I received an advance reader copy of Silent Night for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
When it comes to Christmas, people will have many things come to mind. Few people, however, would think of Santa's daughter Chrissy Kringle, and even fewer would of fighting monsters. The author of Silent Night is one of those rare few.
At an estimated 51 pages on your favourite reader, it's the perfect length for the novella, ensuring its silly atmosphere doesn’t overstay its welcome. The plot tells the story of how Chrissy must save Christmas from a monster attack. Although the plot is relatively simple, the packs more story in than many of its contemporaries, maintaining a great ratio of story compared to the book’s length.
Although the story is entertaining, its crux lies with Chrissy and her characterisation. She’s a thoroughly entertaining character and a constant joy to follow. The book doesn’t delve into her character deeply, something that can be said for the other characters who often feel like archetypes.
A large part of what makes Chrissy such a strong protagonist is her narration. It's imbued with an attitude that reels the reader in without letting go. The prose is clean and clear throughout. While I wouldn’t classify it as a YA book, it contains many of the hallmarks readers of the genre would enjoy. The prose doesn’t always flow perfectly, however, with some sentences not flowing as well as they could.
The dialogue doesn’t always flow as well as I'd like, with characters not sounding natural, resulting in conversations that feel stilted. The dialogue is clear throughout, however.
The novella handles the action sequences wonderfully. The fighting is bombastic when it needs to be, while working at an efficient pace. Throughout these sequences, they rouse the reader, crafting an effective tone to keep them not only engaged, but having fun
Silent Night is the first book in a series, but stands perfectly alone, telling a story that wraps up within the book’s pages while teasing there may be more to come. While the prose and dialogue could have been polished further, it's a thoroughly entertaining story. If you’re looking for a Christmas story that isn’t overcome by schmaltz, you could do a lot worse.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Add a debit or credit card to save time when you check out
Convenient and secure with 2 clicks. Add your card
Next 2 for you in this series
See full series
Customers who bought this item also bought
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
