The youngest girl in a family of nine children, she doesn’t even have a name and is called either Pika by most of the family or Lass by her favorite brother. However, when her brother’s actions lead to an Isbjørn to come to their home, she agrees to go away with him and spend a year and a day. But life in the ice palace is strange and the cost of unraveling the mysteries she finds might be high.
East of the Sun, West of the Moon is one of my favorite folk tales and has been since I came across it as the Mercer Mayer picture book version as a child. However, finding a good adaptation of it has been a challenge. This one wasn’t quite what I wanted, but it was better than many that I have read (Please don’t get me started about East or Ice; I have feelings). This was a fun light adaptation and perfect for tweens and teens just dipping their toes into YA.
There was a lot that I liked about this book. The slow build of the relationship between Lass and the Isbjørn is believable, and they do seem like good friends by the time that things go south, even if I wouldn’t immediately jump to them being in love. It was an interesting choice not to use a name for the main character and I’m not sure how I feel about that. In some ways it put a distance between me and the character that I’m not sure helped me get invested in the story, but on the other hand it helps make her willingness to leave her family far more believable. I didn’t feel as attached to her as a character as I wanted though. The addition of her brother Hans Peter and his backstory also added depth to the tale. The second half of the book moved a lot faster than the first and felt a little rushed at times, and the ending, while satisfying, felt brief.
Overall, Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow was well written and enjoyable, but it didn’t have that spark to it that really made it stand out for me. This was a fun little read, but I wanted something with a little more umph to it. Three out of five stars.
Bingo – Favorite