Book Review: A Redbird Christmas, by Fannie Flagg

A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Redbird Christmas, by Fannie Flagg
★★★★ ½

Synopsis: Deep in the southernmost part of Alabama, along the banks of a lazy winding river, lies the sleepy little community known as Lost River, a place that time itself seems to have forgotten. After a startling diagnosis from his doctor, Oswald T. Campbell leaves behind the cold and damp of the oncoming Chicago winter to spend what he believes will be his last Christmas in the warm and welcoming town of Lost River. There he meets the postman who delivers mail by boat, the store owner who nurses a broken heart, the ladies of the Mystic Order of the Royal Polka Dots Secret Society, who do clandestine good works. And he meets a little redbird named Jack, who is at the center of this tale of a magical Christmas when something so amazing happened that those who witnessed it have never forgotten it. Once you experience the wonder, you too will never forget A Redbird Christmas
In A Sentence: A cute read …*sniff* It made me cry.

My Thoughts: I’ve been debating how to rate this novel. One the one hand, I’m not sure I’ll ever read this story again; once seems enough. On the other hand, I couldn’t stop reading (even though it was past 1 o-clock in the morning and I had to get up early), and the ending made me cry. So I decided a 4.5-star rating would work just fine.
Fannie Flagg is the master of comfort reads. I’ve yet to read a book of hers where I didn’t feel better by the end (Can’t Wait To Get To Heaven is a huge favorite of mine). This story was no exception. It was sweet and lovely, with savory characters, and, as always, a happy ending for everyone (this isn’t a spoiler—anyone can see that this will be a happy ending from the get-go). The writing is wholesome, and it’s a really cool idea to have recipes in the back of the book. Plus, the pace is nice and steady from beginning to end, with spouts of humor peppered throughout.
While I wouldn’t consider this to be Flagg’s best novel, it’s still pretty good and worth a look at the very least. It’s ideal for the holiday season, and you won’t regret spending time with this little book. I definitely recommend this novel for those who like the occasional comfort read.


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