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Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow

by Jessica Day George (Goodreads Author)

3.96 of 5 stars 3.96 · rating details · 8,374 ratings · 1,254 reviews

Blessed—or cursed—with an ability to understand animals, the Lass (as she’s known to her family) has always been an oddball. And when an isbjorn (polar bear) seeks her out, and promises that her family will become rich if only the Lass will accompany him to his castle, she doesn’t hesitate. But the bear is not what he seems, nor is his castle, which is made of ice and inha...more

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published January 8th 2008 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

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Feb 21, 2008 Angie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: retellings, ya

In the fairy tale mood, I was looking for something to follow up Master of Shadows. Jessica Day George's Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow looked like just the ticket. A retelling of the East of the Sun, West of the Moon fairy tale, I was both excited and nervous. For various reasons I have a hard time getting into retellings of this fairy tale and, though I did enjoy Edith Pattou's East, I've been hoping ever since to find a version I liked better. And I found one. I first loved the cover. I like the...more In the fairy tale mood, I was looking for something to follow up Master of Shadows. Jessica Day George's Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow looked like just the ticket. A retelling of the East of the Sun, West of the Moon fairy tale, I was both excited and nervous. For various reasons I have a hard time getting into retellings of this fairy tale and, though I did enjoy Edith Pattou's East, I've been hoping ever since to find a version I liked better. And I found one. I first loved the cover. I like the profile shot. This girl looks like she's ready to take on the frozen tundra. The story follows a girl called "the lass." The last of nine children, she had the gall to be born a girl and, out of spite, her mother refuses to give her a name. The family refers to her as pika, or little girl. Her oldest brother Hans Peter is the one who calls her "the lass," and the two of them are the closest of all the siblings. The story follows the fairy tale pretty closely, but George manages to fit in some twists and new angles that I found very refreshing.

Many elements of this tale are a hard sell in a novel. The family who is willing to give their daughter up to a random snow bear. The girl who lets a stranger climb into bed with her every night and then falls in love with said snow bear enough to take on a troll queen to save his life. George's version of the tale addresses these issues to some extent. The girl is the unwanted ninth child (and a daughter) and therefore expendable. Particularly when the random snow bear offers wealth and opportunity in exchange for their daughter. The girl is lonely in the palace of ice where the walls smell of rotting meat and no one will answer her questions. After it becomes clear the stranger is not going to hurt her, his presence next to her at night is a comfort and a ward against loneliness. And when the lass decides to take on the troll queen, she is doing it not only for the enchanted bear, but the various servants who befriended her in the palace and then disappeared or died as a result of their kindness. I still struggle with the central relationship. It seems there's never enough of a connection for me. That said, the story desperately needed fleshing out and George rises to the challenge. Her deft touch with Norse traditions, language, and everyday life adds a welcome layer of warm reality to this icy tale.(less)

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Feb 21, 2008 Betsy rated it 4 of 5 stars

As I see it, there are two different ways to adapt a fairy tale into a full-length novel. You can either reinterpret the entire shebang with a whole new spin on the formerly familiar (ala A Curse Dark as Gold or The Magic Circle) or you can take the essential parts of the original tale and just fill them out with some depth and padding (ala Beauty). Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow falls squarely into the latter category. Now if I was a fairy tale snob I might get all huffy that Jessica Day George's b...more As I see it, there are two different ways to adapt a fairy tale into a full-length novel. You can either reinterpret the entire shebang with a whole new spin on the formerly familiar (ala A Curse Dark as Gold or The Magic Circle) or you can take the essential parts of the original tale and just fill them out with some depth and padding (ala Beauty). Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow falls squarely into the latter category. Now if I was a fairy tale snob I might get all huffy that Jessica Day George's book stays so close to the original fairy tale East of the Sun West of the Moon. And maybe I'd even have a reason to object, if it weren't for the fact that George's text is just so enjoyable to read. Basically it all comes down to a likable heroine, a great story, wonderful Norwegian touches, and a tale that will age beautifully as the years go by. When it comes to adapting a fairy tale into a full-length novel, George writes with a steady hand.

