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The Ice Age
'One of the most beautiful and brutal and brilliant portrayals of teenage girlhood I have ever read' Florence Welch, Florence +The Machine She's a young girl who's smart and worldly-wise, and thinks she knows what she wants. He's an older man -- old enough, in fact, to be her father. But he's not. As the pair drive aimlessly across middle America, they form an unlikely alliance -- but they both know it can't last for ever. 'Utterly compelling' The Times 'Fiercely unsentimental and intensely romantic' Guardian 'Both shocking and deeply felt' Daily Mirror 'Sympathetic, sassy and insightful' Financial Times
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
June 8, 2021
This is a strange and compelling read, that leaves a lot unsaid and through that gives you a lot to extract from its short length. It feels like you get to join the unnamed protagonist on her journey for a while, and you're thrown into the action just as suddenly as you're being led out again.
And the journey she's on is a wild one – the novel is told from the perspective of a bold teenage girl, who has been traveling with an older man named Gunther for the last couple of months. We don't know the reasons for that and we never find out, but the set-up is intriguing enough.
This novel is heavily dominated by a teenager's belief that life is there to be explored and the short sight that comes with living in the moment. They're on a road trip to nowhere in particular, after all. I loved her whole narrative voice, as it felt to relatable in the regards that I feel like at that age you're just too young to really put things into a bigger context. You tend to just react to the things happening around you, gaining the life experience you haven't had yet by sheer accident.
When I said that a teenage girl is traveling with an adult man, red flags might have started to wave in your head and their dynamic is indeed at the heart of this story. We only get to understand Gunter from the narrator's point of view, and while he in a way he represents stability to her, being her only companion after all, his actions and motivations remain largely a mystery to us. What we do know is that she's curious and interprets their closeness as attraction to him, while he struggles with just that as well.
The title stems from the moment when she hears about climate change and realises that an ice age is probably approaching planet Earth. In a way this becomes the underlying sentiment of this entire story, since her conclusion is that she's got to cling to the only place where she is guaranteed warmth and safety – Gunther.
And the journey she's on is a wild one – the novel is told from the perspective of a bold teenage girl, who has been traveling with an older man named Gunther for the last couple of months. We don't know the reasons for that and we never find out, but the set-up is intriguing enough.
This novel is heavily dominated by a teenager's belief that life is there to be explored and the short sight that comes with living in the moment. They're on a road trip to nowhere in particular, after all. I loved her whole narrative voice, as it felt to relatable in the regards that I feel like at that age you're just too young to really put things into a bigger context. You tend to just react to the things happening around you, gaining the life experience you haven't had yet by sheer accident.
When I said that a teenage girl is traveling with an adult man, red flags might have started to wave in your head and their dynamic is indeed at the heart of this story. We only get to understand Gunter from the narrator's point of view, and while he in a way he represents stability to her, being her only companion after all, his actions and motivations remain largely a mystery to us. What we do know is that she's curious and interprets their closeness as attraction to him, while he struggles with just that as well.
The title stems from the moment when she hears about climate change and realises that an ice age is probably approaching planet Earth. In a way this becomes the underlying sentiment of this entire story, since her conclusion is that she's got to cling to the only place where she is guaranteed warmth and safety – Gunther.
"There's no pride in spending an ice age by yourself. That was for Gunther and me. Huddling for warmth with Gunther. That's the only way to go. I think I pretty much do that anyway. I need him near when this ice age hits. Need to know where to find him. I'm not mad this time. Just wondering how he can stand the tension o this distance between us."As a reader it lets you figure out how lost this person essentially is and how she's representing all people who just need some sort of anchor in their lives. Our particular, rather unreliable narrator here is too young to know this yet, but as an outsider we can tell that her feistiness is actually hiding someone with a lack of security. It's a tender debut, which requires some attention to detail, but will reward you with an understanding of some complex matters in regards to the human condition.
February 22, 2013
This book kinda sucked. I picked it up as part of a book club and thought it sounded interesting. It was not even that. There is literally NO DETAIL OR DESCRIPTION ANYWHERE IN THIS BOOK. For example, one time the main character (no name) and her old driver friend, Gunther (who we have no real description of until maybe the very end of the book), stop at the Grand Canyon then leave. That's literally how they told it in the book, excluding the fact that she was high.
I was let down also by the ending. It just didn't leave you with that satisfied whole feeling that books usually do.
Also, Gunther, who Main Character is in love with, is just a huge jerk who apparently is German (?) and is totally mean and talks down to MC the entire freaking book and she just takes it! She just keeps loving him.
I did not get her vampire obsession. She states throughout the entire book multiple times that she believes Gunther to be a vampire and that he will probably bite her soon so they can start their eternal lives together. I can honesty say that this girl is clinically insane and depressed and psychotic and in need of professional care. I think she knows this herself.
All of Gunther's "friends" are just horrible. They're all mean and rude to MC and half of them tell her to go nail Gunther and the other half are claiming him for themselves. The guy isn't even that hot judging by the zero description.
