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Ice-Out
Walking on thin ice : on Rainy Lake, in the northern reaches of Minnesota, it’s more than a saying. And for Owen Jensen, nineteen and suddenly responsible for keeping his mother and five brothers alive, the ice is thin indeed. Ice-Out r eturns to the frigid and often brutal Prohibition-era borderland of Mary Casanova’s beloved novel Frozen , and to the characters who made it a favorite among readers of all ages. Owen, smitten with Frozen ’s Sadie Rose, is struggling to make something of himself at a time when no one seems to hold the moral high ground. Bootlegging is rife, corruption is rampant, and lumber barons run roughshod over the people and the land. As hard as things seem when his father dies, stranding his impoverished family, they get considerably tougher—and more complicated—when Owen gets caught up in the suspicious deaths of a sheriff and deputy on the border. Inspired by real events in early 1920s Minnesota, and by Mary Casanova’s own family history, Ice-Out is at once a story of young romance against terrible odds and true grit on the border between license and responsibility, rich and poor, and right and wrong in early twentieth-century America.
264 pages, Hardcover
First published September 26, 2016
10 people are currently reading
493 people want to read
About the author
Mary Casanova
50 books207 followersMary Casanova is an award-winning children's author of novels and picture books. Many of her books stem from her life on the Minnesota-Canadian border; yet some of her stories have taken her as far away as France, Norway, and Belize for research. Whatever the setting for her books, Casanova writes stories that matter--and stories that kids can't put down.
Her book awards include: American Library Association "Notable," Aesop Accolades by the American Folklore Society, Parents' Choice "Gold" Award, Booklist Editor Choice, and two Minnesota Book Awards. Her books frequently land on state children's choice book master lists across the country. "The greatest reward for me," Casanova states, "is when a young reader tells me she or he loves one of my books. For me, it's all about communicating writer-to-reader through a character and story."
Casanova grew up in a family of ten children in St. Paul, Minnesota. In a bustling camp-like atmosphere, Casanova found that writing became her voice. "Words are my paintbrush," she explains, "my way of exploring the world around me."
Now, with 19 books published and many more under contract and forthcoming, she divides her time between writing and traveling. Nationally and internationally, at schools and conferences, Casanova shares her love of writing and reading with children and adults.
Her newest novel, The Klipfish Code, makes use of Mary's on-site research in Norway. The story explores an important facet of Norwegian history through the experiences of Marit, a 12-year-old Norwegian girl who finds a way to fight against the 5-year Nazi occupation of Norway. Marit and her brother Lars are separated from their parents (who are working for the Resistance) and sent to live on an island with their gruff grandfather and school teacher aunt. During the course of the story, Marit's aunt is one of the Norwegian school teachers that gets sent to a concentration camp for refusing to integrate Nazi propaganda into her classroom. With potential danger waiting every turn, Marit finds a way to help the Resistance and eventually reunite her family.
Mary's series, Dog Watch (Simon and Schuster) is based on her northern Minnesota village where dogs are allowed to roam free—as long as they don't get in trouble. If they get in trouble, they earn a sticker on their page at the village clerk's office; too many stickers and a trouble-making dog must remain at home. "I never know where the next story will come from. It’s a delight when the stories come right from this corner of the world I call home." She makes her home in a 100-year old house on Rainy Lake with her husband, Charles, and their three "above average" dogs and spends free time with their horses, Jay and Midnight.
Her book awards include: American Library Association "Notable," Aesop Accolades by the American Folklore Society, Parents' Choice "Gold" Award, Booklist Editor Choice, and two Minnesota Book Awards. Her books frequently land on state children's choice book master lists across the country. "The greatest reward for me," Casanova states, "is when a young reader tells me she or he loves one of my books. For me, it's all about communicating writer-to-reader through a character and story."
Casanova grew up in a family of ten children in St. Paul, Minnesota. In a bustling camp-like atmosphere, Casanova found that writing became her voice. "Words are my paintbrush," she explains, "my way of exploring the world around me."
Now, with 19 books published and many more under contract and forthcoming, she divides her time between writing and traveling. Nationally and internationally, at schools and conferences, Casanova shares her love of writing and reading with children and adults.
Her newest novel, The Klipfish Code, makes use of Mary's on-site research in Norway. The story explores an important facet of Norwegian history through the experiences of Marit, a 12-year-old Norwegian girl who finds a way to fight against the 5-year Nazi occupation of Norway. Marit and her brother Lars are separated from their parents (who are working for the Resistance) and sent to live on an island with their gruff grandfather and school teacher aunt. During the course of the story, Marit's aunt is one of the Norwegian school teachers that gets sent to a concentration camp for refusing to integrate Nazi propaganda into her classroom. With potential danger waiting every turn, Marit finds a way to help the Resistance and eventually reunite her family.
