Icefall

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Overview

Matthew J. Kirby, author of THE CLOCKWORK THREE, deftly weaves a brand-new tale with chilling cleverness and subtle suspense that will leave readers racing breathlessly to the end.

Trapped in a hidden fortress tucked between towering mountains and a frozen sea, Solveig, along with her brother the crown prince, their older sister, and an army of restless warriors, anxiously awaits news of her father's victory at battle. But as winter stretches on, and the unending ice refuses to break, terrible acts of treachery soon make it clear that a traitor lurks in their midst. A malevolent air begins to seep through the fortress walls, as a smothering claustrophobia slowly turns these prisoners of winter against one another.

"A well-crafted story rich with emotion and intrigue. A thoroughly engaging read!" — Brandon Mull, bestselling author of the Fablehaven and Beyonders series

"Clear, lively, exciting, and unstoppable as the torrent of meltwater from a glacier, ICEFALL confirms Matthew Kirby as one of our finest new writers for young adults. Readers of any age may be enthralled by the bitter Nordic winter setting and the story of a girl who needs a lot of courage to discover who she is." — Ursula K. Le Guin, acclaimed author of the Earthsea Cycle

“Against an authentic backdrop of ancient Norse life and lore, Kirby brings alive characters who are true to their time and culture…. I liked the brooding atmosphere of the natural world in this book. It is a beautiful place and beautifully described, but it is indifferent to the fate of the people caught in its grip.” — Nancy Farmer, Newbery Award-winning author of Sea of Trolls

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Kirby follows The Clockwork Three with a tense mystery that blends history and Norse myth. Solveig—the plain and oft-ignored second daughter to a king away at war—has been sent to safety high in the fjords, along with her siblings, beautiful Asa and future heir Harald, and others loyal to her father. As winter closes in, food grows scarce, and tempers flare. When tragedy strikes, it becomes clear that one among them is a traitor. Their only diversion comes from the stories told by Alric, the resident skald, who takes on Solveig as an apprentice. With her ability to spin tales and find the truth, can Solveig uncover the traitor? Kirby turns in a claustrophobic, thought-provoking coming-of-age adventure that shows a young woman growing into her own, while demonstrating the power of myth and legend. Kirby’s attention to detail and stark descriptions make this an effective mood piece. Readers may be drawn in by the promise of action, which Kirby certainly fulfills, but they’ll be left contemplating the power of the pen versus the sword—or rather the story versus the war hammer. Ages 8–12. (Oct.)

VOYA

Solveig is the King's daughter, but as middle child (and a girl, no less) she struggles to find her place in her father's kingdom. To make matters worse, Solveig's sister and brother, their attendants, and a chosen few others have fled the kingdom on the brink of war and now wait, protected behind a secluding wall of ice. Sitting ducks for the enemy army and with supplies running low, the group is anxious to be called home. Every day the fjord freezes a little more, squeezing out the possibility for rescue. In this fraught time, everyone must pitch in to survive, including the king's children. It is under these troubled conditions that Solveig discovers her own voice, her gift of storytelling, and her value to the community, not just as a helper, but as a story changer. Steampunk fans will enjoy the suspense and intrigue of this fantastic realm. The pace and tone is even; the characters and their reactions lovingly-drawn. The ideal audience for this book, however, will be the small (though loyal) genre fans. As interesting as it is, Solveig's story is probably not compelling enough to create crossover. Reviewer: Jennifer Miskec