She never had a name, this small girl, the last born in her family. The daughter of a poor woodcutter, the child's mother is so disappointed to have yet another female mouth to feed that everyone refers to the girl as simply "the pika". Not having a name can be dangerous when you live in a land of trolls who'd like nothing better than to snatch you away. Fortunately, one day the pika frees a white reindeer trapped in the wood and it gives her two gifts as thanks: a name and the ability to understand the words of animals. The second gift seems great but turns against the lass when a huge white polar bear enters her home one night and demands that she come with him to his palace in the north. If she does so for just one year then her family will be rich and she will be free to go back. But what is it about this palace that seems so odd? What do the strange inscriptions say? Why do the servants disappear when she asks questions? And why, oh why, is there a strange man sleeping next to her in bed every night?

I think that more than almost any other fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon has always been one of my favorites. It's this bizarre amalgamation of a bunch of different stories. There's the man under a beastly spell like in Beauty and the Beast. There's the girl looking at his forbidden face at night like in the tale of Cupid and Psyche. And then there's the long journey as the girl encounters magical beings in a quest to regain the man she loves, as in The Snow Queen. Stories where girls go out and get a job done appeal to me, and George's heroine is likable while still making the requisite mistakes needed to keep the plot going.

What George does well is to take the original tale, stick with it practically to the letter, and then explain some of the moments that don't make as much sense out of context. For example, why would the troll princess love something as simple as a golden spindle or a golden carding comb? Well, trolls have an obsession with human objects and try to act as human as possible sometimes. That, in turn, reminded me of the polar bears in the book The Golden Compass, and so it goes. The pacing is also pretty good, though I was surprised that it took us to page 181 for the lass to betray the isbjorn (the other word for polar bear).

Of course, there aren't many moments of deep introspection in this novel. For example, when the heroine makes a deal with the isbjorn on the condition that her family become wealthy, he promptly forces another bear to kill itself so that her no good brother can find the corpse and become rich. You'd think the lass would think long and hard about the consequences of her choices, but I suppose she has other stuff on her mind. And for an all-powerful Troll Queen who inspires fear in her minions, the final showdown between her and the lass is accurate to the original tale but may strike some as vaguely anti-climactic when compared to contemporary fantasy face-offs.

I also would have liked it if a little more time had been spent examining the fact that no woman has ever stayed a whole year in the polar bear's frozen palace without somehow seeing his face at night. Clearly this original tale was one of those curiosity-killed-the-cat stories ala Pandora. I don't know that it's a fair criticism for a story to make these days, though. It would have been nice if George has spoken a little bit about how unfair it is to withhold the rules in a game and then blame a player for not following them to the letter. Ah well.

In terms of age appropriateness, there's no reason in the world that a fairy tale loving ten-year-old wouldn't enjoy Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow. Yes, part of the story involves a girl who keeps finding a man coming in and sleeping in her bed, but he's always full clothed and never so much as speaks to her. Really, this is just an adventure novel couched in a great old tale. The kind of thing everyone can enjoy, and many will.

For ages 10-17 (less)

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Jun 23, 2008 Julie rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone

The ability to tell a story with characters who have warmth, humor, and humanity to them is my greatest reason for loving Jessica Day George's work. Sun and Moon is a fabulous retelling of the fairytale: East of the Sun West of the Moon. The Nameless ninth daughter of a poor woodcutter saves a white deer and is given the gift of speaking to animals which leads her on an adventure where she's stuck living with a polar bear for a year and a day so her family can have wealth. Loved the book, love t...more

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Jun 26, 2009 Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars

I gave this book five stars after reading it a couple of years ago, but now I'm moving it down to four. I don't think it was as great as the other books I've given five stars, why is why I'm lowering its rating.

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow is a retelling of the Norwegian fairytale East of the Sun, West of the Moon. I had never been exposed to the story before, so I can't really compare the two - however, I did thoroughly enjoy this book. Jessica Day George keeps the plot moving without sacrificing...more

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Jun 24, 2010 jo mo rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairytale-folktale-myth-legend, fantasy, 2010, historic, reviews, 1-star, retelling

1.5/5

This version of East of the Sun & West of the Moon was pleasant to read. But that's it.

Pika, Lass or whatever you might call her, lacked substance, meaning she wasn't a fleshed out character. All of Jessica Day George's books seem to have this particular problem. The author draws a strict line between evil vs. good, so the reader makes no mistake as to categorize who's the hero & who's the villain.

Which is a shame.

