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A review by jade_kanga
Dear Santa by Samuel Johnson
2.0
I read this December last year (2019) and gave it a 2.5/5 stars (hence an earlier 3 star rating), however, I linger on this sometimes and have since gave it a 2/5 star rating.
While I do appreciate the sentiment that my money has gone to cancer research (the only reason why I don’t regret buying this) and thought the pretense was absolutely adorable and inspiring (Aussie icons writing whimsical, nostalgic letters to Santa? Yes please!), I instead found that many of these contributors have SUCH a negative view towards Christmas and Santa himself.
Leaving aside the plainly problematic aspects of this novel (it’s fatphobic comments), many of these letters were so dreadfully negative towards Christmas and Santa that I just want to know,,, who hurt these people??
I do understand that some people don’t like Christmas, that’s fine and understandable and I can’t (and won’t) judge, but I was under the impression this novel would be whimsical and nostalgic and lovely. Instead, I was treated to letters critising Santa and the Christmas season with intense sarcasm and trying to be funny about it and wow I just did not relate. I can be a cynical person myself, but when Christmas is known to be a worldwide loved season, I find it terrible that this book was filled with so much negativity and then marketed as something that is inspiring and whimsical and nostalgic.
Two last things before I end this insanely long review: there are some letters that do deal with cancer survivors and dealing with other struggles (e.g. death of a family member and other forms of grief). Albeit sad, these were inspiring and moving. These are not the letters I am critising in particular. Lastly, there were good letters in this, optimistic and lovely ones. But they were far and few between.
While I do appreciate the sentiment that my money has gone to cancer research (the only reason why I don’t regret buying this) and thought the pretense was absolutely adorable and inspiring (Aussie icons writing whimsical, nostalgic letters to Santa? Yes please!), I instead found that many of these contributors have SUCH a negative view towards Christmas and Santa himself.
Leaving aside the plainly problematic aspects of this novel (it’s fatphobic comments), many of these letters were so dreadfully negative towards Christmas and Santa that I just want to know,,, who hurt these people??
I do understand that some people don’t like Christmas, that’s fine and understandable and I can’t (and won’t) judge, but I was under the impression this novel would be whimsical and nostalgic and lovely. Instead, I was treated to letters critising Santa and the Christmas season with intense sarcasm and trying to be funny about it and wow I just did not relate. I can be a cynical person myself, but when Christmas is known to be a worldwide loved season, I find it terrible that this book was filled with so much negativity and then marketed as something that is inspiring and whimsical and nostalgic.
Two last things before I end this insanely long review: there are some letters that do deal with cancer survivors and dealing with other struggles (e.g. death of a family member and other forms of grief). Albeit sad, these were inspiring and moving. These are not the letters I am critising in particular. Lastly, there were good letters in this, optimistic and lovely ones. But they were far and few between.