The only physical descriptions were when the narrator was describing waitresses or Gunther's friends. Never really herself or Gunther. All we know about is that he's old and all we know about her is that lots of guys want to bang her and lots of girls think she's beautiful. Also she has brown hair.
This book had lots of nastiness in it. Lots of it. MC is raped in the butt (?) also she and Gunther do it like 10 times (it practically says that on the back of the book which ruined that part for me). Plus she makes out with various boys before losing her virginity but they all get her "tingly" which is gross for so many reasons.
All around I just ask that you put this book back on the shelf or take it off your to read list because it is so not worth it. Save yourself time and brain cells.
(Beginning to suspect that our Main Character had developed Stockholm Syndrome while traveling along with some weird old guy with a stupid name.)
I was let down also by the ending. It just didn't leave you with that satisfied whole feeling that books usually do.
Also, Gunther, who Main Character is in love with, is just a huge jerk who apparently is German (?) and is totally mean and talks down to MC the entire freaking book and she just takes it! She just keeps loving him.
I did not get her vampire obsession. She states throughout the entire book multiple times that she believes Gunther to be a vampire and that he will probably bite her soon so they can start their eternal lives together. I can honesty say that this girl is clinically insane and depressed and psychotic and in need of professional care. I think she knows this herself.
All of Gunther's "friends" are just horrible. They're all mean and rude to MC and half of them tell her to go nail Gunther and the other half are claiming him for themselves. The guy isn't even that hot judging by the zero description.
The only physical descriptions were when the narrator was describing waitresses or Gunther's friends. Never really herself or Gunther. All we know about is that he's old and all we know about her is that lots of guys want to bang her and lots of girls think she's beautiful. Also she has brown hair.
This book had lots of nastiness in it. Lots of it. MC is raped in the butt (?) also she and Gunther do it like 10 times (it practically says that on the back of the book which ruined that part for me). Plus she makes out with various boys before losing her virginity but they all get her "tingly" which is gross for so many reasons.
All around I just ask that you put this book back on the shelf or take it off your to read list because it is so not worth it. Save yourself time and brain cells.
(Beginning to suspect that our Main Character had developed Stockholm Syndrome while traveling along with some weird old guy with a stupid name.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2013
This book is intense. The prose is stunning, the main character's voice is powerful. It deals with some heavy stuff, which I found hard to read - it reads like a YA book but I can see why it's an adult book. Overall a compelling read, and I kept thinking about the characters days after I had finished. I definitely want to read more of this author.
May 6, 2010
Edgy, punkish.
I really enjoyed this book. It was crisp and edgy, perfect for the characters who traverse the United States in a rather haphazzard road trip.
The story is told from the point of view of a feisty 17yr old (goodness, I don't think we are ever told her name!), who hitches a ride with blonde, much older, Gunther. He seems to be travelling randomly across the country with occasional visits to old friends as his only destinations. Together they drive, eat, and sleep, day upon day - and as they do, so their relationship develops. The sexual tension is palpable at times but he is very aware of the age difference and does his best to repect her innocence. She, meanwhile, is drawn to Gunther and is determined to lose her innocence to make herself more appealing.
The novel is entierly character driven but the characters were fascinating and the pages kept turning. There were no chapters, which normally annoys me, yet seemed totally appropriate here.
A brilliant read for older teens (be warned: There are some rather blatant sex scenes) and adults.
I really enjoyed this book. It was crisp and edgy, perfect for the characters who traverse the United States in a rather haphazzard road trip.
The story is told from the point of view of a feisty 17yr old (goodness, I don't think we are ever told her name!), who hitches a ride with blonde, much older, Gunther. He seems to be travelling randomly across the country with occasional visits to old friends as his only destinations. Together they drive, eat, and sleep, day upon day - and as they do, so their relationship develops. The sexual tension is palpable at times but he is very aware of the age difference and does his best to repect her innocence. She, meanwhile, is drawn to Gunther and is determined to lose her innocence to make herself more appealing.
The novel is entierly character driven but the characters were fascinating and the pages kept turning. There were no chapters, which normally annoys me, yet seemed totally appropriate here.
A brilliant read for older teens (be warned: There are some rather blatant sex scenes) and adults.
May 21, 2010
Kirsten Reed’s debut, The Ice Age, is a short novel (little over 200 pages), an extended snapshot (if there can be such a thing!) of a period in its protagonist’s life – at one and the same time both satisfyingly complete and intriguingly incomplete.
Reed’s narrator is a seventeen-year-old girl (we never find out her name) who had not long been a hitch-hiker when she met Gunther, the older man with whom she now travels around the US, heading nowhere in particular. What might seem to an outside to be a man taking advantage of a naive young girl is not like that in reality – their relationship is a sort-of friendship, and, at the times it becomes more than that, she is the instigator.