There is more than just one side to a person than that! I'm disapp...more

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Feb 03, 2009 Deb rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, fantasy, teen, teen-clean-reads

Based on a Norse Myth, a young girl, whose mother neglected to give her a name, has an encounter with the White Deer and can now talk to animals. A White Bear, called an isbjorn asks her to come away with him for a year in exchange for making her family wealthy. She goes with him to an ice palace and learns that everyone there is under an enchantment woven by the troll queen, of whom they are all terrified. She doesn't quite make it the year and tries to undo the consequences of her disregard of...more

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Feb 14, 2010 WilowRaven added it

I have to say, it took me a few chapters to really get into this story. It very much has the feel of an old fairy tale. Our protagonist, un-named by her mother at birth, is called Lass by her affectionate older brother Hans Peter. They live together, with the rest of their large family, in the frozen north. On the day the great bear, an isbjorn, comes to take Lass away, the family's fate is sealed. Lass must spend a year and a day in the Ice Palace - full of fantastical creatures and a mystery n...more

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Apr 22, 2013 Koala rated it 1 of 5 stars

Having read a similar story before, I could roughly guess what the story was about but I was curious as to how this one would be different. And it was indeed different.

The story, for me, was very slow-paced and nothing much ever happened. After the first few days "the lass" spent wandering around the palace, it gets pretty repetitive. She gets curious, she asks one of the servants, they die. You would think that at some point she would realize that she should STOP asking or find other ways to fi...more Having read a similar story before, I could roughly guess what the story was about but I was curious as to how this one would be different. And it was indeed different.

The story, for me, was very slow-paced and nothing much ever happened. After the first few days "the lass" spent wandering around the palace, it gets pretty repetitive. She gets curious, she asks one of the servants, they die. You would think that at some point she would realize that she should STOP asking or find other ways to figure everything out. For all that she wanted to save them, her lack of control over her curiosity brought about their end.

Once she had understood the enchantment and set out for her rescue, I thought things would start picking up and she would meet interesting characters on her search. Aside from her first stop, the visit to the winds were nothing but a repetition once again: meet the wind, trick him into sending her off, reach destination, repeat. I am most glad that there were only 4 winds cause I feel like this would have gone on forever otherwise.

The ending was quite flat to me too. There was no big climax or intensity when the story resolved. But this could be because I've read a similar story before and knew the ending.

Honestly speaking, I lost all interest when I reached her journey with the winds. The only thing that kept me going was that I knew it was coming to an end very soon. I have read re-tellings of stories before and they were quite creative and different. So I doubt that I am highly biased from my knowledge of the story. Their conversations made much much more exciting than any of the conversations in this book. There was also very little character development. I barely felt any empathy with any of the characters and I usually feel connected with at least ONE character in any story I read.

Overall, I think this story could have been better written and made MUCH more exciting. The basic plot of the enchanted bear was already there after all. The only thing left to make the story more intriguing was to have more character development. Having them sit and share stories over dinner is fine, but merely including an excerpt of one such story for the reader could have been that little detail that would have kept the readers' interest.(less)

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Mar 25, 2013 Christine Rains rated it 5 of 5 stars

The youngest of nine children, the woodcutter's daughter never had a name. When she saves a magical white reindeer, she cannot think of a wish other than helping her eldest brother. Yet the reindeer cannot grant the wish she wants, and instead, whispers her a name. Over the next years, the lass develops the talent to talk to animals. Not long after, an unnatural white bear whisks her away to an ice palace in return for riches for her family. She gives her word to stay a year and a day. The lass...more

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Dec 24, 2012 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars

I am torn in my final opinion of this book. The first half was unquestionably fantastic, well-written, great character development, suspense, intrigue, etc etc etc. I couldn't put it down. However, maybe about halfway through, things fell apart a bit. The explorations of the ice castle got repetitive, and there were questions raised that didn't have an answer. (view spoiler)...more

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Dec 02, 2012 Shelf Talkers Anonymous rated it 5 of 5 stars

I’ve made it a habit to be a connoisseur of Beauty and the Beast stories. My favorite for many, many years had been Robin McKinley’s Rose Daughter, but in Jessica Day George’s Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow I may have found a new favorite.

