I've picked this one up several times and it just didn't grab my attention. It feels a little derivative and I've read several that seem just like it.

This book was an exciting, adventurous read that I think would appeal to many middle grade kids. I continue to recommend it to readers.

Quite enjoyed this middle grade fantasy - tho it's middle grade in the same way Tamora Pierce is (which is to say the characters all acted mature and dealt with political and personal matters most teenagers would have issues dealing with capably).

Valor and Sasha's relationship drove this for me. The two of them clearly trusted each other and would do anything for the other. It put some of the other characters at a disadvantage I think.

Feliks and Katia, while obviously close friends of Valor's, did not rank the same. For Valor there was one goal - save her sister. Uncovering a deeper, treasonous plot, was just icing on the cake.

This could have been a decent stand alone if the fact the Princess Anastasia was so obvious and with so little believable motivation. I did trust that she meant neither Sasha nor Valor actual harm, but if they came to it while interfering with her plan...complications happen.

But if the book had ended there I would have been so unamused. As is there's a second book, dealing with the direct ending scene to this one that I'm eager to explore.

Middle grades are hit or miss for me, and Prisoner of Ice and Snow was a hit. The comparison marketing of Prison Break meets Frozen is hilariously misguided, but the book’s good. (Like, seriously, do kids, the target audience, give a shit about Prison Break?) Though a bit short to deliver the ideal level of feels, I read this book straight through in one sitting, and I have no regrets.


The basic plot of Prisoner of Ice and Snow is very Prison Break, though obviously the tone and duration is entirely different. Thirteen-year-old Valor gets herself arrested (by shooting an arrow at Prince Anatol) and sent to Tyur’ma, the prison for kids. Her sister Sasha was sent there for stealing a politically important music box, and Valor’s going to break her out. The plot leaves a wee bit to be desired, because everything goes really easy for our little baby teen escapees, but I didn’t really mind.

Valor has a ton of spirit, and the sisterly devotion is very sweet. There’s a really strong focus on powerful women in this book, actually. Like, this Russian-esque society (btw, the Frozen comparison is because it’s icy and snowy bc Russia—there’s no magic in this fantasy) is a queendom. Anatol actually CANNOT INHERIT THE THRONE. How awesome is that? You almost never see that, and yasss baby queens and hunters and political schemers, I love it.

The main missing thing here, aside from extra pages of plot and intricacy are the feelings. I like the whole cast quite a bit, but I was never particularly concerned for them, because the middle grade was a bit too fluffy for me to worry overly. There’s a burgeoning adorable middle grade ship, but it doesn’t ever quite get acknowledged, aside from one cute blushy scene. I’d just love to have seen that get a few pages of screen time.

Prisoner of Ice and Snow was a great two hours, and I’ll most definitely check out more Ruth Lauren. This is a fabulous debut.

In this middle grade fantasy, 13 year old Valor who is better at archery than most adults, gets herself arrested through an elaborate ruse so that she can be put in the same top security prison as her twin sister so she can break her sister out of that prison that no one has ever escaped from. Set in frigid Russia, the story has mystery, intrigue and politics all on a 13 year old level. I think middle grade children will enjoy this story.

I must have missed that the MC is 13 yr old in the beginning of the book, but that definitely makes more sense at the maturity of the story - not in terms of things happening in the book, but how it was written. It's not a lighthearted, quirky read. It's much more an atmospheric, dark read and I really enjoyed it. The Russia-like fantasy setting with the sisterhood and friendship made for such a great story. I really loved Valor and her determination to save her sister from a life in prison. Looking forward to the next book in the series. I highly recommend this to fans of fantasy even if you don't read middle grade. It's definitely on that fine line between MG and YA - bonus: no romance!

DNF @ 8%

There is absolutely nothing wrong about this book, except that it never held my attention. I started it a LONG time ago, like months ago, and have no interest in returning to this world. I'm attributing that more to the reading slump I was in when I gave it a try, so hopefully I'd be able to give it a second chance someday. I had liked the main character, Valor, and I would probably have liked the story. But as it stands, I have so many others I want to read instead.

Valor is willing to do anything for her twin sister, including staging an attempt on the prince's life so that she will be arrested and taken to the prison where Sasha is being held for a crime she didn't commit. Tale of quick wits, a prison break, with a feel of "Frozen" mixed in for good measure, it makes for a fun fantasy read.

This is one FIERCE Middle Grade book, and I am hopelessly in love with it.

I was intrigued by the cover more than anything else, and I’m so glad that I was because this is a gem of an MG book – perfect for adventure and fantasy loving readers of (in my opinion) all ages.

