May 12, 2023

Looking Back - Skipping Christmas

Looking Back... In an effort to transfer my book journal entries over to this blog, I'm going to attempt to post (in chronological order) an entry every Friday. I may or may not add extra commentary to what I jotted down in these journals.

Fiction
2001 Doubleday
Finished in November 2001
Rating: 2/5 (OK)

Publisher's Blurb:

Imagine a year without Christmas. No crowded shops, no corny office parties, no fruitcakes, no unwanted presents. That's just what Luther and Nora Krank have in mind when they decide that, just this once, they'll skip the holiday altogether. Theirs will be the only house on the street without a rooftop Frosty the snowman; they won't be hosting their annual Christmas Eve bash; they aren't even going to have a tree. They won't need one, because come December 25 they're setting sail on a Caribbean cruise. But, as this weary couple is about to discover, skipping Christmas brings enormous consequences - and isn't half as easy as they'd imagined.

A classic tale for modern times, Skipping Christmas offers a hilarious look at the chaos and frenzy that has become part of our holiday tradition.

My Original Thoughts (2001):

Quick read, although at times tedious. Could have been condensed and still made its point. Another departure from Grisham's legal thrillers, yet not nearly as literary as A Painted House. Predictable, sentimental, and anti-climactic. Mediocre. I'm glad I didn't waste my money on this one.

My Current Thoughts:

Christmas can be very hectic and stressful, so I can see the appeal of skipping the holiday. We usually have a large gathering for Thanksgiving, but our Christmas celebration is low-key, which is kind of nice. As far as Grisham's book goes, if you're interested, borrow it from the library. It's not one I'll ever read again. 
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6 comments:

  1. Tina6:05 AM

    I saw the movie and it wasn't impressive. I do like Grisham's book in general but never read this one. I like how you compare your previous reviews to what you thinkn now. Also gives me ideas about books I have not read before :-)

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    Replies
    1. Les in Oregon8:31 AM

      Thanks, Tina. Sometimes I remember a lot about the book (and it helps if I still own a copy), but many of these "Looking Back" posts leave me scratching my head, wondering why I read the book or what it was about.

      Delete
  2. JoAnn1:18 PM

    I remember laughing a time or two while reading it, but was also mostly unimpressed.

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    Replies
    1. Les in Oregon8:27 AM

      JoAnn, I probably laughed once or twice, but yeah, unimpressive.

      Delete
  3. Helen's Book Blog2:58 PM

    I thought I'd heard of all the Grisham novels, but this one is totally new to me. I think I won't read it, but am glad I know about it now.

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    Replies
    1. Les in Oregon8:09 PM

      Helen, I wonder how many established authors are approached by their publishers to write a holiday-type novel. This one is only around 250 pages, so it was probably pretty easy for Grisham to crank it out.

      Delete

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