor, and had strict rules about the type of material he published in “All the Year Round”. It must be wholesome family entertainment; light and yet educational. By including and editing other authors’ work, he could still produce something he was proud of. Not only would he be helping other authors in their careers, but he would also ease his own huge burden of work.

Charles Dickens always wanted to create something special for Christmas. A Message from the Sea was the second of nine extra Christmas numbers of “All The Year Round”. The first, a year earlier, had been “A Haunted House”: also a collaborative work. The Christmas “Extra Double Number” as he called it, was very much Charles Dickens’s call. He usually drew up a list of possible contributors - always more than were needed - and sent to each of them a possible scenario, even stipulating the type of characters he wished to be included. From these he would then select the ones he preferred, edit them (and rewrite parts) interpolating them into his own frame story. He regarded himself as conceiver, unifier, and, as he expressed it in “All the Year Round”, the “conductor” of the entire work.

A Message from the Sea may have a special appeal for American readers. Charles Dickens visited the USA twice, but the first time, in 1842, he gained a negative impression overall. Later that year he began a new serial novel, “Martin Chuzzlewit”. Parts of this poked fun at Americans, or showed them in a bad light, to which not surprisingly, Americans of the time took exception. Charles Dickens was not to return until 1867, but in the meantime, his attitude mellowed considerably. The frame story by Charles Dickens features an affable and capable American ship’s Captain Silas Jorgan, who is based on a Captain Morgan, a good American friend of his in real life. Captain Jorgan is the fulcrum, and the essential mover of the whole story.

In November 1860 Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins visited the West Country to gather ideas for a nautical Christmas story, to be on the lines of the hugely successful “The Wreck of the Golden Mary”. In these post-Napoleonic decades, nautical stories were very popular, and both authors were fans of this type of fiction. They “arranged and parcelled out” the sections for the story while they were there, and wrote their parts in London over the next fortnight, ready for the Christmas edition.

By now Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins were good friends, although Wilkie Collins was 12 years his junior. In fact earlier that year, Dickens’s youngest daughter, Katey, (later to be known as Kate Perugini, the painter) had married fellow artist Charles Allston Collins, who was Wilkie Collins’s younger brother. Charles Allston Collins did contribute a section of the work, although which part, has been lost in the annals of time. As well as the two Collins brothers, Charles Dickens also accepted stories from Henry F. Chorley, Amelia Edwards, and Harriet Parr, all of which are cunningly interpolated into chapter 3.

A Message from the Sea: what could be more intriguing? Pirates, ships, buried treasure, shipwrecks, messages in bottles … what does it make you think of? With an American as the main character: a “citizen of the world” as he calls himself, we have a true hero: the dapper, intelligent, cheery and kind Captain Silas Jorgan.

As we begin chapter 1 “The Village”, this stranger to the area walks into a pretty Devon fishing village, arriving by a winding road:

“‘And a mighty sing’lar and pretty place it is, as ever I saw in all the days of my life!’ said Captain Jorgan, looking up at it.”

Charles Dickens’s description of “Steepways” is truly as pretty as a picture, so it is no surprise to discover that it is drawn from life. On his visit with Wilkie Collins earlier that year in 1860, Charles Dickens stayed at the New Inn, Clovelly, with its precipitously steep and narrow main road. He was so enchanted by the village that he used it as inspiration for this work. Just as Captain Jorgan did, you can still stand in the middle of a 400ft cobbled path leading down to the harbour quay. It was built in the 16th century and is largely unchanged, with only seven houses being unlisted (i.e. able to be adapted). Clovelly is a timeless place, giving an odd sensation of being displaced from reality. Higgledy-piggledy whitewashed houses tumble down the steep cliffs to the sea. Clearly Charles Dicken felt as if he had stepped back in time - and we feel this even now.

