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Ruby Christmas
Drama / Anthology
Paperback
Published January 1, 1985
About the author
Sarah Dreher
13 books23 followersBorn March 26, 1937, in Hanover, Pa., Sarah Dreher attended Wellesley College and went on to earn her doctorate in clinical psychology from Purdue University. She moved in 1965 to Amherst, MA where she established her private practice. She was the co-founder of Sunrise-Amanecer Inc., a nonprofit organization, serving as president and clinical director for seven years. She was a member of the Welsh Society of Western New England and an activist during the women's movement.
Dreher was the author of the Stoner McTavish lesbian detective series. The seventh in the series, Shaman's Moon, won the Lambda Literary Award for Best Lesbian Mystery for 1998. Dreher was also the author of several plays and a romance novel Solitaire and Brahms. She was the recipient of the 2005 Alice B. Readers' Award.
Dreher was the author of the Stoner McTavish lesbian detective series. The seventh in the series, Shaman's Moon, won the Lambda Literary Award for Best Lesbian Mystery for 1998. Dreher was also the author of several plays and a romance novel Solitaire and Brahms. She was the recipient of the 2005 Alice B. Readers' Award.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
March 8, 2026
For a lot of the time I spent reading Ruby Christmas, I wrestled with the decision of how to rate it. At first, it was an uncomfortable and restless read because I just wanted it to be over. I gave up waiting for the special something to click into place; the thing that would make me love it in the same way I love most of Dreher's work.
The truth is that Ruby Christmas doesn't even read as though it were written by Dreher. Anyone who reads my reviews will know that she is my favourite writer, and I have come to know and love her style. One of the stand-out characteristics of her work is her humour; even 8x10 Glossy - by far the most miserable of all her published works - has its funny one-liners. But Ruby Christmas is not funny. At all. It is simply incredibly claustrophobic, although not in a way that seems intentional. More in a 'Gee, what the hell am I meant to enjoy about this?' way.
In hindsight, it is obvious why this wasn't enjoyable, and why it doesn't read like typical Dreher. It is based on Dreher's relationship with her mother, who died years before she wrote it. In They Wrote the Book: Thirteen Women Mystery Writers Tell All, Dreher says that she strove to make the protagonist of her most popular series relatable to the reader, and I get the feeling that she tried for this same feeling in all of her work. Except, of course, Ruby Christmas, whose autobiographical element means it was probably more of a purge than an exercise in engaging the reader (or audience).
So, if I didn't like it, why the 3 stars? After all, I do rate based on enjoyment.
By the end, I found that the depiction of family relationships resonated deeply with me. This play's portrayal of cutting ties with family members is so raw and so important. Usually in books exploring poor relationships between parents and children, the breaking of contact comes as a result of abuse or neglect. Here, there is an acceptance that neither person needs to be an outright villain in order for associations to end. Ruby Christmas is resigned to the fact that some people will never feel as close as families should feel; the fact that some people cannot just stick it out; the fact that sometimes there is nothing we can do to stop ourselves from reaching breaking point. And that is incredibly sad.
The truth is that Ruby Christmas doesn't even read as though it were written by Dreher. Anyone who reads my reviews will know that she is my favourite writer, and I have come to know and love her style. One of the stand-out characteristics of her work is her humour; even 8x10 Glossy - by far the most miserable of all her published works - has its funny one-liners. But Ruby Christmas is not funny. At all. It is simply incredibly claustrophobic, although not in a way that seems intentional. More in a 'Gee, what the hell am I meant to enjoy about this?' way.
In hindsight, it is obvious why this wasn't enjoyable, and why it doesn't read like typical Dreher. It is based on Dreher's relationship with her mother, who died years before she wrote it. In They Wrote the Book: Thirteen Women Mystery Writers Tell All, Dreher says that she strove to make the protagonist of her most popular series relatable to the reader, and I get the feeling that she tried for this same feeling in all of her work. Except, of course, Ruby Christmas, whose autobiographical element means it was probably more of a purge than an exercise in engaging the reader (or audience).
So, if I didn't like it, why the 3 stars? After all, I do rate based on enjoyment.
By the end, I found that the depiction of family relationships resonated deeply with me. This play's portrayal of cutting ties with family members is so raw and so important. Usually in books exploring poor relationships between parents and children, the breaking of contact comes as a result of abuse or neglect. Here, there is an acceptance that neither person needs to be an outright villain in order for associations to end. Ruby Christmas is resigned to the fact that some people will never feel as close as families should feel; the fact that some people cannot just stick it out; the fact that sometimes there is nothing we can do to stop ourselves from reaching breaking point. And that is incredibly sad.
Displaying 1 of 1 review