From School Library Journal
Grade 4-7–A letter written in 1878 to Santa Claus by a 10-year-old boy asking not for presents but to know what Santa himself wishes for allows the gent (aka Nicholas, King of Forever) and his wife to realize their greatest dream, the birth of a daughter named Holly. She is, however, cursed by an evil sorcerer, Herrikhan, who surrounds her infant heart with ice and promises to return to collect it one day. Holly grows up happy but lonely in the Land of the Immortals, and when she becomes a young woman, she takes a daring and possibly deadly trip to Victorian New York City, where she is determined to do good deeds. There she has adventures, brings joy to the hearts of young and old, and manages to foil Herrikhan with the shining purity of her love. The writing is acceptable, if a little precious, and the descriptions of Nicholas and his household are a pleasure to read, but the whole Herrikhan plot is jarring, inconsistent, and unnecessary; there are more than enough characters and subplots swirling through this novel already without the addition of a leering, black-tongued sorcerer. The drawings scattered throughout are detailed and a touch old-fashioned, a good match for the sentimental tone of the text. Fans of Alcott, Spyri, and Burnett may enjoy this long and convoluted tale.–Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


From Booklist
Gr. 3-6. Forever, the Land of the Immortals, is ruled by Nicholas Claus (aka Santa) and populated by a host of greats--ranging from Bach to Merlin to Zeus. Nicholas' daughter, Holly, has been cursed by an evil warlock and must forever dwell in the ice and cold so that her heart does not melt. Drawn to the Empire City (New York, December 1896) in an attempt to break the evil spell, pure-hearted Holly finds work in a toy store, creating lifelike dolls. There she meets Christopher, an adult whose boyhood letter to Santa opens the story, and comes face-to-face with Herrikhan, the wizard who would possess her. A large cast of mostly magical characters operating in a romanticized, cinematic snow-globe world populate this classic tale of good versus evil, which will grow on readers despite its excessive length. Booktalk this offering in the Julie Andrews Collection before Thanksgiving so that families in search of a holiday read-aloud have plenty of time to finish. Kay Weisman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Kirkus Reviews
"Exquisite, detailed illustrations."


Publishers Weekly
"A lush and leisurely Yuletide read."


Book Description

Santa Claus is the King of Forever, Land of the Immortals. When one special boy writes to Santa asking what no other child has ever asked -- what he wants for Christmas -- a miracle occurs: Santa and his wife are blessed with a daughter. But the birth of Holly Claus also brings about a terrible curse -- from an evil soul named Herrikhan. Holly's heart is frozen, and the gates to Forever are locked, barring exit or entry.

Now grown into a beautiful and selfless young woman, Holly becomes consumed with the desire to break the spell that holds her people hostage. Accompanied by four faithful and magical animal friends, she escapes to the wondrous world of Victorian New York and embarks on a series of dangerous and life-changing adventures.

With fanciful characters, rich language, and evocative imagery, The Legend of Holly Claus pays tribute to the great fairy tales and myths of our time. This epic novel filled with mystery, magic, and wonder is destined to take its place as a Christmas classic.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Santa Claus is the King of Forever, Land of the Immortals. When one special boy writes to Santa asking what he wants for Christmas, a miracle occurs: Santa and his wife are blessed with a daughter. But the birth of Holly claus also brings about a terrible curse -- from an evil soul named Herrikhan. Holly's heart is frozen, and the gates of Forever are locked, barring exit or entry.

Now grown into a beautiful and selfless young woman, Holly becomes confused with the desire to break the spell that holds hostage the enchanted creatures of Forever. Accompanied by four faithful and magical animal friends, she escapes to the wondrous world of Victorian New York and embarks on a series of riveting, and sometimes romantic, adventures that ultimately earn Holly her own immortality through an act of unconditional love.