But all is not as well as it seems. The book’s title refers to the idea that the Gulf Stream might slow, causing temperatures to drop abruptly; the girl has heard about this, and decides that she must stay near Gunther if that comes about – so there’s some desperation under the apparently confident exterior, as Gunther represents stability, to which the girl wants to cling. For his part, Gunther knows this can’t go on, and is trying to find some real stability for his companion, by taking her to stay with one of his friends – at least, that’s one way of interpreting it.
What’s particularly striking about The Ice Age is how completely our experience of the story is shaped by Reed’s presentation of the protagonist. We don’t learn about the girl’s past, or why she has taken to the road, which gives a sense that the novel occupies an eternal present. This is further emphasised by the cool, even tone of the girl’s narrative voice, which, to an extent, elides the passage of time (one’s aware, of course, that time is passing in the novel, but only dimly; what length of time that might be doesn’t really register) – giving the reader all the more of a jolt when events suddenly take a darker turn, because it happens so suddenly.
Reed also conveys the complexity of her protagonist very well. In some ways, the girl is highly perceptive and self-aware, recognising even the multiple aspects she presents to the world:
Yet, in other ways, she knows very little – for example, Gunther’s thoughts and motivations remain in large part a closed book to her (and she doesn’t necessarily realise that this is so). It’s this mixture of traits, and the narrative voice, that make the girl so convincing as a character – and that’s a large part of what makes The Ice Age such a fine debut.
Reed’s narrator is a seventeen-year-old girl (we never find out her name) who had not long been a hitch-hiker when she met Gunther, the older man with whom she now travels around the US, heading nowhere in particular. What might seem to an outside to be a man taking advantage of a naive young girl is not like that in reality – their relationship is a sort-of friendship, and, at the times it becomes more than that, she is the instigator.
But all is not as well as it seems. The book’s title refers to the idea that the Gulf Stream might slow, causing temperatures to drop abruptly; the girl has heard about this, and decides that she must stay near Gunther if that comes about – so there’s some desperation under the apparently confident exterior, as Gunther represents stability, to which the girl wants to cling. For his part, Gunther knows this can’t go on, and is trying to find some real stability for his companion, by taking her to stay with one of his friends – at least, that’s one way of interpreting it.
What’s particularly striking about The Ice Age is how completely our experience of the story is shaped by Reed’s presentation of the protagonist. We don’t learn about the girl’s past, or why she has taken to the road, which gives a sense that the novel occupies an eternal present. This is further emphasised by the cool, even tone of the girl’s narrative voice, which, to an extent, elides the passage of time (one’s aware, of course, that time is passing in the novel, but only dimly; what length of time that might be doesn’t really register) – giving the reader all the more of a jolt when events suddenly take a darker turn, because it happens so suddenly.
Reed also conveys the complexity of her protagonist very well. In some ways, the girl is highly perceptive and self-aware, recognising even the multiple aspects she presents to the world:
Gunther and I, an item…Gunther and I, just friends. Me, precocious slut, tempting Gunther to nail me. Me, repentant youngster trying like hell to learn some respect for my elder(s) again.(123)
Yet, in other ways, she knows very little – for example, Gunther’s thoughts and motivations remain in large part a closed book to her (and she doesn’t necessarily realise that this is so). It’s this mixture of traits, and the narrative voice, that make the girl so convincing as a character – and that’s a large part of what makes The Ice Age such a fine debut.
August 24, 2010
I really wanted to enjoy this. I did to a certain extent but there is only so much telling one can take. The entire novel was 'told' rather than 'shown'. Very interesting premise. The MC was quite intriguing, but not enough to hold my attention for more than ten pages at a time. This very short novel, which I could have read in one day took me two weeks to get through. Granted, it was very-well written, but just not my thing, in the end.
September 16, 2012
An intriguing book. I was caught up in finding out what happened next after the first few pages which is unusual for a novel where not a huge amount happens. Parts of the story (a love affair between a naive 17 yo and a much older man) made me uncomfortable but it had enough depth to steer clear of the tawdry. I think you could as easily hate it as love it.
October 1, 2012
The teenage narrator of The Ice Age is numb, full of disconnected observances. She describes everything from eating pancakes to getting high in the same understated, delicately modulated tone. The only thing she feels powerfully about is Gunther, the older man who picked her up on the road and with whom she’s been travelling for the last several months. Gunther loves her, too—for her beauty and her innocence—but knows their journey together must end. Soon. It’s just that he can’t quite let her go.
The two criss-cross America, ending up in nameless towns that are wearily alike. They aren’t exactly lost, but they don’t know where they’re going either. Watching a documentary about climate change, she learns that experts believe global warming will actually bring about an instant ice age. This idea runs underneath the story: if the two of them can remain together until the ice age strikes, they’d have each other for warmth, make their own life away from the world. They hold out as long as they can, but the world intervenes before the ice age arrives.
