Author: Stuart Hill
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, War
Publisher: Chicken House
Pages: 494
When her father dies in battle, 14-year-old Thirrin becomes Queen of the Icemark. Not only must she win the respect of her people, but also raise an army to protect them from the most formidable threat of invasion her nation has ever known - and do so before the end of the winter snows. (More from Goodreads)
The Cry of the Icemark is perhaps one of the most unknown books in my bookshelves. It is also one of the books that took me the longest time to finish (apart from OSC's Pathfinder probably, which is still in the pipes) and while that speaks volumes, it is a surprisingly good book- if you can get through certain elements. The Icemark Chronicles is a completed trilogy.
Setting & Characters
Primarily set in Icemark, a fictional (and possibly perpetually cold) kingdom, Icemark is most definitely analogous to a more noble viking kingdom, minus the pointles pillaging and plundering. Here we are introduced to Thirrin Freer Strong-in-the-Arm Lindenshield, the thirteen-year-old sole heir of the Icemark kingdom. Early in the story her father died successfully protecting the kingdom from an advanced invading army with overwhelming numbers, leaving Thirrin as the new ruler to defend her lands from an inevitable invasion attempt.
Thirrin is a headstrong character with an unrivalled ego and unmatched physical strength. The water to her flame is Oskan Witch's Son, most definitely not Thirrin's match in physical strength but with his own unique abilities. This story mainly revolves around these two characters (well, mostly Thirrin) and their journey to save Icemark from the massive invading Polypontian army. To do so, Thirrin must rise above and beyond her throne and age, and perform amazing feats no one ever dared to imagine.
The young ruler is the most headstrong character I have ever read about- commendable, but bordering on annoying. She demands respect, and usually gets it because she appears to be the most fearless leader anyone has ever known and fulfills her end of the bargain. She has been groomed to be a suitable leader for Icemark all her life, and it is evident that the grooming was largely successful. Sure she has an ego thrice the size of her own kingdom, but it is undeniably very handy in most situations.
Oskan, as I said, is her opposite. He is constantly being described as a meek creature when compared to Thirrin's willful presence. Though docile, Oskan does surprise us by rising to the occasion to pack quite the punch- but rarely literally.
I don't see why I should describe Thirrin's father, Redrought, as he leaves the story too early, but he is the sort of valiant leader you can't help but love. Fierce and cuddly (like many other characters to come in the book), I almost cried when he died. It doesn't count as a spoiler, I suppose, because it literally is the first line in the book's blurb- and is the means of propelling Thirrin' story forward. I did happen to come across a prequel of the Icemark Chronicles once that may have been his back story and would definitely pick that up the next time I see it.
The cast of characters are varied and plentiful, though none are anywhere near as important as Thirrin and Oskan for story progression. There are people, beasts and creatures of fantasy, who are all entertaining in their own way. The book is like a mish-mash of several very different elements in fantasy and historical writing: Roman empire, Viking army, Amazon warriors, witches, werewolves, vampires, ghosts, talking snow leopards and trees that can move. I can't even begin to describe the cast of characters- but I feel it is not necessary as the story centers around Thirrin, and it is her character that you will have to bear to get through the entirety of the book. Most of the time, this should not present as a problem. Thirrin is, to put it eloquently, a bad-ass.
Writing Style & Story Progression
Now comes the perplexing part of this review.
The exposition is maybe a tad overpowering, but that is not something I usually mind from these kinds of books, because the landscapes described are breath-taking. There is humour, yes, and also action, be it in one-to-one combat or describing masses of armies pitted against each other. You have all the ingredients to make Reb a happy reader- beautiful fantastical landscapes, noble characters, lines to make one chuckle, actions scenes, fluffy-but-scary beasts... But somehow, in the midst of long addressing titles and the treaty negotiations, I became befuddled and my attention quite often wandered up, up and away from the pages.
I can't quite put my finger on where it went wrong.
Finishing each chapter became a bit of a chore. It was reminiscent of doing something you relatively love, but hate to initiate- in my case, dishwashing. Somewhere in the middle of the chore you end up feeling pleasantly delighted, but if anyone were to ask you to do it you would probably sigh, at least inwardly. That is this book.
Somewhere along my reading, I came to the conclusion that I found the writing too filled with exposition to the point that it becomes just that- a narration, and a long, tedious one at that. Hill's prose is rarely poetic, and although that serves its purpose a lot it was insufficient as most of the character dialogues and action are so factual and heavy. Despite the blurbs and other reviews, I didn't find myself compelled to finish the book; I was not thrust headlong into the action, and overall I just did not care much for the book.
But then.
Finally, in the last 100 pages or so, I felt it. I felt the need, the compulsion, to race though to the end. It was only then that I appreciated this book for what it was, and felt that it lived to the small amount of hype that it garnered.
I think the way the war has been written was fantastic. Perhaps military enthusiasts would shake their heads in disagreement, but a humble reader like me found it engaging- and I can't help but punch the air in joy quite a few times. It is a shame that it took me some 400 pages to see the book as a brilliant, polished gem!
Conclusion
This book gave me mixed feelings, but throughout my read there is always an undertone of pleasure. I loved the nobility and the tiny speckles of humor, Thirrin's struggles and relationships, and especially the last few chapters of the book. I even got attached to some of the other characters (snow leopards)! In the end, I can't help but think that this book is indeed a gem of its own and deserves more attention. Just don't expect much in the way of character development or plot twists.
Suitable for readers 12 years and up, with very mild elements of gore.
~My Rating~
4 out of 5 Snow Leopards!
★★★★☆
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