Let It Snow

by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle

[Joséphine]

Even though Let it Snow was published as a single book, it contains three stories told by each of the three authors. In that sense, it's more like three novellas but with a twist. They're not entirely stand-alone, even though they could be. One can in good conscience choose to read just one of these stories and forgo the other two but I wouldn't recommend it. I say, read all three, and be taken in by some Christmas magic! And why pick it up now that the 25th of December has passed? Take it from Mayzie (you'll meet her in The Patron Saint of Pigs):

"Oh, no, Christmas is never over, unless you want it to be… Christmas is a state of mind."

As a whole, I think the collaboration and arrangement worked well together. As much as these are separate stories, there are some overlaps between the characters, reminding readers that nothing happens in isolation. Whoever may be central to one story, might be peripheral to another. Yet every encounter can make a world of a difference, no matter how small.

Individually, each story had its charm. Though I must admit that I liked A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle by John Green the most. The Jubilee Express by Maureen Johnson closely followed suit. Then came The Patron Saint of Pigs by Lauren Myracle. The strength of Myracle's story really lay in the intertwining with the other two, where readers come to see how lives overlap, and how things inconsequential to one are of primary importance to another. On its own, I probably wouldn't have rated it as highly as the book itself.

Johnson's story had me going eh for a bit for its pace but her main character, Jubilee, injected a fair bit of a realist's response to some events which would've had an idealist swooning. See, I'm a realist, and as I discovered with my last romance novella, I'm not a fan of the genre and medium. So, Johnson made me like a plot I generally would've dismissed with Jubilee's self-awareness and also the humour that she injected.

Then there was Green's story. I liked the snark. It was measured and funny without detracting from the joy that surrounds Christmas. Plus, there was the Duke. Yes, the Duke is a girl after my own heart. And Tobin wastes no time explaining why his best friend is such a great person. This while outlining a highly amusing "cat and mouse tale" adapted specially for this holiday set in modern times.

Each story has its unique voice that brings humour and is sure to draw out the ooohs and awwws. No tear-jerkers, so they're safe to read in company. On the other hand, be prepared to suppress laughter if you don't want to draw unwanted attention to yourself.

This review is also available on dudettereads.com.