I was a little hesitant to pick this book up since it has a younger narrator than what I usually read, and there was some subject matter covered that also seemed a little too...intense for that age? The story worked it in so it makes sense in a lot of ways... but I guess it really proves anyone can do anything if they put their mind to it... kind of like other series where the apprentices accomplish amazing things before their master could or something... lots of wandering here.
To the amazon summary, "She'll do anything to break her sister out of prison--even get arrested on purpose.
When thirteen-year-old Valor is sent to jail, she couldn't be happier. Demidova's prison for criminal children is exactly where she wants to be. Valor's twin sister, Sasha, is serving a life sentence for stealing from the royal family, and Valor is going to help her escape . . . from the inside.
Never mind that no one has escaped the prison in centuries. Valor has a master plan and resources most people could only dream about. But she didn't count on having to outsmart both the guards and her fellow prisoners. If Valor's plan is to succeed, she'll need to make some unlikely allies. And if the plan fails, she and Sasha could end up with fates worse than prison.
This exciting middle-grade debut effortlessly melds an unforgettable protagonist, a breathless plot, and stunning world-building--and is impossible to put down.
"Prisoner of Ice and Snow is an exciting, fast-paced story, full of twists and turns. Valor is an engaging heroine who never loses courage, even when everything goes wrong. I was captivated from the first word to the last. This is a story readers will love again and again!" --Jennifer A. Nielsen, New York Timesbestselling author of The False Prince
"Action-packed and full of heart, Prisoner of Ice and Snow is a riveting tale of betrayal, intrigue, and the love between two sisters. Valor's determination and the risks she takes to save her beloved twin will have you rooting for her from the very first page." --Aimée Carter, author of Simon Thorn and the Wolf's Den" AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE
Sasha, Valor's twin sister, has been put into a very high security prison for criminal children for stealing an old music box from the queen of Demidova (well really the palace of Demidova, semantics). There's a ton of historical/cultural significance to the music box and it was supposed to be given to another country to cement the peace, but it went missing. Valor is determined to get Sasha out, and is pretty sure Sasha is innocent, but doesn't have concrete proof.
To get into the prison, Valor has to commit a crime. Soooo.... she shoots an arrow at the prince. She misses, but after a mild chase, she's carted off to Tyur'ma where Warden Kirov presides, and more importantly, where Sasha is kept.
So that's enough summary because this is a 'try to escape the prison and clear Sasha's name' story so anything more would significantly feel like spoilers.
A few takeaways; the prison seemed crazy intense maximum security for only containing children...and there were a LOT of children prisoners, which is concerning in of itself. The world building is pretty gripping but I wish more time had been spent on the Queendom and how everything is run, more on the culture, etc. I get the world is snow/ice etc, but like... I want more about the actual people and why they live in the snow and ice.
I really liked the spirit of Valor's character, but at times she came across as a kind of thick-headed clever person. It was mostly adorable but still kind of eh at times. I did enjoy the sprinkles of humor throughout the book, because otherwise it was kind of a darker read. The tone was kind of ominous, and not like Scooby Doo, I hope we solve this mystery and you know they're going to solve the mystery because it's Scooby Doo, but more like legit, we might die here. It felt more authentic in that sense.... but again, the prison was so intense. WHY. THEY'RE CHILDREN. That's the main hiccup I have which prevents me from marking this as a recommended book. I did like the book overall, but I'm curious what's going to come next. I'm pretty sure there's going to be a sequel, I just don't know if it's a series.
Happy reading!
To get into the prison, Valor has to commit a crime. Soooo.... she shoots an arrow at the prince. She misses, but after a mild chase, she's carted off to Tyur'ma where Warden Kirov presides, and more importantly, where Sasha is kept.
So that's enough summary because this is a 'try to escape the prison and clear Sasha's name' story so anything more would significantly feel like spoilers.
A few takeaways; the prison seemed crazy intense maximum security for only containing children...and there were a LOT of children prisoners, which is concerning in of itself. The world building is pretty gripping but I wish more time had been spent on the Queendom and how everything is run, more on the culture, etc. I get the world is snow/ice etc, but like... I want more about the actual people and why they live in the snow and ice.
I really liked the spirit of Valor's character, but at times she came across as a kind of thick-headed clever person. It was mostly adorable but still kind of eh at times. I did enjoy the sprinkles of humor throughout the book, because otherwise it was kind of a darker read. The tone was kind of ominous, and not like Scooby Doo, I hope we solve this mystery and you know they're going to solve the mystery because it's Scooby Doo, but more like legit, we might die here. It felt more authentic in that sense.... but again, the prison was so intense. WHY. THEY'RE CHILDREN. That's the main hiccup I have which prevents me from marking this as a recommended book. I did like the book overall, but I'm curious what's going to come next. I'm pretty sure there's going to be a sequel, I just don't know if it's a series.
Happy reading!
