Review: The Boys Upstairs by Jane Lebak
Three kids, two brothers, and a few days before Christmas, disaster looms on the horizon.
Father Jay Farrell takes care of inner-city kids who might otherwise be convinced to join street gangs. A former gangbanger himself, he knows how attractive the streets are for youths from broken families. But when his police officer brother arrives with three young children in need of a warm place to stay for the holidays, Father Farrell has to fight not only for the kids, but for his anti-religious brother.
The story
Father Jay is the pastor at St. Gus, an inner-city parish where no one is surprised when youths run around the streets with knives or guns. A former gangbanger himself, Father Farrell joined the military and was crippled in the Gulf War. Legally blind and unable to stand straight, his brush with death led him to convert to Catholicism and become a priest.
His younger brother Kevin, also a former gangbanger, has no such inclination toward religion. Where Father Jay became a priest, Kevin became a police officer. On this particular night, with three young children in need of a warm place to stay, Kevin must swallow his pride and see his religious brother.
The meeting does not go well as both brothers, despite their best efforts, end up pushing each other’s buttons. Father Jay is also not pleased when he finds that one of the children Kevin wants him to take care of is a girl. It is one thing to allow homeless or aimless boys to sleep in the rooms upstairs in the rectory, but to shelter a girl in the rectory?! That is asking for trouble!
Kevin, however, insists: the children have nowhere else to go. So Father Jay takes them in and does his best to see to their care along with the other kids he shelters. One of his parishioners, a woman named Holly, helps him out – and reminds him that just because he is a priest, that doesn’t mean he can’t ask for a Christmas gift.
As Christmas Day draws nearer, Kevin and Father Jay see more of each other. They continue to argue, and it is not looking like a very merry time for anyone concerned. With the joyous season in full swing and difficulties piling up for everyone along with the snow, can they really have a Christmas miracle? Or are they all destined to be disappointed?
The characters
Father Jay is a relatable character who is not most people’s idea of a priest. A broken and wounded man, the fact that he is severely crippled limits his movement at the same time it causes him pain. Kevin’s antagonism bothers him more, though, because as much as he wants to heal their relationship, his brother seems determined to keep them apart. It is hard not to want to give the poor man a hug and some cocoa to help him deal with the stress.
For his part, Kevin is so jaded by the world that he lashes out at his older brother. Remembering the strong boy whom he admired growing up, it is hard for him to reconcile the mild-mannered and physically disabled priest he sees whenever he visits Father Jay. He accuses his brother of wasting his life in religion, hoping he will come to his senses and do something “more productive” than run an inner-city parish and ride herd on inner-city youths.
Holly, a waitress by trade who helps Father Jay at the parish whenever she is able, stands between him and his younger brother spiritually as well as physically. Like Kevin, she feels bone-tired due to her job. But along with Father Farrell, she finds meaning in her life with her faith. This makes her a great catalyst for both brothers as Father Jay seeks a way to rebuild his connection with Kevin.
The world
The world is the modern one, but viewed through the same lens as The Bells of St. Mary’s, Going My Way, and It’s a Wonderful Life. Rather than the cheap, easy “’tis the season” Christmas miracle stories, The Boys Upstairs gives readers some meaty bones on which to chew. This is a view sorely lacking in many modern Christmas stories, which makes the book far more satisfying than its competition.
The politics
None whatsoever.
Content warning
This is a book for readers of all ages. No gore, no sex, no swearing – just an old-fashioned Christmas miracle in the modern day.
Who is it for?
Anyone who wants something more substantial than the Hallmark Channel’s trite and/or cheap Christmas films. Yes, some of those are worth it, but generally one has to flip through several before he finds a good one. The Boys Upstairs gives one a warm Christmas-time story without boring a reader to death or preaching any kind of message to him.
Why read it?
Who doesn’t want a nice, cozy Christmas tale that makes the season brighter? The Boys Upstairs is a tale that will not only make this season warmer and brighter, but all successive Christmases, too!