Midnight Clear

by Dallas Jenkins, Jerry B. Jenkins

For five people spread across a southwest town, Christmas Eve is the loneliest time of the year. But hope often comes in unexpected places. Whether it's a run-down gas station, a church, or the only house in the neighborhood with no Christmas lights, any place can be a backdrop for small and random acts of kindness. "Midnight Clear" is a modern-day parable about how small and seemingly insignificant acts of grace can have a profound impact on others. Includes photos from in front of and behind the scenes on the movie set. The "Midnight Clear" feature film won the award for best first feature film at the Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, CA, named by two festival publications as one of the top 15 festivals in the world. The "Midnight Clear" short film won a Crystal Heart Award, a Crown Video Silver Award for best short film, and was chosen as the opening night film at the San Diego Film Festival. Movie features lead actor Stephen Baldwin and is based on a short story written by Jerry B. Jenkins.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Christmas, Fiction, Christian

174 pages, Paperback

First published August 16, 2007

Reviews

[Clair · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pretty simplistic plot and story line, but it has a very good message. It'a a good, quick, Christmasy, feel-good read. The moral of the story is that small kindnesses can make a big difference, even a life-saving difference. Reading this book got me to thinking about how feeling needed is often what the lonely yearn for most. Perhaps it's not enough to just let someone know you are thinking of them and that you care. An even greater service is to show someone their value by letting them give something of themselves.

[Sheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick Christmas read. Very apt reflective reading for the holidays. Extending a little kindness goes a long way.

Thanks Jzhun for this Christmas gift back in 2011. :)

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kindness goes a long way. One Christmas Eve, 5 strangers living in the same town could use a little kindness to get them going back in the right direction. As the day before Christmas wanes, desperation sets in for many of our characters - Mary, Mitch, Lefty, Eva, and Kirk - and time is running out for them to find new meaning in life. Mary is in limbo, with her once vital husband Rick now confined to long term care after a terrible accident. Mitch, Rick's best friend, has lost his passion for life and for the church in the wake of his friend's life altering crash. Lefty, an alcoholic who has lost his wife and kids, finds himself unable to imagine living alone. Eva Boyle, an elderly shut-in, believes she's no longer needed, as does Kirk, owner/operator of Mr. K's Convenience Store. Each stare down a bleak future without hope. But their random meetings on this holiday eve may be the catalyst for change that they need, perhaps even a way to restore a small faith in humanity and the meaning of life.

It's a touching story, with very heavy backstories for each of the characters. While each one is living through a particular situation with what they believe is an unavoidable outcome, the reader learns exactly why each of them feel the way they do, and it slowly becomes evident just what each one of them needs to find that hope they desperately crave. As a reader I had hope but it's certainly never a guarantee throughout the story that everyone (or anyone) will end up with a happy ending. While faith and the church play a role in Midnight Clear, the characters' relationships (with God and their fellow humans) are the more important elements. This book was made into a movie as well.

[Courtney Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a person who feels worthless if not helping others, this book resonated with me. As with real life, this story shows how small things can have a huge impact on others, even when you don’t realize it.

My one complaint is the trailer trash or white trash attitude that I noticed a few times. As someone who lived in a trailer for few years before moving into my house, I can tell you that living in a trailer does not mean a person is trashy. I think that fact that the neighborhood of the gas station was in a low income area could have been explained without several referrals to trailers, and without actually using the phrase “white trash”. Just a pet peeve of mine 😊

[Dawn Feicht · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was nicely written. The author did a fantastic job of telling the true story about how 5 different lives were came across during a difficult holiday season. The author was able to capture my attention and I read the entire book in one day. I learned that a movie was also made and enjoyed watching it. In my opinion the book was my favorite as the author did a fantastic job with love, compassion for one another and empathy. It is a must read.

[Laura Lane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story.
Good ending, but pretty discouraging throughout the book. Not unrealistic, but not a good book for someone who tends toward melancholy.

[Krysta Halye · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little predictable but full of Christmas warm fuzzies

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story of faith and love ❤️

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting plot line that ends in Redemption! Sadly, Jenkins uses words that doesn't need to be written or spoken.

