Review of Christmas As Before
Posted: 05 Jul 2022, 17:09
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Christmas As Before" by James C Reinhold.]
Oh, to be a child at Christmas, to feel the magic in the air, the excitement and anticipation of Santa coming and leaving presents, and to experience all the fun things winter brings. But somewhere between childhood and adolescence, the wonder seems to dissipate. Has it always been that way? That is the question our protagonists, John, Troy, Alex, and Faye, are forced to explore in Christmas As Before by James C. Reinhold. Does forced seem an odd word here? It isn’t. This ‘crew’ of four delight in making fun of their substitute teacher as he tells them stories of his childhood Christmases. Little do they know that this is no ordinary substitute teacher. As they walk out of school that day, much to their dismay, they find that the world around them has reverted to 1967 at Christmastime. Confused, they walk home only to find that their families have experienced the same change. As the days pass and they learn to exist in this much simpler time, they begin to wonder if they will ever see home again.
Christmas As Before would do well as a Hallmark movie; it has that feel. It isn’t full of action scenes and kids who have been chosen to save the world. Its themes are much more down-to-earth. Our little team of adolescents gets the tables turned on them when their substitute teacher decides that since he “has given 2019 a chance,” they now need to give the past a chance. And he has the power to make it happen! They are given no warning and no instructions. They are left to figure it out, make their way on their own, and learn several valuable lessons in the process.
James Reinhold perfectly captures Christmas's essence in the late 1960s, right down to the aluminum Christmas trees, elaborate displays in store windows, and the excitement of a Christmas festival. The most amusing part of the story was the group’s reaction to how ‘cheap’ prices were. Of course, they had no idea about the wage difference between that time and today. The story will feel truly nostalgic for those (like me) who lived in this time. We discover the wonders and simplicity of that time through the children’s eyes. Reinhold’s writing skillfully shares their emotions with the reader, which makes the experience all the more vivid.
Though each character gets their turn, as the ringleader of our little group, much of the story is experienced through John’s eyes. We have an inside seat to the workings of an adolescent mind as he and the group make their way through confusion and befuddlement to enjoying their time in the past and on to worry about getting home. The author effectively uses his experiences with his children and grandchildren to vividly portray the emotions and thoughts of youths in this age group. As they make their way through this ‘alien’ world, they begin to see the value of events and traditions they had previously mocked. Though I would not say that the characters experienced ‘growth’ as such, they certainly matured as individuals.
Despite my enjoyment of the book, I did have a couple of problems with it. Firstly, although our group includes a girl (Faye), the author continuously refers to them as ‘the four boys.’ I realize he probably meant nothing by it, but I found it highly irritating from a purely subjective viewpoint. Secondly, the language was often awkward or stilted, especially in dialogue. For instance: “When lunch completed, he picked up his plate…” and “At that time, it was not recognized to help their mothers, since it was never a man’s job to pick up after himself.”
I would happily give the book full stars for the heartwarming story itself. However, due to the number of errors and the awkwardness of the language, I must reluctantly drop the score to 3 out of 4 stars. I did not drop the score to two stars because, despite its problems, there was an effective and cohesive storyline that successfully got its point(s) across. I recommend this book to those who are fond of Christmas stories featuring younger characters and readers who enjoy YA books with a light sci-fi theme. There is absolutely no coarse language in the book, and the closest it gets to an intimate scene is two of the group having a private picnic that is hilariously interrupted by a third member who has no clue as to its significance. Welcome to 1967; enjoy your time in the past!
******
Christmas As Before
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Oh, to be a child at Christmas, to feel the magic in the air, the excitement and anticipation of Santa coming and leaving presents, and to experience all the fun things winter brings. But somewhere between childhood and adolescence, the wonder seems to dissipate. Has it always been that way? That is the question our protagonists, John, Troy, Alex, and Faye, are forced to explore in Christmas As Before by James C. Reinhold. Does forced seem an odd word here? It isn’t. This ‘crew’ of four delight in making fun of their substitute teacher as he tells them stories of his childhood Christmases. Little do they know that this is no ordinary substitute teacher. As they walk out of school that day, much to their dismay, they find that the world around them has reverted to 1967 at Christmastime. Confused, they walk home only to find that their families have experienced the same change. As the days pass and they learn to exist in this much simpler time, they begin to wonder if they will ever see home again.
Christmas As Before would do well as a Hallmark movie; it has that feel. It isn’t full of action scenes and kids who have been chosen to save the world. Its themes are much more down-to-earth. Our little team of adolescents gets the tables turned on them when their substitute teacher decides that since he “has given 2019 a chance,” they now need to give the past a chance. And he has the power to make it happen! They are given no warning and no instructions. They are left to figure it out, make their way on their own, and learn several valuable lessons in the process.
James Reinhold perfectly captures Christmas's essence in the late 1960s, right down to the aluminum Christmas trees, elaborate displays in store windows, and the excitement of a Christmas festival. The most amusing part of the story was the group’s reaction to how ‘cheap’ prices were. Of course, they had no idea about the wage difference between that time and today. The story will feel truly nostalgic for those (like me) who lived in this time. We discover the wonders and simplicity of that time through the children’s eyes. Reinhold’s writing skillfully shares their emotions with the reader, which makes the experience all the more vivid.
Though each character gets their turn, as the ringleader of our little group, much of the story is experienced through John’s eyes. We have an inside seat to the workings of an adolescent mind as he and the group make their way through confusion and befuddlement to enjoying their time in the past and on to worry about getting home. The author effectively uses his experiences with his children and grandchildren to vividly portray the emotions and thoughts of youths in this age group. As they make their way through this ‘alien’ world, they begin to see the value of events and traditions they had previously mocked. Though I would not say that the characters experienced ‘growth’ as such, they certainly matured as individuals.
Despite my enjoyment of the book, I did have a couple of problems with it. Firstly, although our group includes a girl (Faye), the author continuously refers to them as ‘the four boys.’ I realize he probably meant nothing by it, but I found it highly irritating from a purely subjective viewpoint. Secondly, the language was often awkward or stilted, especially in dialogue. For instance: “When lunch completed, he picked up his plate…” and “At that time, it was not recognized to help their mothers, since it was never a man’s job to pick up after himself.”
I would happily give the book full stars for the heartwarming story itself. However, due to the number of errors and the awkwardness of the language, I must reluctantly drop the score to 3 out of 4 stars. I did not drop the score to two stars because, despite its problems, there was an effective and cohesive storyline that successfully got its point(s) across. I recommend this book to those who are fond of Christmas stories featuring younger characters and readers who enjoy YA books with a light sci-fi theme. There is absolutely no coarse language in the book, and the closest it gets to an intimate scene is two of the group having a private picnic that is hilariously interrupted by a third member who has no clue as to its significance. Welcome to 1967; enjoy your time in the past!
******
Christmas As Before
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon