Review: Magically Generated by Jackie Lau

What a delightful holiday story! After being scammed and robbed, Nora Blackburn is cynical about humanity in general (and social media specifically), and when she finds out about an amazing snow sculpture that seemingly has appeared out of nowhere in a Toronto park, she dismisses it as AI-generated, but then equally mysteriously, others appear in other city parks. When her cheery neighborhood across the hall, Everett Sun, invites her to go see the mysterious, elaborate sculptures, she reluctantly agrees—he doesn’t seem like he’s out to steal her money or her heart. What she doesn’t realize is that Everett has a secret: he’s not out to trick her, but he is the creator of the snow sculptures. This novella is about the melting of Nora’s heart, and it’s a perfect start to the holiday season.