Reviews

I really enjoyed this book, and think its an interesting premise for young readers. This is marketed as a book for 9-12 year olds and I'm not entirely sure that I agree. The story is whimsical and I think older children would enjoy it, but some of the vocabulary is a little difficult for that age group, so be aware of that if you want to pick one up for your kid.

lhirl's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

inkfire's review against another edition

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4.0

I enjoyed this book, and appreciated the introduction to this curious magical world. I will definitely seek out the rest of the series, but I'm not sure I'll ever reread it for its own sake.

kitsuneheart's review against another edition

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4.0

Not precisely what fans of "Rise of the Guardians" want, but these are great stand-alone books. Perhaps it's best to introduce them to children and THEN allow them to watch the movie.

However, fans of the movie WILL be interested in reading the books to find out the background of Pitch, the Nightmare King. Knowing that this enemy has a deeper back-story and actual motivations and conflicts is interesting, and gives me some hope for a sequel to the movie.

Seeing the reason for Santa's gruff nature, being the leader of a band of outlaws, was also interesting, and makes his design in the movies make more sense.

The naming in this book feels almost like a constant pun. Nicholas St. North (one day to be named Santa) comes to live in the village of Santoff Claussen, and I just paused there and groaned.

But it was an enjoyable romp. Not precisely a "Christmas" story, so don't feel the need to wait to give it to your kids.

gabs93's review against another edition

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adventurous fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

alyshadeshae's review against another edition

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5.0

This was an amazingly imaginative new take on Santa and his mythology. This is definitely a book I'll be saving for my future children and recommending to others! I watched the movie first (don't hate me!) but I'm loving the fact that the books are so different from the movies.

sarahrose23's review

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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