Captain Jorgan is the bearer of news, and of a secret, but it does not seem to offer good fortune. Just the opposite. The garrulous captain has been made very welcome by two families: those of a young fisherman Alfred, and also of his sweetheart Kitty. But the news he passes to Alfred is not welcome. Nor does the Captain seem to know or understand its import. But it does mean that the sweethearts’ wedding has to be postponed, and Captain Jorgan and young Alfred set off on a journey, much to everyone’s shock and dismay. By the end of chapter 2 we learn that they are destined for “Lanrean” (perhaps Lanreath, near Looe, near the foot of Cornwall).

Chapter 3 is titled “The Club Night” and is an extremely long chapter. It comprises a collection of short stories, set within a frame story continuing the action. Charles Dickens, or possibly Wilkie Collins, has linked them all together describing with great veracity how they trudged across the moors in the cold and wet all day, until as darkness fell, they come to an inn. Here were several men all sitting around a table. They are discussing a “seafaring man” who told a tale of being shipwrecked, and lay upstairs. Their custom is to each take a turn, by chance, to tell a tale. The first is Tredgear’s story, authored by Wilkie Collins. This is a spine-chilling, very atmospheric and claustrophobic tale, full of foreboding. An innkeeper, aided by a strange-looking little girl, is probably intent on poisoning his guest, so that he can rob him, and do away with his body.

David Polreath continues with his story, probably written by a regular contributor to “All the Year Round”, Harriet Parr. She had written “Poor Dick’s Story” for “The Wreck of the Golden Mary“ and was famous for her ghostly tales, including this one. Again, the ending is ambiguous. There is tragedy, madness, a vengeful spirit and possibly murder in this tale. Moving on, the spinning top stops at Captain Jorgan. Since David Polreath has included part of a journal in his story, Captain Jorgan decides to tell the company his tale, written on a piece of paper used as a pipelight. This is a long poem, probably authored by Amelia B. Edwards. She used to write poetry, and again was famous for her ghost stories, such as “The Phantom Coach”. This is a poem of a terrible shipwreck, told evocatively with grisly authenticity by the victims. It has a deeper significance too, as do nearly all her works. Amelia B. Edwards was a great traveller and her writings on Egyptology as a science were well respected. She was forward thinking, and her views on the injustices of racism and slavery are evident in this poem.

The fourth story is told by Oswald Penrewen. It is set in the Swiss Alps, and brings to mind several of Charles Dickens own stories, such as the fantastically eerie “To Be Told At Dusk”. Oswald’s brother had told him of a ghostly encounter which he had experienced thirty years earlier, on a sketching tour through Switzerland. Poignantly sad, this involves four or five travellers from different countries, who swap tales to pass the time in an inn. We have talk of a tomb, deathly chill, eerie music, and a visit from beyond the grave. It focuses on a young man and his sweetheart, and a haunting, as earlier ones have done.

All four stories are sworn to be true. Either the narrator had experienced what he told, or someone close to him did. For the next we move to chapter 4, and a long complex tale by Wilkie Collins, called “The Seafaring Man”.

Wilkie Collins must have had great hopes with this story. “The Woman in White”, arguably his best novel, had seen its first publication as a serial in “All the Year Round” earlier that year, albeit uncredited. Only later did Wilkie Collins publish the novel under his own name. He was becoming frustrated by now, at being part of Dickens’s team of authors; in fact this was to be their penultimate collaboration, after five years of occasional collaborative works. After he had written his story “The Seafaring Man”, Wilkie Collins showed it to his friend over dinner. But Charles Dickens was very critical of the beginning, and wrote scathingly to Georgina Hogarth (his sister-in-law and confidante, who edited his letters):

“Wilkie brought his part of the Xmas No. to dinner yesterday. I hope it will be good. But is it not an extraordinary thing that it began: ‘I have undertaken to take pen in hand, to set down in writing etc. etc.’ … like the W in W (Woman in White) narratives? Of course, I at once pointed out the necessity of cancelling that …”

In fact this story, which comprises chapter 4, is a triumph. Wilkie Collins was increasingly confident after the success of “The Woman in White”, and his signature is stamped all over “The Seafaring Man”. In many ways this chapter epitomises Wilkie Collins, and it feels like reading a Wilkie Collins novel in miniature. Like “Treasure Island”, this would make a wonderfully exciting film.