A tender, compelling work, The Ice Age is Kirsten Reed’s debut novel. Her authorial voice occasionally sneaks into the narrative with a word or an observation that’s uncharacteristic for such a lost teenager. It’s never intrusive, however, just enough to show how well Reed has controlled the voice of her narrator, kept always on simmer and never let to boil. The projections of a young woman onto the older man she believes can save her are realistic and subtly crafted, made poignant because we understand where her desperate yearning will lead.
The two criss-cross America, ending up in nameless towns that are wearily alike. They aren’t exactly lost, but they don’t know where they’re going either. Watching a documentary about climate change, she learns that experts believe global warming will actually bring about an instant ice age. This idea runs underneath the story: if the two of them can remain together until the ice age strikes, they’d have each other for warmth, make their own life away from the world. They hold out as long as they can, but the world intervenes before the ice age arrives.
A tender, compelling work, The Ice Age is Kirsten Reed’s debut novel. Her authorial voice occasionally sneaks into the narrative with a word or an observation that’s uncharacteristic for such a lost teenager. It’s never intrusive, however, just enough to show how well Reed has controlled the voice of her narrator, kept always on simmer and never let to boil. The projections of a young woman onto the older man she believes can save her are realistic and subtly crafted, made poignant because we understand where her desperate yearning will lead.
September 29, 2018
The Ice Age by Kirsten Reed.
Text Publishing Company, Melbourne, Australia.
An inquisitive 17 years old hitched a lift with an older Bohemian man, Gunther. They drove around the middle of America smoking, visiting friends, sharing their secrets then they ended up having sex. Gunther's past caught up with him but he still cared for the girl.
The Title: The title has little connection ( or no connection at all the opening of the story) . The analogy of a vampire's teeth is later surfaced in the story as the girl's fate of abusing herself or the abuse she put herself in.
The title suggests the warmth the narrator is craving for in their reckless journey. The old Gunther been living in this world way longer than the narrator and can only offer warmth and affection during their road journey.
Style: The novel has a run on story. No chapter. Probably because the narrator wants her fling with Gunther to go on forever. The love she yearns for him should be forever. Too bad she has to be deposited to Glorie at the end, the caring character that
is there from the beginning of the story.
One thing I find frustrating are nameless towns, motels and eateries they have been too. These add colors to the novel.
I find Reed's descriptions fascinating. I guess that keep my eyes glued to the book till the end.
The narrator isnt named. That still makes part of the story vague.
Otherwise, not bad for a debut novel.
Text Publishing Company, Melbourne, Australia.
An inquisitive 17 years old hitched a lift with an older Bohemian man, Gunther. They drove around the middle of America smoking, visiting friends, sharing their secrets then they ended up having sex. Gunther's past caught up with him but he still cared for the girl.
The Title: The title has little connection ( or no connection at all the opening of the story) . The analogy of a vampire's teeth is later surfaced in the story as the girl's fate of abusing herself or the abuse she put herself in.
The title suggests the warmth the narrator is craving for in their reckless journey. The old Gunther been living in this world way longer than the narrator and can only offer warmth and affection during their road journey.
Style: The novel has a run on story. No chapter. Probably because the narrator wants her fling with Gunther to go on forever. The love she yearns for him should be forever. Too bad she has to be deposited to Glorie at the end, the caring character that
is there from the beginning of the story.
One thing I find frustrating are nameless towns, motels and eateries they have been too. These add colors to the novel.
I find Reed's descriptions fascinating. I guess that keep my eyes glued to the book till the end.
The narrator isnt named. That still makes part of the story vague.
Otherwise, not bad for a debut novel.
December 16, 2011
Having read the synopsis for this book, I had really high hopes for it. It sounded refreshingly unique. However, I’m sorry to say I was disappointed. I’ve found it hard to describe my feelings about this book. It’s a very personal book, told from the point of view of a 17/18 year old teenage girl – we never discover her name. There aren’t any chapters, it just meanders through the journey of this young girl and Gunther (an older man) as they work their way across America. As they do this, their relationship changes.
It isn’t that I hated it, it was ok but I never felt that strong connection pulling me in forcing me to keep turning the pages. I struggled with, what I perceived as, a lack of a beginning, middle and end. There isn’t much (if any) background information on these two characters – why are they on this road trip?? How did they come to the point in their lives where they could live like this? There isn’t a “Hollywood” style ending either, it just sort of drifts into the end like it drifted through the middle.
The voice of the narrator is unique and fresh, and Reed does write well. The book has received a lot of praise from some however it just wasn't for me; I just couldn’t grasp the point of it!
It isn’t that I hated it, it was ok but I never felt that strong connection pulling me in forcing me to keep turning the pages. I struggled with, what I perceived as, a lack of a beginning, middle and end. There isn’t much (if any) background information on these two characters – why are they on this road trip?? How did they come to the point in their lives where they could live like this? There isn’t a “Hollywood” style ending either, it just sort of drifts into the end like it drifted through the middle.
