<< Back to previous page

"Kringle" by Tony Abbott

Author:

Tony Abbott

Publisher:

Scholastic 2005

Reviewed by:

John Warren Stewig, Carthage College

Writing back story, the lead up to a well-known story or event, has become a major interest of writers today. And here we have an extremely able spinning out, to a total of 317 pages, of the events leading up to the brief widely-known St. Nicholas tale.

The book opens with a tranquil, though, fear-filled scene of Merwin, an old woman, caring for the 12 year old, who will grow up to be Kringle. In the ensuing goblin attack, Merwin is killed and Kringle sets off with only his father's cloak and Merwin's staff to comfort and protect him. Goblin devastation is everywhere and it is only because of the kindness of the tribe of elves, led by Vindalf, that Kringle is able to go on numerous adventures in an amazingly complex, engagingly-written account of humans, elves, and Marie, an orphan. Magic, as in the rune stones, abounds, and the plot is complicated by goblins and pirates. Scary scenes abound: the cave filled with captured children guarded by varguls, is one example.

Improbable things happen: a sledge crafted from parts of a pirate ship sails up a frozen river; goblins are constructing a huge monster named Grunding and their evil intent is only offset by the appearance of Oliphas, a great antlered, flying creature. When asked how he is able to fly, he responds: "Spirits of those who have died before their work is done have found a voice in me and my kind." (p 216) It is up to Kringle to regroup the scattered elves to do battle against the goblins. Approaching the battle, Kringle discovers he can use the missing rune to stop time and defeat the goblins, on the last night of the year. The final confrontation with the monster the goblins have crafted results in the release of the stolen orphan children which have been forced to power it. Though the goblins are defeated and banished underground, they vow to return each longest night of the ensuing years. In the end, Merwin (who hasn't been killed) is able to reunite with Kringle, who makes his journey each longest night when time stands still and goblins who return are held at bay.

Weaving together such an improbable array of creatures and adventures sounds difficult, but this is deft writing and the reader is propelled from event to event, needing to find out what happens next. In the end, the story of Kringle and the night journey with flying reindeer is unimportant. It is the epic journey and the conflict between good and evil within this elaborated story which is important and so satisfying.