Mary's series, Dog Watch (Simon and Schuster) is based on her northern Minnesota village where dogs are allowed to roam free—as long as they don't get in trouble. If they get in trouble, they earn a sticker on their page at the village clerk's office; too many stickers and a trouble-making dog must remain at home. "I never know where the next story will come from. It’s a delight when the stories come right from this corner of the world I call home." She makes her home in a 100-year old house on Rainy Lake with her husband, Charles, and their three "above average" dogs and spends free time with their horses, Jay and Midnight.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 18, 2016
Ice-Out
by Mary Casanova
University of Minnesota Press
Univ Of Minnesota Press
Children's Fiction
Pub Date 01 Sep 2016
I was given a copy of Ice-Out through the publisher and their parnership with Netgalley in exchange for my honest review which is as follows:
February 1922 in the Northern reaches of Minnesota, Owen Jensen carries a check in his pocket, not believing the loan had come through. Owen is going to open a car dealership, after all automobiles are the future.
Owen is determined to give him and the girl he loves opportunities, opportunities outside of Ranier.
Owen's Father was a drunk until Owen stopped him from hurting his Mother, after his Father realized the marks on his wife's neck were caused by him he stopped drinking.
When Owen's Father dies Owen finds himself getting wrapped up with the wrong people, bootleggers and other Criminals and when his friend dies while handcuffed crossing the ice, he cannot help but feel guilty.
Ice-Out is a story that would be great for Middle School to highschool aged Children.
Five out of five stars.
Happy Reading.
August 12, 2022
My only experience with Mary Casanova as an author was with "One Dog Canoe" (a favorite picture book in our house), so this historical fiction was a fun surprise. I found myself cheering for Owen throughout his trials, even though many were the cascading effect of a decision he made in an attempt to pull out from underneath his family's expectations. Casanova creates vivid and relatable characters in her story. "Ice Out" follows "Frozen", and while it's not essential to read Frozen first (I didn't), I feel like it would have been beneficial and added a greater depth to the characters.
January 2, 2024
A story of a young man who is trying to get by in the Prohibition era when everything seems to be working against him.
Owen Jensen's life is about to turn around. He's just received a loan that will allow him to start his very own car dealership. Growing up in the shadow of his alcoholic father, Owen finally has the chance to seize his own future. That is, until disaster strikes and he is left in charge with managing the family business. But that's not all of Owen's problems. His best friend, Jerry, has drawn him into bootlegging. And his girlfriend, Sadie Rose, is away at college, making it hard for Owen to maintain a strong long distance relationship with her. Just when Owen thought his life was going to turn around for the better, he now seems burdened with issues.
The historical setting of small town Ranier, Minnesota in the 1920s was such an interesting one to read about. As a Minnesota native myself, there were many times that I found myself thinking, "Yep, sounds like Minnesota," and "Did people really think that was a good idea? It's a frozen lake, for Pete's sake!" Being a native resident of the state made the historical content in this one all the more relevant and often had me pondering what life could have been like if I was born then rather than now.
My favorite part about this book is Owen's coming of age story line. He is faced with many challenges that he doesn't want to handle, but he accepts them head on. Despite swearing he would never get involved with bootlegging, it seems that it is the source of most of his problems. He has to deal with running two businesses, dating a girl long distance, as well as the grief of losing a loved one. My heart really went out to Owen while reading the story and I could really see his personal growth as the story progressed. He often didn't make the most logical decisions, but he dealt with the consequences and worked his way out of the hole in the long run.
After reading the author's note, I was blown away not only by how much of this story was based in historic fact, but also by how much was inspired personally by Casanova's own heritage. Owen is heavily based on her father, and she goes over many of the tidbits she included about his life. Some of the situations are also based on her own experiences, which I found really cool.
I did get a bit bored at times while reading this one. The story doesn't exactly drag on, but some parts aren't laden with action. I also thought that the ending came on a bit quick, and though it pretty much wrapped up most of the plot points, it seems a bit sudden. After finishing the book, I also realized that it was the add-on to Casanova's earlier novel "Frozen" which follows Owen's girlfriend, Sadie Rose, before they were together. I feel that if I read this one first, I would have felt more connected to the romance. As it was, I didn't personally connect to Sadie Rose, which made Owen's obsession with her feel a little strange. I am invested enough in this story to hunt "Frozen" down, so hopefully my opinion of her will change after reading the other book.