With fanciful characters, rich language, and evocative imagery, The Legend of Holly Claus pays homage to the great fairy tales and myths of our time. This epic novel filled with mystery and wonder is destined to become a Christmas classic.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

In florid prose, first-time author Ryan expands the Santa Claus mythos with this meandering novel. In 1878 New York City, 10-year-old Christopher writes a letter asking Santa what he wants for Christmas-something no one has ever done before. Saint Nick realizes that he, the King of "Forever, the Land of the Immortals," wants a child of his own, and soon Holly Claus is born. Ryan borrows from Christian allegory and fairytale. The evil warlock Herrikhan, for instance, is "condemned to Odyl, the fortress that sweats beneath the earth in its bed of molten fire." The only way to break his curse is to "possess the purest and most compassionate heart ever born." That heart, of course, belongs to Holly. Herrikhan turns the baby's heart to ice, necessitating that she be kept cold or die. The book's first half follows Holly growing up in her "frozen wonderland" within the Land of the Immortals, and her relationship with Tundra, a noble wolf. In the second half, Holly and Tundra and a team of reindeer set off for New York City, shortly before Christmas; it is now 1896 and Herrikhan awaits. Holly eventually meets (and falls in love with) Christopher, now a man-but he no longer believes. Gaps in logic may trouble fantasy fans (e.g., why does Tundra's partner lose her immortality just because she fell outside Forever, even though St. Nick comes and goes without losing his?) and readers may feel gypped by the quick showdown between Holly and Herrikhan after the book-long buildup. But those searching for a lush and leisurely Yuletide read may not mind the flaws. Long's intricate pen-and-inks add to the gifty package. Ages 9-up. (Oct.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature - Beverley Fahey

The gates of Forever, the Land of the Immortals, have been locked since the birth of Holly, daughter of Nicholas Claus and his wife Vivianna. At her christening, as gifts were bestowed upon the baby Holly, the evil wizard Herrikhan invoked a spell that froze Holly's heart and closed the gates of Forever prohibiting entry or exit. As the young girl grew she lamented her life in a frozen world and longed to break the spell that held her captive and barred souls from reaching the land of happiness. Now a grown young woman of unparalleled grace and beauty, Holly disobeys her father and escapes to Victorian New York City a few days before Christmas. There she hopes to confront the evil Herrikhan and break the spell in time for her father's Christmas Eve arrival. This first novel can't seem to define what it is. There are elements of fairy tale, legend, history, the Bible, and Harry Potter all blended into one very long story of epic proportions without the writing to match. Tighter editing could have shortened the novel by a third and left a story that doesn't wander aimlessly at times. The are wonderful moments of magic and mystery that show promise from this new author, but the story she has presented to us is saccharine and overly written. This Julie Andrew imprint has been published with a heaping spoonful of sugar. The black and white sketches perfectly portray the fairy tale magic that the writer so desperately seeks. 2004, Julie Andrews Collection/HarperCollins, Ages 10 to 12.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-A letter written in 1878 to Santa Claus by a 10-year-old boy asking not for presents but to know what Santa himself wishes for allows the gent (aka Nicholas, King of Forever) and his wife to realize their greatest dream, the birth of a daughter named Holly. She is, however, cursed by an evil sorcerer, Herrikhan, who surrounds her infant heart with ice and promises to return to collect it one day. Holly grows up happy but lonely in the Land of the Immortals, and when she becomes a young woman, she takes a daring and possibly deadly trip to Victorian New York City, where she is determined to do good deeds. There she has adventures, brings joy to the hearts of young and old, and manages to foil Herrikhan with the shining purity of her love. The writing is acceptable, if a little precious, and the descriptions of Nicholas and his household are a pleasure to read, but the whole Herrikhan plot is jarring, inconsistent, and unnecessary; there are more than enough characters and subplots swirling through this novel already without the addition of a leering, black-tongued sorcerer. The drawings scattered throughout are detailed and a touch old-fashioned, a good match for the sentimental tone of the text. Fans of Alcott, Spyri, and Burnett may enjoy this long and convoluted tale.-Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews