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The Ice Palace

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( 13,961 ratings, 1,931 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Ice Palace by Tarjei Vesaas explores a profound and eerie friendship between two girls, Siss and Unn, in a remote Norwegian village. When Unn mysteriously disappears into a stunning ice formation, Siss is left grappling with loss and the haunting beauty of nature. The novel delves into themes of isolation, emotional intensity, and the interplay between the human spirit and the natural world.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you are drawn to evocative writing and atmospheric storytelling in general fiction. The narrative intricately weaves themes of friendship, loss, and the mysterious beauty of nature, capturing emotions with a poetic yet profound simplicity.

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The Ice Palace

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A tale of intense friendship and almost overwhelming grief amongst the frozen fjords of rural Norway.

In winter, the black ice cracks like a gunshot across the lake, growing thicker and darker every night. Nearby, a frozen waterfall transforms into a fantastic, baroque structure with dripping buttresses, flying spurs of ice and translucent, sparkling towers. The schoolchildren call it the ice palace.

When eleven-year-old Unn arrives in the village, she avoids the other childrenβ€”she lives alone with her aunt and nurses a secret grief. But her boisterous classmate Siss refuses to be ignored and the two girls strike up an intense friendship. That is, until Unn decides to explore the Ice Palace on her own, squeezing deep into its beautiful but chilling inner chambers.

When Unn doesn't return home, Siss must struggle to cope with the loss of her friend, without succumbing to an ice palace of her own making.

Series: Penguin Modern Classics

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Ice Palace by Tarjei Vesaas is praised for its simplicity, subtlety, and strength, offering a unique and unforgettable experience. The narrative is noted for its urgency and relentless beauty, while its laconic sentences are compared to the cold and fantastic nature of ice. The atmosphere is described as magical, conveying a poetic essence that resonates deeply with readers. It's considered a haunting and poetic story, surprisingly not more renowned worldwide.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241321218

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 25 January 2018

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Translated by Elizabeth Rokkan

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 9.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 113g

Pages: 144

About the Author

Tarjei Vesaas (Author) Tarjei Vesaas died at the age of 72 in the same small village where he was born- Vinje in Telemark, an isolated mountainous district of southern Norway. He wrote more than 25 novels and was nominated 30 times for the Nobel Prize.

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