Based on Nordic fairy tales, Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow tells the story of Lass, the youngest and unwanted daughter in her family. She has the gift of speech with animals, which on one winter night saves her life when she comes across a giant polar bear. He asks he...more I’ve made it a habit to be a connoisseur of Beauty and the Beast stories. My favorite for many, many years had been Robin McKinley’s Rose Daughter, but in Jessica Day George’s Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow I may have found a new favorite.

Based on Nordic fairy tales, Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow tells the story of Lass, the youngest and unwanted daughter in her family. She has the gift of speech with animals, which on one winter night saves her life when she comes across a giant polar bear. He asks her to come stay with him at his palace in exchange for wealth and prosperity for her family. And as the good daughter, Lass goes. At the palace she discovers other magical creatures, strange writings, and the wicked power of the troll who has ensnared them all. Every day Lass talks with her polar bear, and then every night a human stranger crawls into her bed and sleeps next to her. Slowly she strives to unravel the mystery of the palace and its inhabitants, but what she does not know is that her investigations may be the end of them all.

Even though she does not have a proper name, the main character is engaging and lovable. You are rooting for her from page one, you thrill and gasp with her as she uncovers the mystery, and you feel her struggle and anguish when it seems nothing will go right. In a land of ice and snow, Lass is a spark of fire.

The writing in this story is fantastic. Modeling her writing on traditional oral styles, reading this book is like having a bedtime story told to you. The cadence of the words and the flow of the story draw you in, keeping you on the end of your seat even while you’re lying in bed at night.

Also, the way George weaves fairy tales and myths together to form her own new story is brilliant. In this book you can find pieces of Nordic legends, Beauty and the Beast, even Greek mythology. Yet none of her story feels contrived or derivative. She takes the pieces of these old, loved tales and spins them in a new that uncovers what almost feels like an entirely new tale, but one that you’ve known in your heart since you were little.(less)

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Oct 17, 2012 audreyii_fic rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, i-want-6-hours-of-my-life-back, public-domain-fanfiction, young-adult

If I read one more young adult novel that features the hero physically overriding the heroine's will, I will set something on fire.

(view spoiler)...more

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Oct 02, 2012 Kristin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairy-tale, romance, ya

"East of the Sun, West of the Moon" is one of my favorite fairy tales. The concept of a prince enchanted as a polar bear who must find a woman who will live with him for one year without giving into her curiosity is an interesting premise (and one that speaks volumes to certain aspects of women). It echoes the stories of Echo & Psyche and even that of Beauty & the Beast.

Having read--and enjoyed--both Edith Pattou's East and Sarah Beth Durst's Ice, I was eager to read another interpretati...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Pei Pei rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, contemporary, international

This is like 2.5 stars, but I decided to be mean and knock it down 1/2 star for the sort of lame title. In a way, though, the banal title is revealing of the book's largest issue. It's an engaging enough read and not badly written, but it's pretty much just a straight-up retelling of the "east of the sun, west of the moon" fairy tale (I don't know if it has some other, more official name), which in turn shares a lot of similarities with the Eros and Psyche myth (which came first?). All the chara...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Bluerose's Heart rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: clean, fantasy, young-adult-12-and-up

When I read books, sometimes my imagination plays out as a cartoon and sometimes it's "real life". Do any of y'all read like that? Well, this book gave me the cartoon characters. I never decide what I'm going to imagine. It's just an automatic response based on the writing style. Neither one is necessarily a bad thing, by the way!

Overall, I liked this book. I enjoyed seeing the life that George breathed into the characters, and some of the little details that she added to the original. I simply...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Tami rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairy-folk-tales-fables, read-aloud-recommendation

Jessica Day George’s Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow has just taken its place among some of my favorite stories. It is a wonderful mix of folklore and fairytale, a retelling (and expansion) of an old Norse legend.

A ninth child–a daughter, much to her mother’s dismay–is born to a woodcutter and his wife. Frida, the mother, is so disgusted by having not just another mouth to feed, but a useless girl as well, declines to give the child a name. She is simply called “pika,” which means “youngest.”

In the t...more Jessica Day George’s Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow has just taken its place among some of my favorite stories. It is a wonderful mix of folklore and fairytale, a retelling (and expansion) of an old Norse legend.

A ninth child–a daughter, much to her mother’s dismay–is born to a woodcutter and his wife. Frida, the mother, is so disgusted by having not just another mouth to feed, but a useless girl as well, declines to give the child a name. She is simply called “pika,” which means “youngest.”

