Icefall
Matthew J. Kirby
Published February 1, 2013
Paperback, 321 pages
0545274257
9780545274258
Synopsis:
Trapped in a hidden fortress tucked between towering mountains and a
frozen sea, princess 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. Those charged with protecting the king’s children are all
suspect, and the siblings must choose their allies wisely. But who can be
trusted so far from their father’s watchful eye? Can Solveig and her siblings
survive the long winter months and expose the murderer before he succeeds in
destroying a kingdom?
Quick and Dirty: This story is
for anyone who loves tales of Vikings and the lore that goes with them. It’s a
story of finding one’s self, danger, betrayal, and courage.
Opening Sentence: The fjord is
freezing over.
The Review:
This story is about a Viking princess named
Solveig who does not believe she has anything that makes her special and how
she finds herself. Solveig’s older sister Asa, is very beautiful and Solveig
cannot compare to her beauty and their younger brother Harald, is strong and
brave. When the three of them are sent to a hidden fortress to protect them
from Gunnlaug, a man who would do anything to marry Asa, and steal their father’s
land. Solveig learns she can be more than she thought. Unfortunately someone
that was sent to protect them is a traitor and Solveig has to help keep
everyone safe and happy.
I had a hard time starting this book. The
beginning of the story was very slow and did not really hold my attention. As the
book progressed it started to pick up and by the end of the book I could not
put it down. It was so intense and fast paced. Initially everyone was just
settling into their roles in the book and there was not so much to tell, but
once they realized that there was a traitor among them the tension built up. At
the end when they are confronted by the enemy so much is happening and you are
hoping that the good guys win that it gets exciting. I really enjoyed that this
book used words the Vikings would have used instead of using standard English.
I also liked the Norse folklore that is told throughout the story. It gave the
story history without overwhelming a person or being boring.
Solveig was my favorite character. I liked
how the author, Matthew J. Kirby had her change over time. In the beginning she
was a timid girl who did not think she was could ever be like her siblings.
Then as the story continues she starts to learn about herself. She learns that
she is a wonderful skald, the Viking title for a great storyteller. She also
realizes she is braver than she ever thought possible. From the beginning Solveig
wasn’t like other princesses who only thought of themselves and thought all
work was for servants. Instead she helped do the chores and was a very good
friend to the workers. She is also very loyal. Once she made a friend she would
do anything for them. The last thing I liked about her was that she was so kind
hearted. When people got hurt she cried for them and told them stories to make
them feel better.
My second favorite character was Hake the berserker who was sent to
protect Solveig and her siblings. For those of you who do not know what a
berserker is, a berserker is a warrior unlike any other. They are the toughest
and strongest and if you get them mad they literally go berserk and destroy
anyone and anything in their path. I liked Hake because he came off as this big
gruff man with no feels when in reality he was the sweetest guy. Solveig had
grown attached to a goat before Hake and his berserkers arrived. Hake killed
the goat not knowing it was Solveig’s friend. He felt so guilty for what he had
done he gives Solveig a wounded Raven to apologize for what he had done. When
the enemy appears Hake is willing to give up his life for Solveig who he had
come to love.
There are secondary characters that played roles in the book such as
Solveig’s siblings. Asa, was your typical princess. She would not help with
chores and mopped around the fortress most of the time. She barely talked to
her own sister and it turns out she had a secret but to learn Asa’s secret you
will have to read the book. Harald, Solveig’s little brother was a sweetheart.
He idolizes Hake and wants to be a big strong warrior right now. When anyone
calls him little he gets upset and tells him he is not little. He is your
typical little boy so full of energy and always curious about everything.
Besides these two, there are the servants. There are five servants that play
their parts in this book. There is Bera, the cook and her son Raudi. Without
these two everything would fall apart around the fortress. The next servant is
Ole, he is a thrall which means slave. He helps Solveig and the others by
catching fish. He also tries to save Solveig from the enemy when they show up.
Thirdly, there is Per a warrior who is in love with Asa and is very close
friends with Solveig. Lastly there is Alric, who is also a skald and is the one
who helps Solveig find her calling. Without him she would never have figured
out who she wanted to be.
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