The Incredible Kindness of Paper by Evelyn Skye
The Incredible Kindness of Paper is a sprightly, optimistically sunny book with a clever combination of light fantasy and romance that although published in mid-summer will instantly banish dreary late fall and winter doldrums. New York Times best-selling author Evelyn Skye has previously written several books for adults, YA and Princess Private Eye for children. She collaborated with Netflix to write the novel Damsel timed to precede the film release. Her podcast: “Creative. Inspired. Happy” presented with creativity coach and author Joanna Phoenix has over 25,000 subscribers with whom they share insights on storytelling, the writing process, kindness, curiosity and personal growth.
A Counselor Who Brightens Lives
Protagonist Chloe Hanako Quinn is a compassionate high school guidance counselor in New York City who mentors students through challenges and difficult times providing encouragement, solid advice and a small tangible reminder of her kindness. When they leave her office, they depart with hope, a little more confidence and sometimes with a small origami yellow rose containing a personal message. Xander, a rising senior, is anxious about being accepted at college, and concerned about spending more time working as a waiter in his immigrant parents’ restaurant than on preparing college applications. If successful, he would be the first in his family to obtain a higher education. Chloe has been mentoring him, bolstering his confidence that he was exactly the sort of hard-working, responsible student universities would gladly accept. Before leaving her office, he asked for one of her roses, selecting a square electric yellow sheet of origami paper printed in geometric lines. There were multiple designs but the only fine Japanese paper she used was the color yellow. Chloe wrote in its center, “All you have to do is be you” embellished with her signature doodle of a tiny heart-shaped rosebud before she folded the square into a three-dimensional rose as a symbol of friendship and joy. Xander departed, uplifted and ready for summer break that also meant weeks without the heartening counseling sessions. Moments after his departure, the school principal abruptly notified her of impending budget cuts and they would have to manage with two instead of three counselors. Chloe was the last to be hired and consequently the most expendable; besides which her relentless optimism and upbeat nature were also irritants to him.
Childhood Magic and a Lost Friendship
This pretty and petite young woman has demonstrated mysterious, magical connectivity to others since early childhood. Chloe is a highly intuitive empath. At age six, before she was literate, the class assignment was to write a letter to an unknown pen pal in another first grade class across town in Lawrence, Kansas. She had drawn a crayon self-portrait into which she whispered her secrets, likes and dislikes and included questions about his life. At last, the lonely little girl murmured into the paper, “I hope we will be friends forever, best friends” before sliding it into an envelope, and sealing it with a kiss. The teacher mailed the letters and drawings. A little boy named Oliver Jones smiled as he opened the envelope for he could hear every word she said.
They did become best friends but that ended summarily when they were sixteen. Oliver had a difficult and unusual family life with his mother Jennifer who was charming, charismatic as well as being an incorrigible schemer, conniver and crook who bilked people out of their money with shady investments including timeshare sales. Eventually, while being sought for questioning by the FBI, gangsters and angry investors, she dashed home and gave her family an hour to pack essentials and leave their home, friends and community behind for a life on the run. Oliver was not allowed to contact anyone including Chloe. People were not trustworthy. Numbers were his salvation; hard, cold, absolute and easy to grasp. He had always been a math wizard as well as a sports star and homeschooled his younger brother.
Eventually his mother surrendered to the authorities, was tried and jailed. Scholarships and hard work made it possible for him to earn a doctorate in record time before moving to New York City and landing a job with a top investment firm where he excelled. Oliver didn’t socialize, choosing to focus on legitimately creating personal wealth for his clients, the firm and himself. He became more automaton than human until one day he bumped into Chloe and shockingly pretended not to know her.
Where Heritage Weaves Its Own Bright Spell
Chloe Hanako Quinn stood out like a bird of paradise in a sea of little black dresses. She wore bright colors in startling combinations radiating warmth and light with a beaming smile. Her one-quarter Japanese heritage was most evident during the winter holidays with her family’s observation of a Kansas gingerbread, all the Christmas trimmings and a Japanese New Year celebrated with traditional foods like mochi and ozoni soup for luck.
Her great-grandparents had been interned during WWII in an Arkansas internment camp. Her parents owned and operated an ice cream shop popular with University of Kansas students who loved the quirky flavor combinations such as the Chloe mix of dark chocolate and mulberry jam. She learned the art of origami during college and embraced the skill and joy involved in creating with paper purchased at a small NYC Japanese office supply shop. Zac Bailey, a domineering, aggressive, narcissistic, high style conscious English investment banker was her semi-boyfriend whom she had been seeing for several weeks. Coincidentally, Oliver and Zac were rivals under consideration for a major promotion. Zac was known for poaching clients making him the perfect villain for The Incredible Kindness of Paper.
When Kindness Transforms a City
There are many serendipitous encounters in the magical world Chloe inhabits. Her favorite student Xander Constantinides’ parents own Oliver’s favorite inexpensive restaurant. Elderly apartment dweller Thelma was nicknamed The Threadbare Countess by fellow residents, and was bolstered by a seemingly random yellow rose containing the message “Chin up buttercup” which seemed like a voice from the beyond from her beloved late husband. On the eve of eviction for being behind in rent from the apartment where she had lived for six decades, she was inspired to start a doggy daycare business beginning with the many pet owners in the building. While she was job-hunting, Chloe stepped up her efforts to spread sunshine and with help from a growing number of friends, the yellow roses with enchanted messages began to blanket the city.
Evelyn Skye has written an evocative, emotionally rich inspiring novel in The Incredible Kindness of Paper that may serve to remind readers of the unexpected consequences of random acts of kindness. This beautifully crafted story is certain to chase the blues away and should become a fan favorite.
About Evelyn Skye:
Evelyn Skye is the New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including The Incredible Kindness of Paperand The Hundred Loves of Juliet. She has also written books for Netflix and Disney. Evelyn’s novels have been published worldwide and translated into sixteen languages.
Evelyn is a graduate of Stanford and Harvard Law School. She lives in California with her husband and daughter.
