It’s Christmas, Carol! by Sara-Lisa Andersson

Book reviews are subjective. I tend to rate books not according to how “perfect” they are, seem to be, or are said to be in general but rather to how perfect they are to me.

It’s Christmas, Carol!: A short story by Sara-Lisa Andersson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

(Click the title to find the book description/blurb.)

Carol has to work all night on Christmas Day, but she doesn’t mind. In fact, she prefers it this way, as the last thing she wants to do is celebrate this yearly commemoration of grief with anyone. Still, on this December twenty-fifth, she may not be able to get away from facing her family history and remembering what the holiday is all about in It’s Christmas, Carol! by author Sara-Lisa Andersson.

I thought I might be in for a light, Scrooge-like comedy or something when I came across this short story’s cover, skimmed the first two lines or so of the blurb, and dove in.

I did not expect for this story to amaze me.

But, wow. This tale shows how it can be so human to cling to the coattails of tragedy until we start going out of our way to remain as miserable as possible. The story does not at all shy away from pain, and yet, I didn’t find it to be a depressing read. Instead, I found it to be a wise, even challenging, and hopeful story that resonates with some of my strongest beliefs about life, death, living, and love.

And, yeah, it’s got a touch of magic, too. Totally worth the read.