The voice of the narrator is unique and fresh, and Reed does write well. The book has received a lot of praise from some however it just wasn't for me; I just couldn’t grasp the point of it!
January 4, 2015
I liked this, but not as much as I'd hoped I would. It ticks so many boxes for me - road trip, coming of age, disaffected, alienated teenage girl narrator.
It was very readable and the drifty dreamy stoner tone and style worked well, but it had its downfalls. Firstly, I much preferred the first half of the novel - I don't for the life of me know how or why the first part was different to the latter, and I didn't lose interest it just felt perhaps TOO drifty.
I could also have lived without the narrator's occasional vampire obsession which just felt a bit too "Twilighty" for my tastes. I get the whole her wanting someone to "bite her" and transform her life thing, but the vampire references felt a bit too naive and childlike for someone whose narrative voice was, generally, much darker, perceptive, cynical and insightful than that.
Definitely a good read, but not one which will linger in the mind for me.
It was very readable and the drifty dreamy stoner tone and style worked well, but it had its downfalls. Firstly, I much preferred the first half of the novel - I don't for the life of me know how or why the first part was different to the latter, and I didn't lose interest it just felt perhaps TOO drifty.
I could also have lived without the narrator's occasional vampire obsession which just felt a bit too "Twilighty" for my tastes. I get the whole her wanting someone to "bite her" and transform her life thing, but the vampire references felt a bit too naive and childlike for someone whose narrative voice was, generally, much darker, perceptive, cynical and insightful than that.
Definitely a good read, but not one which will linger in the mind for me.
August 19, 2013
"Lolita" meets "On The Road," but written from the female perspective. Not much else to say. It was interesting, but the impression it made isn't one which I think will leave a lasting memory.
November 7, 2019
I honestly don't know what to say, the book wasn't that great at all, I didn't get what the plot was or whatever was happening. The book was rather deflating and boring
June 5, 2021
An interesting character sketch of personalities, each rich with it's own complexities and issues. I enjoyed the viewpoint of the protagonist, especially a sparking of the feeling of first love and it's blinding capabilities and inability to perceive beyond a person and their flaws; as the writer aptly describes,
"There on the bed where he's sitting, rolling, licking, smoking, passing it to me. That's a spot on the world that's not spinning, a pocket of perfect stillness. The smaller the room, the better. The closer the walls, the tighter they hug me, the safer I feel. It's only claustrophobic if you don't want to be there. I always want to be there."
Ah, first love. It does feel just like that, doesn't it?
However I found the plot become thick and sticky with something: small rejections, constant insecurity and unwholesome love. It ached to read after a while, to watch the innocence of our protagonist tumble, to see her accept this kind of love and continue to yearn. Life is sometimes this way, it's true, but it's unpleasant to acknowledge.
Overall beautiful prose, at times interrupted by teenager-y ungracious prose (as it would be in life?). The plot wove and strung me along with it's complexity and innuendo, although sometimes punctuated with unpleasant obscurity. I'm sure that's how the protagonist felt in the company of her companion. Angsty, poetic, hurtful.
"There on the bed where he's sitting, rolling, licking, smoking, passing it to me. That's a spot on the world that's not spinning, a pocket of perfect stillness. The smaller the room, the better. The closer the walls, the tighter they hug me, the safer I feel. It's only claustrophobic if you don't want to be there. I always want to be there."
Ah, first love. It does feel just like that, doesn't it?
However I found the plot become thick and sticky with something: small rejections, constant insecurity and unwholesome love. It ached to read after a while, to watch the innocence of our protagonist tumble, to see her accept this kind of love and continue to yearn. Life is sometimes this way, it's true, but it's unpleasant to acknowledge.
Overall beautiful prose, at times interrupted by teenager-y ungracious prose (as it would be in life?). The plot wove and strung me along with it's complexity and innuendo, although sometimes punctuated with unpleasant obscurity. I'm sure that's how the protagonist felt in the company of her companion. Angsty, poetic, hurtful.
July 20, 2019
An excellent and disturbing book. Very much like Lolita from the other perspective. I was completely drawn into the narrator's emotions and vulnerabilities. It made me acutely conscious of how grooming of young adults and teens can work, even if neither party are really aware of it happening.
At first it frustrated me that I knew nothing about the narrator's background or how she'd come to be travelling around America on her own, but by the end of the novel I realised that it didn't matter - I was on the roadtrip with her and feeling her emotions at that time. She'd left her past behind and thrown herself into this new friendship which heightened even more the niggling sense I had of how easily she could be manipulated and how vulnerable she was. This was particularly obvious when she was drawing on "teen girl vampire fantasies". A really good read, but one which makes you question others' behaviour and how immature young adults and teens can be, especially when they're desperately trying to be the complete opposite.
I would not recommend reading this if you're a young adult yourself as I suspect you'd find it very patronising!
