2.5 stars - felt a lot like The Alchemist, and I found that boring as batshit. An intriguing short story to read at Christmas time, with occasional heart-tugging moments with the main premise being about a terminally ill child, but felt like an attempted work at philosophy that doesn't quite hit the mark. I adored a number of Gaarder's novels Sophie's World and the Ringmaster's Daughter as a teenager, but his shorter stories that centre on Christmas have all felt a bit flat. I still have The Solitaire Mystery on my to-read list, perhaps Gaarder's a better novelist than short story writer?