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Home , A Painted House, Bleachers (novel), List of Christmas novels, Skipping Christmas, The Pelican Brief, The Rainmaker (novel)

Book Review of ’s Skipping

Syambara Bella Taqwa and Arida Widyastuti English Department, Faculty of Humanity, Diponegoro University, Semarang 50275

ABSTRACT

This book review is arranged with the purpose to show the strengths and weaknesses of a novel entitled , authored by an American author, John Grisham. This novel tells a story of the Kranks couple who wanted to skip Christmas to go on a cruise instead. This novel is the only comedy novel that is written by John Grisham who is a well-known thriller author. The strengths of the novels are the moral value of the novel, the cover design, and the greatness of the author’s name. This novel tells what Christmas is about. The greatness of the author’s name and the cover design are very powerful to attract people to buy and read the novel. The weaknesses of the novels are the dictions and the naratology of the novel that is too detailed. The author tends to use difficult words to tell the story. There are too many details in the novel to bore the readers. The main aim of this book review is to give a picture about the novel and a reference for the readers before reading the whole novel.

Keywords : Family, Comedy, Christmas, Moral Value, Detailed Naratology.

I. INTRODUCTION things are the impression of how Christmas is celebrated in the USA. This ritual of spending so much 1.1. Background of the Study money for the day where was born somehow becomes a way to Christmas is one big day to impress and buy happiness. It shows celebrate for Christians. If we take a how these people in the upper- closer look through the media, middle class fail to grasp the true Christmas in the USA always goes meaning of Christmas. Through very festive, especially for the John Grisham’s Skipping Christmas, upper-middle class people. Houses the readers from all over the world are fully decorated, millions of can learn what Christmas should Christmas cards are sent, the actually be about. presents, and so many other fancy The writer chose this novel to plans to become a tax attorney. review because this book is unique After graduation he practiced for the writer. This novel is written criminal law for a while and then by a famous writter who is very civil law, enjoying neither. Grisham well-know for his ability to write ran for the Mississippi legislature in best seller thriller novels. This novel 1983 and won, but quit before the one of the three non thrillers novels end of his second term. He felt, he that Grisham has written, and the said, that it was impossible to only comedy novel from him. This change much as a lawmaker. fact about the novel makes this One day at the DeSoto County novel stands out for the writer from courthouse, Grisham overheard the the first time the writer saw the harrowing testimony of a twelve- novel in a bookstore. year-old rape victim and was inspired to start a novel exploring what would have happened if the 1.2. Purpose of the Study girl’s father had murdered her The purpose of this study is to assailants. Getting up at 5 a.m. every summarize Skipping Christmas and day to get in several hours of writing to find the strength and the time before heading off to work, weakness of John Grisham’s Grisham spent three years on A Skipping Christmas Time to Kill and finished it in 1987. Initially rejected by many publishers, it was eventually bought 1.3. The Author of Skipping by Wynwood Press, who gave it a Christmas modest 5,000 copy printing and published it in June 1988. The following description is taken The day after Grisham completed A from http://www.jgrisham.com/bio/ Time to Kill, he began to work on and Mary Beth Pringle’s Revisiting another novel, the story of a hotshot John Grisham : A Critical young attorney lured to an Companion. apparently perfect law firm that was not what it appeared. When he sold Born on February 8, 1955 in the film rights to to Jonesboro, Arkansas, to a Paramount Pictures for $600,000, construction worker and a Grisham suddenly became a hot homemaker, John Grisham as a property among publishers, and child dreamed of being a book rights were bought by professional baseball player. Doubleday. Spending 47 weeks on Realizing he did not have the right The New York Times bestseller list, stuff for a pro career, he shifted The Firm became the bestselling gears and majored in accounting at novel of 1991. Mississippi State University. He earned a D in freshman The successes of , composition, had a college major in which hit number one on the New accounting, and went to law school York Times bestseller list, and The at the University of Mississippi with Client, which debuted at number one, confirmed Grisham’s wife also traveled to the northern reputation as the master of the legal part of Brazil several times to build thriller. Grisham’s success even medical clinics and homes. Grisham renewed interest in A Time to Kill, frequently uses his wealth to help which was republished in hardcover others. As soon as he and his family by Doubleday and then in paperback moved to Charlottesville, Grisham by Dell. This time around, it was a made baseball available to kids who bestseller. had not been able to play before by Since first publishing A Time to Kill creating Cove Creek Park. With its in 1988, Grisham has written one six baseball diamonds, clubhouse, novel a year (some of his other and batting cages, the park is a books are The Firm, A