merlot's Full Review: John Grisham - Skipping Christmas
As a huge John Grisham fan I look forward to February each year knowing that his latest novel will be out. This year I got an end of the year surprise when I found Skipping Christmas.
Skipping Christmas is John Grisham's second book that moves away from the usual lawyer/legal type books he writes. His first attempt, A Painted House was a little disappointing to me, but he more than makes up for it with Skipping Christmas.
The Story Skipping Christmas begins the day after Thanksgiving when Luther and Nora Krank's daughter Blair leaves home. She has joined the Peace Corp and will be spending time in Peru teaching underprivileged children how to read.
The Krank's are sad to see Blair go and all the way home from the airport Nora wonders if Blair will be safe. They also comment about how Christmas won't be the same this year.
That's when Luther gets an idea. That night he tallies up just how much Christmas costs the Krank's. Shocked at just how much he spends each Christmas, and knowing the amount will continue to rise with each passing Christmas, Luther decides their money would be better spent skipping Christmas this year. He convinces Nora that they should skip Christmas and take a nice Caribbean Cruise instead.
The rest of the book focuses on their decision to skip Christmas. Throughout the book the Krank's plan for their cruise and deal with the town's reaction to their plan. Not everyone agrees with the Krank's idea to skip the holiday, as the town is rather festive, and their reactions can be quite funny at times.
I definitely do not want to ruin the fun of this book for you, so I will leave it at that.
My Thoughts
John Grisham's Skipping Christmas is a quick read. I started it last night and finished it early this morning. At 177 pages it will take no time to read this book and get yourself into the Christmas spirit.
Skipping Christmas is well written and quite comical at times. John Grisham does an excellent job of setting up the story. You certainly can feel for Luther Krank and his frustration with the whole Christmas holiday. You can also understand where his neighbors and the rest of the town are coming from when they ask "What? You're skipping Christmas?"
The descriptions throughout the book are very good. Grisham sets the scene remarkably well. I really feel as if I am in the story. I get irritated with Luther when he goes out to the mall and has to deal with all the hussle and bussle of the crowds. I easily transform to thoughts of the cruise and warm Caribbean Beaches. I can see Hemlock Street in the spirit all decorated for the holidays. I also get nostalgic with Nora when she has fleeting moments of abandoning their plan. I can effectively visualize what Luther is talking about when he vividly describes the holiday office party. I find myself nodding and laughing at his description. The book makes everything clear.
I find myself admiring their desire to skip the materialism of Christmas, then find myself rooting for them to get into the true spirit of the holiday.
The ending is good, but that is all I am saying about it, you just have to read the book to find out what happens.
This morning I finished reading Skipping Christmas and my husband said "Did you enjoy your book?" I have to say that I did. I truly did. I don't get the chance to sit down and read a novel too often, most of the reading I do is the paper, magazines, or children's books. It is a real treat for me to read which is why I splurge on Grisham novels. This book, although short and sweet, is an excellent quick read. I was thoroughly entertained and laughed out loud a few times.
I highly recommend John Grisham's Skipping Christmas. Buy the book, read it, and then share it with a friend.
Skipping Christmas was an unexpected November find. One I am so happy that I stumbled across. Now, more than ever, I am eagerly awaiting February 5th, 2002. That's the day that The Summons, John Grisham's up and coming book will be released.
Skipping Christmas sells for $11.97 at Amazon (plus shipping). You can find it on Ebay for anywhere between $10-12. I bought my copy from Costco for $10.99. It is a bit steep for a hardbound book that is a mere 177 pages and will take only a few hours to read, but it was quite enjoyable, so worth it to me. I plan on passing it along to my friend and then having my husband read it. Yes, even husbands will get a kick out of this book. I know mine is more like Luther Krank than I care to admit, LOL.
Luther and Nora Krank are fed up with the chaos of Christmas. The endless shopping lists, the frenzied dashes through the mall, the hassle of decorati...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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