ha5iz

Traditionally, the Christmas holiday is a time of family and togetherness. Tragically, Christmas can also be a time of uncertainty and anxiety. Dan Walsh’s novel, The Unfinished Gift, is the story of Patrick, a seven-year-old boy whose mother has died in an automobile accident while his father is serving in the Army Air Corps in England during World War II. Christmas is just a few days away when the social worker is forced to leave Patrick with his only relative in Philadelphia – his estranged grandfather. While Patrick is a mature little boy with insecurities and fears of his own, his grandfather is a cantankerous, bitter old man who doesn’t want his grandson reminding him of his failures as a father to his only son, Patrick’s father Shawn. God, working through a neighbor, a box of belongings, an unlikely hero during a snowstorm, and an unfinished gift, draws the grandfather out of his self-imposed prison of despair. Mr. Walsh’s writing style is engaging; the story moves along at a good pace. He reminds us of the social issues in 1940s America; the cruelties of war; and that little boys can have a very strong faith in God.

2022-11-14 13:27