At first it frustrated me that I knew nothing about the narrator's background or how she'd come to be travelling around America on her own, but by the end of the novel I realised that it didn't matter - I was on the roadtrip with her and feeling her emotions at that time. She'd left her past behind and thrown herself into this new friendship which heightened even more the niggling sense I had of how easily she could be manipulated and how vulnerable she was. This was particularly obvious when she was drawing on "teen girl vampire fantasies". A really good read, but one which makes you question others' behaviour and how immature young adults and teens can be, especially when they're desperately trying to be the complete opposite.
I would not recommend reading this if you're a young adult yourself as I suspect you'd find it very patronising!
May 15, 2020
I didn’t dislike this book, but it could have been much better. I would have loved more of a backstory as to how a 17 year old girl ended up trekking the US with an older man, to know exactly how old Gunther was, etc. I think it could have been more enticing with more details and less questions that weren’t answered.
I also think that the vampire theme wasn’t done well. It could have been mentioned twice and therefore more interesting.
I do think the book portrayed teenage infatuation very well.
I would be interested in a sequel that may answer some of the above questions- id read it !
I also think that the vampire theme wasn’t done well. It could have been mentioned twice and therefore more interesting.
I do think the book portrayed teenage infatuation very well.
I would be interested in a sequel that may answer some of the above questions- id read it !
July 28, 2017
Good coming of age novel if a bit predictable and trashy and junkie but overall, the written style was as intense as the relationship between Gunther and the main character which was edgy and interesting to read. However, it took me forever to read this book - not because it was too difficult (it's very short) but I really wasn't that captured by the characters.
March 1, 2019
The dynamic between the two characters is very interesting, though its more of a novel where the girl depends on the man because his character attracts her in ways. Very troubled protagonist, though throughout the book we can see that the relationship between these two is yet to be tested. Strange and moving, though I was never bored.
September 10, 2018
A book that started nice, but ultimately was a bit too poetic for my taste; a bit too form over function.
3 stars
3 stars
March 21, 2020
Reads like a YA novel, but it isn't. Is it? It was weird. But I liked it.
October 5, 2022
Perturbing but believable
September 23, 2012
The Ice Age is Kirsten Reed's first novel and it really is an excellent debut in writing by any standards. This would be, again, a book I wouldn't normally read but ended up enjoying more than I had expected. It's one of those novels that makes you think about the plot and then in turn makes you think about the world in general- love, friendship, even why we're here. It really is excellently written.
The plot begins very abruptly with the only information being given is that there's a young girl travelling across America with a much older man and neither seems to have a specific destination in sight. No specifics though, not even the girl's name. One thing is quite apparent- the girl is obsessed with Gunther (the older man). She idolizes him even though he has no desire for their relationship to go beyond that of meaningless chit-chat while passing a joint back and forth in their rundown hotel rooms. Eventually jealousy and desire get the better of the girl's judgement and she throws herself at Gunther then succeeds in her task to seduce him. The romance is short- lived though as Gunther decides that they can never be together comfortably because of their age difference.
The love story in this book is quite complicated. While it has been compared to Lolita, it's far from being the same especially seeing as the girl is the one doing the chasing. Also, I found that here it doesn't seem that the girl is that much younger than Gunther. Whereas in Lolita, the age difference is very obvious and the relationship is controversial, I think here it's not so much. There's a lot of frustration from the side of the girl as both before and after their brief sexual encounters, Gunther is with other women. This just makes the girl long for him more, yet Gunther does not relent and keeps his distance. At one point, Gunther disappears and leaves the girl with one of his friends, Stephanie, probably in hope of breaking the connection between them but it just ends up making her love for him stronger as she pines for him daily.
Throughout the book, the girl has a few other relationships but none of them last long. Most occur through her trying to make Gunther jealous. The most serious of these relationships occurs with Neil, although yet again it was his similarity to Gunther that attracted her.
This book is also a great demonstration of the naivety of a young girl. The girl here falls hopelessly for a man who is much older than her and whom she knows from the beginning that she would probably never be with.
She also makes many references to Gunther being a vampire. She doesn't just comment on his looks being similar to that of a vampire but is constantly wishing for him to bit her and turn her into one of his kind. She almost sounds childish as she thinks about becoming one of his kind and wishes to live out her years in coffins beside him.
The ending also shows how naive the girl is. She feels as though her life no longer has meaning and that it wouldn't matter if she threw herself out in front of a truck now that Gunther has left. She stays madly in love with him and stays that way even when the feeling were not reciprocated and he has left to begin another chapter of his life. She puts everything into her relationship with this man who is so much older than her.
If it's a fast paced book, you're looking for I wouldn't recommend this one. It's one of those books that you need to take your time with and really absorb the story. While it's slow-paced, and full of very deep issues and themes, it was a surprisingly easy read. Kirsten Reed manages to create a complex books yet retains it at a level where it can be easily understood. I really loved the way how every now and then, there'd be another little piece of information given about the girl or Gunther that'd make you look back on everything else and just go, "Oh, that makes sense now!".
