4/5
The Afterlife of Holly Chase is a modern take on the story of Ebenezer Scrooge. There is a company that chooses one "scrooge" a year to focus on, and then they run a huge con on the scrooge by dressing up as spirits and recreating what happened to the original Ebenezer Scrooge in hopes of scaring the new scrooge straight. But of course, not all scrooges are successfully scared, such as in the case of Holly Chase. So what happens to the failed scrooges?
I adored and related to Holly Chase. She is brutally honest and direct, she's cold but at the same time vulnerable and a little sweet. Holly is a very well-developed character and Cynthia Hand has no problem writing a range of emotions in Holly's voice. At times when the action slowed, her humor didn't, and so I enjoyed every moment.
The plot twist wasn't a surprise; I'm pretty sure nearly all readers will be able to spot it a mile off. But that doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the novel, especially when I finally pieced together why a certain character kept stuttering on another character's name (it isn't what you think it is!). Cynthia Hand creates an interesting and unique take on a Christmas classic and executes it well. I would recommend this for fans of holiday novels, retellings of classics, and chick lit with substance.
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