Take a Look at the Five and Ten

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I love Connie Willis. She is my favorite living author. She may be my favorite of all time. I still remember the first book of hers that I read - I got a copy of Doomsday Book from the science fiction book club when it came out on the 90s. It took my breath away. Her books make me laugh and make me cry and I wish I hadn’t read them all already because reading one off her books. for the first time is a singular treat. She lives in Greeley, Colorado with her husband Courtney Willis, a professor of physics at the University of Northern Colorado. She also has one daughter, Cordelia.

Ori’s holidays are an endless series of elaborately awful meals cooked by her one-time stepfather Dave’s latest bride. Attended by a loose assemblage of family, Ori particularly dreads Grandma Elving—grandmother of Dave’s fourth wife—and her rhapsodizing about the Christmas she worked at Woolworth’s in the 1950s. And, of course, she hates being condescended to by beautiful, popular Sloane and her latest handsome pre-med or pre-law boyfriend. I didn’t just read it - I devoured it! It was so good! It had all the hallmarks of a great Connie Willis story - scientist just trying to get some data, two people falling for each other who don’t realize it, irritating relatives, and people who genuinely love Christmas.in which as a young woman she worked at Woolworth's in downtown Denver one Christmas. It seems that anything in the conversation prompts her to spew forth this same tale in florid detail. I refuse to spoil this for you, other than to repeat what I have heard others say about this author and the praise is all worthy. I would have liked a BIT more showing the love interests together, BUT she does some amazing stuff with just a few scenes. No, it’s not,” Sloane said. “It’s boring beyond belief, so, Ori, whatever you do, don’t mention Christmas shopping or snow.”

She’s not actually my grandmother,” I said, yanking on the other boot. “She’s my stepfather’s grandmother-in-law from his fourth marriage.” (c) Ori dreads spending the holidays with her family. Her step-dad's latest wife and her daughter are horrible. The other issue is Grandma Elving. She worked in Woolworth's during Christmas in 1950. And loves to talk about her time there ad nauseum and in detail. Everyone dreads hearing about Woolworth's and Ori gears up for survival mode. Only this holiday is different. As a Non-Christian married to a Christian person, I have a very nuanced and off view of Christmas. But I love how Connie Willis loves Christmas unashamedly and how she infused her love and joy into all of her works. She has won, among other awards, ten Hugo Awards and six Nebula Awards. Willis most recently won a Hugo Award for All Seated on the Ground (August 2008). She was the 2011 recipient of the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award from the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA). From beloved New York Timesbestselling, multiple-award-winning author Connie Willis comes another enchanting science fictional Christmas tale and screwball comedy, Take a Look at the Five and Ten. Readers in the need for a dose of Willis’s humor and heart will want to curl up with this novella for the holidays.So, short, sweet, Christmas with a really adorable and lovable older woman, some mean step family members and an MC to root for. What more could you possibly want? This story is heartwarming and lovely. I adored Ori and I really adored Grandma Elving. The descriptions of Woolworth's were so vivid and alive. I actually spent time trying to figure out if I was remembering ever being in Woolworth's meself or if the imagery was so strong that I just felt like I had. This is exactly what I hoped for. The clarity, the heightened emotional state, the irrelevant details…”