In the tradition of fairytales, Pika is good and kind and loved by her family–her father and her oldest brother Hans Peter in particular. She frees a white reindeer who has become trapped in brambles by his horns so that he may escape her brother Askeladden and other villagers trying to capture him, believing the animal can grant wishes. The reindeer is indeed a magical creature and, although he cannot grant her first wish, he does give her a name. And he kisses her with his black nose. Pika shares her experience and new name only with Hans Peter. She soon discovers that due to the reindeer’s kiss she can now understand animals’ speech and develops quite a reputation in the village. (This does nothing, however, to change her mother’s opinion of her.)

A huge polar bear appears at their cottage asking the Pika to accompany him to an Ice Palace where he needs her to live for a year, after which she may return home. In exchange for the safety and security of her family, and the promise her pet wolf Rollo may accompany her the Pika agrees–against Hans Peter’s strenuous objections. When the Pika arrives at the Ice Palace she encounters all manner of mysterious creatures and carvings and symbols. Her curiosity proves to be a catalyst for her entrance into the world of trolls (well-known magical, evil creatures in Norse folklore).

The Pika sets herself the task of undoing the many tortuous troll enchantments she now realizes have encompassed her life and the lives of those she loves. She comes face to face with both the troll Queen and the troll Princess, seeks to restore Hans Peter’s lost true love, discover her own and return to the loving embrace of her family.

A fairytale in novel form, the story bears none of the simpering, empty-headedness that is sometimes found in the main characters (particularly princes & princesses) of more well-known fairy tales. The Pika, Hans Peter, the trolls and other magical creatures, Rollo the Wolf, and Tova, her brother’s lost love have wonderfully developed characters that remain traditional yet possess their own strength and individuality. The lesser characters of her mother and father and other siblings, as well as the neighbor who gives her the wolf pup are also well-defined and add much to the story whenever they brush up against it.

This is a great read-aloud in a classroom as a magical adventure, or as a great example of Norse folklore–or folklore in general. It’s also an excellent and captivating independent read selection in the middle grades. It stays true to the traditional fairytale format without feeling like a cliche. I enjoyed immmensely the thrill of the adventure and the warmth of the story beginning to end!
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Mar 18, 2012 Shadowshock rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: not-terrible-but-meh

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I had picked up this title because I had read other books on the legend of "East of the Sun, West of the Moon", the one I remember the most titled "The Lady and the Lion" by Jacqueline K. Ogburn. I loved the story of how slowly the Lady fell in love with her monster and then spent SEVEN years getting him back. That was devotion.

This book was an OK read. It started out lovely enough, the description of the main female character and how her life started, the continual winter and the hardships, all...more I had picked up this title because I had read other books on the legend of "East of the Sun, West of the Moon", the one I remember the most titled "The Lady and the Lion" by Jacqueline K. Ogburn. I loved the story of how slowly the Lady fell in love with her monster and then spent SEVEN years getting him back. That was devotion.

This book was an OK read. It started out lovely enough, the description of the main female character and how her life started, the continual winter and the hardships, all this was drawing enough.

But after that it didn't seem to go anywhere. The bear came, the youngest daughter went with the bear and the daughter tried to find out what the enchantment was. In some ways, it almost felt like the author had much more description and action laid out but then had to reduce to to just the lines of "They spent several weeks having dinner together and talking about the various books she had read."

Because of this, I didn't really feel like I had time to learn about the enchanted bear's personality or get attached to him in any type of manner. He was just... there. So when he did get whisked away by the troll princess I felt no sadness in it. There seemed to be nothing of him to fallen in love with for the main character except that for the fact that he had been a constant presence in her life for the past year and she had cried on his shoulder (as a bear) a time or two). In fact it seemed like she was doing it more for her brother then she was doing it for her own enchanted bear.

So when they finally did meet back up in the troll princess's palace, all the sudden hugging, kissing and crying seemed... a bit out of place. What was there to suddenly kiss the man who we've hardly gotten to know about? In fact, I had no idea if he was brave, had a temper, disliked dancing... I knew nothing about him and so felt out of place when the main female character made such a deal about him. This more then anything else made the book a one-time read only for me.

