Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Girl in Ice by Erica Ferencik Narrator: Vivienne Leheny
Published by Simon & Schuster Audio on March 1, 2022
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Length: 9 hours, 57 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Barnes & Noble, Apple
Valerie “Val” Chesterfield is a linguist trained in the most esoteric of disciplines: dead Nordic languages. Despite her successful career, she leads a sheltered life and languishes in the shadow of her twin brother Andy, an accomplished climate scientist stationed on a remote island off Greenland’s barren coast. But Andy is gone: a victim of suicide, having willfully ventured unprotected into 50 degree below zero weather. Val is inconsolable—and disbelieving. She suspects foul play.
When Wyatt, Andy’s fellow researcher in the Arctic, discovers a scientific impossibility—a young girl frozen in the ice who thaws out alive, speaking a language no one understands—Val is his first call. Will she travel to the frozen North and meet this girl, try to comprehend what she is so passionately trying to communicate? Under the auspices of helping Wyatt interpret the girl’s speech, Val musters every ounce of her courage and journeys to the Artic to solve the mystery of her brother’s death.
The moment she steps off the plane, her fear threatens to overwhelm her. The landscape is fierce, and Wyatt, brilliant but difficult, is an enigma. But the girl is special, and Val’s connection with her is profound. Only something is terribly wrong; the child is sick, maybe dying, and the key to saving her lies in discovering the truth about Wyatt’s research. Can his data be trusted? And does it have anything to do with how and why Val’s brother died? With time running out, Val embarks on an incredible frozen odyssey—led by the unlikeliest of guides—to rescue the new family she has found in the most unexpected of places.
I think I expected a scientific mystery with more research or science details. Girl in Ice has a much more emotional story. Val is grieving the death of her twin on an Artic research station. He was working with his professor and was studying climate change. Now the professor has found a girl in the ice and wants linguist Val to try to come and talk to her. I found this whole idea fascinating.
I was surprised by not liking the characters very much other than the girl. Val uses drugs and alcohol as a crutch for her anxiety about almost everything. The professor, Wyatt, is controlling and secretive. Jean, a widow, who fixes everything and cooks, is highly competent and devoted to Wyatt. Another couple is there studying the marine life just below the ice.
Val tries to get Wyatt and Jean to tell her what happened to Andy. I can see why as they are vague about it. Her anxiety meds disappear and also most of the alcohol. She is increasingly distrustful of Wyatt. She makes progress with the girl, Sigrid, and eventually wins her trust and they work together more. But Wyatt wants to know what Sigrid has eaten to make her survive the flash ice freeze and be able to be revived 700 years later. There are flash ice freezes happening all over the world with climate change.
I found the start of the story difficult because I didn’t like the people much and it didn’t take a scientific approach, more an emotional rambling of anxiety. But when Val and Sigrid connected and started working together a bit more, I found it exciting. When the distrust became high, I found it suspenseful and exciting to the satisfying end!
Narration:
I’ve listened to this narrator previously and enjoyed her voices. I really thought they felt authentic here. She connected me emotionally to the characters. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:
About Erica Ferencik
Erica Ferencik considers her MA in Creative Writing from Boston University just the beginning of her literary education. Her thirty-five years of writing—novels, short stories, essays, ghostwriting, ten years of standup and sketch comedy, as well as dozens of screenplays, and a brief filmmaking stint—was her boots-on-the-ground training. Her work has appeared in Salon and the Boston Globe, as well as on National Public Radio.
She says, “I was raised in the wilds of upstate New York during the era when—rightly or wrongly —you could take off after school to explore and no one worried, as long as you were home by dark. Now, I live in MetroWest Boston with my very tolerant husband and frankly enormous Maine Coon cat. I am in love with my family and friends, the startling beauty of the natural world, and the wonders that lay half hidden in everyday life.
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 22-COYER
Great review. The title pulled me in – I was thinking maybe a fantasy book, but based on the blurb, I also thought more sciency. I’m glad that you ended up liking it, despite the bumps.
yes it was an enjoyable listen but not quite realistic.
This sounds like such a strange story! But I am intrigued. I love the idea of someone frozen for so many years coming back to life.
I loved that too and the dead language.
A very fascinating premise. I’m glad you enjoyed it, nice review!
The science of it and the languages pulled me in and it was a good read.
I am super intrigued!!
It’s really interesting.
I always find it hard to really like a book when I don’t like any of the characters. But at least this one has a satisfying end!
yes it’s a very interesting story.
The premise of her brother’s death and the mystery of the girl found alive is certainly appealing, but too bad the people were the focal point for much of the story.
yes I thought the mystery and science stuff was all very interesting but the emotional dramas weren’t.
I have been seeing this book all over the place. It is hard to fully enjoy a book when you don’t care for many of the characters.
I enjoyed the book. Maybe the characters were a little “too” real in their flaws as some things seemed selfish or petty.
Too bad for the start of the story. I’m not sure about this one…
I think it’s well worth reading. Some things were different than I expected and I preferred the active parts to the internal inside the head dramas.
Glad to know despite the rough start you still enjoyed it.
yes I did really enjoy it. I just wanted the mystery and science and action and not so much emotional internal drama.