Icefall (review)

When war comes to her father's kingdom, young Solveig, along with her older sister and their little brother the crown prince, is sent to a mountain fortress for safekeeping. The stronghold is as isolated as it is impregnable: surrounded by snow-covered bluffs and a frozen sea, the place seems more like a prison than a home to Solveig, a feeling that is only heightened when the berserkers—her father's most elite and brutal warriors—are assigned to guard the siblings. As winter tightens its grip and the fortress walls seem to close about her, the only pleasure Solveig finds is serving as an apprentice to Alric, the royal skald, or storyteller, but when most of the castle residents fall ill and it becomes clear that there is a traitor in their midst, even that small joy is taken away. Finding her voice was one thing, but now Solveig must use her talents to ferret out the spy, convince an invading king of his own mortality, and lead her family to safety. Kirby masterfully interweaves the familiar aspects of Solveig's coming of age with a taut, compelling mystery and survival story that fans of both fantasy and historical fiction will find utterly appealing. The power of storytelling is apparent not only in the actual plot of the story but in its format as well, as a spattering of chapters have Solveig directly addressing her narration to other characters in the book, a technique that creates both an effective intimacy and, as their situation worsens, a palpable sadness. There's an arctic bite that permeates even the most mundane of scenes, making the ominous setting a character in its own right, while the inclusion of several Nordic myths complete the icy picture. Readers will be left thinking about this one long after the chill has left their bones.