# 2015-Reading-Challenge-Group - Week 47: A Book Set at Christmas

Why do bad things occur to good individuals? Ives believes that "that [God] was of the Spirit and He did not interfere in human affairs...He provided a light toward which to aspire...". This is an incredibly touching narrative of faith being put to the test, of confronting heart-wrenching loss and a spiritual crisis. Ives is a truly good person who has done his utmost in life, loving his wife, family, friends, and his God.

However, until one day just before Christmas in 1967, the idyllic life is shattered when his only son is brutally murdered on a street in NY. How can he continue? Should he pursue vengeance or discover a way to forgive? The responses that Hijuelos provides make Ives an extremely remarkable man, someone worthy of getting to know within the pages of this story.

This book not only delves into the profound questions of life and faith but also showcases the strength and resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable tragedy. It is a story that will touch the hearts of readers and make them reflect on their own beliefs and values.

As we approach Christmas, this book serves as a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope and the possibility of finding light and forgiveness. It is a must-read for anyone who is interested in exploring the depths of the human experience and the power of faith.

This is not your typical Christmas story. Instead, it delves into the turmoil of Mr Ives as he grapples with the loss of his son, a victim of senseless violence in 1950s New York City during the Christmas season.

It is not a light or cheery holiday read. Rather, it offers a highly literary portrayal of religious life. The protagonist, Mr Ives, can perhaps be loosely compared to John Williams’ Stoner or even Updike’s Rabbit.

His journey through grief and his exploration of his faith make for a complex and thought-provoking narrative. The story weaves together themes of loss, redemption, and the human condition in a way that is both poignant and engaging.

Overall, it earns a rating of 3.5 stars for its unique take on the Christmas story and its deep exploration of the human spirit.

A quiet, reflective read that takes the reader on a profound journey.

It delves into the complex themes of losing faith and then miraculously regaining it. Forgiveness is also a central aspect, showing how it can heal even the deepest wounds.

The story beautifully weaves in the importance of family and friends, highlighting their unwavering support during the most challenging times.

I am truly glad that I happened to pick up this book to read around Christmas time.

It has an uncanny ability to set the right mood for the holidays, filling the heart with a sense of warmth, hope, and a deeper understanding of the human spirit.

It is a book that not only entertains but also leaves a lasting impression, making one reflect on their own life and the values that truly matter.

It is a must-read for anyone seeking a meaningful and thought-provoking literary experience.

I was not able to get to all my Christmas reading in December. So, I decided to continue the Christmas feeling by reading such books in January. I had read Oscar Hijuelos' "The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love" and really enjoyed it. Therefore, I was excited to see another book by this author.

Unfortunately, I did not read what this book is about before starting. Let's face it, it's a really sad and introspective book. It took me almost two weeks to read because it was just hard to really get into it. The subject matter was just such a downer.

However, it's uplifting in the sense that Mr. Ives, after all his trials and tribulations and the tremendous loss of his son, is able to forgive and move on and find peace. We, the reader, follow Mr. Ives through his soul searching journey. During this journey, he alienates himself from his wife, daughter and friends and almost loses his faith in God. But somehow, after many years of suffering and losing faith, he finds his way.

Luckily for Mr. Ives, he has a resilient and supportive family and circle of friends. The writing in this book is excellent, but it's a tough read due to the heavy subject matter. Overall, it's a book that makes you think and reflects on the human condition.

I initially found the narrative rather peculiar. It seems as if the writer is simply narrating the story to you, lacking any sort of literary embellishment. The tone is rather平淡. However, as I continued to read, it began to have an effect on me in a way that I still don't fully comprehend. Even though Mr Ives had valid reasons to be sad, conflicted, angry, and lost, it was a challenge to be patient with him. Nevertheless, I remained engaged. Perhaps it's because New York itself takes on a life of its own as a character, and to some extent, the people living there at that time fade into the background. In any case, I would highly recommend it if you are someone who is willing to abandon the typical narrative structure and simply enjoy the journey!

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.” – Isaiah 9:2

Last Christmas, I came across a couple of reviews of “Mr Ives’ Christmas” on Goodreads that were truly unbearably heartbreaking. I decided to wait a year before getting acquainted with Ives. Now, I understand why his story has such a profound resonance with those who have endured a tragic loss during what is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year. Oscar Hijuelos’ book is perfectly suited for this season – the light has indeed dawned for those who sat in darkness.

