If you have been following along at home, you will remember that I was sick in December and so limited my reading to short and light books that wouldn't over-load my aching head. I happened to pick up a couple of slim and discounted John Grisham novellas. First up was Bleachers, next was Skipping Christmas. Given the tpoic I probably should have posted this before Christmas but there is always next year . . .
This slim volume, like Bleachers, is not your typical Grisham thriller but a holiday morality tale. The story tells the tale of Luther and Nora Krank, a vaguely middle class family wrestling with the holiday hustle and bustle. When their daughter Blair graduates from college and decides to head to South America with the Peace Corps Luther has a radical idea: why not skip Christmas. He runs some numbers late one night - Luther is an accountant - and concludes that with the gifts, decorations, food, charities, and whatnot they spent $6100 last year on Christmas - $6100! So his plan is to skip all that and take a cruise instead. Instead of the stress and cost of Christmas they get the sun and relaxation of the Bahamas. Nora isn't sure this is such a good idea, what will people think, how can they just skip Christmas? But Luther's enthusiasm wins her over. The story then follows them as they attempt to stick to their promise to abstain from the holiday and focus on their upcoming cruise (to prepare they go on a diet and even sign up for tanning sessions!).
The Kranks (I am not sure exactly what Grisham is trying to say with that name) encounter all sorts of resistance as they stick to their guns. Friends and acquaintances are incredulous and confused (although some are obviously jealous); how do you "skip" Christmas? But they stick to it, no Christmas cards, no tree, no office party, no decorations for the house, no Christmas Eve party at their house, the list goes on. The closer to Christmas, the more the pressure builds. The neighborhood competes in a holiday decoration contest and the Kranks will be the only ones not participating (the neighboorhood loses as a result). They have to say no to a series of charities that knock on the door: the Boy Scouts selling trees, the paramedics raising money for children, the Policemen's benevolent association, etc. Nora increasingly feels the pressure but Arthur is rather enjoying the whole thing.
Article comments
1 - Tanya
Here's my thoughts on this dreadful book: I've quite enjoyed Grisham's other books, but this one was a painful dissapointment. There are few books I outright hate, and this is one of them. The main characters were snivelling idiots. Skipping Christmas is a grand idea. Taking a break from all of the trapping sounds nice. But they don't just do that; they turn it into a nasty, unpleasant experience as they become paranoid and simply stupid. And then when their daughter comes to town unexpectedly, they just throw it all together anyway (why not just tell their ADULT daughter that they made plans to go on a cruise, but she and her fiance were welcome to stay at the house and play there). And what was with the mysterious stanger? Absolutely nothing happened with him. He was there, but didn't do anything, didn't provide any revelations. There was no point to that character except to annoy the readers. So the point of the novel was totally lost. So... is it a good thing to skip Christmas, or a bad thing? From this novel, you will never know, and you will never gain any insights into forming your own answers. A waste of paper. Avoid this book, is my recommendation.
2 - I like it
Yes, I like it :)