And then, just as it seemed like it was starting again... the story ends.(less)

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Jan 09, 2012 Greenwind rated it 2 of 5 stars

at first i was excited to read this book, since the rating's quite high. This book actually have me enjoyed the first half part. but after Pika, the female main character, arrived at the ice palace i started to lose interest. Pika just bugs me so much. She's curious by nature and pestering everyone at the palace to answer her endless questions. I can understand that she cant help herself but wondering why she was brought to the palace, but even after she learns that the servants will die if they...more

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Dec 05, 2011 The Bibliophile rated it 3 of 5 stars

Having read Ice by Sarah Beth Durst first, I wasn't in the mood to read Sun and Moon,Ice and Snow (although the latter was published first) because I thought this was going to be the same story just with different names for the characters.

Lucky for me, I was wrong :)

This book is about 'the girl', the girl because she has no name.
She is the ninth child, fourth daughter of a poor woodcutter,unwanted by her mother as she has "no use for a daughter".

When Hans Peter her brother returns home from his...more

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Nov 06, 2011 Crystal rated it 5 of 5 stars

A young girl with no named but only to be called lass (which means girl). She was an unwanted child and has only an older brother and friends to care about her. Only getting treated coldly by her mother. Until one day she meets a dear who gives her a name, although she wanted to tell her brother it, he didn't want to hear about it just yet. Not so many days afterwards an enchanted polar bear comes to her home, begging her to allow him to take her to his palace. And surprisingly, after a long tim...more

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Jul 19, 2011 Ronmaes rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ever since I was a child, I have always been fond of fairy tales and as I grew up, I became more interested with retelling of these stories because it shows just how one story can become versatile in the hands of a very imaginative writer. I have read so many retellings that very few of them can interest me much, but Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow did.

I thought at first Lass, not given a name when she was born, was unfortunate not to have received love from her mother, but to make up for it, her fa...more

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Jun 19, 2011 Angela rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: retellings, female-pov, trolls, happily-ever-after, fantasy, romance

I have always loved the story of East of the Moon and West of the Sun. Because of that, I really wanted to read this book. Luckily for me, my expectations for this novel were exceeded.

5 Likes

1. Jessica Day George stayed true to the story, yet reimagined some of the details that made this story more amazing.

2. The polar bear, isbjorn, was a normal person. Unlike, East by Edith Pattou, the polar bear man was a guy who did not drive me nuts with his selfish desires.

3. The troll queen and princess...more

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May 30, 2011 Kathryn rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. nice easy read. Can even be read by children for a story book.I usually don't like the fantasy stories, but this one was very entertaining and kept a good pace that kept you reading to the end. Fairy talish story about a family that has many daughters that the mother thinks are worthless, because they can't provide an income for the growing needy family, and so doesn't even name the youngest daughter. German superstition says that if one doesn't have a name then the trolls can carry the child of...more nice easy read. Can even be read by children for a story book.I usually don't like the fantasy stories, but this one was very entertaining and kept a good pace that kept you reading to the end. Fairy talish story about a family that has many daughters that the mother thinks are worthless, because they can't provide an income for the growing needy family, and so doesn't even name the youngest daughter. German superstition says that if one doesn't have a name then the trolls can carry the child off and so the youngest daughter that they call Pika stays close to the house. When the oldest brother, Hans peter come back from sailing the seas a worn older man who isn't what he once was, he is sad and only carves animals out of wood teaching Pika the animals names from the lands he came from. Pika finds and helps the grand white deer escape from danger and is granted a wish. She wishes for her brother Hans to be happy. The white fur coat she wears which the deer sees is sewn with a troll curse and the deer can't break it. Instead Pika is given a name...she doesn't reveal it to anyone just yet. She also after this time can hear what the animals say. A polar bear or "isbjorn" comes and asks her to come live with him for a year in a palace. The mother wants her to go so the bear will grant them a wish. The family is made rich. Pika goes with the bear but her inquisitiveness endangers the other creatures serving in the palace. She finds the symbols that Hans taught her carved into pillars of the palace and knows that hans has been there before. She also discovers that a mysterious man sleeps beside her every night and she can't light a candle to see his face. All she is told is to wait her year and a day and all will be revealed, but she can't and this sets the talespin into action. the troll princess wins and the bear, isborn, human prince must now marry the troll princess. Pika won't give up and goes after him to where the sun and the moon meet. she gets help from the north, south, east and west winds and her friend the wolf, Rollo. She is able to trick the princess and get the prince out along with Hans Peter's lost love.(less)

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May 10, 2011 Leah Goodreau rated it 4 of 5 stars

I picked this book up on a whim, and my risk-taking was rewarded: this is a truly masterful retelling.

