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Mary Elizabeth Braddon
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The Christmas Hirelings: Children's Novel Kindle Edition

by Mary Elizabeth Braddon (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 67 ratings
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Sir John Penlyon is a long widowed old man who lives alone with no close family left, after he disowned his daughter for marrying beneath herself. He is spending Christmas with his friend Thomas Danby and his niece Adela who points out that Christmas is quite dull without children and Sir John, otherwise a grim old man, agrees. Hearing that, Danby takes on himself to hire some children in order to bring up the atmosphere in the old house and cheer up his friend. He finds and brings three siblings, sweet and endearing children, who do indeed enliven the holiday. The youngest of them, little girl named Moppet, in particular, charms Sir John and endears herself to him. However, after some time spent in Sir John's mention Moppet, falls dangerously ill and Sir John begins to regret opening his heart. Yet, it is the time of miracles and Sir John is about to make sure of it.
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  1. Reading age
    5 years and up
  2. Print length
    134 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    e-artnow
  5. Publication date
    September 6, 2019
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Not Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  10. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07XP7RV8N
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ e-artnow (September 6, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 6, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2741 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 134 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 67 ratings

About the author

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Mary Elizabeth Braddon

Mary Elizabeth Braddon

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
67 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

myrtle
5.0 out of 5 stars One More Sentimental Christmas Story to Read and Share with Others
Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2019
Verified Purchase
Many thanks to OLT for this recommendation! Loved reading about the three children, especially Moppet aged 4 and a quarter. Add the children, the old curmudgeon, Sir John, who did have a heart after all, the incredible friend Mr Danby whom everyone would want to have visit them any time of year and you have the making of a touching warmhearted Christmas story. We all need to be reminded about forgiveness and reconciliation at this time of year.
One person found this helpful
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fra7299
4.0 out of 5 stars A joy to read during the Christmas season.
Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2023
Verified Purchase
So, every year I try to include at least one Christmas novel in my December reading, and this year I chose this one because I had read a couple of other Braddon novels—which were more of the mystery variety-- and quite enjoyed them.

In her preface to her holiday novel The Christmas Hirelings, Mary Elizabeth Braddon speaks about her inspiration to write a Christmas novel geared towards children, but that adults could enjoy equally as well, and speaks about the process being a “labor of love” and how she used children who lived nearby as models for Moppet and the children present in the novel. She also speaks about how society sometimes gets so caught up in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season so much that we sometimes lose sight of what really matters during this time.

The Christmas Hirelings, too, was quite enjoyable. It has a warm-hearted and quaint aspect to it. There is a charming atmosphere throughout, and it has the sentimentality of a Dickens tale. It involves a widower named Sir John Penlyon, who agrees to let his friend Mr. Dansby hire children to stay at the Penlyon place for Christmas to bring a little more merriment into the household. Sir John is at first skeptical, and while not completely a Scrooge, he has a bit of negative air about Christmas and is not very spirited at this time of the year.

We come to find via a series of flashbacks about Sir John’s present bitterness. He finds a series of journals from his late wife, who was quite devoted to him, and he realizes that he had through the course of their short marriage not only neglected her, but his two daughters as well. He feels a sense of regret and remorse about this. He also had a falling out with one of his daughters when she eloped with a man, and, as we return to the present, we realize that he still hasn’t spoken to her all these years.

Without giving too much away, when the three Christmas hirelings arrive, it really changes the entire atmosphere. One of the children, Moppet, comes in and really steals the show. Suffice to say, there are certain conflicts and revelations that come into play that Sir John must come to terms with to change his outlook.

I think as much as anything this story is about reconciliation, healing old wounds, forgiving past grudges, and renewing hope. While some aspects are quite predictable, there is quite a feel-good aspect to The Christmas Hirelings that makes it a wonderful read during this season. Is the story syrupy sweet and overly sentimental? Yes, of course. Still, though, it has a festiveness and spirit that will surely put the reader in a good mood. The Christmas Hirelings was a joy to read and another one to add to your holiday reads.
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ANNIE
5.0 out of 5 stars A heartwarming Christmas story.
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2019
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This novella is now a tradition for our Christmas read aloud entertainment.
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Lillianna
5.0 out of 5 stars Short read. I perfect to get into Christmas spirit
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2023
A charming old-fashioned Christmas story. Easy to listen to, good narration
I liked that it was only three plus hours long. Just long enough to start feeling “Christmas-y”
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OLT
4.0 out of 5 stars Christmas is for children, after all...
Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2019
Verified Purchase
(3.5 stars) Mary Elizabeth Braddon (1835-1915) was a prolific and popular Victorian sensation-novel author. I've read and enjoyed LADY AUDLEY'S SECRET (1862) and HENRY DUNBAR (1864) but had never heard of this Christmas novella until I saw it mentioned by a friend on Goodreads.

This is a story written long ago (1894) about a long-ago way of life and with a quaint-at-times and surprisingly modern-at-times style of writing. Curmudgeonly Sir John Penlyon will be spending Christmas with his niece and his longtime friend and frequent house guest Mr. Danby. Penlyon is a 70-something widower with one deceased daughter and one disowned daughter, so he has no immediate family to celebrate with.

The niece mentions that Christmas is so much merrier when there are children around, with their enthusiasm and excitement and love of the season, so Danby suggests to Sir John that he "hire" some children to celebrate with them.

Grudgingly, Sir John accepts the idea and Danby mentions that he knows the perfect set of children and sets off to fetch them. Okay. That's a somewhat absurd premise, you might say, but we all know what's going on here, right? And, in spite of how very old this story is (125 years old in 2019) it is charmingly written and is a lovely tale of redemption, forgiveness and opening your heart up to love.

I must mention one more thing about this story. It revolves around three young children, Moppet, 4 years old, and her somewhat older siblings, Lassie and Laddie. (Obviously not their real names, but, anyway...) Now, although I am a mother and grandmother and I do love my family, I can't say I'm usually interested in children-centric stories.

That said, Moppet was pretty darned adorable and it's obvious that Braddon knew a thing or two about kids. Well, considering she lived with a married man and his five children for more than a decade before his wife died and she was able to marry him and produce six more children with him, let's assume she liked children.
4 people found this helpful
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Aurora Dawn
5.0 out of 5 stars Mr. Darcy's Christmas Children
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2019
I've never been a big Pride and Prejudice fan, but this Christmas story in which Mr. Danby brings three children to the home of a curmudgeonly old friend to amuse the household over the holidays is an absolute delight for those who enjoy Jane Austin period pieces. The scenery and Christmas traditions are described with all the vibrant colour and gentle grace of an Austin manor house and the gentlefolk are appropriately proper but touched with an occasional whisper of dry humor, but it is the irrepressible Moppet that steals the show and captures your heart as she did those of every character in the tale.
If you're looking for a sweet tale from a far more gracious time, whether to add to your Christmas fare or at any time of year, this is a story well worth your consideration.
2 people found this helpful
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Darlene Adamson
4.0 out of 5 stars Well written
Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2020
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Well written and a easy read.
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Top reviews from other countries

Ms. Kathleen Herron
5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 17, 2019
Verified Purchase
I've read Mary Elizabeth Braddon's Lady Audley's Secret so wanted to read more. This lovely story was truly a revelation. Some twists and turns but ultimately the perfect ending. This is now my annual Christmas reading.
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