Welcome! For my inaugural post, I’ve decided to review a book that has challenged and bent the definitions of such things as genre and pulling punches. I was lucky enough to have been asked to beta read The Santa Strike by Shana Hammaker, and it was one wild ride! Now that it’s been released, I get to talk all about it!
What do you get when you combine guns, a grouchy old man who believes in Santa, and Santa himself? I can’t quite classify the genre. Is it an urban fantasy, with its magic and fanciful nature of Santa being real? Is it a thriller because of its fast pace and high stakes? Is it a well-meaning book that seeks to challenge the reader and plead with them to look at the issue of gun violence in America? I think it’s all of the above. Political supernatural thriller. There we go.
With the question of genre being answered, I’ll move on to the plot. The main characters, Marion(‘Mary’) and Lindsay discover a letter to Santa from Mary’s belligerent uncle Joe. At first, it seems absurd. What adult writes to Santa? Why would the grouchiest man alive believe in Santa at all? Soon after, Lindsay, a journalist, begins receiving letters to Santa from children. The letters are raw, emotional. They’re begging Santa to do something about the guns that are hurting their friends and family. Ultimately, Santa decides to reveal himself and the rest is one wild ride.
My own impressions of the book were positive. It was bold, and didn’t pull punches about its agenda or mince words about the nature of the problems with gun violence in America. You’ll see that a lot in the book. The author’s passion for the subject is evident, and when she writes the children’s letters to Santa you can feel their pain as though you were Santa himself. The characterization of Mary and Lindsay fit the needs of the book. Lindsay is a nosey reporter on a mission, and Mary has a tragic story of his own to tell.
Ultimately, I recommend this book. It is unique, well-plotted and philosophical. It makes you think, and that’s what I like best in a book.
Great review and thank you. I really enjoyed the book as well.
Looks interesting.