The lass, who for the better part of the book doesn’t have a name, is a interesting and compelling character. Her relationship with her brother, Hans-Peter, her pet wolf, and the polar bear really bring out the best of her character. If she’s at times a little brash and foolish - well, the emotions and motivations were so well played, I rarely found myself questioning her.

The book follows the pl...more

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Mar 17, 2011 Annika Paxman rated it 4 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved the uniqueness of this story! This beautifully written journey begins with a young girl whose mother refused to give her a name. Thus she is known as pika, (girl) or lass. Her eldest brother returns home from adventures a changed man, saddened. Lass wants to know why, but he will never say.

Lass lives in the far north and the winter will not cease its grip on the land. When she rescues the magical white reindeer, he offers her a gift of her own choosing. Her first choice he ca...more

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Mar 09, 2011 Laura Madsen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, favorites, 2011, fairytale-retelling

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow is a modern retelling of a Norwegian folk tale. It turns princess stories on their heads, because the resourceful girl rescues the prince in the end. The heroine is called simply “the lass,” because as the ninth child—an unwanted girl—she was never named. She encounters a magical white reindeer trapped in brambles; as a reward for setting him free, he gives her a name and the ability to speak with animals. Soon, an enormous isbjørn (“ice bear,” a polar bear) asks her t...more

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Feb 06, 2011 Rebecca rated it 5 of 5 stars

It keeps you guessing. This Beauty and the Beast retelling involves a snowy landscape besieged by trolls. The main character, who has no official name, is granted the ability to speak with animals by a mythical white stag. She is then taken away to live with a great white bear who has heard of her ability and hopes she can help break his curse. The book is divided up into several sections, one before she is taken by the bear, one where she lives with the bear, one for after she has accidentally...more

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Dec 30, 2010 Karissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book I have read by Jessica Day George. Overall I really enjoyed this book. This was a quick read, written in a classic fairy tale style.

The main character was never named by her mother, but her siblings called her pika. She has numerous brothers and sisters, and they all live on the brink of starvation in a small cottage. Two things happen to change pika's life forever. The first happens when she stumbles upon, and rescues, a white deer. The deer offers to grant her one wish,...more

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Dec 26, 2010 Realteenreviews rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Icebears

Shelves: dream-catchers-list

The Gist
In a frozen world constantly covered in snow a mother wanted a son, and when she got a daughter instead she refused to name her. The daughter grew up without a name and was known simply as the Lass. The only thing that the Lass wanted more than a name of her own was for her favorite brother, Hans Peter, to be happy. Ever since he came back from a long sea voyage he hasn’t been the same. So, for his sake, the Lass searches for the legendary white reindeer. Myth tells that anyone who catch...more The Gist
In a frozen world constantly covered in snow a mother wanted a son, and when she got a daughter instead she refused to name her. The daughter grew up without a name and was known simply as the Lass. The only thing that the Lass wanted more than a name of her own was for her favorite brother, Hans Peter, to be happy. Ever since he came back from a long sea voyage he hasn’t been the same. So, for his sake, the Lass searches for the legendary white reindeer. Myth tells that anyone who catches the white reindeer is granted one wish. And, lo and behold, the Lass finds the reindeer. Caught in brambles and helpless to get free. Instead of catching the deer she cuts him free of the brambles. In thanks, he gives her one wish. Immediatly she wishes for her brother to be happy. But the deer says, rather mysteriously, that her brother cannot be helped for he has been cursed by trolls. Horrified at the news that her favorite brother has been cursed, the Lass can’t even come up with something else to wish for. The deer, surprised at her selflessness, grants her two gifts. A name of her own, and the power to talk to animals. Days and weeks pass and word travels far and wide of her rare ability. Years past and the lass receives an interesting visitor. An ijbørn (pronounced ees-byurn), or ice bear, comes to the Lass’ home and insists that she come with him to live in a palace of ice for a year and one day. Fearing for her family, the Lass agrees to go with him, but when she gets there, she realizes that something isn’t right about the palace. The palace has hundreds of rooms, but half of them are filled with random items like wash-boards, or spinning wheels. A strange language in pictures is written on the walls, and no one she asks – the servants or the bear – will explain anything or answer any question. But the Lass is determined to find out the palace’s dark secrets, the mystery of the ice bear, and why she has to stay there for a year and a day. Why she has to leave her family and live in a palace of ice.

