Christmas Notes

Title: Christmas Notes
Author: Clint Cox
Publisher: American Book Publishing
ISBN: 1589828410
Pages: 166, Paperback
Genre: Fiction

Reviewed by: Gary Sorkin

Book Review

Impeccably written with a perfect blend of dialogue and narration, Clint G. Cox brings to his audience a truly classic story, original and humble, yet simultaneously strong and memorable. Seanna is introduced as a 5 year old orphan, having lost her family in a horrific car accident, being the only survivor; saved by the heroism of a young boy who witnessed the crash and risked his own life to pull her from the fiery wreckage. A year has gone by and she lives in an orphanage, because the authorities cannot find any information about her family; the wreck destroyed all evidence of identification. Also lost was Seanna’s voice, due to the strain of the seatbelt across her chest, leaving her with a visible scar.

She is taken away from the orphanage temporarily, home for the Christmas holiday, for the month of December, by a couple, wishing to have a child of their own, but having been unfortunately unable. Max and Jenny are ordinary people with ordinary strengths and weaknesses, but when allowed the privilege to receive Seanna as a house guest, a participant in a program managed by the orphanage, everyone’s life changed.

Seanna communicates mostly with her eyes, her cute dimply smile, and through body language, but when a word is necessary, she would reach into her pocket and pick out a handwritten note – a scrap of paper with a terse word or two on it. Clint G. Cox brilliantly uses this technique of storytelling to embellish her character like none I have every witnessed. She is adorned with the wisdom of the ages along with childhood innocence to convey to all within the story, as well as those reading it, the lessons of faith; having whatever necessary strength is needed is obtained through one’s belief in God.

Christmas Notes takes ordinary people and places them into extraordinary circumstances, mixes up the “status quo” of a functional family, and rethreads the laces tightening up love and understanding with the power of faith, prayer and conviction of one’s belief. Set around Christmas brings an easy avenue for faith awareness, but this story can be actually told within the context of any time of year. The use of Seanna’s notes are the key to peaking the reader’s interest, as each time she handed a note to another character I was “on the edge of my seat” wondering what the note said. Sometimes Cox doesn’t tell you right away what the note says, toying with your anxiety for knowing and being teased for as long as he can until the reveal. This brings a dimension of life to the book, one that is enjoyable and fun to read.

This book is the perfect Christmas gift for a young adult. That said, it’s a wonderful way for “kids of all ages” to learn lessons only taught sometimes by the misfortune of others, such as Seanna, having suffered so much yet still being so strong. Christmas Notes is told through Max’s eyes, a truly good Samaritan who learns so much about helping others while all of the time subliminally helping himself through his own hardships. As you get to know the intricate characters of Seanna, Robert (the boy who saved her), Max, Jenny, their family- friends and those of the orphanage, you will find yourself engulfed in a world unlike the one you live in, yet the magic of Christmas is universal. There is one word, a note on a handwritten piece of paper that Seanna gave to Max which sums up the meaning of Christmas. When you get this book and read it, you’ll find out what I am talking about. You will never forget it.