Betsy Tobin

I read Betsy Tobin's Bone House earlier this year and really didn't care for it. Luckily for me I decided to give her another chance - Ice Land was fantastic! Tobin's writing is clear with beautiful phrasing. The story alternates seamlessly between Freya (the Norse goddess of love,) and Fulla, a young woman struggling to find her place in a frightening and ever-changing world.

I loved the historical tidbits - especially the information about King Olaf of Norway - and the sprinkling of Norse mythology throughout was delicious! This is just the kind of book that makes me want to go back to the library and check out everything they have on the mythology and history of Iceland.

Ice Land is a superior piece of historical fiction, well-crafted and beautiful. There is something for everyone here: adventure, history, romance, mythology and ideology - all entwined in one novel. Definitely a winner!… (mere)