“You bring me peace, Dear Belle. You lift me from my own mind. You are a light in the darkness.”
I have to admit, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, is one of those books that I’ve always had intention to read, but never quite got to. When I was invited to read this novel by the author, Keith Eldred, the first thing I did was offer to read the original. However, he assured me it would be a lot more run to read his sequel first and see what I thought. I have to tell you, that I prefer it this way. I enjoyed not knowing the fate of Scrooge and Belle, so I could join the ride oblivious to the fate of the iconic character.
The only things I knew about Scrooge prior to reading was that he was an old man and he was grumpy. That wasn’t quite the Scrooge I read in The Red Button. Here, we see a young man full of determination and hope, ready to work on his own business ventures. From here, he meets Belle through a working partnership with her father. As the two get to know each other, their relationship blooms.
“Grow if it will make you happy, if it is for your sport. But for no other reason.”
Belle’s perspectives throughout the book was what kept the book going. She is a wise character, who can see the true emotional depth of others. She definitely saw in Scrooge the things that would later become his pain points in A Christmas Carol. Belle is a character with conviction and to me, it is she who is the hero of The Red Button, despite the very famous character she is set against.
There is a thread of living with dementia in this book. Keith Eldred deals gently with dementia and living with it’s progression. The scenes between Arthur and Belle are genuine and authentic. They had a touch of realness that can only come from lived experience. For me, this is the strongest and most unexpected part of the book. Illnesses and disabilities of all kinds can get skipped over in books, it’s important to note how tenderly Eldred incorporates Dementia into the story.
“Let the heart speak, always. The mind will speak in its own time.”
The Red Button is a sweet book that deals with first loves, loss and hope after illness and death. The chapters are short and easy to read. I believe if I ever read A Christmas Carol that I will do so while remembering The Red Button.
It is worth noting in this review that Keith Eldred has published this book through the THIS IS RED project, the project published 20 books in 2020; the year of his 30th anniversary with his wife. His wife, Janet, lives with early-stage dementia. All profits from the sale of the books supports the Hollidaysburg Area Public Library where Janet works.
