I loved Ice Song. In an Unabashedly Bookish blog I posted a few weeks ago – All Hail The Genre Goddesses: Female Writers in Science Fiction – I highlighted this release and wrote this:
"Those looking for a powerful and provocative female voice in their fantasy reading fare should definitely pick up this stellar debut, which is set largely in the frozen wastelands of the Sigue. The story revolves around protagonist Sorykah Minuit, a rare human “Trader” who can switch sexual genders at will. After Sorykah’s twin infants are abducted by a reclusive madman who wants to use them for nightmarish scientific experiments, she sets off on a desperate quest to find her children and avenge them – and inadvertently begins a breathtaking journey of self-discovery. A deeply lyrical and sublimely haunting narrative powers this intriguing fusion of science fiction, fantasy and subtle social commentary."
We haven't really focused on a female SF/fantasy writer in a while – and, as per my blog, there are numerous talented women writers out there! – so, hey, it's high time that we give an exceptional female writer her time in the B&N forum spotlight!
I am a big fan of Ursula Le Guin, especially her early work. Kirsten Imani Kasai has that same poetic intensity and profundity... I can't recommend this novel enough!
Paul
lilithesque wroterobably one of the first little things that started to bug me was the men. All of them. There are these multi dimensional characters or are weird, interesting,and multi-faceted (including the landscapes) and then there are the men. Men are really shallow and uninteresting in this book. Even the protags male side is way underdeveloped and not particularly interesting. From this little detail bothering me, I just kept having a heck of a time reading this book. I actually didn't get to finish it (I got as far as Sorika sleeping by the dead body by the balloon and waking up and getting going) but I really tried.
Lily:
Exactly true about most of the male characters – but that in and of itself is a significant theme of the book! I think that if you had finished, you would've realized, "Yes, okay, I get it now...."
This was a powerful read for me. I'll bet that when – or if – you ever finish this book, you'll think so too. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Paul
melissas wrote:
I finally just got around to reading this book after seeing it on the Features list a couple of months ago. At first I felt the plot was too slow...the only thing keeping me interested was the author's ability to create a beautifully vivid landscape that I could easily envision.
I think the turning point for me was when Sorykah was attacked by the hunters, waking up as Soryk. Here I became worried for her safety, and finally felt more invested in her character. I was captivated by the way Sorykah handled herself in each crisis because at the beginning I didn't have much confidence in her success. Perhaps this was all part of Kasai's plan.
I have to agree with Lilithesque about the men. It seemed like all they thought about was sex, with the exception of the ones who were too deranged to think soundly. I do realize this is somewhat intentional, but it would have been a nice contrast to have one or two male characters who were a little more balanced. Take Elu, for instance, the man Sorykah seemed to care for the most. He almost never spoke, had sex with anything, and was an amazing baker (let's face it, men aren't the only ones with food-sex links). Why would this fierce woman even be attracted to him? Now, Chen was fairly well-rounded, but too easy to hate. The only man in this story with any redeeming qualities was Meertham, oddly enough. Which says a lot.
The genetic mutations and the societies originating from them were fascinating. We saw victims of prejudice in abundance; even Sorykah's reaction to meeting Rava showed some narrowmindedness. She impressed me by growing out of this, being able to look Radhe in the eye without the slightest grimace. I also loved that the somatics were frequently portrayed as more human than the humans.
Sorykah's abandonment of her fear and the cultivation of her new ability to see the beauty in her surroundings moves us to feel optimistic about humanity. I am happy that I trudged through the slow parts to enjoy the ending.
Melissa:
I never really considered any sequences to be slow – for me it was like reading poetry. I loved Kirsten's lyrical writing style and early on I realized that this as going to be a thinly veiled allegory about sexism, gender issues, prejudice, etc. Even the novel's title – Ice Song – deepened my sense of lyricism as I was reading...
It's been months since I read this but the story has still stuck in my head. And that's saying something when you consider all of the stuff I read! As a man, I thought the message was particularly powerful – I know more than a few women who have been sexually abused and I found the dramatically different way "society" treated the protagonist as a woman and then as a man to be completely hypocritical, unfair, and sickening. I enjoyed the message but it would've been cool to have some kind of wisdom or enlightenment at the book's end....
It will be REALLY interesting where Kirsten takes the sequel, Tattoo, due out in 2011!
Thanks for the thoughtful comments, Melissa! 
Paul
