How did I get the book?
Received from publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Genre: Dystopian
Synopsis: A post-apocalyptic literary epic in the tradition of The Handmaid’s Tale, Divergent and Cloud Atlas, and a breakout book in North America for a writer of rare and unconventional talent.
From Guardian First Book Award finalist Sandra Newman comes an ambitious and extraordinary novel of a future in which bands of children and teens survive on the detritus–physical and cultural–of a collapsed America. When her brother is struck down by Posies–a contagion that has killed everyone by their late teens for generations–fifteen-year-old Ice Cream Star pursues the rumour of a cure and sets out on a quest to save him, her tribe and what’s left of their future. Along the way she faces broken hearts and family tragedy, mortal danger and all-out war–and much growing up for the girl who may have led herself and everyone she loves to their doom.
200words (or less) review: I did not finish this book so I won’t be giving a recommendation at the end of my review. It’s important for me to point out that unlike other DNF reviews The Country of Ice Cream Star wasn’t a book I disliked, it’s the narration I struggled with.
The Country of Ice Cream Star has its own language. I’ve seen it described as a sort of Pigeon English. Sandra Newman doesn’t just use this for the dialogue but the entire book is narrated as such and that for me was the problem. I just couldn’t get my head around it.
There was enough to recognise that I most likely would have enjoyed this book in a different narration style. Ice Cream Star is feisty and brave, the story progresses quickly. There is a lot of information and world-building, also I thought their society was intriguing but it wasn’t enough to keep going.
I asked three friends to read the first page of the book. Two liked Sandra Newman’s approach and the third had the same feelings as me. So I think The Country of Ice Cream Star will divide people.
Luna's Little Library 