At the beginning I wasn't too sure about the fact that there were no chapters but I soon got used to it. I now realize that the book works so well because of the fact it doesn't contain chapters.
Altogether I really, really enjoyed this book. Even now after finishing it, it's still fresh in my mind and I keep thinking back to different parts to it that really impacted on me.
The plot begins very abruptly with the only information being given is that there's a young girl travelling across America with a much older man and neither seems to have a specific destination in sight. No specifics though, not even the girl's name. One thing is quite apparent- the girl is obsessed with Gunther (the older man). She idolizes him even though he has no desire for their relationship to go beyond that of meaningless chit-chat while passing a joint back and forth in their rundown hotel rooms. Eventually jealousy and desire get the better of the girl's judgement and she throws herself at Gunther then succeeds in her task to seduce him. The romance is short- lived though as Gunther decides that they can never be together comfortably because of their age difference.
The love story in this book is quite complicated. While it has been compared to Lolita, it's far from being the same especially seeing as the girl is the one doing the chasing. Also, I found that here it doesn't seem that the girl is that much younger than Gunther. Whereas in Lolita, the age difference is very obvious and the relationship is controversial, I think here it's not so much. There's a lot of frustration from the side of the girl as both before and after their brief sexual encounters, Gunther is with other women. This just makes the girl long for him more, yet Gunther does not relent and keeps his distance. At one point, Gunther disappears and leaves the girl with one of his friends, Stephanie, probably in hope of breaking the connection between them but it just ends up making her love for him stronger as she pines for him daily.
Throughout the book, the girl has a few other relationships but none of them last long. Most occur through her trying to make Gunther jealous. The most serious of these relationships occurs with Neil, although yet again it was his similarity to Gunther that attracted her.
This book is also a great demonstration of the naivety of a young girl. The girl here falls hopelessly for a man who is much older than her and whom she knows from the beginning that she would probably never be with.
She also makes many references to Gunther being a vampire. She doesn't just comment on his looks being similar to that of a vampire but is constantly wishing for him to bit her and turn her into one of his kind. She almost sounds childish as she thinks about becoming one of his kind and wishes to live out her years in coffins beside him.
The ending also shows how naive the girl is. She feels as though her life no longer has meaning and that it wouldn't matter if she threw herself out in front of a truck now that Gunther has left. She stays madly in love with him and stays that way even when the feeling were not reciprocated and he has left to begin another chapter of his life. She puts everything into her relationship with this man who is so much older than her.
If it's a fast paced book, you're looking for I wouldn't recommend this one. It's one of those books that you need to take your time with and really absorb the story. While it's slow-paced, and full of very deep issues and themes, it was a surprisingly easy read. Kirsten Reed manages to create a complex books yet retains it at a level where it can be easily understood. I really loved the way how every now and then, there'd be another little piece of information given about the girl or Gunther that'd make you look back on everything else and just go, "Oh, that makes sense now!".
At the beginning I wasn't too sure about the fact that there were no chapters but I soon got used to it. I now realize that the book works so well because of the fact it doesn't contain chapters.
Altogether I really, really enjoyed this book. Even now after finishing it, it's still fresh in my mind and I keep thinking back to different parts to it that really impacted on me.
September 2, 2011
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book when I read the description. It was a book I was compelled to read from start to finish. The Ice Age is one of those books you will either love or hate. One thing I didn't like was that you didn't ever find out the protagonist's name, but she was an interesting and loveable, if not very naive character.
The story is about a road trip, not sure how it started and we do not know anything prior to the road trip, other than few snip-its from the other characters in the book called Gunther's, past. So Gunther and a young almost eighteen year old go on a road trip. The stop at some hillbilly towns in America on their way to their destination. Sometimes staying with Gunther's friends sometimes in Motels. Gunther is a middle aged man and he and the girl get quite a few funny looks when on their travels. Not always is this father and daughter looks.
Everything is perfectly innocent, they are just friends, until the chemistry kicks in. Gunther knows it is wrong but the girl peruses it. Eventually Gunther puts a stop to their more than friendship relationship. But the girl is already head over heels for him. When Gunther goes off, she gets herself into some trouble with some teenage boys, this part I found very difficult to read. It wasn't too graphic but graphic enough.
I could not put this book down, nothing exciting or particularly interesting happened in the book, but I had to find out what happened next. Where they were going, who they going to meet, what was happening. It really was one of those I can't turn my head away scenario's.
The fact I am a mum I struggle with the Lolita scenario, although not a mum of a girl, I do have nieces, so I thought I would find this book hard to read. But it is done in a tasteful way and you can see how much these characters really do feel for each other, there is love there. The girl however is too young to really know what she wants.
I would have liked to have known her name, this annoyed me about the book. I would like to know how she came to be on a road trip so young and I would like to know happened next in New York. Also where Gunther got his money from. These are all questions I have unanswered.
