Alison Larkin Presents: A Christmas Carol and The Night Before Christmas

By: Charles Dickens, Clement Clark Moore, Alison Larkin

Narrated by: Alison Larkin

What if Scrooge were a woman?

Following her adaptation of Great Expectations, best-selling novelist and award-winning audiobook narrator Alison Larkin changes the gender of Scrooge in this ground-breaking new recording of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

It's the same beloved Christmas story - only one thing has changed. In this version, Scrooge is a woman.

Everything else, though, is pure Dickens. So, in this version, the characters behave as if it were quite normal for a girl to learn to read and write, fall in love with a woman, and have the kind of life and career only men could dream of in 1843.

It's an irresistible question. If gender had been simply irrelevant in the 19th century, where would we all be now?

Following the recording, exclusively for Audible, Larkin continues this exciting experiment along similar lines and reads The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore with only one change. What? You guessed it. St. Nick is a woman.

"Alison Larkin is brilliant." (The Times)

©2019 Alison Larkin (P)2019 Alison Larkin Presents

Critic reviews

A reimagining of the classic Christmas story, adapted by narrator Alison Larkin, treats the listener to Dickens's holiday tale - with one change. In this version, the iconic Ebenezer Scrooge is a woman. Larkin's performance skills are superb. She provides an engaging romp through 19th-century London at Christmas. Her spirited style infuses the production with flair and personality, breathing life into Scrooge and all she encounters, ghosts included. Furthering the listening experience is the music throughout. Both the instrumental rendition of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" bookending the audiobook and Larkin's own singing between ensure that one cannot help but feel the holiday spirit. (A.L.S.M. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2019)

pronoun change mildly significant

This is the second book I’ve read/listened to by this author. I like the idea of making Scrooge female, however I must admit, this story is not any more powerful when the gender is changed. I don’t think this story is a good choice to try to make a huge statement about ‘If gender had been simply irrelevant in the 19th century, where would we all be now? ‘. There is not much discussion of the gender roles in this book, so changing Scrooge to female feels insignificant. Especially since even in the 1800’s there were occasional women of power and prestige. True, a woman in love with a woman would be unacceptable, very few women had a career and were respected (if not liked) but women did learn to read and write. The discrepancy in the 1800s was more between classes than gender.
What makes this book good for the gender swap is that nothing of the original plot or content needs to be changed to make the change in pronoun feasible.

Regardless, I love this story and Alison Larkin does a lovely reading of it. She has a pleasant voice, adds a good amount of expression to her narration and uses various voices to differentiate the characters.

There are no explicit sex scenes, excessive violence or swearing.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and voluntarily left this unbiased review.
Please feel free to comment on whether you found my review helpful.

On the email they sent me it said...
Alison Larkin is the American Ambassador for the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation and for every Austen audiobook purchased directly through her web site, https://alisonlarkinpresents.com/, $5 will go to help refugees and others in literacy crisis areas learn to read!
http://www.alisonlarkinpresents.com/

Classic Christmas tales with a twist!

What if Scrooge has been a woman? This is a fantastic telling of A Christmas Carol... the story is the same, but the power hungry, crotchety old Ebenezer Scrooge is a woman.

Alison Larkin’s performance is absolutely fantastic! The different character voices, the emotions, the timing... all wonderful. Truly an entertaining listen.

There’s also a nice little bonus of The Night Before Christmas with a twist.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.

Original Concept

This is certainly an original concept for a book to change the main character from male to female. I understand where this type of work would allow young girls to see a more powerful woman in a powerful position. My only concern with works like this is trying to change or erase classic works into something the original author never intended.

I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

Wonderful! Glorious! Beautifully narrated! BRAVO!

Totally original, delightful, and fascinating. Larkin's Scrooge is completely believable as a woman and her Marley and Cratchett indeed all her characterizations are quite wonderful. This is a fresh, fascinating audiobook - the same story, Dicken's language, only Scrooge is a woman. What a terrific idea. I loved every minute of it. And adding The Night Before Christmas at the end was the icing on the cake! A must buy for family and friends for the holidays.

An interesting adaptation of a classic

A Christmas Carol. .
An interesting adaptation of a classic. Pleasant and entertaining version. This audiobook is an easy way to get to know one of Charles Dickens works.
Narration is excellent very clear and with good tone.
In the summary a lot is made of the change of gender - I listened and couldn't see what difference Scrooge's gender made.
I enjoyed this adaptation of the book immensely.
I received a free copy of this audio book at my own request and voluntarily leave this honest review. .

A Delightful Twist on a Holiday Favorite

Alison Larkin poses the question, "What if gender did not matter in classic tales?" In this adaptation of A Christmas Carol, Scrooge becomes a woman. The story is otherwise told exactly the same. Ms. Larkin's narration is delightful and the adaptation is seamless. Uncle Scrooge becomes effortlessly Auntie Scrooge. The lessons learned are the same but instead, young girls are given a view of a wealthy independent woman.

Larkin's adaptations of classic tales by merely changing the gender of the main character speaks volumes about empowering young girls with classic tales. A totally enjoyable listen. The addition of Clement Moore's The Night Before Christmas with St. Nick being St Nickolette is also a delightful adaptation...after all...no reason Mrs. Clause could not handle the present delivery! A very nice bonus with this audiobook.

I will certainly look for more of Ms. Larkin's books both her adaptation and her narrations.

**I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for my own unbiased review.**

What would be the difference?

In the introduction to this audiobook, the narrator asks what the difference in the story would be if Scrooge had been a woman. The answer is not a dang thing. The story has the same force and meaning as the original. Just as entertaining. The difference, as it were, if there is one, will be in how (if) parents or others use this story to show their daughters that a woman can be as rich and powerful (and selfish) as a man. They can also be generous and kind. I enjoyed the different take and especially the narration from Ms. Larkin. Ms. Scrooge is not soft and sweet and gentle. Alison does a great job of making her just as miserly, selfish and mean as the original. Equality in action. LOL. I loved the voices, especially the roughness of scrooge. Very enjoyable all around.

I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook at my request and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.