Christmas Bells: A Novel. Jennifer Chiaverini. Penguin Group (USA). October
27, 2015. 336 pp. ISBN#: 9780525955245.
“I heard the
bells on Christmas Day/ Their old familiar carols play/ And wild and sweet/ The
words repeat/Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”
This is the famous chorus of the poem/song written by Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow. The story begins in the
pre-Civil War year of 1860 when we are introduced to the Longfellow family, an
almost ideal family who deeply cared for each other and thoroughly enjoyed
their Boston, Massachusetts environment.
Harsh, then, is the extinguishing of the joyful flame when Henry’s wife,
Fannie, dies in an accidental fire.
Longfellow is extremely overcome at the loss of his beloved wife and the
thrill of Revolutionary times is also being squelched by the decisions made by
Southern states to secede from the Union.
The issue of slavery and its economic realities has become the divisive
factor calling for the split of a barely one hundred year old united nation. Longfellow’s
family will be called to also sacrifice much during the duration of the war,
perfectly summarized in Longfellow’s entire poem, “Christmas Bells.”
Travel
in time another hundred years and we are watching how a devoted and talented
music teacher, Sophia, is devastated with the news that her job has been
eliminated because of financial budget cuts.
She’s also the conductor and director of a local church choir that is
preparing to perform Longfellow’s poem as part of the annual Christmas
celebration. Her accompanist, Lucas,
loves her but is afraid to honestly broach the subject with her.
At
the same time another family suffers because they have not heard from their
husband and father who is serving in the National Guard in Afghanistan. He used to call regularly but all of a sudden
those calls stop. Some other conflicts
arise from here, later to be challenged by a Catholic nun with remarkable
intuitive powers – or are they divine?
There
is so much more than can be described herein that makes this story real with
all of the pain and grace-filled happiness that normal life challenges bring,
even in the beloved season known as Christmas!
Jennifer Chiaverini crafts stories that convey an easy style intertwined
with real, harsh challenges that don’t crush the reader with the elicited
tension riddling so many scenes. This
reader is always delighted to read another Chiaverini novel and highly
recommends this excellent work of historical fiction!!!! Perfect for any
season!!!
