Pros: Easy read. Short. Portrays real-life x-mas angst well. It's a great "break."
Cons: Not many interesting twists/turns - stays @ same intensity for most of the book.
The Bottom Line: You have no reason to not read it because a) it's short, b) Grisham doesn't involve any hard language, and c) the ending leaves you satisfied.
mattyd5's Full Review: John Grisham - Skipping Christmas
There's only so much TV one can take.
I cracked at the end of my month-long incubation and suddenly remembered a book my brother recommended to me, Skipping Christmas, by John Grisham. It was short and the cover was pretty so I decided to have a go (LOL, me and my lazy self! :) ). My brain was clear of anything meaningful or substantial (that's for sure) and wouldn't have minded a little bit of stimulation.
Characters
I'll try to be as thorough as I can w/ the plot and characters w/o giving away any major details. Quite simply, there are 3 main characters: Blair Krank, the quintessential college daughter; Luther Krank, a man sick of the what has become a commercialized Christmas; and Nora Krank, Luther's wife, who enjoys getting wrapped up in the craziness of the holiday.
Other important characters are included in the Krank neighborhood. They are gossipy, snoopy, and totally sucked into Christmas cheer. They become the crux - but also saviors - of the Kranks' Christmas problems.
Plot
The storyline is quite simple. Blair has joined the Peace Corps and has gone to South America for this holiday. As Christmas has been nails against the chalkboard for Luther for years, he convinces Nora that they should skip Christmas and go on a cruise instead. They bear the brunt of their nosy, critical neighbors up until December 25th...
My Reactions:What I Liked
It's been a long time since last I read a book *GASP* for pleasure! Anything that I've read in the past 6 months have been forced and boring (and might I add at the last minute! :p ), so Skipping Christmas was a wonderful break. What I liked most about it was that it was short - but a mere 178 pgs! I didn't have the patience for a 500-pg book, so that was key. It is easy to read - no hard vocab, Dickens-esque sentences/wording or millions of confusing subplots. What makes this such a good read is its ability to have such a simple plot while still being an excellent story. The ending is decent too, mostly because you're expecting something else. Plus, it's humorous. Grisham paints current Christmas trends in a way that we can all relate.
My Reactions:What I Didn't Like
I think because it possessed such a simple plot, there left little room for any heart-racing climaxes; it lacked intensity. Even The Climax of the story seemed a smidge not up to par. In addition, Blair's character was a bit underdeveloped, as was her relationship w/ Luther. I couldn't decide if this father-daughter relationship was distant and lukewarm because of Luther, or because of some other reason that wasn't mentioned in the book.
Another point I should add is that Skipping Christmas doesn't appear to be like the other Grisham novels. It's clearly not your intellectual thriller, though he may have written this novel as a light little holiday thing. I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you're looking for action and suspense, don't go for this book. HOWEVER, I do still highly recommend that you to read it.
Conclusion
It's the perfect book to read during the holiday season when and if you have a little time. It's still great to read even if it's not Christmas. Skipping Christmas is a fine break from your convoluted, thought-provoking sagas. It leaves you pleasantly content.
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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