Ice by Sarah Beth Durst

Rating: 4.8/5.0

Re-read? Ice was such a joy to read, that I can definitely see myself re-reading it!

Recommend? Yes! To everyone! Though, there is some mature content, but nothing too bad.

Release Date: October 6, 2009
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Pages: 320

Synopsis:

When Cassie was a little girl, her grandmother told her a fairy tale about her mother, who made a deal with the Polar Bear King and was swept away to the ends of the earth. Now that Cassie is older, she knows the story was a nice way of saying her mother had died. Cassie lives with her father at an Arctic research station, is determined to become a scientist, and has no time for make-believe.

Then, on her eighteenth birthday, Cassie comes face-to-face with a polar bear who speaks to her. He tells her that her mother is alive, imprisoned at the ends of the earth. And he can bring her back -- if Cassie will agree to be his bride.

That is the beginning of Cassie's own real-life fairy tale, one that sends her on an unbelievable journey across the brutal Arctic, through the Canadian boreal forest, and on the back of the North Wind to the land east of the sun and west of the moon. Before it is over, the world she knows will be swept away, and everything she holds dear will be taken from her -- until she discovers the true meaning of love and family in the magical realm of Ice.

My Thoughts:

Ice is an inspiring tale about a headstrong girl and her Polar bear, Bear. A re-telling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon, Sarah Beth Durst took a unique spin on the classic tale and truely made it feel like something new, but familiar all at the same time. She brought new life into a story that it seems most people have forgotten.

I had only heard of East of the Sun, West of the Moon once or twice as a child, and I had never read it. I just knew the basic plot. So it was so wonderful when I read Ice to be able to recognize some similar plot lines from my childhood memories. I was always "Oooh! I remember that!" or "That's new!" I had a grand ol' time explaining differences to my roommates who were familiar with the tale.

Ice was wonderfully written and kept me reading well past midnight. I found Bear extremely interesting-- despite Cassie's attitude, he held strong and I really respected him for that. It was also interesting to read about the developing love story between Bear and Cassie. I never thought I would read a love story between a Polar Bear and a human! It was definitely a different and unique experience, but one Sarah Beth Durst executed very well.

I loved Ice by Sarah Beth Durst and I cannot wait to read another book by her. Her writing style was very easy to read and her pacing was done very well. I hardly had a time in the book where I actually wanted to put the it down. This was a huge plus for me because it is really easy to get distracted at my dorm. I also loved the ending, which I won't spoil for readers. :)

Details:

Cover: 4.5
Plot: 5.0
Characters: 5.0
Writing: 4.5