It’s not a rip-off of Frozen. I was really worried that it might be when I saw that it was being billed as “equal parts prison break and Frozen” but it’s definitely its own [uber original] thing. I’m actually kind of confused as to why this was even compared to Frozen in the first place. I mean, yes, it takes place in a world athat appears to be heavily dominated by winter, but other than that these two stories couldn’t be more different.

Valor is a BA heroine who doesn’t take crap from anybody. I loved Valor straight from the get-go. She’s strong and independent, and she basically does the right thing no matter what [or who] stands in her way. After all, this is a girl willing to get herself thrown into a maximum-security work camp/prison just to rescue her sister who has been wrongly convicted of a crime and given a life sentence. That’s pretty gutsy, and that’s really only the beginning. Valor does plenty of other crazy things in the name of justice. She’s basically the coolest vigilante ever.

Friendship and Sibling Bonds take center stage. It’s always refreshing to find an awesome series (especially a fantasy series) that isn’t too focused on romance. This is a very plot-driven book, and I loved that the relationships that really matter are between Valor and her sister and their new group of friends. They look out for each other no matter what, and I thought that the relationships were very well-written and believable.

The setting is freaking cool (and I don’t just mean that literally). Demidova is like a winter wonderland… until you end up at a forced labor camp where that winter wonderland can [and will] be used against you at every turn. The setting helps build up the suspense and turns this into a real breath-taking adventure. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see if they would escape.

Basically this story is a heist + prison break + friendship + mystery novel all rolled into one. It’s such a weird combination but it works like a charm. You will be biting your nails to see if they can beat the ticking clock and save themselves (and the kingdom) before it’s too late.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

The book starts with an assassination attempt on the prince and keeps going from there. Valor has been accused of trying to kill the prince but what she really did was fake the attempt in order to be thrown into the same prison as her sister, Sasha, who has been accused of stealing a very valuable music box which is the key to a treaty between their country and another. Once inside the prison though Valor finds that the intrigue goes deeper than she thought. Who can she trust and how can she prove her sister's innocence?

This was a fun read - lots of action. There is a bit of a set up for a sequel but the ending was satisfying.

I did enjoy this book. It definitely, as the promo says, had a "Frozen" feel to it. It also had a few surprised thrown in. It was interesting how devoted Valor was to her sister. I think that is what kept my attention the most.

in depth


I was hoping for a cute middle grade along the lines of a Russian-esque Brave. I loved the concept here: girl gets sent to kiddie prison to free her framed sister. There were just some pieces missing for me. It wasn't bad, by any means, but I found myself growing bored. Not just because it was MG, because I've enjoyed many MG fantasies. No, it was more that the plot dragged on in places, felt contrived or ridiculous in others. By the end, I was racing through it and the final twist wasn't either shocking or satisfying, because I'd just lost interest. It's cute, but insubstantial.

The worldbuilding has a few strong positives. First, it's matriarchal, which is pretty cool. The queen rules, the princess is the heir, and the council is made up of both men and women. That's about where the diversity stops, unfortunately. As far as I could tell, all of the cast members were white. Which was boring but also seemed unrealistic, especially in a capital city, especially in a prison where you'd expect some form of xenophobia to diversify the population of people sent there. Even in a setting influenced by Russian--or at least by Russian words. The similarities seemed to stop there.

The characters themselves were a little thin. Solid, but not spectacular. The main character, Valor, is a bit obnoxious, but made more endearing by her intense love for her sister, Sasha. I think her obnoxiousness wouldn't have bothered me if most of the adults weren't so unbelievably stupid. I guess you could write them off as underestimating their child charges, but they just seemed dense. Like giving a loaded crossbow to a prisoner because apparently none of the guards can shoot well enough to kill some wolves? I liked the side characters more than Valor, which is often my problem. I just wanted to know more about them.

Especially why Valor trusted them right off the bat. The thief kid, I could understand. She knew he was just a thief. But she also formed really close alliances with other prisoners and shared her secrets, but never once wondered what they were in for! This is supposed to be the maximum security version of juvie. Even though Valor only faked being an assassin, you'd think at least one or two of the children in there was actually guilty of something. That Valor would be unsure of trusting them. It would have been a nice extra layer, for her to see through their criminal veneer, or at least it would have been more realistic that some of them were actually dangerous. The usual scuffles and hierarchy you'd expect in a prison were absent.

The plot was straightforward enough, perhaps too much so. Valor was ever so resourceful, there were unexpected traitors and alliances, and the final reveal was interesting enough. I just really wanted a bit more twistiness. Or at least deeper characterization. This book worked on a surface level for me, and will be quickly forgotten. I can see many children enjoying the fast-paced plot and spunky characters, but I think it's eclipsed by more intricate MG fantasies like The Magisterium.


in a sentence

Prisoner of Ice and Snow is a fast-paced fantasy with a clever premise but, ultimately, a surface-level execution that leaves something to be desired.

