Ice by Sarah Beth Durst

Book Summery: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. -goodreads.com

Book Review:

I had originally never intended to read this book until I read a rave review for Durst's Enchanted Ivy. Suddenly, I was intrigued, and craved to read both books by Durst. Furthermore, I got really excited when I got several good recommendations for Durst's Ice. As I read the beginning of Ice, I could see it came so highly recommended. It didn't take long before I became fully enveloped in the story. Dursts descriptions are just beautiful. I could vividly imagine impossible ice castles and graceful ice sculptures. I even began to fully believe the relationship between Cass and Bear. Then came the second part of the book. The enchanted story that I came to love suddenly came to a grinding halt and I found myself wading through the pages, hopelessly longing to return the world of Cass and Bear. While I can appreciate the unwavering dedication that Cass has for Bear, and the unyielding need she has to bring her family back together, I just didn't enjoy Cass' journey across the earth as much as I did the first half of the story. Overall, the second half detracted enough to bring down the rating from a 4 to a 3 out of 5 stars. I am glad I read Ice and still look forward to Enchanted Ivy. I recommend this book for those who enjoy a good fairy tale.

Favorite Quote:

"She was inside a rainbow. Chandeliers of a million shards of ice danced colors over the foyer. Ice frescoes covered the walls, swirling with sapphireand emerald reflections. Frozen ruby red roses wound up colmns. She had never seen anything so magnificiant." (p. 37-38)

Cover Art Commentary:

This cover is gorgeous. It gives the feeling of Arctic beauty, which sets the tone for the story.

Overall Rating: