From a nostalgic look at Truman Capote’s childhood to a somewhat speculative fiction story about a woman selling her dreams, these short stories all have that wintry festive feel, whilst being some very different kinds of Christmas spirit.
Title: A Christmas Memory
Author: Truman Capote
Pages: 107
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Publication Date: 29th October 2020
Ownership: eARC provided by the publisher
Rating: 4 stars
My Review
I really enjoyed this set of short stories. They weren’t exactly festive, but they did feel like a small, personal and whimsically bittersweet into someone’s past. Most of the stories focus on Capote’s childhood in Alabama, from his incredibly sweet relationship with his Aunt Sook, to a tale involving his uncle’s café and a competition.
They really did feel like small snippets of memory and were told in a very engaging manner.
The central story, sandwiched in between Capote’s own childhood memories was something a little darker and creepier set against a snowy New York backdrop, and involving a young girl selling her dreams and being left somewhat empty and alone. It had some Little Match Girl vibes.
These stories are a little escapist, a little sad and a little bittersweet but full of wintry nostalgia.
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Alpha-Beta-Hannah 