THE LEGEND OF HOLLY CLAUS
by Brittney Ryan
In a letter-writing twist, a boy asks Santa what he wants for Christmas. Holly is born, and her fate seems sealed when the warlock Herrikhan curses the baby with a cold heart, which he hopes to claim when she matures. Cursed himself, Herrikhan must possess the purest heart to obtain his freedom. Holly’s curse affects everyone in Forever, Land of the Immortals, as she must live in cold conditions to keep her heart alive and no new souls may enter Forever. The only immortal who hasn’t proven herself worthy of the honor, Holly finds a way to reach Victorian Empire City (a.k.a. New York), where she brings magic to children, finds true love, and crushes Herrikhan’s curse. This story strives to be an original fairy tale, but fails with trite narration and melodramatic dialogue. Grotesque violence abruptly jars the saccharine tone at times. Ryan even changes traditional toy-making elves into cranky goblins who dress up as elves for reporters. The only noteworthy features are Long’s exquisite, detailed illustrations. (Fiction. 9-12)