Middle-grade can be pretty hit or miss with me. I still love reading them and I love that my kids and I can read the same books but sometimes they just aren’t made for adults. And that’s completely fine. I’m most definitely not the intended audience. And I shouldn’t be. Kids deserve books written for them. But it’s also nice to read books that don’t talk down to kids or aren’t too simplified or full of silly things only kids will find funny. It’s nice to read books aimed at younger kids that are also engaging and exciting and full of adventure that anyone will enjoy. And Prisoner of Ice and Snow is one of those books.

It starts off right in the middle of the action with Valor trying to get caught by the royal guards so she can be taken to the prison where her sister is being held for stealing from the royal family. The only way she can think to do this is to make it look like she’s trying to kill the prince. And with her hunting training, she has very good aim. She gets caught, like she wants, and ends up in prison near her sister where she plans to break both of them out. Now it isn’t that easy. There are a lot of bumps in the road on her way to her sister and then A LOT more on the way out that she hadn’t anticipated. But what makes this so great is that Valor has a plan and works at it. She keeps moving forward and won’t let anything stand in her way of getting to her sister. She’s such a great character because she’s strong and smart and brave but not stupid or reckless or fearless. There are plenty of times she admits she’s scared, mostly for her sister but also for failing her personal mission and not seeing her parents again. And she makes mistakes like regular kids would make. Like not realizing how difficult it would all be or not thinking much past just getting to her sister. She works through her mistakes and her fears but she also acknowledges them, which I think is especially great in a kids book because kids so often thing they’re the only ones who are afraid of something or who make mistakes. Seeing a character in a book go through those things, even in situations that they would never personally find themselves in, lets them know they aren’t alone with those emotions.

The other great thing about this book is the relationship between the sisters. Valor and Sasha are great together because they’re so different but they love each other so much. They also get to learn more about each other as their adventure progresses. All their lives they’ve been put into two different categories and raised for two different jobs, Valor for hunting and Sasha for politics. But as the sisters work together, they discover new talents and secrets about each other and they grow closer. And they grow stronger themselves. It’s great to see them growing and changing but also getting closer and seeing how much love there is in this whole family.

Another great thing about this book which may seem small but was actually very impressive for me was the way women are treated in this society. In the world that Valor and Sasha live in, women are in ALL of the leadership roles. Royalty is passed from mother to daughter, Valor’s mother is the lead hunter for the royal family, and the warden is a woman. That doesn’t mean that the women are all wonderful or kind or anything. Some of them are evil. Some of them are good. It’s just interesting to see a book that has women in all of its powerful positions and a society where the queens are valued more than the kings. And it wasn’t a fact that was thrown in your face. It just WAS. If that makes sense. And I loved it.

I think this is a book that lots of kids are going to love. It has a lot of adventure and action in it that kept the whole thing moving very quickly. And there was an added mystery in the story that I really wasn’t expecting. Of course, a lot of adults will probably find a few plot holes and solve the mystery pretty quickly, but even so, I found the entire book very interesting and fun. And I think kids will love the idea of the girls escaping from prison and solving the mystery. Plus, the book really is just a lot of fun!

Interview as part of blog tour:

Frozen meets Prison Break; that’s how Ruth Lauren pitched her debut novel. The pitch worked, and Prisoner of Ice and Snow was born.

Prisoner of Ice and Snow is the story of twin sisters — one who is unjustly incarcerated and the other who gets arrested on purpose. When 13-year-old Valor’s twin sister, Sasha, is serving a life sentence for stealing from the royal family, and Valor is going to help her escape . . . from the inside.

“I wasn’t consciously thinking of Frozen when I wrote it, but I’d seen Prison Break and I wondered what that sort of story would be like if it was about two young sisters instead,” Ruth told Cracking the Cover. “The Russian inspired fantasyland part of the idea came soon after as I thought about where I could place the sisters to make their escape even more challenging.”

Ruth wrote Prisoner of Ice and Snow because she wanted to have fun and write an adventure for girls about girls. “Books were my world when I was a child and I still love my old favorites in a different way to how I love books as an adult,” Ruth said. “That’s why I write for kids.”

Though Sasha and Valor are twins, they are very different. Valor came first. She’s an apprentice to her huntswoman mother, and because of that, she’s physically strong and adept with a bow and arrows.

“Her character built from her skills and her interest in being outdoors, reacting quickly to situations and therefore maybe not always thinking first — especially when it comes to saying the right thing,” Ruth said. “She’s fiercely loyal and determined but that sometimes prevents her from understanding other people’s points of view when she’s launching headlong into action.”

Sasha, on the other hand, tends to look at the bigger picture. “She’s a thinker and a strategist and a great foil for Valor’s more impulsive approach.” Ruth said.