Overall, "Ice-Out" is an interesting historical novel that dives deep into heart of Minnesota winter during Prohibition when times were extremely cold. Part coming of age, part romance, part moral study, "Ice-Out" was not what I expected it to be. I enjoyed learning more about Minnesota history in a unique way and I also really appreciate how Casanova presented nature as such a powerful and ethereal force. I would recommend this especially for Minnesota natives due to the added relatability of the content and the historical significance.
Owen Jensen's life is about to turn around. He's just received a loan that will allow him to start his very own car dealership. Growing up in the shadow of his alcoholic father, Owen finally has the chance to seize his own future. That is, until disaster strikes and he is left in charge with managing the family business. But that's not all of Owen's problems. His best friend, Jerry, has drawn him into bootlegging. And his girlfriend, Sadie Rose, is away at college, making it hard for Owen to maintain a strong long distance relationship with her. Just when Owen thought his life was going to turn around for the better, he now seems burdened with issues.
The historical setting of small town Ranier, Minnesota in the 1920s was such an interesting one to read about. As a Minnesota native myself, there were many times that I found myself thinking, "Yep, sounds like Minnesota," and "Did people really think that was a good idea? It's a frozen lake, for Pete's sake!" Being a native resident of the state made the historical content in this one all the more relevant and often had me pondering what life could have been like if I was born then rather than now.
My favorite part about this book is Owen's coming of age story line. He is faced with many challenges that he doesn't want to handle, but he accepts them head on. Despite swearing he would never get involved with bootlegging, it seems that it is the source of most of his problems. He has to deal with running two businesses, dating a girl long distance, as well as the grief of losing a loved one. My heart really went out to Owen while reading the story and I could really see his personal growth as the story progressed. He often didn't make the most logical decisions, but he dealt with the consequences and worked his way out of the hole in the long run.
After reading the author's note, I was blown away not only by how much of this story was based in historic fact, but also by how much was inspired personally by Casanova's own heritage. Owen is heavily based on her father, and she goes over many of the tidbits she included about his life. Some of the situations are also based on her own experiences, which I found really cool.
I did get a bit bored at times while reading this one. The story doesn't exactly drag on, but some parts aren't laden with action. I also thought that the ending came on a bit quick, and though it pretty much wrapped up most of the plot points, it seems a bit sudden. After finishing the book, I also realized that it was the add-on to Casanova's earlier novel "Frozen" which follows Owen's girlfriend, Sadie Rose, before they were together. I feel that if I read this one first, I would have felt more connected to the romance. As it was, I didn't personally connect to Sadie Rose, which made Owen's obsession with her feel a little strange. I am invested enough in this story to hunt "Frozen" down, so hopefully my opinion of her will change after reading the other book.
Overall, "Ice-Out" is an interesting historical novel that dives deep into heart of Minnesota winter during Prohibition when times were extremely cold. Part coming of age, part romance, part moral study, "Ice-Out" was not what I expected it to be. I enjoyed learning more about Minnesota history in a unique way and I also really appreciate how Casanova presented nature as such a powerful and ethereal force. I would recommend this especially for Minnesota natives due to the added relatability of the content and the historical significance.
December 26, 2017
Ice-Out returns to the world of Sadie Rose in Prohibition-era Minnesota, but focuses instead on Owen Jensen, son of the local creamery owners. In Frozen, Owen befriended and fell in love with Sadie, who is now off at college. Now, in Ice-Out, Owen takes a loan from Harvey Pengler, a local restaurateur and bootlegger, to start up a car dealership despite the warnings from his father. After Owen's friend Jerry nearly drowns when the truck he is driving on a run for Pengler goes through the ice, Owen and Jerry find themselves in debt to Pengler and far more involved in the bootlegging business than Owen finds comfortable. Picking up where Frozen left off, Ice-Out follows Owen's efforts to sustain his relationship with Sadie Rose, to take care of his family's business, and to establish his own. This is again a coming of age story set in a particularly fascinating historical moment. The central characters her are complicated and compelling. In particular, I think Casanova's writing of Trinity Baird, Sadie Rose's best friend a wealthy young woman who struggles with mental illness, is particularly interesting. Baird isn't a tragic figure or an easy foil. She's warm and kind and creative (and, if the series continues, hopefully we'll see more of her).
December 16, 2016
Two years ago I was vacationing in northern Minnesota and purchased Mary Casanova's book "Frozen", it was on the shelf with my other "to reads". I won the Goodreads giveaway of her sequel "Ice-Out". So I read "Frozen" before reading "Ice-Out" I thoroughly enjoyed both books, and rated "Ice-Out" one star higher than "Frozen". The book was well written, kept my interest throughout and proved that good overcomes evil. "Ice-Out" is recommended for young adult; I feel the story can be of interest to all ages. I suggest reading the books in order. I thank the author and publisher for making this book available to me.