It develops a distinctive method he had used for “The Woman in White”, whereby the whole mystery and authenticity of the account depend on the reliability of the narrator. This narrator also stresses his story’s believability by his diffidence, and protestation that it is difficult to organise his memories so that they can be told as a story - just as he did in “The Woman in White”. However, this way of telling a story is markedly different from Dickens’s way. Their authorial paths were beginning to diverge.

The “seafaring man” is not used to telling his story, and Wilkie Collins does not tell of a jaunty adventure at sea. Charles Dickens loved “Robinson Crusoe”, but although both Wilkie Collins and Daniel Defoe both took inspiration from the real life shipwrecked Royal Navy officer Alexander Selkirk, the tale told here is nightmarish: bleak and chilling. The sailor is not alone on an island, but trapped with Clissold, a malevolent, possibly insane alcoholic man, who knows a dark secret about his father. He stops abruptly, and disappears upstairs amid howls of protestation. Thus we are no further in solving the mystery in the frame story.

Charles Dickens did not find it an easy task to make a seamless whole. He complained in letters to his friends about problems with the contributors to the Christmas numbers more than once. In Captain Jorgan, he reprised his editorial role, as the Captain has to alternately encourage or cajole the others to tell their stories, and ultimately all are grateful to him.

Because it is so skilfully done, Charles Dickens scholars have come to different conclusions about the authorship of certain parts. In the late 19th century, Frederic G. Kitton gained access to a marked set of “All the Year Round” which had never left the office, and which has since disappeared. From this he deduced that some of the linking passages were by Charles Dickens. Against this evidence though, is a volume of collected Christmas numbers collated by Dickens himself in 1868, which has a contents page listing the author(s) of each section. This indicates that some parts written by Dickens himself were missed out from his “Collected Works”, and others were misattributed. Kitton deduced that Wilkie Collins might have written parts of chapter 1, as well as chapter 4 and some linking sections between the interpolated stories in chapter 3. Charles Dickens was responsible for the bridging sections between the chapters. However the 1868 contents page attributes all chapter 1 to Charles Dickens, chapter 2 to Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins, chapter 3 to Charles Dickens, Charles Collins, Harriet Parr, H. F. Chorley and Amelia B. Edwards, chapter 4 to Wilkie Collins and chapter 5 to Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins. Although the poem told by Captain Jorgan feels like the work of Amelia B. Edwards, and her name is included, it is attributed to H. F. Chorley in the 1868 contents - and Kitton says it is by R. Buchanan! Even now, there are conflicting claims and disagreement about attribution, despite a detailed analysis by Professor Harry Stone in 1970.

In the final Chapter 5, “Restitution”, (probably) again written by Charles Dickens himself, the clues we have had so far are all brought together, and made clear. The truth is revealed, and the mysteries all explained, dispelling old fears. The dark secrets, when reinterpreted in their proper light, are seen to be no longer a disgrace. Lawyers are consulted, past unpaid debts are explained, and hidden documents are found clearing a man’s name to show him as honourable. No longer should Hugh live under a cloud.

We do Charles Dickens a great disservice in arrogantly chopping this story about, ignoring his strong desire to create a seamless whole. I can quite see him today, writing to “The Times” newspaper, as he so often did, objecting that the reappearance of Hugh is inexplicable. The solution to the mystery no longer makes sense without Captain Jorgan’s asides in the Club stories in chapter 3, or chapter 4 “The Seafaring Man”. Also, he might well say that his whole purpose for the work - Charles Dickens’s strong underlying moral theme - would be missed. In the butchered editions, the emblematic meaning of a message in a bottle is all but lost.

