“I think that some soldiers meet their ends in battle. But others simply need a good nurse and a little bit of magic to help them find their way home.”
Godfather Drosselmeyer
Clara’s Soldier is a haunting rendition of The Nutcracker set at the end of World War II. Clara is waiting for her soldier, James, to come home from the war even after nearly everyone else has given up hope. This tale is darker than the original, but Godfather Drosselmeyer’s Christmas Magic still has a part to play.
Those expecting a faithful retelling of The Nutcracker will be disappointed. The dream sequences do not include the jubilation or joy from the ballet. Instead, the focus is on what James has experienced during the war with a rat army twist.
I liked how the book did not shy away from people’s different reactions to how soldiers did not come back or came back changed from war. Clara hides her worry by drowning herself in work and volunteering. Others react bitterly to their loved ones returning home shell shocked.
Clara, especially, grows as a character while moving through the dream sequences. She matures from her interactions with James, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and even the Rat King. Time and experiences change people, and we must choose how we cope with those changes.
This book did not end up being what I initially expected, but it was definitely worth the read.
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