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A Halifax Christmas Carol
It is December 1918. The old world - shaped by the values of Queen Victoria and Charles Divkend - is gone and the new world now wallows in post-war chaos and darkness. A veteran of the gas attacks and Trenches, Michael Bell has returned home to a city traumatized by war and devastated by an explosion, where he finds work at The Halifax Herald writing about an age defined by lawlessness, disease, and disorder. Hen, four days before Christy, Micha l finds his cynicism challenged by a small, one-legged boy who arrives st the newspapers office with a single, silver twenty-give -cent piece for the "kids." When the boy strangely disappears, the paper's editor, Walter Stone, assigns a Michael and Tess Archer the job of finding the boy and telling his story -all before the Christmas Eve edition.
190 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2017
20 people want to read
About the author
Steven Laffoley
12 books13 followersSteven Laffoley is an award-winning, Halifax, Nova Scotia-based author.
He the author of numerous books of fiction and creative nonfiction:
What's the Point?
Dulse to Donairs
Shadowboxing (second edition)
Unfiltered
Mean Streets
Halifax Nocturne
A Halifax Christmas Carol
The Halifax Poor House Fire
The Blue Tattoo
Pulling No Punches
Shadowboxing
The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Death Ship of Halifax Harbour
Hunting Halifax
Mr. Bush, Angus and Me
His bestselling books have been shortlisted for Evelyn Richardson Nonfiction Award (twice), the Atlantic Independent Booksellers' Choice Award, and the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Crime Nonfiction. His book Shadowboxing won the 2013 Evelyn Richardson Award for Nonfiction.
You can write him at stevenlaffoley@yahoo.ca
He the author of numerous books of fiction and creative nonfiction:
What's the Point?
Dulse to Donairs
Shadowboxing (second edition)
Unfiltered
Mean Streets
Halifax Nocturne
A Halifax Christmas Carol
The Halifax Poor House Fire
The Blue Tattoo
Pulling No Punches
Shadowboxing
The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Death Ship of Halifax Harbour
Hunting Halifax
Mr. Bush, Angus and Me
His bestselling books have been shortlisted for Evelyn Richardson Nonfiction Award (twice), the Atlantic Independent Booksellers' Choice Award, and the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Crime Nonfiction. His book Shadowboxing won the 2013 Evelyn Richardson Award for Nonfiction.
You can write him at stevenlaffoley@yahoo.ca
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 9, 2020
Absolutely timely. As pandemic blankets the world again in 2020, this book published three years ago shows the importance of fiction. What was written as a creative exploration has come to pass again. This book is a unique tale of hope amidst the utter despair of living in Halifax in 1919, just as the Great War was ending, and folks returned to a home that was still literally and emotionally broken from the Halifax Explosion. It creatively plays with Dickens' themes and techniques.
This past year has been difficult for Nova Scotia with a unique combination of tragedies, and this book shows that regardless of the horrific trauma that folks experience, coming together brings us the healing we all need. This is not particularly a Christmas tale; it's a human story of endurance, reflection, and community. Still, it would be a fantastic gift.
This past year has been difficult for Nova Scotia with a unique combination of tragedies, and this book shows that regardless of the horrific trauma that folks experience, coming together brings us the healing we all need. This is not particularly a Christmas tale; it's a human story of endurance, reflection, and community. Still, it would be a fantastic gift.
December 15, 2017
December, 1918. Halifax, Nova Scotia, is a grim place, still shattered by the massive explosion that caused so much death and destruction one year previously.
The Great War is over, and the surviving troops are coming home, those not wounded in body, wounded in mind. News headlines cry worldwide unrest, and fear of the so-called “Spanish Flu” is so high that citizens avoid public trams and walk to their destinations.
To newspaper reporter Michael Bell, hope is dead. He survived a gas attack in the war and came home to lose his family in the explosion. Bitter pursuit of the facts of the world’s dark spiral has become his sole purpose in life.
When assigned a story of goodwill just before Christmas, about a mysterious lad with a missing leg and a generous heart, Michael insists he’ll only report the facts. And if the facts don’t produce the upbeat story his editor wants, so be it.
He’s paired with a female reporter who rejects his “wisdom of the head” for “wisdom of the heart.” As well as following their search, readers trace the days of a nameless beggar with the soul of a poet.
The narration itself has a poetic feel at times, with both poetry and prose philosophy quoted. Michael and the beggar are both well-read. Not surprisingly, given the title, Dickens is referenced, usually through Michael’s denial of his continuing influence in this darkened world.
This isn’t a retelling of A Christmas Carol, but those who know that story will find many nods to it. For example, Michael goes home to his dark, lonely, and cold lodgings where he broods by the fire, and he’s disturbed by significant dreams. And the ending, in A Christmas Carol fashion, gives a narrative summary of how certain things turn out happily ever after. While that’s ordinarily annoying, it works here as a final Dickensian touch.
