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The Christmas Box
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Plot Summary of The Christmas Box
"After living in southern California, Rick and Keri return to Utah with their four-year old daughter Jenna to start up a formal wear rental business many years ago. The couple answers an ad for a live-in family to prepare meals and do light household chores for a wealthy, elderly woman, but the details are not given. The arrangements are made and the family enjoys staying with their new matriarch, Mrs. Mary Anne Parkin in her spacious Victorian mansion. Rick begins hearing music and is drawn by an angel to examine items in the attic of the house. He finds a music box with the Nativity etched onto its surface. Inside are intimate letters dated from years before.

Rick's work forces him to miss much of the goings on in the house and he is short on time to spend with his young daughter. Mary chides Rick for ignoring his daughter at bedtime, recommending a book for him to read to her. She also poses to him a question about the first gift of Christmas. Keri is disturbed by several absences by Mary from her home in snowy December weather. Eventually, the family learns their hostess is afflicted with an inoperable brain cancer. After she is hospitalized, Rick learns the letters were written to her long dead daughter who is buried in a cemetery across the street. "

David Fletcher, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of The Christmas Box
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book? - very sensitive (sigh)
Time/era of story - 1930's-1950's
Family, loving relations Yes
Special relationship with - daughter
Internal struggle/realization? Yes
Struggle over - learning to be more sensitive (sigh)
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Religion theme? Yes
Religion theme: - Angel buddy

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status: - small businessman
Age: - 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
Ethnicity/Nationality - White (American)
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - none

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 4 ()
United States Yes
The US: - West
City? Yes
Misc setting - fancy mansion

Style
Person - mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Richard Paul Evans Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
David Fletcher  

SCHOLARS:
Robin Carabine  


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