This show is now going to be a Christmas tradition for me. I am known for playing Christmas music any time of the year and the soundtrack of this series is amazing! Last Christmas, River, A Holly Jolly Christmas are some of my favorite songs and each one is played throughout the course of the show. Now, let's get into the show.
Austin Abrams plays Dash, a recluse who associates Christmas with loneliness and pain. The viewer thinks of him as snippy, depressed and witty. I loved Dash's sense of humor and his intellectual curiosity. In the Strand (the bookstore in NY), it becomes apparent that Dash is not only extremely clever, but he relentlessly searches for answers to the code found in the notebook.
The whole premise revolves around a notebook. Lily (Midori Francis), a radiant and intelligent teenager, devises a way for her to meet a cute boy with the help of her brother Langston. She plants the notebook next to The Catcher in the Rye in the Strand and waits for someone to go along to play the game.
As someone who loves to read novels, it was so refreshing to see two teenage protagonists my same age who have the same love for reading that I do. There are so many literary references sprinkled in each episode. One character's nickname was a reference to a novel that I read in 4th grade. Every little detail in the series is so impressive, even the perfect titles for episodes. The title of the fourth episode is very appropriate.
What impressed me more was how they both changed each other. The notebook becomes a character as both give each other tasks to perform. Lily tries to make Dash see the positivity in the world and Dash forces Lily to come out of her shell. By the time that we are adults, we are completely set in our ways. We have decided if we are going to be cruel, use hateful language, give compliments to others or just be kind. During our teenage years, we can truly find out who we are and who we want to be. I think that there are plenty of people who have had a toxic relationship or are currently in one, but Dash and Lily are so good for each other. They force each other to decide who they want to be. Will they continue their destructive habits or change for the better?
I keep trying to think of what I can compare the show to and Notting Hill is coming to mind. However, Notting Hill does not really explore Julia Robert's character and instead focuses entirely on Hugh Grant. Both Dash and Lily are explored, but so are their social lives. Boomer (Dante Brown) is amazing as Dash's best friend, he adds moments of levity that are dearly needed just like Spike (Rhys Ifans) in Notting Hill provides. Boomer is the moral conscious of the show who acts almost like an advisor or person of wisdom. He is easily one of my favorite characters. Lily's brother Langston is very humorous and I greatly enjoyed his scenes too.
Someone reading this review might be asking why I rated the show a 10/10. For me to rate a show 10/10 signifies a personal connection. I felt a personal connection to all of the music, but also to Dash and Lily. In a weird way, I am a perfect amalgam of the two of them. It's rare for me to come across two characters who love books as much as I do, love Christmas music and embrace their weirdness or their quirks. Both also have support systems, whether it is through friends or family. I love this series very, very much and I wish teenagers were depicted like this more often.
I do have a very minuscule critique. The cameos of the Jonas Brothers were somewhat awkward. I realize that is a slight spoiler, but it doesn't change the story. Nick Jonas was also an exec producer which is interesting to me. I wonder if he is friends with the authors of the books or if he read the book himself and loved the concept. Their cameos were still funny and if you are a Jonas Brothers fan then you will love it.
I will probably watch one of the episodes again Christmas morning. I love the idea of going through a book store in search of clues. I would definitely not mind if I were locked in one, it would be a Christmas present for me. Please watch the show! If you are a parent, it would be great to watch as a family! Thank you so much for reading my review and please be sure to suggest it to your friends and family!
Austin Abrams plays Dash, a recluse who associates Christmas with loneliness and pain. The viewer thinks of him as snippy, depressed and witty. I loved Dash's sense of humor and his intellectual curiosity. In the Strand (the bookstore in NY), it becomes apparent that Dash is not only extremely clever, but he relentlessly searches for answers to the code found in the notebook.
The whole premise revolves around a notebook. Lily (Midori Francis), a radiant and intelligent teenager, devises a way for her to meet a cute boy with the help of her brother Langston. She plants the notebook next to The Catcher in the Rye in the Strand and waits for someone to go along to play the game.
As someone who loves to read novels, it was so refreshing to see two teenage protagonists my same age who have the same love for reading that I do. There are so many literary references sprinkled in each episode. One character's nickname was a reference to a novel that I read in 4th grade. Every little detail in the series is so impressive, even the perfect titles for episodes. The title of the fourth episode is very appropriate.
What impressed me more was how they both changed each other. The notebook becomes a character as both give each other tasks to perform. Lily tries to make Dash see the positivity in the world and Dash forces Lily to come out of her shell. By the time that we are adults, we are completely set in our ways. We have decided if we are going to be cruel, use hateful language, give compliments to others or just be kind. During our teenage years, we can truly find out who we are and who we want to be. I think that there are plenty of people who have had a toxic relationship or are currently in one, but Dash and Lily are so good for each other. They force each other to decide who they want to be. Will they continue their destructive habits or change for the better?
I keep trying to think of what I can compare the show to and Notting Hill is coming to mind. However, Notting Hill does not really explore Julia Robert's character and instead focuses entirely on Hugh Grant. Both Dash and Lily are explored, but so are their social lives. Boomer (Dante Brown) is amazing as Dash's best friend, he adds moments of levity that are dearly needed just like Spike (Rhys Ifans) in Notting Hill provides. Boomer is the moral conscious of the show who acts almost like an advisor or person of wisdom. He is easily one of my favorite characters. Lily's brother Langston is very humorous and I greatly enjoyed his scenes too.
Someone reading this review might be asking why I rated the show a 10/10. For me to rate a show 10/10 signifies a personal connection. I felt a personal connection to all of the music, but also to Dash and Lily. In a weird way, I am a perfect amalgam of the two of them. It's rare for me to come across two characters who love books as much as I do, love Christmas music and embrace their weirdness or their quirks. Both also have support systems, whether it is through friends or family. I love this series very, very much and I wish teenagers were depicted like this more often.
I do have a very minuscule critique. The cameos of the Jonas Brothers were somewhat awkward. I realize that is a slight spoiler, but it doesn't change the story. Nick Jonas was also an exec producer which is interesting to me. I wonder if he is friends with the authors of the books or if he read the book himself and loved the concept. Their cameos were still funny and if you are a Jonas Brothers fan then you will love it.
I will probably watch one of the episodes again Christmas morning. I love the idea of going through a book store in search of clues. I would definitely not mind if I were locked in one, it would be a Christmas present for me. Please watch the show! If you are a parent, it would be great to watch as a family! Thank you so much for reading my review and please be sure to suggest it to your friends and family!