More Reviews (2) Fewer Reviews

School Library Journal

Gr 4–7—Solveig and her two siblings are sent to the far end of a fiord for safety's sake while their father battles to save his kingdom. Solveig knows that the elite warriors who brought them there are entrusted to guard her younger brother, Harald, the crown prince. Older sister Asa, favored for her beauty and marriage potential, causes Solveig to agonize about her own insignificance and lack of purpose. Supplies dwindle while waiting for victory news, and anxiety increases as a warship full of the king's berserkers arrives just as ice closes over the fiord. Stranded for the winter, the untamed warriors are restless and unpredictable, and begin to raise mayhem in the camp, killing Solveig's pet goat and accusing one another of treason. Calmed only by listening to stories told by Alrec the skald (poet of the living past), the boorish Vikings become attentive to Solveig as well, bolstering her confidence and providing a means for the author to (ingeniously) integrate tales from Norse mythology, featuring gods Odin and Thor, supernatural creatures, and fallen warriors. In a page-turning climax, the fiord thaws and enemies arrive to overpower the berserkers and kidnap Harald. The ensuing battle and survival scenes are vividly portrayed, and characters fight back with the epic heroism of gods. Solveig is an empathetic heroine and Hake, the hulky berserker war chief, is also a well-developed and (eventually) endearing character. Fans of John Flanagan's "Ranger's Apprentice" series (Philomel) will enjoy this adventure tale.—Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY

Kirkus Reviews

The king's three children and a small group of warrior-protectors take refuge in a winter-bound steading on a northern fjord and discover there's a traitor in their midst.

Beautiful Asa, the eldest princess, faces an arranged marriage, although she loves another. Harald, the youngest, will one day be king. But the narrator, middle daughter Solveig, is neither attractive nor particularly useful, until she begins to realize she has talent as a storyteller and could have a future as a skald, or court bard. As food runs low and bitter winter tightens its hold, someone in the group begins to sabotage the remaining supplies, and Solveig has a dream that foretells a tragic end to their efforts to survive. Interesting, well-developed characters abound, and Solveig's strong narrative voice adds authenticity as she grows into her new role, not just telling stories of the mythical Scandinavian past but creating tales to alter the behavior of those around her. Valid clues and occasional red herrings heighten the sense of mystery. The chilly, claustrophobic, ancient setting is vividly created, and the sense of impending doom generates a gripping suspense overarching the developing—and deteriorating—relationships among the group, marking Kirby (The Clockwork Three, 2010) as a strong emerging novelist.

Recommend this one to teens who crave a good mystery set in an icily different time and place. (Alternative historical mystery. 11-18)

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780545274241
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date: 10/1/2011
Pages: 336
Sales rank: 94,812
Age range: 8 - 12 Years
Lexile: 670L (what's this?)
Product dimensions: 5.70 (w) x 8.54 (h) x 1.12 (d)

Meet the Author

Matthew J. Kirby is the critically acclaimed author of the middle-grade novels, ICEFALL and THE CLOCKWORK THREE. He was born in Utah, and grew up in Maryland, California, and Hawaii. For ten months out of the year he works with students, and during the rest of the year he writes. He and his wife currently live in northern Utah. Visit his website at matthewjkirby.com.

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 3.5

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Anonymous

Posted January 10, 2012

Can someone give me a comparasion?

I loved The Clockwork Three because of the friendship bonds and how closely the three differences can be so closely related. But with this book Im just not convinced with all the feedback. Is this as good as his first The Clockwork Three? Is it as quaint or more adventurous? I want to make sure Im not waisting any money plus i want to have books that would want me want to read over and over again without it bacoming borring. Feedback please?
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Anonymous

Posted January 3, 2012

Ok

This book got very boring in the middle. As i restarted it the end has a very intersting twist! It made me hooked till the end
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Anonymous

Posted December 29, 2011

YAY!

I have read this before and think it's great! I'd suggest it to anyone!
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Anonymous

Posted November 20, 2011

This book was sad but inspiring. It was a bit confusing in some parts but in total, i thinkk it was an amazing book.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted November 14, 2011

Icefall

Very intreaging read.An influince of great friendship

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 12, 2011

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Posted January 14, 2012

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Posted November 11, 2011

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Overview

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

VOYA

School Library Journal

Kirkus Reviews

Product Details

Meet the Author

Rating Distribution

Can someone give me a comparasion?

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YAY!

Icefall