Captain Jorgan is the key. He is present throughout, reacting to all these middle stories. We see from the start that this is a open honest fellow, at home wherever he finds himself, and we look to this astute fellow to help us find the answers. He is keen to act in everyone’s best interests, and is able to communicate with anybody. A true facilitator, he deciphers messages, orders events and controls the joyous outcome. Captain Jorgan is a sort of Prospero, who can reunite dispersed families, and can even magically return the lost from the dead. All this, Charles Dickens seems to tell us, is possible through story-telling itself.

Captain Jorgan’s words at the end bear this out: fiction itself has regenerative powers. In fact all the stories contained within A Message from the Sea stress how crucial it is to maintain connections. Storytelling, and sending and delivering of a vital “message” is there in each. Captain Jorgan crosses the whole world to deliver a message, even though he does not know what it is. Charles Dickens has made an effective metaphor for us here, in the telling of stories. The lack of communication, and keeping people apart, he tells us, can be one of the worst evils, obscuring the truth.

Never deny the power of telling stories.

(This edition is a facsimile of the original magazine, on kindle.)

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1860 Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins collaborated on a story for the Christmas edition of Dickens’ periodical All the Year Round. That story became the novella, A Message From the Sea. Set in a seaside town in Devonshire, the message of the title is a missive brought to a family, particularly the son, Albert, whose brother has been lost at sea. It is delivered by an American captain, Captain Jorgan. What ensues is a mystery of sorts, while Jorgan and Albert attempt to decipher the riddle to the message.

At the center of the story is a series of tales written by several authors, Wilkie Collins and Harriett Parr among them. The central tales are as wonderful and riveting as the main story. When reading, I always try to put myself back in the time of the original release and think what such a story, read and reread at the Christmas season, would have been like for its Victorian audience. It is no wonder Dickens’ magazine was such a success.

Should you decide to read this novella, please seek out the complete version. Sadly, most of the reproductions list Dickens alone as the author and reproduce only the portion of the tale that he wrote. This leaves a very incomplete and unsatisfactory (in fact, unmeaningful) story. The complete version is contained in this edition (which is not listed on Goodreads) but can be found at Amazon for 99 ¢

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B...

[Connie G · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A Message from the Sea" was published in the December 13, 1860 Christmas edition of the literary journal "All the Year Round." It was a collaborative effort mainly written by Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins with help from Robert Buchanan, Charles Allston Collins, Amelia Edwards, and Harriet Parr.

American Captain Jorgan visits a family in a charming fishing village in Cornwall. He found a letter in a bottle during his last voyage, and wanted to deliver it to the family. The letter was written by a family member who was lost at sea, and had some troubling news. The collaborative effort also contains some ghost stories, and a harrowing shipwreck so it should have kept the interest of people of many ages. Stories were often read aloud back in the 19th Century since some people were illiterate. I found "A Message from the Sea" to be very entertaining, and also enjoyed the themes of honesty and family love.

Reading the Complete Story:
Some editions of "A Message from the Sea" only contain Chapters 1, 2, and 5--the chapters written by Dickens. It really will not make sense unless you also read Chapter 4, "The Seafaring Man," which is free on the Wilkie Collins website.

Chapter 3 contains several stories within the main story which were written by other authors working for Dickens, and is less essential to the plot. I found Chapter 3 at the "All the Year Round" achieves online. Check out Sara's review for a connection to a Kindle version of the whole novella.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this quite a bit. Apparently this was written by Wilkie Collins,,,I will have to read some more of his works-books and stories. This is a long story about a sea captain returned to England with a strange report. Well written, descriptive, mysterious. I’m sure that the Victorian readers must have enjoyed receiving their story installments.

