Book Review: Kringle by Tony Abbott

Unlike the traditional Santa Claus myth, KRINGLE is a coming-of-age story about an orphan who becomes a force for good in a dark and violent time. It is a tale of fantasy, of goblins, elves, and flying reindeer -- and of a boy from the humblest beginnings who fulfills his destiny.

Our tale begins in 500 A.D., when goblins kidnapped human children and set them to work in underground mines. Kringle is one such child.... until he discovers his mission - to free children from enslavement. His legend lives on today, as he travels the earth every Christmas Eve to quell the goblins once more.
Okay, I didn't really get this book. I plowed through it and when I say plowed I don't mean in a hurry. It took me over a month. Translation: I wasn't into it.

Problem for me: The Voice
It was all over the place and as someone who keeps trying to keep all the different voices and ways you can tell a story straight, it drove me crazy that this one broke nearly every rule and got published because an established author wrote it! Grrr. Unfair! Plus, it kept breaking the 4th wall. And then at the end when it finally told me who was speaking, it didn't make sense. How could they know all that stuff about Kringle when they weren't even there half the time?!

It does incorporate all the typical Kringle themes: sleigh, flying reindeer, elves, children, north pole, etc. and in an inventive way, while introducing new characters: pirates, goblin, Romans, etc.

Will I read it again? No. Should you? I don't know. Try it. Read the first chapter. See what you think. Maybe it just wasn't my cup of Christmas tea.

Now, does anyone have a better story about Santa for me to read?

In the meantime I'll curl up with Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol.

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