The Holidays are coming and this book is just in time. This felt like a retelling of The Christmas Carol. Remember the story of Ebenezer Scrooge? This story reminded me of Scrooge but only with some twists that make this its own.
I got this from the author's giveaway on Instagram. Can you believe it? I won six paperbacks from the author. Yes, I felt so lucky. This is the third book of that 6-book prize. Thank you again, Anna B. Madrise.
Sprite, not the carbonated drink but a supernatural being. They are similar to fairies but a little bigger, more like a little child. Their most distinguishing feature is the ability to command snow or shower snowflakes. This supernatural creature is one of the major player in this story. Sprite, which is also her name is tasked to change Blaine Frost into a compassionate, giving, courageous and joyful person. Blaine's motivation is to be able to keep the love of his life--Noel.
Like the very popular Christmas story of Scrooge, Blaine's story also started on the eve of Christmas day. He was driving home with Noel on a snowy night when he lost control of his car because he drunk. Blaine woke up to an unconscious Noel on the passenger side and the appearance of a child-like character with white hair and pink lips sitting on his hood. The said character gave her an assignment to perform so he could have Noel back. Failure to do acts of compassion, charity, courage and joy in seven days will lose him Noel for good.
This is a very modern twist to the classic Christmas story of all time. Blaine represents the modern-day Scrooge but with more good looks and a very nice girlfriend. Blaine is a workaholic and a person who never thought about anyone else but himself. He grew up in a family who never thought about money because it was never lacking. His only redeeming quality is he loves his girlfriend which makes him an upgraded version of Scrooge. At least Blaine is capable of loving someone other than himself.
The story ended with Blaine being able to perform all virtues required by Sprite. He got Noel back and got more friends who became like family to him because of his change of heart. A happy ending. Great! But what I really liked about the story is how it emphasized paying attention to our surroundings. Blaine, if you really look at him, is not a bad person. He never hurt anyone intentionally but he also never cared about anybody else's business. I think his faults were in his omissions. He did not care about his employees spending more hours at work thereby, missing out on family events. He never cared about the homeless person which turned out to be someone he knew in high school. All these minor details added up have major effects in other people's lives. How many of us are just like Blaine? We are all guilty. What I love about this story is it is so unassuming. It even comes as a cute and funny tale because of Sprite's character but it also poses a very heavy reminder of the very small things we try to not see. The things that we refuse to look and turn our heads away because it has no bearing to us in any way.
I give this book 4/5 snowflakes. Though the story is done in a light way, with Sprite's character who is very playful, it holds a very important and relevant lesson. It reminds us all of doing a random act of kindness everyday. Just because we are so busy with our lives and our own problems, doesn't mean it gives us the license to forget about the rest of the world. A little random act of kindness goes a long way and this was what really hit me in this story. Though, in here, all the acts done by Blaine were not totally done to strangers, the meaning and essence is still the same. If you can't be compassionate and giving to the people you know, how much more to those who aren't? This book is really in time for the holidays but kindness should be practiced all the days of the year. Kindness is not only done during Christmas. It should be given any day. And let's not forget about love. After all, it was Blaine's love that moved him to be a better man.
Being homeless doesn't just strip somebody of the basic necessities, like shelter and food, it also strips away one's dignity. Somehow, maybe not monetarily, but somehow, I will pay you back for your help. Give me that-- my dignity, my self-worth.
- Anna B. Madrise, Sprite -
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