Painted testament to “Grisham’s generosity House, Skipping Christmas, The and his determination”. Summons, , The Last Juror, , Playing for II. SUMMARY OF Pizza, , , SKIPPINGCHRISTMAS and ) and all of them have become The story started on the day Blair international bestsellers. There are went with a Peace Corps to Peru. currently over 275 million of John She departed during the Christmas Grisham’s books in print worldwide, holiday. This made Luther and Nora which have been translated into 40 Krank, the parents, started thinking languages. Nine of his novels have that Christmas would not be the been turned into films (The Firm, same this year without their only The Pelican Brief, , A child’s presence. Nora grieved Time to Kill, , The Blair’s departure and could not stop Chamber, , The worrying about her, while Luther’s , and Skipping accounting instinct started counting Christmas). The Man. how much money they spent last The Innocent Man (October 2006) year and how much would be spent marked his first foray into non- this year for Christmas. According fiction, and Ford County (November to his counting, $6,100 was spent 2009) was his first short story last year. The fact of how expensive collection. and stressful a Christmas could get and that Blair was not going to Despite his success, Grisham is still celebrate Christmas at home, made the same quietly spiritual person he Luther thought of forgoing always was. A “lifelong Baptist,” Christmas. He told his wife about Grisham and his wife have taught the idea. Nora could not really agree Sunday school in their local church. at first, but then realized that the Grisham devotes time to charitable money to go to a Caribbean cruise causes, including most recently his for ten days would be less than the Rebuild The Coast Fund, which Christmas expenses, she then raised 8.8 million dollars for Gulf agreed. Coast relief in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Grisham and Word quickly spread throughout the from Peru, bringing her new fiance small town, that the Kranks were not with her. Her fiance was an celebrating Christmas and would not educated Peruvian doctor who be participating in the neighborhood wanted to witness how beautiful or town festivities. The tickets were Christmas could be celebrated in the booked, they spent their time to USA. Nora, who missed Blair so prepare themselves for the cruise. much, could not reject her The diet wass on, and they spent daughter’s wish to have a Christmas their time in tanning booths in party. They then had to have preparation for the hot Caribbean Christmas and skip the cruise. sun. Things turne to a completely The decision confused different direction too fast and the acquaintances and caused anguish in Kranks were panicking. The the neighborhood. It got hard on neighbors found out that The Kranks Nora, since she met more people were back on the Christmas ritual in and heard more negative envious the very last second. Surprisingly, comments about their plan. The the neighbors helped them out and neighborhood, which in the last made things fine enough for Blair’s years always won the best decorated coming. street contest, lost the contest this Blair came with her handsome year. All the blames were on the Peruvian fiance. She noticed some Kranks, because their house was the small unusual things but was too only house in the street without any overwhelmed with happiness to be decorations. The neighbors had home with her fiance to complain. already questioned their plan on Christmas was saved for the Kranks skipping Christmas, since they lost even they had to forget the the contest, the questions soon Caribbean cruise. The tickets could turned to be harassments. The not be refunded, so with the Kranks couple, especially Nora, Christmas spirit, Luther walked out could not feel comfortable anymore of the house in the cold to hand his in the neighborhood. Luther kept dream tickets to his neighbor. going steadfastly, knowing things Christmas this year could be the last would be back to normal once the Christmas for his neighbor, since Christmas holiday gone and they she had a terminal cancer. Luther would get back from the cruise. wanted to make this Christmas to be December 24th, one day before the wonderful for her and her husband cruise, Nora and Luther woke up with the cruise tickets. happily and ready to pack. In the middle of the excitement that they were having, the phone rang. A III. REVIEW ON SKIPPING phone from Blair. Knowing nothing CHRISTMAS about her parents’ plan, Blair Skipping Christmas is attractive already planned to make a surprise because it tells about Christmas in for her parents. She was in Miami the USA in a complete different when she called, half way to home way, where it is actually stressful and expensive. It gives a new point daughter comes in the last hours of view against the mainstream idea before they depart for the dreamy of how Christmas is only about joys plan. Having a little time to prepare and festivities. Skipping Christmas everything for Christmas makes it has some weaknesses and strengths very hard for them to manage which can be found from some Christmas alone, surrounded by aspects, and they are: the moral their enemies. But their enemies, values, the cover, the great name of with the Christmas spirit, help them the author’s, the dictions, and the out and give them their best to make details a perfect Christmas for the Kranks. 