I really miss my days of reading KS3 fiction and writing resources for it for a big publishing house so it’s always lovely when I can return to books aimed at children. Prisoner of Ice and Snow by Ruth Lauren is a middle grade book and I would like to thank Faye Rogers for asking me to be part of the launch celebrations.

Prisoner of Ice and Snow was published by Bloomsbury Children’s Fiction on 7th September 2017 and is available for purchase here and on Amazon.

Prisoner of Ice and Snow

Valor is under arrest for the attempted murder of the crown prince. Her parents are outcasts from the royal court, her sister is banished for theft of a national treasure, and now Valor has been sentenced to life imprisonment at Demidova, a prison built from stone and ice.

But that’s exactly where she wants to be. For her sister was sent there too, and Valor embarks on an epic plan to break her out from the inside.

No one has escaped from Demidova in over three hundred years, and if Valor is to succeed she will need all of her strength, courage and love. If the plan fails, she faces a chilling fate worse than any prison …

An unforgettable story of sisterhood, valour and rebellion, Prisoner of Ice and Snow will fire you up and melt your heart all at once. Perfect for fans of Katherine Rundell, Piers Torday and Cathryn Constable.

My Review of Prisoner of Ice and Snow

With a peacekeeping musical box stolen from the palace, Valor wants to prove her sister Sacha is innocent of the crime.

Prisoner of Ice and Snow is a fantastic book for children aged around 8-11. Firstly, it is well written so that it models good writing for children. I loved the settings and the way in which Ruth Lauren portrays the cold and bleakness of the prison so magnificently,  to the extent that it almost made me shiver. However, it is the exciting plot, great characterisation and the meaningful themes that make Prisoner of Ice and Snow such a good read.

The story is fast paced and thrilling with plenty of peril facing Valor and the friends she makes along the way. Every time I thought there might be a resolution another really exciting event took place. Even the end of the book isn’t entirely resolved with the potential for further adventures and I’d love to read any follow up story.

The characters are wonderful, especially Valor. She is a fantastic role model for girls, even when she behaves somewhat recklessly because her motives for doing so are admirable. She’s brave, strong, loyal and an excellent shot with a bow and arrow. Prisoner of Ice and Snow has no simpering girl as its protagonist, but a skilled dynamic being in whom all children would find something to emulate.

I highly recommend Prisoner of Ice and Snow – to all readers, not just children!

About Ruth Lauren

Ruth Lauren lives in a Victorian house in the West Midlands in England with her partner and a lot of children and cats. She likes chocolate, walking in the woods, cheese, orchids, going to the movies, and reading as many books as she can. She’s been a teacher and worked in lots of different offices, but she likes writing best. Prisoner of Ice and Snow is her debut novel.

You can follow Ruth on Twitter, visit her website and find her on Instagram.

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