[Laura Pettit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate the message that every choice we make and everything we do means something; impacts others whether good or bad.

[C.J. Darlington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas is a joyful time spent with family, but what if you don't have family? What if Christmas Eve is the anniversary of the worst event that's ever happened in your life?

Midnight Clear has an eclectic cast: A middle-aged man who's just lost his job. The owner of a run-down gas station having to work the holiday. A lady well past her prime with no reason to live. A mother who'll do anything for her young son, and a struggling youth pastor who's lost his zeal. Tonight the paths of these five will intersect, and nothing will ever be the same.

Reading this holiday tale is like reading the best parts of a favorite book. Better classified a novella than a novel, you'd think it would be hard to connect with five different people in seventeen short chapters, but that's not the case. From the start you'll be drawn into their situations, truly caring what happens to them. Jenkins & Jenkins skillfully make each character distinguishable with their own quirks and traits. Not every author could accomplish this. And they even managed to pull off a twist I didn't see coming at the end.

Based on a short story Jerry wrote ten years ago, Midnight Clear (which has also been made into a movie by Dallas starring Stephen Baldwin) isn't just another fluffy Christmas book you give to the person who has everything. There's some real meat here that'll have you pondering who you are as a person and whether you really are living out your faith.

The book does have its light moments. Some one-liners will make you chuckle, and the 16 pages of color stills from the movie complete the enjoyable reading experience. At the end you're even treated to an interview with actress Victoria Jackson (of Saturday Night Live & Politically Incorrect fame) who has a small role in the film.

The hopeful message found in Midnight Clear is poignant--seemingly small gestures can sometimes mean the difference between life and death. And that's something we all need to think about, every day of the year.

[Leah Good · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's Christmas Eve, but five people in the same town are missing the Christmas Spirit. Lefty, a middle aged alcoholic looses what little he has left of his life on December 24th. An elderly window has no reason left to live. Mitch, a youth pastor, morns the loss of a friend and the purpose behind his job. Kirk, owner of a gas station, is numb from years of mindless routine. And Mary, a young mother, struggles to care for her sun and brain damaged husband. Can unexpected events bring these five, lonely individuals hope?

A heartwarming story. This little book rambles quietly along, gathering meaning as it goes. What starts as a depressing Christmas Eve morphs into a tale of redemption a hope. A good reminder to share the Christmas spirit and the Reason for the season.

[Summer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written by the author of the Left Behind series, this short story was much less exciting and engaging. A very short and easy read, it is spiritually uplifting and instills a sense of hopefulness, but just didn't grab me. If you're stuck somewhere and need a quick read, this would not be a waste of time, but you might find other Christian fiction to be more captivating...

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jerry Jenkins is an author I have enjoyed in the past, so I picked up this Christmas book to read on a Christmas trip. It's written from the perspectives of the 5 major characters, all from the same town, and jumps from one to the other pretty often; the entire story takes place over just one day's time, on a Christmas eve. It's a bit sappy, but then, it is a Christmas story.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Dad said my sister HAD to read this book, I read it for her so my Dad wouldn't bug her. It wasn't half bad... I'm not all that fond of overlapping plots so it was bother some for me but I did appreciate how the author strung the stories together.
I was a sweet book, I really don't have any complaints, the book just wasn't my cup of tea.
Might watch the movie. Maybe.

[Marian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liz had recommened this book to me. The author is the same who wrote the Left Behind series. I good quick read. Make you feel good that people do have the ability to change.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have yet to read anything by Jerry Jenkins that I didn't like and this book was no exception. A quick easy read with a wonderful message.

[Amy Mcamis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun and short Christmastime read.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet Christmas story.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

5 strangers whose small actions affect each other for the better during the Christmas season. Quick read, bland and sad mostly.

[Tamsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple. Makes you think. Great Christmas read. A feel good book. I might just pick it for book club next year =),

[Jasmin Haussmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked it up from the library by chance, read it in a few hours and loved it!

[Chelsey Mbf]

It's plot was beautifully put together and it's theme was inspiring. It was a bit short but that, by no means is that a bad thing. Truly an uplifting novel to enjoy

[Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written book taken from the view of a number of characters. A few surprises by the end. Very enjoyable book…