3.1 Strengths This part of the story shares what Skipping Christmas has fundamental the real Christmas is about, and also strengths, this can be seen from shows the moral values of the story. some aspects, the moral values and It is about sharing, trusting, the cover. accepting, and tolerating. Christmas is not about where you are, or how 3.1.1 Moral values in the novel big the party you can make, or what Skipping Christmas is a comedy you have to show off. novel, told in a funny way which 3.1.2 The Cover makes it so light to read. Despite how light this book can be, there are The cover of a novel is the fisrt some big moral values the readers impression of it. It should depict can dig from the book. Christmas what the novel is about very well, has become the biggest holiday in without leaving the aesthetic aspect America, a big frosty, a beautiful to attract readers. The cover from , many expensive this novel is a strength of the novel gifts, parties, a lightful decorated because it clearly depicts Christmas house, and so many other fancy and it also gives the reader the things are expected from every pictures of the main story which is upper-middle family in America. the summer holiday that the main However, those expensive things are characters were aiming from actually not the real spirit of skipping Christmas. Christmas. The Kranks couple who The main color of the cover is red, realize that they had spent so much with a picture of a summery beach in Christmas last year now want to in green and gold. The title of the skip Christmas, and allocate the novel is written in white. Red, money for going to a Carribean green, gold, and white, are the island with a cruise. They skip colors of Christmas. everything they are expected to do An early use of red at Christmas in Christmas, everything even the were the apples on the paradise tree. smallest details. People around them They represented the fall of Adam are angry and envious about this and in the plays. Red is also the color of it seems like almost everybody turns Holly berries, which is said to to be their enemy. Yet, in the end of represent the blood of Jesus when he the novel, things turn around. Their died on the cross. Red is also the color of Bishops robes. These would The author’s name is one of the first have been worn by St. Nicholas and things that people see from a novel. then also became Santa’s uniform. Usually, the author’s name is In many parts of Europe during enough to tell the quality of the middle ages, Paradise plays were essence of the book. John Grisham performed, often on . is a great thriller author. He is a very They told Bible stories to people active author who keeps on who could not read. The ‘Paradise producing new books every year and Tree’ in the garden of eden in the a lot of his books are best sellers. play was normally a pine tree. Green Grisham has written three non also reminded people that spring thriller books so far, and Skipping would come and that winter would Christmas is one of them, along with not last forever. Gold is the color of A Painted House and The Bleachers. the Sun and light – both very Yet, Skipping Christmas is the only important in the dark winter. And comedy novel he has written. both red red and gold are the colors The greatness of the author’s name of fire that you need to keep you for Skipping Christmas is definitely warm. White is often associated one of the important strong points with purity and peace in western for the novel. The praises that the cultures. The snow is also very novel gets are all about the author, white. White is used by most who is very famous as a good churches as the color of Christmas, author. when the altar is covered with a white cloth. “Grisham may well be the best American storyteller writting (www.whychristmas.com/customs/c today.” – The Washington Post olors-of-christmas.shtml) “Grisham is an absolute master.” – The Washington Post All the colors that are used for the “Never let it be said this man cover are no doubt represents doesn’t know how to spin a good Christmas very well. Yet the main yarn.” – Entertainment Weekly story line of the novel which tells about how the main characters planning to skip Christmas and go 3.2 Weaknesses on a cruise instead, is very important to give the first impression to the The weaknesses of this novel can be readers. The cover gives a very well seen in some aspects, the dictions picture of the story by having a and the aspect of naratology. small picture in the middle of the 3.2.1 Dictions in the novel cover about a beach view with the palm tree and the sun, which are the Even Skipping Christmas is written opposite of the image of Christmas. very lightly, many words can be difficult to understand by the non natives. Some readers may need to 3.1.3 The greatness of the open dictionaries to finally find out author’sname the meaning of some words then grasp the emotions. On the other $6,100 on lesser gifts for a select hand, it is good for English learners handful of distant relatives, most on to add more vocabularies. It seems Nora’s side--$6,100 on Christmas to target English natives, since the cards fron a stationer three doors dictions used by the author are very down from Chip’s, in the district, specific in certain things to give the where all prices were double; best details. $6,100 for the party, an annual Christmas Eve bash at the Krank 3.2.2 The naratology of the novel home.” (Grisham, 2001: 13-14) The details of emotions and situations in the novel are one powerful tool to drag the readers The text above shows the readers into the story, which is good, but how much a Christmas cost for since there are too many details, it