Prisoner of Ice and Snow takes place in a matriarchal society — a deliberate choice for the author. “I wanted the sisters to inhabit a world where it would never occur to them that positions of power weren’t open or available to them,” she said. “They don’t have to struggle or overcome to gain those positions and they see women in every role I put in the book — from ruler to doctor to prison guard to hunter. Why did I plan that? Because it’s something every child should see reflected in books and in the real world.”

The setting in Prisoner of Ice and Snow is every bit as much a character as the characters themselves. Ruth wanted a cold, frozen world “where the elements themselves could cause problems for the characters and bleed through into every part of the planning Valor has to do to try to break her sister out of prison.”

The end of Prisoner of Ice and Snow leaves room for more story, and Ruth does in fact have one planned. The sequel, Seeker of the Crown, will be published by Bloomsbury in 2018.

3.75/5

Did you like Pixar's Brave and Merida, especially? Or the Anna and Elsa show aka Disney's Frozen? Well the stubbornness and archery angle of the first meets the impenetrable, enduring-even-the-depths-of-winter sister-bond of the second in Ruth Lauren's Prisoner of Ice and Snow. It's a fun, inviting story; Lauren mixes some great tropes into her writing and uses those tropes in fresh new ways. Prison Break-esque plotting and complex women are the norm for this fast-moving middle grade fantasy and are used to create an entertaining story and memorable characters.

The world is interesting and has potential; there's a vaguely Russian/Baltic feel to Valor's home country and surrounding states, but there's not much real worldbuilding done. The focus here is on Valor, her sister Sasha, and then their various allies and opponents. Though there is some atmosphere and tension to be found in the 280-odd pages, Prisoner of Ice and Snow is undeniably a more character-driven MG novel. The story is directly propelled by Valor and her refusal to give up on escape. She is the anchor of the story and it's easy to invest and care about her. A strong plot and better characters make up Ruth Lauren's debut more than worth a read.

I picked this book up namely because of the publisher. I like Bloomsbury's children's books, and the title and cover stood out to me. After reading the blurb, I had to know more, and couldn't wait to get started! I enjoyed this book, and the story is well written, but it didn't draw me in the way I had hoped. While I enjoyed rear bg this, it seemed to be missing that something that makes a book stand out. I would gladly return to this world if/when the next book comes out, but sadly I can't say this was one of my favorites.

Valor will do anything to save her sister from prison. Even if it means going to prison herself.

When Valor's sister, Sasha, is sent to prison for allegedly stealing a very important music box from the royal family, she makes an attempt on the prince's life so she will be sent to prison as well. Armed with memorized passages beneath the prison and a plan to get her sister and escape, she immerses herself into her incarceration within the children's prison. She soon makes friends but must learn who she can and cannot trust in this harsh new world.

I enjoyed this from start to finish. We are immediately caught up in Valor's reckless attempt to become a criminal so she will be sent to Tyur'ma, an all children's prison that no one has escaped in over 300 years. While there, she causes plenty of trouble for herself and others with her rash acts. She makes a few friends and a few enemies but she never strays from her goal of finding her sister and escaping.

Our main character is fiercely independent and determined, keeping family and friendship as the motivation for her endeavors. She is brave and loyal to a fault. I really enjoyed the close relationship between the sisters and how far Valor was willing to go to save her.

This is Prison Break for children but set in a terribly harsh environment and definitely worth the read!

This was a great book about sisterly love and adventure! The sister gets accused and thrown into jail and Valor decides that she has to get thrown in as well to get her out. I was amazed at how well it read and was excited to continue reading. This is a great book for someone looking for something a little different.

Adventure, fantasy and tons of girl power - this one grabbed me right off the bat. The beginning is well done and hooks in as Valor immediately dives into her 'crime' so she can be locked away. There's a lovely back and forth in her own mind as she cringes at her deed and shows that despite her warrior side, she's soft as a marshmallow.

Valor is a girl on a mission with tons of will-power, and the sisterly bond is heart-warming. The other characters dabble the pages, and open up the entire world. The 'bad guy' is really easy to dislike. . .perhaps a bit too much so. Although there was reasoning for the Princess's behavior, it wasn't as strong as it might have been. And her surrounding family's behavior tended to be simply harsh at times. Still, there's a classic bad versus good which keep the reader on the edge of the seat until the end.

The world comes to life in its descriptions. It's not a sweet place, but full of hardness. It was easy to picture Valor as she battled and survived her way through, although I did find myself skipping paragraphs every now especially at the beginning. Still, the cold chills, the danger tenses the muscles and surroundings thrown into an icy world which is hard to forget.

Summed up, this is a lovely fantasy tale for especially girls. Valor is a heroine to cheer for, and it's a world to get lost in, which guarantees tons of action and adventure.

we enjoyed this book! lots of fun fantasy elements, great world building, and loveable characters!