25 days, 25 chapters. This December, the countdown to Christmas will chill you to the bone.
Hoping to bring his family closer together, Adam Gray arranges a vacation in a remote cabin on a snowy mountain. Things take a dark turn, however, when someone starts leaving gifts in the Christmas stocking mounted on the barn door.
Each morning brings something new, and with every passing day, the contents become more terrifying. Soon, the family makes a spine-chilling realization: they’ve been dragged into a deranged game of Secret Santa, and if they want to survive, they will have to fight.

My imagination was captured by the idea of a horror story told as an Advent Calendar – one chapter a day from 1st December.

I’ve entered into the spirit of it by reading one chapter a day and writing down my reactions.

I’m having fun. The classic horror set-up is enriched by how well the family is drawn and enlivened by rotating the point of view through the four family members chapter by chapter.

The third week took a darker turn. Here’s what happened..

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December 15th

Now we’re into blood and gore – adding torture to imprisonment. This time Abbey is the witness. Neither of the girls are on the receiving end of the violence – yet. If the story goes there, I won’t be reading it to the end.

I think I’m beginning to guess at the Big Bad’s motivation but his response seems disproportionate and his violent silence suggest permanent damage.

Abbey is scared but strong and is focused on the possiblity of escape.

I knew going in that this was a horror novel and that bad things happen in horror novels. I’d expected the bad things to have a supernatural flavour which would help me keep them at arms length. I wasn’t expecting a frozen north version of ‘The Hills Have Eyes‘. A Violent, predatory man doing bad things in isolated places isn’t something I’d have set out to read about. Depending on how the next few chaptes go, I may not make it to the end of this book.

December 16th

Not that much violence but what there was was still difficult to take. I’m impressed by how clearly Jacobsen differentiates the various points of view – Chloe and Abby sound quite different – and how well he describes the bond between the sisters.

I guess it all depends on Chloe now.

Oddly, I’m glad that I’m expecting the next chapter to be from Adam’s point of view. It should ease some of the tension

December 17th

Adam makes an unlikely hero. All emotion and little thought. But his dogged trek through the snow is nicely drawn. 

It seems to be there mostly to offer hope. 

But Adam thinks more about sacrifice than victory, giving up his life rather than taking the Big Bad’s. 

Beth’s message to the Big Bad was more focused: “I will kill you.”. 

I doubt Adam has it in him to be more than a distraction while Beth or Abby deal with the Big Bad.

December 18th

And THAT`S how it’s done. Build hope. Let it light the world. Let everyone breathe. Then extinguish it.

I no longer have any idea what the Big Bad wants. What Jacobsen seems to want is to stress test this family and see who survives.

December 19th

Maybe I’m just not cut out for horror. That was… unpleasant.

I get that horror has consequences. I see that mutilation is not an improbalbe outcome. BUT, the details seemed excessive. To me, this wasn’t unflinching realism but a too joyous, almost salacious, relishing of fear and pain and trauma. The world is full of it. I don’t need more of it in my head.

AND it’s beginning to feel pointless. 

With only six short chapters left, I’m no longer expecting any rational explanation for who the Big Bad is or why he’s doing what he’s doing.

At this point, I’d be happy to see him die painfully at the hands of one or all of Beth, Abby or Chloe. Maybe I am cut out for horror after all?.

December 20th

Chloe saves the day by being brave and sliding through a small space. That would have been fine but Jacobsen couldn’t resist adding a couple of clichèd Jump Scare shots produced by Chloe’s imagination.

Sadly, I’m starting to feel like I’m wading through tropes now.

December 21st

So now the whole injured, traumatised family is lost in the woods in winter. with no idea of where they are or where they’re going, almost no supplies and no working phones. It’s frying pan to the fire, except they’ve swapped burning to death for freezing to death.

I know Adam’s been brave in his dogged, zero-planning, act without thinkng way but his romantic, hope hard enough and it will all work out appoach still annoys me. After all that’s happened, all he’s learned is he can’t sell, “It will be fine” to his kids any more.

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You can find the posts December 1 – 7 HERE and December 8-14 HERE