[Sulaf Farhat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the description of the little village! I'd love to go stay at such a lovely place someday.
The book is a refreshing fairy tale where the impossible happens and everyone ends up living happily ever after. Simple, uplifting, and kind of cute, exactly what I needed ^_^

[midnightfaerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Message From the Sea was included in my Dickens Christmas Stories tome. Can anyone tell me why this might be included in a book called Christmas Stories?!? Ok, other than that, and of course the fact that chapters 3 and 4 were missing because they were written by someone else, this story is good. It took me a while to find the missing chapters. I finally found a goodreads reader, (Thank you Jason Furman!)
that was able to tell me that the Delphi Kindle edition had the complete story and I was able to find it. But then I realized there were probably others who had a hard time finding it and I should share the wealth, so I decided to read it out loud and post to youtube. Please understand I have never done this before, and if you think you can handle the sniffs, and clearing of throats, and the mispronunciation of words by a first time “out loud” reader, then you can feel free to check out my reading here:
A Message From the Seas by Charles Dickens

I enjoyed reading it out loud, I read out loud quite a bit to my kids, but never classical literature so this was new to me. I was a little nervous too and probably messed up words I normally wouldn’t. I also don’t do voices.
In any case, I enjoyed the story. It was a story about shipwrecks and lost loves and a clearing of a father’s good name. A classic Dickens with lots of twists and turns only to end up back at the beginning with a very happy ending, which is my favorite kind of Dickens. I recommend reading this story, but only if you have all five chapters.

[Petra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story consists of 5 chapters. Some editions of this story exclude 2 of the middle chapters. I recommend finding and reading a version with all 5 chapters.

This story is one of mystery and intrigue. It's a sweet story of truth and discovery. Told in Dickens' style of humour and atmosphere, with interesting characters.

A fun read and a good, solid story.

[Max · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all: I have only read Dickens' chapters. There are many more, as it's part of a book. The sentences are so long, I think this work contains the longest sentences I've ever read. (and I read a lot of academic texts for work ..) Quite rough to get through.. maybe I need to try and find the complete book, but that doesn't make the sentences any shorter, hehe.

[Jason Furman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the more enjoyable of Dicken's collaborative works (in this case written with Wilkie Collins, Robert Buchanan, Charles Allston Collins, Amelia Edwards and Harriet Parr). A Message from the Sea is a single integrated novella that tells a nautical adventure story combined with a family mystery all resolved through some pretty epically implausible coincidences. Dickens wrote three of the five chapters, and they are clearly recognizable and better, but the other two chapters are perfectly finely executed--with one being an shipwreck/castaway story that puts two enemies together on a small deserted island.

The story revolves around an American captain who delivers a message found in a bottle to a family in small English fishing village (lovingly described by Dickens). This sets off an unfortunate event followed by an attempt to figure out the truth, which leads to another trip, an extended flashback about the shipwreck, and a final classic Dickens resolution of a large, happy group where the wronged are vindicated and the wrong are suitably chastened (in this case in absetenia), and everyone is set to live happily ever after.

[tiago. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sadly my edition only had the chapters written by Charles Dickens, as with a lot of this book's editions (I could not find a full version anywhere) - i was therefore missing chapters 3 and 4 (out of a total 5). A shame, because by chapter 2 I was really getting into the story and the missing chapters made me completely lose interest in the last chapter.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Childish story and incomplete. Couldnt find a complete version which makes reading the last chapter unenjoyable.

[Brenda Conry]

This title was part of a complete works set my great grandparents purchased. From reading other's comments I see I was lucky to have all the chapters, as Dickens collaborated with someone on this short novel. Unfortunately his collaborator was unmentioned in my copy.
It has all the danger, suspense, intrigue and villains we come to expect from Dickens as well as a happy ending. And beautifully written, of course.

[Albandari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book, it's amazing!
Made me really happy at the end<3

[Librarian Jessie (BibliophileRoses) · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best Charles Dickens' novels that I have read thus far. It's humorous and witty, much different than his usual somber depressing usual authorship. Super quick read as well.

