• Welcome to BookAndReader!

    We LOVE books and hope you'll join us in sharing your favorites and experiences along with your love of reading with our community. Registering for our site is free and easy, just CLICK HERE!

    Already a member and forgot your password? Click here.

January 2013: David Baldacci: The Christmas Train

I read this years ago, but I have really forgotten what it was about (besides a train journey, of course). I am looking forward to giving it another read.
 
Okay, guess I will start. I recently finished this - I actually own it, I had read it before but had forgotten most of it. This time I read with an expectation of discussing the book, so I tried to pay attention to the character relationships, underlying themes, etc. I can't say that I particularly enjoyed the book. It was mediocre, in my opinion. The characters seemed very flat and unbelievable. I didn't buy into the plot line of the two main characters who had lived together for 15 years and then suddenly split with no explanation and no effort to work things out, but who were still deeply in love with each other. I couldn't really identify with any of the characters, except maybe Herrick Higgins, the old Amtrak manager who had been let go.

The book was, however, a lovely tribute to train travel. I don't think I have ever been on a train, except the subway, but the book definitely made me want to take a trip! The trains and the train travel culture were almost characters in their own right, and if you could classify them as such, they would certainly be my favorite characters of the book. Plus I liked how Baldacci emphasized all the environmental and societal benefits of trains. The book was nearly an advertisement for Amtrak, in a good way.
 
Wonderful review, Kelstan.
I've spent many happy hours on Amtrak and this may be the first book that captures the experience. The book has just leaped onto my Kindle and I'll be reading it at the barber later today. I'll let you know. :flowers:
Thanks
 
Well, a typical line or two. Interesting quote from A Christmas Train by David Baldacci.........

Half his time on earth was gone, and all he had to show for it was a failed marriage, no offspring, an informal alliance with a California voiceover queen, a truckload of newsprint and some awards.
Click to expand...

It is in the beginning, so no spoiler here.
 
OK, I finally got it from the library. Started it...found it uninspiring and put it down. Promptly forgot about it as life got stupidly busy this last 2 weeks. I just got a notice to return in to the library! OOPS! I'll try to power through a bunch of it today and comment. I have to admit, its not grabbing me at the moment.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top