Hearts of Ice

July 1, 2019
Evangeline searches for her long-lost identical twin in a wintry fantasy world. Because 12-year-old Evangeline and her single mother are constantly on the move, she never has a chance to make friends. But wherever they go, an inexplicable snow and emptiness seem to follow the girl. When the word "Help" appears in a frosty message in her mirror from her unknown identical twin sister, Evangeline accidentally discovers that the reflecting glass is a passageway to a medieval-style village in the Winter Kingdom. Here, she meets talking animals, ice trolls, and other magical creatures and learns that her sister, Princess Desdemona, has vanished and that their father, King Vair, needs the twins together--but not alive--to achieve immortality. Passing as Desdemona, Evangeline undertakes a quest to find her sister before the king can find and kill them both. Although Rule employs many predictable fantasy tropes, the quick-paced story packs plenty of details and red herrings to keep middle-grade readers, particularly Frozen fans, guessing Evangeline's outcome. And while one of the animal creatures, an arana or spider-girl named Hortense, seems like an odd choice in a snowy setting, Hortense's backstory and interactions with Evangeline become an integral part of the plot. Most important, in the process of searching for her sister, Evangeline finds her own strengths and friendship at last. This blend of princess power, traditional fantasy, and bountiful snow is a win-win(ter) mix. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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September 27, 2019

Gr 3-7-A lonely girl gets sucked through the mirror and into an exciting and dangerous adventure in this Frozen-like tale of magic. Evangeline has spent her whole life feeling that something or someone is missing. For as long as she can remember, her mother has moved them from place to place, to the point where Evangeline can't even remember the name of her newest town. Then she wakes up on her birthday to find her window covered in frost that soon spreads to her mirror. A single message slowly appears in the frost: HELP. The message turns out to be from Evangeline's long-lost sister who lives in another world. Evangeline is pulled through the mirror and into the Winter Kingdom-a mysterious land of ice, talking animals, and unusual creatures. Danger presents itself immediately in the form of King Vair (who turns out to be her father) and his henchmen. To find her sister and escape her father's sinister plans to seek immortality, Evangeline must summon powers she never knew she had. Rule has created a rich, entertaining world full of whimsical characters and places that will thrill young readers. Evangeline is a brave, inspiring heroine whose dawning grasp of her own magical abilities proves just as invigorating for readers as for her. Discerning fantasy fans will appreciate the vivid descriptions of performing magic, such as the "minty feeling" in her blood that Evangeline experiences whenever she calls on her abilities. VERDICT A mix of classic fantasy tropes and just enough danger make this a perfect adventure for the elementary set. Recommended for purchase where fantasy and magical adventure tales are in demand.-Kristy Pasquariello, Westwood Public Library, MA

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