Wednesday, August 18, 2010

The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman

The Ice Queen

by Alice Hoffman
published 2006
completed January 2010

One morning a young girl makes a wish that comes true and dramatically alters the course of her life.  The unnamed woman becomes increasingly isolated and depressed until one day is struck by lightning.  This forces her into interaction with others, one specifically Lazarus Jones, and helps her to begin to emotionally heal.

The Ice Queen is narrated in the first person and can be quite depressing.  Her outlook on life is bleak and she is obsessed with death.  It was difficult to see the world through her eyes, but I felt compassion for her because of the circumstances that made her this way.  Although I find her thought process faulty (blaming herself for a tragedy), in her mind, this was perfectly rational.

The writing was beautiful and although there were fantastical elements, it didn't feel unrealistic.  There is a bit of sex in the book, so prudes beware.  If Alice Hoffman's books are all this captivating, I'm looking forward to reading more of them.

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