A seasonal collection of fairy tales based on the well-known Christmas song, this anthology displays the author’s talent for putting her own twist on a popular theme. The stories vary in length and character and there’s something here for everyone.

Characterisation is good and the settings work well throughout. Interestingly, although the tales feature well-known character types, the author has avoided stereotypical representations and made them into interesting players.

A slight reservation relates to occasional editing errors and some formatting oddities. But these are minor and shouldn’t impact on the reading experience.

The author’s imagination and inventive turn of mind is displayed in the many variations on the song’s featured cast members. There are some really unusual takes on the characters and how they came to be included in the song’s list of gifts.

An enjoyable holiday read and one that many will find charming and amusing.

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