Ives is a dear man, and one wishes him a good and successful life as he started with very little. Christmas holds significant memories for him, both the happiest and the saddest. He was an orphan of unknown beginnings, adopted around Christmas by a kind widower who raised him to be a reverent and pious man. He fell in love with a fellow artist, Annie MacGuire, at Christmas and they married the following Christmas. However, years later, Ives and Annie lost their teenage son, Robert, who was seminary-bound and was shot by a Puerto Rican youth near Christmas Day. Ives couldn't stop mourning the loss of his son. He felt himself turning into a stone, and his faith in a loving God was severely challenged. Hijuelos allows the reader to share Ives’ sorrow in a visceral and compassionate way.

“Mr Ives’ Christmas” poses difficult questions about sudden, violent, and personal losses. How does one continue to live day by day when a personal tragedy casts their world into darkness? Is it possible to do good to one's enemy? If there is a reservoir of human goodness, how can it be prevented from drying up in the midst of extreme suffering and pain?

Read about Ives. It is very rare in a book to find a credible balance of realism and compassion, evil and goodness, brokenness and healing, and despair and hope.

3.5 Stars rounded up for the writing.

I'm not entirely certain as to why this book failed to resonate with me in the same way it did for numerous other readers. I was raised in a Catholic household, and I indeed have my deeply ingrained thoughts and beliefs regarding faith. Thus, the central focus on faith within the book did not pose any particular issue for me. Generally speaking, I have an affinity for reflective works. However, in the case of this particular book, it felt overly burdensome.

Edward Ives' son, Robert, meets his untimely demise just prior to Christmas. The entire narrative revolves around grief and the inability to break free from its clutches, resulting in a life that seemingly progresses on the outside, yet is filled with total emptiness within.

The author's writing is truly beautiful as he delves into an examination of how coping with the death of a loved one impacts a couple, a family, and an entire community. He also explores how grappling with such an insurmountable loss puts one's core faith to the test. I firmly believe that most of us have found ourselves in a similar situation at some point in our lives - questioning how a loving God could permit the death of someone we hold dear. I, for one, have certainly experienced such moments of doubt. This book does a commendable job of exploring this aspect.

"…for underlying every tragedy was the question: Why? Yet he had to believe in something, otherwise he would have died, he loved his son so much."

So, the question remains: why was I unable to fully respond to this book? Perhaps it's because it was Christmas time, and I found myself in need of more joy and enlightenment at a quicker pace.

Sad, the recollections of Christmas passed from an old man.

He sat by the fireplace, the warm glow映照在 his wrinkled face. As the years went by, Christmas had lost some of its former luster. The once joyous gatherings with family and friends had become fewer and farther between.

He remembered the Christmases of his youth, when the house was filled with laughter and the smell of delicious food. The children's eyes would light up with excitement as they unwrapped their presents. But now, those children had grown up and scattered to different parts of the world.

The old man sighed deeply, a sense of longing filling his heart. He missed the traditions, the togetherness, and the love that Christmas used to bring. Despite the sadness, he knew that those memories would always be precious to him. They were a part of his life, a reminder of the happy times that had passed.

As the fire crackled and the night grew darker, the old man closed his eyes, hoping that maybe, just maybe, this Christmas would bring a little bit of the magic back.

This is a book that, perhaps, I wouldn't have chosen to pick up on my own.

However, since my book club was reading it, I decided to give it a try.

I'm not regretful that I read it, although it didn't become my all-time favorite selection.

Hijuelos did a great job in creating rich and vivid characters.

As you progress through the book, you find yourself bonding nicely with these characters.

I had expected Christmas to have a more significant or perhaps a different role in the book.

There are many events that take place during Christmas, but at times, it didn't seem entirely believable.

Nevertheless, overall, the book was an enjoyable read.

It had its flaws, but the engaging characters and the story itself made it worth the time and effort.

Even though it wasn't a perfect book, it still managed to capture my attention and keep me interested until the very end.

I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it as part of my book club's selection.

It gave me a chance to explore a different type of story and discover new aspects of literature that I might not have otherwise encountered.

“God’s most common form? The goodness and piety of others.” (93)

Every human being is faced with a choice at some point, between doubt or faith, indifferent despair or spiritual struggle, torn between breaking down and breaking through to a deeper way of learning. I was brought up and educated as a Catholic, but the simple, unquestioned faith of my early life was always going to be tested. I began to doubt the idea that death could be the ultimate sacrifice in earthly life to ensure eternal rest in Heaven. I was skeptical of the image of Jesus, welcoming His resurrection to save mankind. I couldn't find my own revelation, no matter how hard I searched.