What We Think

Reviewed by Dream Catcher

This was the second book I read by Jessica Day George. I read it a while ago and recently decided that it was about time to hurry up and review it. I read this after reading her debut, Dragon Slippers. This one wasn’t as good, but still better than a lot of books I’ve read recently. One thing I wasn’t so crazy about was the fact that it was written in third person. Third person’s fine (though I prefer first person) but I think this author is better at writing first person. I felt more connected to the characters in Dragon Slippers than the ones in Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow. Whether it was because of first person versus third, or just better characters in Dragon Slippers, I’m not sure.

The plot was like nothing I’ve ever read. After finishing the book I found out that it was based on an old fairytale called East of the Sun and West of the Moon. I was surprised because I hadn’t heard of it. So naturally, I read the fairytale. I noticed the similarities between the two stories, but it wasn’t like Jessica Day George just copied over the story into a different notebook and published it. No. She added her own twists and made the story her own, which is the definition of a great fairytale retelling. So I wasn’t disappointed at all in that. It was actually an interesting surprise. And, even if you think fairytale retellings aren’t so creative, the fact that this one isn’t as well known as some other stories kind of makes up for it, right? Must have done some research to find that one, right? Maybe not, but I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. So, I guess that was my long, winded way to say I liked to plot.

It was kind of weird having a main character who didn’t have a first name. Especially in the third person. In first, it wouldn’t have been as noticeable because they’re always saying I instead of their own name (or lack of). But in the third person, most sentences had to include her name. So the words THE LASS came up a lot in the story. Did this bother me? Not really. It was basically the same as a person’s name after awhile. But that didn’t keep it from being weird. I think the book would have been better in first person, and I don’t think that’s just me being biased to the form I like best. I honestly think the writing quality would have been better if she had written in first person. Mostly because the Lass as a character would have seemed less stiff and more real. Also there was that little matter of her not have a name, which made everything a little weird. Yeah, now I’m basically just babbling. So I’ll move on.

Characters were pretty good. The Lass was stubborn and determined which always makes for a good, stong female character. But, she was also really clueless to the people around her and the dangerousness of the situation she was in. Sometimes I just wanted to yell at her to get some common sense. But usually she fixed the problems her cluelessness created for herself. So she was an average character. The icebear was probably my favorite. He was very mysterious (by choice…?) yet somehow stong and dependable. All and all a pretty good character. The Lass’ family was huge and had a bunch of icelandic names that I had a hard time remembering (but which really added to the icelandic atmosphere) because the characters themselves weren’t very memorable. Hans Peter was the Lass’ favorite brother so you learned more about him than the others. He was always so tired and sad. Again, he was a pretty good character but nothing completely amazing. That was what most of the characters were like. Okay, pretty good, but overall not very memorable.

Can’t really think of anything else to say…The book was good but not great. Not her best book, I can tell you that. Also, it’s a definite easy read for most teens, I think. Actually, I think it was written more for that tween age. You know that basically-out-of-the-older-kid-section-but-not-ready-for-most-teen-books age? Yeah, that’s what this book is. Basically. I felt like I needed to review it though, considering I’ve read and reviews all of her other books. And I still like this book now, even though I’m a teen. Yeah. Teen could enjoy it, too! Read if you liked Jessica Day George’s other books!

Real Teen Rating~ B : Read it, but there’s no rush.
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Dec 06, 2010 Kiera Beddes rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: eng-420, mythology, ya-lit

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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About Jessica Day George

Jessica Day George likes chocolate, knitting, books, travel, movies, dragons, horses, dogs, and her family. These are all things to keep in mind if you ever meet her. For instance, you could bring her chocolate to make the meeting go more smoothly. You could also talk about how adorable her children are, even if you have never seen them. You could discuss dog breeds (she has a Maltese named Pippin...more

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“Love you always, miss you always... running day and night, leaving the place of sun and moon, of ice and snow.

Never look back, never forget.” — 17 people liked it

“And the prince who had once been a bear pulled close the girl who had once had no name, and kissed her.” — 7 people liked it

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