[Pinja · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mulle jäi tästä mieleen vaan se että itsemurha oli itsensä kuolettaminen. Tässä ei myöskään ollut oikeastaan itse juonta kauheasti vaan merimiehiä jotka kertoi merimiestarinoita, ja ne tarinat oli joku 85% täst kirjast.

[Kathi Olsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dickens must have been in a good mood when he wrote this.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sweet story. Sometimes difficult to follow who's who because of the way it is written in that time.

[ანკა ლობჯანიძე · Rating 3 out of 5]

მაინცდამაინც ვერ აღმაფრთოვანა ფინალით, თითქოს ყველაფერი ისედაც წინასწარ იყო განსაზღვრული.
თუმც, ნამდვილად სასიამოვნო საკითხავია. 😻🙄

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐

This is a set of short stories by Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins, Robert Buchanan, Charles Allston Collins, Amelia Edwards and Harriet Parr, written in 1860 for the Christmas issue of All the Year Round.

Chapter I. The Village by Charles Dickens 3.75⭐
The story begins with Captain Jorgan's arrival on Steepsteps, a British fishing village near Devonshire. He is seeking to deliver a letter he found in a bottle on a tropical island during his travels. The letter charged the finder to take it to Alfred Raybrock in Steepsteps to read.

Chapter II. The Money by Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins 4⭐
Captain Jorgan finds Alfred Raybrock, a young fisherman living on the island with his family and gives him the letter to read. It was written by his lost at sea brother Hugh, believed lost at sea. The letter was written on ragged paper and was much blotted and stained. The ink had faded and run, and many words were wanting.
The letter reveals a story of stolen money, appearing to have been stolen by their recently deceased father, a shocking revelation they keep secret from the women of the family. Hugh wants Alfred to clear their family's name by revealing the story of the money, perhaps known by the people in old Mr. Raybrock's hometown, Lanrean.

Chapter III. The Club-Night by Charles Dickens, Charles Alston Collins, Holme Lee, Robert Buchanan (Poem), H. F. Chorley and Amelia B. Edwards 5⭐
In Lanrean, Captain Jorgan and Alfred quickly come upon a King Arthur's Arms Inn. Entering, they unintentionally interrupt a meeting of a private club of local storytellers. By happy coincidence, all of the men they were looking for are present, so after each tells a colorful tale of ghosts and strange adventures, the Captain and Alfred ask them if they know anything about a story about a stolen 500 pounds; none claim knowledge.

Chapter IV. The Seafaring Man by Wilkie Collins 5⭐
Their attempts to solve the mystery of this partly erased message take them to a Cornish pub, where a local club is engaged in communal storytelling. After all the storytelling, Captain Jorgan and Alfred stay over at the inn on the top floor with Alfred sleeping in the double room with the one referred to as "the Seafaring Man" (already asleep). Hugh, Alfred's lost brother, the missing sailor, appears and tells his story.

Chapter V. The Restitution by Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins 3.5⭐
The Restitution In the morning, Captain Jorgan sets out to interview more of the village elders. When he returns to the inn, Alfred meets him standing with his lost brother, Hugh, the afore-mentioned Seafaring Man. Hugh recounts his difficult adventures and rescue to the Captain.

[Nathan Casebolt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bluff and hearty American sea captain arrives in a poor English fishing village bearing a literal message in a bottle, unaware its contents will shatter a young man’s hopes and dreams and launch the two of them on a quest to right a secret wrong.

This novella was printed in the Christmas 1860 edition of “All the Year Round,” a weekly magazine founded and owned by Charles Dickens. What makes it most interesting to me is that this five-chapter story is a collaboration by six or seven authors (including Dickens), and is edited together so skillfully that literary scholars still debate who contributed what.

