The Thing in Christmas Town

Preordered this one, but when I saw there were illustrations, I decided to get a paperback copy too. They were a nice accompaniment!

Diane is dealing with the loss of her husband. And yes, maybe she is not handling it well, but that doesn’t mean she wants her family to force her to celebrate Christmas. Especially not a ridiculously expensive trip to Christmas Town. A town that celebrates Christmas year round—an all-inclusive tourist destination to recapture the childlike glee of old. But when do kids ever listen?

Once they arrive, Diane is forced into Christmas cheer that she is simply not ready for. The tea time, Christmas shopping, Christmas cookies and sweets, a trip to see Santa, it should all be perfect, so why does the entire thing feel genuinely forced? And underneath that twinkle light and tinsel-y veneer, why does everything look so wrong? And why is Diane the only one noticing it?

The mayhem that follows feels like a classic Christmas story smashed together with John Carpenter’s The Thing (and not just because of the name!). Is Christmas Town infecting everyone or is the town itself infested? And while that may have your mind racing to practical effects and prosthetics, this novella also features some truly bloody and evil kills. Nothing is as it seems, even Santa!

While this is a blood pounding story of survival, it was also a well done examination into grief. Not only the loss of a husband, but the impact of an accident and misguided blame. Diane’s struggle keeps her from enjoying life, and the author does a fantastic job of showcasing how that grief and fear impacts each individual in her life.