The Chimes

[Fire Mage]

Is there any specific tip to reading The Chimes? Sure, it's a short story but it's giving me trouble.

I just finished reading Christmas Carol (in prose) and that did not give too much trouble as already knowing the general backstory helped out.

But Dickens tends to draw things out in long-winded descriptions; the very beginning of The Chimes talks about the bells in the tower and the night-wind at length for at least 2 and a half pages, then finally introduces someone.

I don't mean to say that it's unnatural for an author to do this, but my mind gets a bit scrambled reading it, so any tips when looking it over? I can usually read harder material but for some reason Dickens' writing gets to me.

[MorpheusSandman]

Dickens can use some extended syntax to different effects. I think the opening is quite brilliant though as it sets up The Chimes as a central character and how mysterious they are. I just finished this last night and it's a wonderful story; the 3rd section is very emotional, though can get a bit confusing. Dickens is usually very rich, which makes repeat readings valuable to fully understanding him. I'd recommend just plowing through the first time and focus on feeling before understanding, and then go back again and work harder to puzzle through some of the more difficult bits.