Luther last year. There are too many becomes boring in some points to details on what he spent $6,100 for read all the tiny details. The story Christmas. Following is another line is simple, yet it seems the example of over-detailed text from details are all it takes to make the the novel. novel stretched to be 177 pages. “He eased from the house an hour “A year earlier, the Luther Krank later. On the sidewalk that bordered family had spent $6,100 on Hemlock, he shuffled along, going Christmas -- $6,100! --$6,100 on nowhere. The air was cool and light. decorations, lights, flowers, a new After a few steps he stopped by the Frosty, and a Canadian spruce, Becker’s mailbox and looked into $6,100 on hams, turkeys, pecans, the front window of the living room, cheese balls, and cookies no one ate; not far away. They were decorating $6,100 on wines and liquors and their tree, and he could almost hear cigars around the office; $6,100 on the bickering. Ned Becker was from the firemen and the balancing himself on the rung of a rescue squad, and calendars from small ledder and stringing lights, the police association; $6100 on while Jude Becker stood back a step Luther for a cashmere sweater he and carped directions. Jude’s secretly loathed and a sport jacket mother, an ageless wonder even he’d worn twice and an ostrich skin more terrifying than Jude herself, wallet that was quite expensive and was also in on the fray. She was quite ugly and frankly he didn’t like pointing directions to poor Ned, and the feel of. On Nora for a dress she her directions were in sharp wore to the company’s Christmas conflicts to those of Jude. String dinner and her own cashmere them here, string them there. That sweater, which had not been seen branch, no that other branch. Can’t since she unwrapped it, and a you see the gap there? What on designer scarf she loved, $6,100. On earth are you looking at? Blair $6,100 for an overcoat, gloves, Meanwhile, Rocky Becker, their and boots, and a Walkman for her twenty-year-old dropout, was sitting jogging, and of course, the latest, on the sofa with a can of something, slimmest cell phone on the market -- laughing at them and offering advice that was apparently being ignored. “Just worried.” He was the only one laughing, “Do you think she’ll be all right?” though.” (Grisham, 2001: 29-30) “She’s on an airplane. You just talked to her.” The text above is showing how “I mean down there, in the jungle.” hectic it was in the Beckers’ place when they were decorating the Stop worrying, okay? The Peace Christmas tree. This made Luther Corps wouldn’t send her into a proud of the decision of skipping dangerous place.” Christmas. Yet, there are some “It won’t be the same.” details in the text which do not really fit to explain the hectic “What?” situation, they are “an ageless “Christmas.” (Grisham, 2001: 10- wonder even more terrifying than 11) Jude herself,”, “their twenty-year- old drop out,”, and “He was the only one laughing, though.” The text above shows a conversation The conversations also get so long between Nora and Luther in the car sometimes, without enough detail of after getting some chocolate for who says what, that makes it hard to Thanksgiving. The topic they are understand what is going on in the talking in the text changes several conversations and forces the readers times without enough details on to read them twice or more. which ones are Nora’s dialogue and which ones are Luther’s. That “She was back, with a small brown makes the readers might need to sack which she tossed beside him read the conversation twice to just carefully enough not to crack understand the conversation and the chocolate while letting him grasp the emotion. know that she’d found it and he hadn’t. “Everybody knows you have to ask,” she said sharply as she IV. CONCLUSION yanked at her shoulder harness. After reading Skipping Christmas, it “Odd way of marketing,” Luther can be concluded that this novel is mused, in reverse now. “Hide it in recommended. This novel sees the butcher, make it scarce, folks’ll Christmas in a different way and clamor for it. I’m sure they charge plays with the readers’ imaginations more if it’s hidden.” on skipping Christmas and all the hassle in Christmas. The strengths “Oh hush, Luther.” of the book, which are the moral “Are your feet wet?” values, the cover, and the great “No. Yours?” name of the author’s are very fundamental. Written by a great and “No.” well-known author, this book shares “Then why’d you ask?” a really good moral value about what Christmas is actually about in very thorough details. The attractive cover that gives the readers the right impression about the book is also important. In some other points the naratology of the novel is too detailed and makes the novel weak. Too many details bore the readers. Some words are also strange for English learners. Despite all its weaknesses, this novel is really recommended for those who have time to read light novels and enjoy leasure time.

REFERENCES

Gage, John. Color and Meaning: Art, Science, and Symbolism. Paperback. 2000. Print.

Grisham, John. Skipping Christmas. New York: Century. 2001. Print.

Pringle, Mary Beth. Revisiting John Grisham : A Critical Companion. London: Greenwood Press. 2007. Print.

Grisham, John. “John Grisham’s Biography”. John Grisham. Penguin Random House, 10 July 2013. Web. 24 March 2015. http://www.jgrisham.com/bio/.

Hayes, Shane. “Review of Skipping Christmas”. Goodreads. 9 January 2014. Web. 24 March 2015. http://www.goodreads.com/book/sh ow/5357.Skipping-Christmas