Review: A sweet story about a Christmas miracle.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 30, 2013
I was given a copy by the author in exchange for an honest review.Characters: The two main characters are shy, withdrawn Henry and his friend Melinda. Henry is a kind, gentle middle-aged man who lives alone in a studio near his place of work, an art museum. I liked him immediately because although he preferred to spend his time alone, it was clear that he cared about the people he did come in contact with on a regular basis. Melinda is the owner of the museum and Henry's closest friend. She wants Henry to interact more, but understands him well enough to figure out that it may not happen.Plot: Henry prepares to spend the holidays just the way he likes them: by himself, with a painting in the museum of a solemn woman in a bleak background. As Christmas draws nearer, he decides to add a few touches to the painting to add a little cheer around the woman that he is madly in love with and has named Rebecca. Pretty soon, he notices some odd things about his beloved painting...until Christmas, when something unexpected, but welcomed, happens. Merry Christmas, Henry is a cute, cheerful little tale about one man finding the companionship he deserves. The novel was interesting from beginning to end. The only thing that confused me is that sometimes the author and her characters would refer to Henry as Hank, and I wasn't sure why. I assume Hank was his alter ego, one created to help him paint, but it wasn't explained.Writing: Wynne's talent shines through in this novel. Her descriptions are vivid and not too wordy. Henry and Melinda are suffeciently developed, easy to like characters. The story was told in just the right amount of pages - any longer would have been dragging and any shorter would not have been enough.I recommend Merry Christmas, Henry to those in need of a pick-me-up during the holidays, which can be lonely and depressing for a lot of people. This descriptive, sweet story will bring a smile to your face at the end.