I would recommend this as a light and compelling read. I warn you, once you pick it up you won't be able to stop. A perfect coming of age novel, which is charged with emotion and will stay with you. It is a good read and I am glad I read it.
The story is about a road trip, not sure how it started and we do not know anything prior to the road trip, other than few snip-its from the other characters in the book called Gunther's, past. So Gunther and a young almost eighteen year old go on a road trip. The stop at some hillbilly towns in America on their way to their destination. Sometimes staying with Gunther's friends sometimes in Motels. Gunther is a middle aged man and he and the girl get quite a few funny looks when on their travels. Not always is this father and daughter looks.
Everything is perfectly innocent, they are just friends, until the chemistry kicks in. Gunther knows it is wrong but the girl peruses it. Eventually Gunther puts a stop to their more than friendship relationship. But the girl is already head over heels for him. When Gunther goes off, she gets herself into some trouble with some teenage boys, this part I found very difficult to read. It wasn't too graphic but graphic enough.
I could not put this book down, nothing exciting or particularly interesting happened in the book, but I had to find out what happened next. Where they were going, who they going to meet, what was happening. It really was one of those I can't turn my head away scenario's.
The fact I am a mum I struggle with the Lolita scenario, although not a mum of a girl, I do have nieces, so I thought I would find this book hard to read. But it is done in a tasteful way and you can see how much these characters really do feel for each other, there is love there. The girl however is too young to really know what she wants.
I would have liked to have known her name, this annoyed me about the book. I would like to know how she came to be on a road trip so young and I would like to know happened next in New York. Also where Gunther got his money from. These are all questions I have unanswered.
I would recommend this as a light and compelling read. I warn you, once you pick it up you won't be able to stop. A perfect coming of age novel, which is charged with emotion and will stay with you. It is a good read and I am glad I read it.
April 19, 2010
The Ice Age was the Picador book of the month for April, and it being free, well of course I helped myself to a copy. With a puff from Florence Welch it looked a bit 'bang on trend' but I was surprised to find myself enjoying it. The book is a monologue written from the perspective of a teenage girl who is picked up as a hitchhiker by an elusive artist, Gunther. She recounts her side of the story of their travels across America and the 'friends' they visit en route. The teenage voice is realistic, with a nice balance between sassy know-it-all and naive innocent.
I found it quite compelling and would have given it a higher star rating except for some inconsistencies in the language (which, tut tut, an editor should have picked up) and the nagging sense that it was derivative of several other novels with similar themes e.g. On the Road; Lolita; Morven Caller (sp?) etc. Stylistically, it really reminded me of Dan Rhodes, who seems to have slipped off-radar following his listing in Granta Best Young Novelists.
Good first novel though.
I found it quite compelling and would have given it a higher star rating except for some inconsistencies in the language (which, tut tut, an editor should have picked up) and the nagging sense that it was derivative of several other novels with similar themes e.g. On the Road; Lolita; Morven Caller (sp?) etc. Stylistically, it really reminded me of Dan Rhodes, who seems to have slipped off-radar following his listing in Granta Best Young Novelists.
Good first novel though.
June 4, 2012
The basic story of this book was good, however the main character got quite annoying towards the end of the book. She constantly changed her mind, and seemed abit too self-pitying.
Apart from that, I thought the subject matter was very sensitively handled. The romance was beautiful, and all the way through I was hoping for a different ending.
I think it would have been interesting to see things from Gunther's point of view. The novel could have been writen in alternating POV's.
Apart from that, I thought the subject matter was very sensitively handled. The romance was beautiful, and all the way through I was hoping for a different ending.
I think it would have been interesting to see things from Gunther's point of view. The novel could have been writen in alternating POV's.
April 17, 2015
I picked this book up in a charity shop thinking it was The Ice Storm which I've wanted to read for a while. I liked this book despite that disappointment. It's from the point of view of a teenage girl picked up hitchhiking by an older man she becomes fixated with. The ending is anti-climatic after a constant drifting by the main characters. I felt it was heading somewhere for them. Good accidental read.
October 14, 2016
I didn't really connect with any of the characters, but I loved the idea of two complete strangers (an older man and a young woman) going on an adventurous road trip together. From what I remember, I tried to focus more on the adventure aspect and what the characters did rather than the characters themselves.
September 20, 2012
I thought the story was okay. I found the characters frustrating and difficult to relate to. However it was very readable and strangely entrancing. So overall it was a fine novel to pass an afternoon but I won't be rushing to read it again anytime soon.
November 2, 2012
A very unusual book that lurches from realxing and slightly mind numbing to thriling, terrifying and sensual really quickly. The 'unreliable narrator' is incredibly refreshing, simply because she is so self-aware, so aware that she is concious of her own unreliability. All in all, a very good read!
May 26, 2015
I quite liked this - but felt I'd have liked it more if I'd read it when I was younger. I think you need to fall into either finding it romantic or disturbing, and I fell somewhere in between, into the realm of 'so what'.
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