The main story often serves as a frame for smaller tales. This is especially so in the lengthy third chapter where a Cornish club whiles away an evening with stories running the gamut from an encounter with a murderous French innkeeper to an avenging spirit that might be a ghost or might be guilt. The fourth chapter is such a story in itself, but serves to resolve a major plotline.

This is a pleasant read for a lazy afternoon, preferably in an English garden with a plate of biscuits and a saucer of tea, as long as you don’t mind quite a large number of unlikely coincidences tending to the benefit of our heroes. I offer one word of caution: most modern editions omit Chapters 3 and 4 because these aren’t attributed to Dickens. Apparently editors think we only care about Dickens and are fine with missing critical plot points. I had to hunt up badly-scanned versions of the missing chapters online, but I’m given to understand there exist unmutilated digital editions for readers who are so gauche as to want the entire story.

[Rana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have no nerve to criticize a work of sir Dickens but my oh my did I feel like he went on and on with the description. Captain is sure the talkative kind, that I’d lose track of what the whole conversation was about. There wasn’t much of a drastic plot, which I guess is what I ought to expect from a novella. It was a good read, sentimental, but didn’t leave me balling my eyes out so I can’t rate it a 5 star. I really enjoyed the humor expressed too btw! It was something else; like

• “…looked no more like a seaman, beside Captain Jorgan, than he looked like a sea-serpent.”

• “If my head can’t take care of itself by this time, after all the knocking about the world it has had,” replied the captain, as unconcernedly as if he had no connection with it, “it’s not worth looking after”

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining listening 🎶🔰

Another will written British 🏰 seafaring family relationship adventure thriller short story by Charles Dickens about love 💘, money 💰, and a ships captain from American. I would recommend this novella to anyone looking for a quick read. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa as I do because of eye damage and health issues from shingles. Stay safe 2022 👒😊🏰

[Gill James · Rating 5 out of 5]

As ever Dickens presents us with rounded and believable characters. They verge on the eccentric and exaggerated but only enough to make them humorous. They remain human.
Yes, the plot has the usual coincidences that may not happen in real life – or do they? It’s all such good story-telling anyway. This writer never fails to delight.

[Staci · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. This was included in a Dickens Christmas compilation (audiobook). I kept waiting for something Christmassy to appear, but it never did. Apparently, Dickens and a couple of other people wrote it for a Christmas publication, but it isn't about Christmas. Also, I was a bit lost with all of the sidetracked stories in the inn. I'm still not sure how they tie in.

[Tarmo Syvapuro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hyvää dickensmäistä tarinan kerrontaa. Kirjan viidestä tarinasta taisi vain kaksi olla Dickensin omasta kynästä, mutta eipä se haitannut. Rehellisyyttä, kieroutta, oikeudenmukaisuutta ja rakkautta, kunnon 1800 -luvun menoa.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short novel, fast to read. In my edition there were chapters missing (because written by an other author)

[Rya · Rating 3 out of 5]

აღფრთოვანებული ვარ მეთქი ვერ ვიტყვი, მაგრამ შინაარსობრივად საინტერესო იყო და რამდენიმე ცხოვრებისეული ფრაზაც ჰქონდა ავტორს ჩართული. საბოლოო ჯამში ნორმალური იყო.

[Ahmed Samy · Rating 3 out of 5]

you have borne ill fortune well. Could you bear good fortune equally well, if it was to come?

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Christmas Number was a difficult one to find with all the non-Dickens contributions included, Amazon is a wonderful resource.

This was a little different from his other Christmas numbers as the contributions from others were not set out as separate stories linked to a theme but included in a Chapter that presented a meeting (like a Kiwanis Club Meeting) but all the members had to tell a story if their name was called. a little raggedy but fun.

An enjoyable read if your a fan of Dickens Christmas numbers.

[Daiva · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Whenever a frank manner is offensive, it is because it is strained or feigned; for there may be quite as much intolerable affectation in plainness as in mincing nicety".