London Snow: A Christmas story

by Paul Theroux

Illustrated by John Lawrence. One of 450 numbered copies signed by Theroux & Lawrence on a special page at the beginning of the book. The first book by Theroux to be published in a signed, limited edition.

Genres: Christmas, Fiction, Short Stories, Childrens

50 pages, Hardcover

First published November 25, 1982

About the author

Paul Edward Theroux is an American travel writer and novelist, whose best known work is The Great Railway Bazaar (1975), a travelogue about a trip he made by train from Great Britain through Western and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, through South Asia, then South-East Asia, up through East Asia, as far east as Japan, and then back across Russia to his point of origin. Although perhaps best known as a travelogue writer, Theroux has also published numerous works of fiction, some of which were made into feature films. He was awarded the 1981 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for his novel The Mosquito Coast.

He is the father of Marcel and Louis Theroux, and the brother of Alexander and Peter. Justin Theroux is his nephew.

Reviews

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

The charming, small details bring life to what might otherwise be an unremarkable story. The enchanting setting of the sweet shop during the Christmas season lends an old-time feel and a bit of bright sweetness to soften the gloomy outlook. The names of the two main characters cleverly coincide with their personalities: Mrs. Mutterance is always muttering quips and unusual expressions, and Mr. Snyder seems to take satisfaction in snide remarks especially when delivering bad news.

But what stands out most to me is Theroux's expressiveness. His writing conveys a clear setting and scene, and his characters have distinct, comfortable, and slightly quirky personalities that set them apart. I especially liked the description and imagery of the clean, pure snowfall on a cold and quiet London morning. The city is frozen and still and the landscape and mood has changed; the swift-moving city has been brought to a meditative standstill and the words convey that adeptly.

Theroux takes the story elements and transforms them into something that is different, and yet still the same; everything is transitory and the sands of time can lead to a a quiet and unexpected change of heart and spirit.

[Mairita (Marii grāmatplaukts) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pieļauju, ka šo vajag lasīt tikai bērnībā. Ja neskaita tīri jaukos pamatīgi apsnigušās Londonas aprakstus, pārējais ir klišeja ar dīvainiem dialogiem. No šī stāsta skeleta patiesībā varēja sanākt ļoti aizkustinošs stāsts par māti, bērniem, burksķīgu namīpašnieku un Ziemassvētku brīnumu, bet ne šim autoram.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a lovely little Christmas tale, and nowhere near as curmudgeonly as some of Thereaux's books. Being for children, I suppose that's best. The characterizations here are wonderfully done, Mrs. Mutterance in particular. I adore the way she makes up words in a LewisCarroll fashion, perfectly suited to whatever she's trying to say. Lovely.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that I have read and re-read many times. It is one of two Christmas stories that Theroux has written. (The other is A Christmas Card.) Libraries often class it as children's literature, but it is enjoyable for all ages.

[Sharon Ouderkirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

London Snow is a companion piece to A Christmas Card, also by Paul Theroux. This short Christmas tale is about Mrs. Mutterance who runs the candy shop, her two adopted children Amy and Wallace, and their cruel landlord, Mr. Snyder who is going to evict them in the middle of winter. Mrs. Mutterance talks in a combination of nonsense that makes sense and Cockney slang, and she is livid at Mr. Snyder. Amy and Wallace are even less forgiving in the way of children who can't foresee the consequences of mean thoughts. When a snowstorm hits London, and Mr. Snyder disappears, Mrs. Mutterance realizes that she is the only one who knows he is gone. Will she do the right thing and look for him? A beautiful tale of Christmas, kindness, the silence of a city that is paralyzed by a storm, and actions taken to build up the conscience muscles of a good soul.

[Laura Bang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another quick little Christmas story. This one is about a woman who runs a sweetshop and her two adopted children, who go looking for their nasty landlord when he disappears a couple days before Christmas even though he plans to evict them. Loved the descriptions of London in a rare snowfall and the lovely woodcut illustrations.

[Tineke · Rating 4 out of 5]

De bibliotheek had oude kerstverhalen uit het magazijn gehaald. Dit was een heel grappig verhaal, met evocatieve beschrijvingen van Londen in de sneeuw, lang geleden. Met sfeervolle houtsneden van John Lawrence. Een spannend kinderverhaal, en... het loopt goed af.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Christmas story of a Scrooge like figure, a miraculous snow storm, and changes of heart. Language is beautiful, the story sweet and quirky.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an odd book. I grabbed it from my TBR pile in a hurry as I was away overnight and wanted something light and small to take with me to read instead of the hefty books I was halfway through reading. And I'm really not sure what to make of it.

It's meant to be a children's story, although I'm not sure what age it is intended for - the story itself is brief and simple, yet the writing seems pitched at an older age than the plot. Perhaps it is meant to be read aloud to younger ones. Phrases such as "On this winter afternoon the bright window of the sweet-shop crackled with colour" and "She head a groan, like a bluster of air from a punctured balloon" seem designed to be read aloud.

It's one of those stories that skate the line between fiction and fantasy. The setting is London - but a London experiencing the magic and mystery of a thick snowfall - thicker than any seen for half a century. The characters too, are real, but their names and circumstances seem to fit them more for fantasy - Mrs Mutterance the sweetshop owner and her adopted children, Wallace and Amy (we are never told how the two children come to be adopted, only that they have been her children for nearly all their lives), and Mr Snyder, their monstrous and miserly landlord. Both adults and children play with words as if they were toys. The ending is fairy-tale predictable (and if you ever though Scrooge's transformation was speedy, this book's resolution will give you whiplash).

The story is as flimsy and insubstantial as the London Snow itself, and there are a couple of plot holes if you stop to analyse it, but it doesn't really matter. John Lawrence's strong, dark woodcuts are the perfect contrast. At only 50 pages, it can be read in an evening, and would make a great read for Christmas Eve - preferably read by a log fire with snow falling outside.

[Sudaporn Obom · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was short but successfully captured the essence of the main narrative. The dialogues and conversations felt authentic, adding a sense of realism to the interactions. The vivid description of snow in London was quite lengthy, but it served its purpose in painting a picturesque image of a winter wonderland. However, due to the brevity of the book, I struggled to connect with the characters. Their lack of background made it difficult to empathize with them, and the rapid progression of scenes left little time to fully immerse myself in their journey.

[Rodney Haydon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was about to watch a Christmas TV movie called Christmas Snow, and is based on this novella. I decided to see if this was available on Open Library and it was, so I decided to read this before watching the show.

[джаймс X · Rating 5 out of 5]

We're all saved.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very quirky Christmas story about being kind to others whether they are kind to you or not. If you need your stories to have a happy ending you’ve got it.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the audiobook of this as a child, but could only find the hard copy to share with the kids...

“Wally, you asleep?”
“Yes, Ma. Sound asleep.”

☺️

[Wintermote · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story of a woman who insists on doing the the right thing even when it’s hard—the opposite of what they want to. And as all good Christmas stories, it ends well.

[Jacques · Rating 5 out of 5]

Een leuke kerstnovelle.