Mr. Ives’ Christmas by Oscar Hijuelos was a Pulitzer finalist in 1996. Hijuelos had also previously won the Pulitzer in 1990 for The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love.
Mr. Ives seems to have almost the perfect life. He has a successful career and a happy family. He helps with community projects and events for his church. He is a man of faith. Then his son is shot and killed on Chrismas Eve coming home from choir practice. The son, Robert, was only 17 and wanted to be a priest. From this tragic event, Edward Ives struggles with his faith and the meaning of existence. He questions his once firm ideals. He grieves. He grieves for a very long time.
I don’t know if ‘enjoyed’ is proper in this case, so I will say I really appreciated this book, but it is not for everyone. It is definitely not a warm and cozy Christmas story, but it is one that seeks answers to the hard questions in life. If you’ve ever wondered why God allows bad things to happen, you might like this book. It really doesn’t even come away at the end with many very solid answers, but it does show one man’s journey through faith, hardship, and loss in a sensitive and thought-provoking manner.
1995, 248 pp.
Rating: 4
I didn’t know anybody who read this, so I skipped over it several times over several years. Next time I see it (that may be next year) I think I’ll give it a go. Thanks.
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