Prisoner of Ice and Snow

Prisoner of Ice and Snow
by Ruth Lauren

From the publisher:
"When Valor is arrested, she couldn’t be happier. Demidova’s prison for criminal children is exactly where she wants to be. Valor’s sister Sasha is already 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 in three hundred years. Valor has a plan and resources most 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 unlikely allies. And if the plan fails, she and Sasha could end up with fates worse than prison."

I really enjoyed this book, but had some concerns. The story is gripping from the first page. The main character, although somewhat likable, seems to make one stupid decision after another and drags people down with her when she fails. But the action is intense, the story interesting, and there was good world building. Everything moves along very quickly. I liked that it had closure with the possibility of more - kind of like Harry Potter in that way. I think middle school students will really like this first book in a new fantasy series, and that is who the book is written for.

Areas of concern:
* A lot of violence and abuse towards children in a prison. I found parts quite disturbing.
* A lack of good adults.

Suggested Ages:

Kirkus Reviews - Ages 8+

School Library Journal - Grades 4-7