As an adult, I quickly adopted a skeptical and critical attitude towards religious dogma. For years, I thought of faith as an easy resource to offer comfort by providing irrefutable answers to unanswerable questions, whether it was to offer balance to restless minds or to foster a sense of communal belonging. My questions remained unanswered, and books and knowledge became my free-style religion.

And so I read, and I picked up “Mr. Ives’ Christmas”. Only in the first few chapters did I realize that the journey of faith is actually a painful and arduous one. This short novel, painted in Dickensian brushstrokes, has filled my incredulous self with an illuminating melancholy, replete with spiritual revelation and moral insight.

Most of the significant events in Edward Ives’ life seem to occur during Christmas seasons. Rescued from an orphanage by a kind widower during those festivities in the depressed New York City of the late twenties, he is given the gift of a wonderful family that accepts his unknown origins and the Latin mixed blood that shows in his dark features and slanted eyes. Talented and sensitive, Ives meets Annie, the love of his life, in art school. They marry and raise their two children in Brooklyn. As Ives quietly develops his career as a commercial illustrator, he blossoms under his guiding faith and leads a model life full of love, virtue, and generosity.

Perhaps because of his search for identity as a young man or because his father worked amicably with Cuban pressmen for years, Ives feels a sympathy towards Hispanics and their culture. His best friend Luís is Cuban, and he and Annie decide to settle in one of the most crime-ridden, ethnically divided urban neighborhoods of the city. Not having much, their most precious heirlooms are some old editions of Charles Dickens’ books, some signed by the author himself. Their lives proceed humbly, full of goodwill and youthful idealism, believing in a New York where people make room for each other, where a peaceable kingdom floats above the menacing cruelty and squalor of this multicultural city, vibrant with its music and its smells.

When, a few days before Christmas in 1967, Ives’ son, a seventeen-year-old aspiring seminarian, is shot down by a Puerto Rican kid on his way home from Church, Ives’ foundations are shaken with consuming grief, repressed rage, and incomprehension. Each one of his beliefs – faith, generosity, and spirituality – is put to the test. As the years pass, Ives soldiers on blindly, refusing to share his sorrow with his wife or friends. The reader shares his growing turmoil, from a mystical experience to a transcendental resurrection from the grave of grief.

I have never believed in miracles. But life has been challenging my beliefs lately. Call it fate, chance, or spiritual awakening, but the elusive interiority of this novel has called out to me. Its wellspring of beauty and mercy has proven to be a liberating revelation. Just as Ives felt his burning love for all things on Madison and forty-first street when one evening he marveled at the glowing red sun and its swirling winds looming over the avenue, I now bow my head, humbled by the redeeming power of love and forgiveness, by the perseverant parable of good will lost and good will regained, by the healing goodness of some people. People? Or walking miracles? Miracles, disguised in bone and flesh, that walk around restoring faith to those who listen, in spite of having been lurking, in the words of Dante, “in the dark wood, where the right was lost”. The longest journey in this world is between the head and the heart, but with regained optimistic faith as a companion, it is now safe to hope.

This book truly left me with a great deal to contemplate.

It presents a unique juxtaposition of meditations on mortality with aspects of life and aging.

Surprisingly, it's not the typical Christmasy Christmas book one might expect. Instead, it is deeply reflective and thoughtful.

At first, I may not have fully grasped its essence, but as time passed, I found myself liking it more and more.

The author's exploration of these profound themes offers a fresh perspective and invites the reader to engage in self-reflection.

It makes one stop and think about the inevitable passage of time and how we choose to live our lives.

Overall, this book is a valuable read that can have a lasting impact on one's mindset and approach to life.

The life of a devout Catholic man in NYC is filled with both joys and sorrows. He has always been a pillar of the community, attending mass regularly and living his life according to the teachings of the Church. However, his world is shattered when his son is brutally murdered.

This tragic event has far-reaching repercussions on his marriage, faith, and relationships with those around him. His wife, once a source of strength and support, now finds herself distant and withdrawn. The couple struggles to communicate and find comfort in each other during this difficult time.

His faith, which has always been a guiding light in his life, is now tested. He questions why God would allow such a thing to happen and begins to lose his trust in the divine.

His relationships with his friends and family also suffer. He becomes isolated and withdrawn, unable to share his pain with those closest to him. The murder of his son has left him a broken man, struggling to find meaning and purpose in a world that has suddenly become so cruel and unjust.