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shelbybennett45's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
audraelizabeth's review against another edition
4.0
This was a nice, light read. It would be great at Christmas. I wouldnt recommend it for anyone younger than teenage years. This was easy to read and made me feel like Id sat with the author and listened to him tell it.
deeofbkb's review
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
jj24's review against another edition
3.0
As a life-long Willie Nelson fan, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to read this Christmas fable written by Willie and inspired by by his famous song of the same title.
The premise of this short tale is the imagined back-story of the disabled street vendor upon whom Willie Nelson based his real-life hit "Pretty Paper." At times I found myself confused wondering how much was true and how much was fiction since this book includes Willie, in the first person as himself, telling the story. I ultimately had to go to do a bit of research online to set myself straight and determine that the story should be judged entirely as fiction.
As a story, the book is much like Willie's songs. There's poignancy in the spartan prose, but it's best enjoyed if one just goes along for the ride. And just as the song "Pretty Paper" isn't a standard Christmas Carol, this book defies the genre. You'll find more honky-tonks and BBQ joints here than sleigh bells and reindeer. But if you're looking for something a bit different than the standard holly, jolly Christmas tale, you've come to the right place.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Blue Rider Press for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of this short tale is the imagined back-story of the disabled street vendor upon whom Willie Nelson based his real-life hit "Pretty Paper." At times I found myself confused wondering how much was true and how much was fiction since this book includes Willie, in the first person as himself, telling the story. I ultimately had to go to do a bit of research online to set myself straight and determine that the story should be judged entirely as fiction.
As a story, the book is much like Willie's songs. There's poignancy in the spartan prose, but it's best enjoyed if one just goes along for the ride. And just as the song "Pretty Paper" isn't a standard Christmas Carol, this book defies the genre. You'll find more honky-tonks and BBQ joints here than sleigh bells and reindeer. But if you're looking for something a bit different than the standard holly, jolly Christmas tale, you've come to the right place.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Blue Rider Press for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
trudy4088d's review
3.0
This is more than a Christmas fable, it's a story about looking beyond a person's current situation and hearing their story. A fictional account of the very-real street vendor who inspired Willie's song, "Pretty Paper," the novel expanded on what Willie does best: sharing a compelling story in a simple way. The novel was hopeful, heart-crushing, and redeeming throughout. Willie just reminded us- again- to be kind to each other. Everyone has a story. When Christmas rolls around this year, and "Pretty Paper" is on the radio, I'll stop and think about all the Vernons in the world and hope they have a friend like Willie.
I received an advanced copy through Penguin's First to Read Program, but all opinions are my own.
I received an advanced copy through Penguin's First to Read Program, but all opinions are my own.
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