In ancient Scandinavia, where the Norse gods still rule and dragons hover with haugbui (the undead) just outside real experience, Solveig is the daughter of a king. Embroiled in war, Solveig’s father has sent her and her brother and sister to a hidden fortress packed in ice, where they plan to wait out the winter and hope for peace. As the middle child, who is neither beautiful nor a boy, Solveig has always felt ignored and useless, inferior to both her siblings and her father’s warriers. Packed in with soldiers and a few servants, Solveig doesn’t expect anything to be different in a new place. But under the stress of war and close quarters, true characters come to the surface. Now Solveig must decide whom she can trust and learn to harness her own strength—if any of them are to survive.
This is the wonderful premise of Matthew J. Kirby’s Icefall, which was released by Scholastic on October 1. Full of well-drawn characters and emotional pull, the story builds slowly and grows on you until you are right there in the frozen, claustrophobic fortress. Each person has their own motivations, feelings, and strengths. No one is idealized, and no one is simple. Kirby has done a masterful job of creating tension, intrigue, and action—even though the characters have limited space in which to move. Solveig especially is many-faceted and manages to be both relatable and awesome. Readers will enjoy exploring this world with her.
Icefall is highly recommended.
Cover art courtesy Scholastic Press.
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