The Girl and the Moon

Starred review from February 21, 2022
Lawrence continues to combine stunningly original worldbuilding and multifaceted characters in his third Book of Ice fantasy (after The Girl and the Mountain). The “ice-bound” world of Abeth has only a small habitable zone, the Corridor, at its equator, populated by the remote descendants of Earth, while the icy wilds surrounding it are weathered by tougher tribes. The title character, 16-year-old Yaz, has the blood of a vanished tribe, the Missing, which gives her the power to control the stars. A “wanderer from the ice,” she has finally made it to the Corridor, only to be threatened with execution. Things don’t ease up as Yaz learns more secrets about the Missing, which could impact the survival of all of Abeth. The prose, as always, is top-notch (“The green-landers merely had to stretch out an arm to take hold of the voice of some long-dead father’s father’s father, still strong and clear and perfectly preserved amid the marks left by the scratch of an inky feather”), and Lawrence resolves major plots while preserving the option of setting more stories in this complex, immersive world. With plenty of backstory to get readers up to speed, this will both satisfy devoted followers of the series and captivate newcomers. Agent: Ian Drury, Sheil Land Assoc.

May 13, 2022
Yaz and her companions are on trial for murder after making the treacherous journey from her iced-over home to the Sweet Mercy Convent in the green lands of the Corridor. Narrowly escaping death, Yaz, Quina, Thurin, Erris and novice nun Mali embark on an even more dangerous path to find more shiphearts in order to defeat the immortal Seus. Seus wants to destroy the moon, the only thing keeping the Corridor from icing over like the rest of Abeth. While evading Seus and his influential followers, Yaz and Quina train at Sweet Mercy, learning more about the Path and controlling their own powers. Thurin, Erris, and Mali journey to stop one of Seus' followers and to gain back an important box they will need to defeat Seus. In the third and final volume of The Book of the Ice series, Lawrence plays with time and reader expectations and offers a thrilling and hopeful denouement. Series newcomers will want to start with the first novel (The Girl and the Stars, 2020) but fans of the series will be rewarded for their loyalty and cheer for the satisfying conclusion.

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