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soapy's review against another edition
3.0
i really enjoyed this book but at the same time a lot of it was like, HUH?
like sigrid was pretty clearly gonna be from an ancient time and i was like oh sweet supernatural thriller and then it’s science and i was thinking alright …. sure ………. plus the lack of decorum abt how insane that is was jarring
and then there were a couple whiplashy moments like w raj and nora being majorly gaslighty to val and then in the next moment being totally convinced they could thaw that baby out alive? also them unceremoniously dying was a bit much but im not emotionally ready to discuss that
the part that got me the most is that i definitely realized halfway thru that andy probably purposefully froze as some kind of arrogant test, and i thought that was interesting even guessing it ahead of time, but pairing it with wyatt needlessly killing him? huh? weren’t they bffs ?? he JUST brought him back to life from freezing to death and he kills him? and even if he truly wanted him dead, wouldn’t he want to keep him alive for the secret he clearly knows that he’s desperate to learn? it’s so confusing. the story still would’ve been a good thriller with wyatt not being aware of jeanne’s sabotage AND not being able to resuscitate andy a second time (maybe jeanne’s sabotage again?) but the book decides to be vaguely sympathetic to her despite five pages ago her absolutely not stuttering for a second to freeze a child and a woman to death ? HUh?!!!
i also feel like wyatt being some evil mastermind is kinda simple bc why is he so obsessed with helping people…….. there’s this pall cast over the mystery by blaming it on this rogue rage he apparently has that goes against the face of the character that was established, which is an uncouth but deeply logical and calm person?
im saying all this having given four stars bc i genuinely VIBED it was a great read and i loved the etymological mysteries and everything going on there but dang i wish i had someone to discuss it w lol. the writing is truly lovely and you can feel the heart put into the story. just a little hectic maybe?
still recommend nonetheless!
like sigrid was pretty clearly gonna be from an ancient time and i was like oh sweet supernatural thriller and then it’s science and i was thinking alright …. sure ………. plus the lack of decorum abt how insane that is was jarring
and then there were a couple whiplashy moments like w raj and nora being majorly gaslighty to val and then in the next moment being totally convinced they could thaw that baby out alive? also them unceremoniously dying was a bit much but im not emotionally ready to discuss that
the part that got me the most is that i definitely realized halfway thru that andy probably purposefully froze as some kind of arrogant test, and i thought that was interesting even guessing it ahead of time, but pairing it with wyatt needlessly killing him? huh? weren’t they bffs ?? he JUST brought him back to life from freezing to death and he kills him? and even if he truly wanted him dead, wouldn’t he want to keep him alive for the secret he clearly knows that he’s desperate to learn? it’s so confusing. the story still would’ve been a good thriller with wyatt not being aware of jeanne’s sabotage AND not being able to resuscitate andy a second time (maybe jeanne’s sabotage again?) but the book decides to be vaguely sympathetic to her despite five pages ago her absolutely not stuttering for a second to freeze a child and a woman to death ? HUh?!!!
i also feel like wyatt being some evil mastermind is kinda simple bc why is he so obsessed with helping people…….. there’s this pall cast over the mystery by blaming it on this rogue rage he apparently has that goes against the face of the character that was established, which is an uncouth but deeply logical and calm person?
im saying all this having given four stars bc i genuinely VIBED it was a great read and i loved the etymological mysteries and everything going on there but dang i wish i had someone to discuss it w lol. the writing is truly lovely and you can feel the heart put into the story. just a little hectic maybe?
still recommend nonetheless!
mcnallyswife's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
bookph1le's review against another edition
2.0
I guess I'd call this book a mystery/thriller with sci-fi elements.
To be honest, I don't really have strong feelings about it one way or another. It was okay. I think I would have preferred to see some things trimmed and others elaborated on more.
One general remark I have is I found it rather far-fetched that everyone but Raj goes along with Wyatt so willingly, and when Raj does stand up to him, he gives too much away. I kept wondering why none of these smart people figured out it would be better to be craftier when it comes to Wyatt. I guess Val does keep things from him, but the whole dynamic between her and Wyatt was exceedingly weird.