For all the grim setting, and the stories of loss and trauma that Michael uncovers in his search for the boy, this isn’t a hard book to read. The omniscient narrative is well-handled to keep us at enough of a distance that we can observe and learn without being overwhelmed. The author reveals insights, details, and even smells that could only come from extensive research, yet it all flows as part of the story.
Because I usually review clean or Christian fiction, I’ll include a language warning with this one. There’s frequent minor profanity and one misuse of the name of Jesus.
Inspired by a true story, A Halifax Christmas Carol offers a look into a dark time in history, and yet may leave you with a warm hope reminiscent of Dickens’ tale.
For more about award-winning Canadian author Steven Laffoley and his books, visit stevenlaffoley.wordpress.com.
[Review copy from my personal library.]
The Great War is over, and the surviving troops are coming home, those not wounded in body, wounded in mind. News headlines cry worldwide unrest, and fear of the so-called “Spanish Flu” is so high that citizens avoid public trams and walk to their destinations.
To newspaper reporter Michael Bell, hope is dead. He survived a gas attack in the war and came home to lose his family in the explosion. Bitter pursuit of the facts of the world’s dark spiral has become his sole purpose in life.
When assigned a story of goodwill just before Christmas, about a mysterious lad with a missing leg and a generous heart, Michael insists he’ll only report the facts. And if the facts don’t produce the upbeat story his editor wants, so be it.
He’s paired with a female reporter who rejects his “wisdom of the head” for “wisdom of the heart.” As well as following their search, readers trace the days of a nameless beggar with the soul of a poet.
The narration itself has a poetic feel at times, with both poetry and prose philosophy quoted. Michael and the beggar are both well-read. Not surprisingly, given the title, Dickens is referenced, usually through Michael’s denial of his continuing influence in this darkened world.
This isn’t a retelling of A Christmas Carol, but those who know that story will find many nods to it. For example, Michael goes home to his dark, lonely, and cold lodgings where he broods by the fire, and he’s disturbed by significant dreams. And the ending, in A Christmas Carol fashion, gives a narrative summary of how certain things turn out happily ever after. While that’s ordinarily annoying, it works here as a final Dickensian touch.
For all the grim setting, and the stories of loss and trauma that Michael uncovers in his search for the boy, this isn’t a hard book to read. The omniscient narrative is well-handled to keep us at enough of a distance that we can observe and learn without being overwhelmed. The author reveals insights, details, and even smells that could only come from extensive research, yet it all flows as part of the story.
Because I usually review clean or Christian fiction, I’ll include a language warning with this one. There’s frequent minor profanity and one misuse of the name of Jesus.
Inspired by a true story, A Halifax Christmas Carol offers a look into a dark time in history, and yet may leave you with a warm hope reminiscent of Dickens’ tale.
For more about award-winning Canadian author Steven Laffoley and his books, visit stevenlaffoley.wordpress.com.
[Review copy from my personal library.]
December 14, 2020
This book would be better as a work of non fiction. Very interesting and touching true story of Halifax just at the end of WWI. It has been a year since the devastating Halifax Explosion and the city has just finished the first wave of the very deadly Spanish flu. Still in all of this death and destruction there is hope.
December 11, 2022
An unexpected gem! 4.5 stars. This was a quick read, and a really good story. Set in 1918 Halifax, it touches on the Halifax explosion, WWI and Spanish Influenza. I really enjoyed the many Dickens references, while it still was its own story with a unique plot line.
The contrast of grief and the many horrors in the world with hope and goodness was excellent!
The contrast of grief and the many horrors in the world with hope and goodness was excellent!
August 20, 2017
A poignant story that could, except for the the characters, setting, and time period, be our world today. We live in a world that is characterized by personal and political chaos and disorder. This book gave me hope and strengthened my belief in the goodness of humanity. Highly recommended.
January 8, 2025
It is a great book. I quite enjoy Steven's writing both fiction and non-fiction. Great fictionalized account of the aftermath of WWI and the Halifax explosion. Enjoy the words, enjoy the story.
December 6, 2025
The Christmas season was a lovely time to read this harrowing, albeit ultimately hopeful, story set in the the days around Christmas in 1918. Bringing together the life stories of a one eyed beggar, a one legged boy and a myopic reporter, hope is found even in the dark circumstances of the time. Mr. Laffoley does not gloss over the darkness and harrowing aspects of the time as over the course of 4 days journalist Michael Bell goes from saying "My single coin wouldn't change your circumstances" to realizing that the generosity of a boy with limited means can inspire generosity and instill hope in others.
NOTE - GoodReads really needs to update its synopsis of this book:
Divkend is Dickens.
four days before Christy (should be Christmas)
several other typos or mistakes
NOTE - GoodReads really needs to update its synopsis of this book:
Divkend is Dickens.
four days before Christy (should be Christmas)
several other typos or mistakes
January 6, 2020
A reminder of hope and light that shines even in the darkest night. I felt this was really important to remember when you see people on Facebook and other social media platforms discussing and lamenting about perilous times.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews