Review: Across the Bridge of Ice by Ruth Fox
I had requested this ebook from NetGalley because the cover intrigued me. I mean, you have to admit that this cover is absolutely stunning.
Going into this, I really didn't know much. The synopsis given on NetGalley didn't really tell me much, but still interested me enough to want to pick this up. Maybe because the cover reminds me of Frozen.
I did, however, know that this is the first book in a trilogy, The Bridges Trilogy. The interesting thing is that you don't exactly need to read the first book, The City of Silver Light, in order to read this one.
However, I, personally, would recommend that you do so. Especially if you want to have a better grasp on the world and the history of the characters.
Publication Date: January 31, 2015
Synopsis:
Keira Leichman was injured in a snowstorm (that happened in the first book), and she's been having strange dreams ever since. But when she finds a telescope that brings her into the world of Shar, she suddenly finds herself stranded there, along with her best friend's little brother, Daniel. Desperate to get home, Keira and Daniel discover that Shar isn't what it seems, and that a dangerous balance is in their hands.
Thoughts:
NetGalley has this categorized as Teens & YA, but I find that Across the Bridge of Ice leans more toward the Middle Grade genre. The writing style and characterization don't have the same feeling as they would in a YA novel, but they share more characteristics with Middle Grade books.
I found the plot to be quite easy to follow, but it was a little too simplistic for my taste. There wasn't very much action, though I had expected that, seeing as it is a fairly short book. It does a good job of world-building, despite the length of the book, and provides you with enough history and information to keep you from getting confused. However, there are some small aspects that aren't explained here, that I suspect were explained in the first book.
I also found certain aspects of the book to be quite predictable. It could be that Middle Grade doesn't really tend to surprise me much, or I was just able to figure out the twists before they happened. But I do think that younger readers would find the plot quite enjoyable.
The ending left me satisfied, which was nice. But I didn't feel the necessary need to continue with the third book. While Across the Bridge of Ice was a good book, and I will be reading The City of Silver Light, I don't think I will be completing the trilogy when the last book comes out.
Characters:
Keira was likeable enough, though I do find her slightly immature for a 15-year-old. She has a love of soccer and seems to excel in it, along with maintaining good grades. Her personal/love life though, appears to be more muddled. Things are changing as she grows up and like any other teenager, she doesn't really know what to do about it, or how she feels about it.
Daniel was a really nice character to have around, but I wish we saw more of him. I felt like he would only appear whenever Keira was confused or when information needed to be explained. I'm quite interested to see what role he plays in the first book though.
Overall:
I'd give this a 3.5 stars, simply because I enjoyed it as a decent, entertaining read. Like I had said before, I found the characters to be slightly immature, and thus the plot wasn't as great as it could have been.
**I would recommend this to readers aged 13+, but it should be taken into account that the main character does drop the f-bomb once.
Acknowledgement:
A big thank you to NetGalley and Hague Publishing for sending me a copy of this book and allowing me to read it in advance. Also, an additional thank you to Hague Publishing for sending me an ebook copy of The City of Silver Lights as well.