To be honest, I don't really have strong feelings about it one way or another. It was okay. I think I would have preferred to see some things trimmed and others elaborated on more.
Spoiler
I definitely would have liked a much clearer answer as to whether Wyatt and Jeanne killed Nora and Raj, though I suspect this is what did happen.One general remark I have is I found it rather far-fetched that everyone but Raj goes along with Wyatt so willingly, and when Raj does stand up to him, he gives too much away. I kept wondering why none of these smart people figured out it would be better to be craftier when it comes to Wyatt. I guess Val does keep things from him, but the whole dynamic between her and Wyatt was exceedingly weird.
Spoiler
I think I would also have liked to better understand why Val's dad blames Wyatt for Andy's death. I get that it was meant to come across as him just lashing out at the person who was there, but I think it would have served things had there been something at least a bit solid to reinforce the dad's suspicions, especially since it seems weird that he suspects Wyatt without having at least some shred of evidence.nizzzzzzzi's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
thepagelady's review against another edition
4.0
Val Chesterfield has spent her life building a successful career as a linguist learning dead languages. But she lives a very quiet and sheltered life. She has spent her life living in her twin brother Andy's shadow. But when she finds out that Andy is gone from suicide she doesn't believe he would have killed himself.
While still grieving for the lost of her brother Val receives a phone call from her brothers mentor Wyatt. He has made an amazing discovery and needs her expertise as a linguist. You see Wyatt has found a young girl frozen in the ice and by some miracle she is alive!
I really liked the relationship between Val and the little girl! Here Val thinks she is teaching the girl to speak but really the girl was teaching Val that it's ok to feel and express what you feel. The setting is a remote island off Greenland’s coast and just adds the creepy feel. The desolation, the freezing temperatures and the sound of the howling wind. The stories pace does seem drawn out in some places but not unnecessarily! A lot of the elements that make up the story are very different but I enjoyed the differences! Overall a very enjoyable read! Definitely one you'll want to curl up with a blanket and snuggle down for a nice freezing read!
While still grieving for the lost of her brother Val receives a phone call from her brothers mentor Wyatt. He has made an amazing discovery and needs her expertise as a linguist. You see Wyatt has found a young girl frozen in the ice and by some miracle she is alive!
I really liked the relationship between Val and the little girl! Here Val thinks she is teaching the girl to speak but really the girl was teaching Val that it's ok to feel and express what you feel. The setting is a remote island off Greenland’s coast and just adds the creepy feel. The desolation, the freezing temperatures and the sound of the howling wind. The stories pace does seem drawn out in some places but not unnecessarily! A lot of the elements that make up the story are very different but I enjoyed the differences! Overall a very enjoyable read! Definitely one you'll want to curl up with a blanket and snuggle down for a nice freezing read!
graciesmom's review against another edition
5.0
Powerful. Felt "cold" just reading it. Don't understand the lower ratings.
nebaker42's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
gabmc's review against another edition
3.0
This was a very interesting concept for a book .... Val studies languages, from ancient to modern and everything in between. Her twin brother Andy was a client scientist, following in the footsteps of their favourite father. Andy is studying at a remote climate station in Greenland when Val and their father receive a message that he has died. Val struggles with anxiety and the idea of actually going to Greenland to find out what happened terrifies her. However, a few months later, Wyatt, who was Andy's boss, contacts Val to ask for help. They have discovered a girl frozen in the ice - who has somehow thawed out alive - but they have no idea what language she is speaking. They need Val's expertise to uncover the language and try to find out what she had done to freeze and then thaw alive. Val reluctantly agrees to go and as soon as she gets there, she falls for the girl - but she tries all kinds of nordic languages and can't figure out what the girl is speaking. Meanwhile she is very suspicious about Wyatt and his colleague Jean who have different stories about the night Andy died. The remote setting definitely helped build the tension in the story.