Review: An Almost Perfect Christmas, by Nina Stibbe

 
An Almost Perfect Christmas
by Nina Stibbe

Edition: 2017
Pages: 234
Publisher: Penguin Books UK

Summary:
"My mother is not a foodie. But for as long as I can remember, once a year, she becomes possessed of a profound and desperate need to serve up a perfect roast turkey. Faced with a walk into the village though, she might think 'oh, f*** it' and decide to get a frozen one from Bejams on the 23rd and leave it to defrost in the downstairs toilet for not quite 48 hours."

From perennially dry turkeys to Christmas pudding fires, from the round robin code of conduct to the risks and rewards of re-gifting, An Almost Perfect Christmas is an ode to the joy and insanity of the most wonderful time of the year.

Rating: 3/5

Review: 
I will start this review by saying that I received an online copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange of a honest review.

Who doesn't like a good Christmas book? I try to read a different one every year around holiday's time. This year I've choose "An Almost Perfect Christmas" by Nina Stibbe because I was in the mood for a stress relief and non fiction book. 

Nina brings the reader different and funny stories from her Christmas memories and reminds us why this time of year can bring such a love/hate relationship to everybody. Because of course we love the blings, the charity spirit and the willingness to make all around us happy and complete. But we also can't forget the screaming, the last minute changes, the skipping ingredients after the shops' have closed and all the plans and preparation which most of the times doesn't have any other function that never being followed. Her mother and the story about the Christmas Turkey is a perfect example of that!

With different approaches and intentions, some of Nina stories were hilarious, others were insightful, some created empathy and others the desperation and empathy of having been there before. Nevertheless it's a great book to relax around this time and a good reminder of what's missing in our lives or in our Christmas preparation list. 

I must say I've enjoyed some of the chronicles more than others, as you probably imagined. It's not difficult to imagine why, since we all have our own personal stories. Searching through these pages, I found some moments I could identify with and I laughed with the author because of them. In the end, who never had a big drama around Christmas gifting in their families (Nina's family is way better imagining thematic and justifications for shifting the gifting rules!).

It's a light read we all can appreciate on these busy moments we are going through, but don't deceive yourself. Nina's life it's not perfect and she doesn't have any problem showing it. I guess the nostalgia takes also part on these amazing Christmas cocktails and, of course, it couldn't be missing here. 

If you are looking for some reading suggestions, try this not so perfect Christmas, as they all should be.

Cláudia

About the author:
 

Addicted to the library Claudia loves to read on the move and we can usualy find her sitting in a train or bus reading while commuting to and from work. But don't be fooled she is also keeping an eye on the landscape and all around her. She is an avid defender of sustainability and volunteering and it's as easy to find her starting a new project as it is to find her chatting with her friends. She is a dreamer and loves good stories so she keeps looking for them in her personal life.