October 20, 2017
I liked it a lot but “Frozen” was a little better. This book started with the story of Owen, a boy
from “Frozen” and it was a really nice build out of his character and the struggles he experienced. The time that Owen and Sadie were getting to know themselves and each other was a very challenging period of time in America. The story is also about friendship and growing apart. The tough times presented by the depression and prohibition, along with personal values are a theme. Good story, but felt a tiny bit rushed at the end.
from “Frozen” and it was a really nice build out of his character and the struggles he experienced. The time that Owen and Sadie were getting to know themselves and each other was a very challenging period of time in America. The story is also about friendship and growing apart. The tough times presented by the depression and prohibition, along with personal values are a theme. Good story, but felt a tiny bit rushed at the end.
October 3, 2025
This is the most disappointed I've been with a Mary Cassanova book. She made Prohibition out to be a bad thing. A lot of horrible things happen in the book, and in the end everything is fixed by romance? I got to the end and was like wait, what was the point? That was it? This book really lacked meaning or purpose. It earned 2 stars because it was fun to read something set in northern Minnesota during Prohibition and it seemed well researched and accurate.
July 16, 2021
I liked her first and third book in this series better somehow than this one. I generally don't read series, and this one reminds me why, and that they should be read in order. I kept trying to place the characters I liked so well in the other two, but his one stumbled a little. The period is right though and still a very good read.
March 29, 2018
If you like historical fiction set our home state of Minnesota, this is the perfect book to read. The novel is set in Prohibition Ranier, MN. and follows young Owen Jensen as he must must decide what path he will follow to find his true calling.
January 25, 2025
The continuation of the story called “Frozen”. This time the focus is on Owen Jensen, Sadie Rose’s boyfriend. Owen being the oldest and hoping to build his own business takes on the responsibility of his family after the death of his father. A great read!
July 9, 2017
Nice follow-up to Frozen. Mary should write a third in the series!!
March 4, 2019
It's unfortunate that the writing isn't better. The story is so good and I really enjoyed it, but it could've been done better, in my opinion.
June 6, 2019
Pretty good!
February 29, 2020
Exciting story with tragic deaths and persistence.
December 3, 2022
Entertaining, but I have a bone to pick with the cover design of the serious looking fellow in the 20s costume. It would be a little more convincing if he weren't wearing contacts! 😆
August 10, 2023
Read it before but good story about my favorite place…
March 25, 2024
My sister suggested this after her book club had read it. I remembered reading Frozen by this author and enjoying it. I enjoyed this, also.
October 20, 2025
I found this book very interesting. It is an easy read, mostly based on actual events.
March 5, 2026
I loved it !!!
I am ready for book #3 to follow Owen & Sadie’s life lessons on the frontier of Ranier.
I am ready for book #3 to follow Owen & Sadie’s life lessons on the frontier of Ranier.
October 31, 2016
"A young man...gets caught up in bootlegging, blackmail, corruption, and murder along the US Canadian border in the 1920's". To me, these words were a well-suited invitation to delve into a wild and raucous north woods bootlegging story, or so I thought. What I failed to see was the note which stated this is a "young adult piece of literature", which means the wild and raucous was tempered.
To help understand and accept the authenticity of the events of the story, the author provided a list of actual events that occurred during the Prohibition in Ranier, MN, the setting for this book. That list answered questions like "Did a truck loaded with sugar, headed for stills on Rainy Lake really break through the ice, and did the driver actually survive"?
For the young reader and anyone else who is without knowledge and understanding of the Prohibition decade in the early 20th century, this book gives an overview in a regional capsule story. I very much recommend this book for those readers.
To help understand and accept the authenticity of the events of the story, the author provided a list of actual events that occurred during the Prohibition in Ranier, MN, the setting for this book. That list answered questions like "Did a truck loaded with sugar, headed for stills on Rainy Lake really break through the ice, and did the driver actually survive"?
For the young reader and anyone else who is without knowledge and understanding of the Prohibition decade in the early 20th century, this book gives an overview in a regional capsule story. I very much recommend this book for those readers.
December 2, 2024
136:2024
Being a lifelong resident of the Northern Plains and having lived in MN just shy of two decades, this book hits a lot of nostalgia buttons for me that might make me a little bit generous in the rating, but I really enjoyed all the non-fiction inspiration, the historical fiction format, and having spent a week on a houseboat on Rainy Lake and having visited the Kettle Falls Hotel and International Falls, this was pretty much guaranteed to be on my thumbs up list, and it is. It's not perfect (I have -opinions- about the romance), but it's a good story and a quick read.
Being a lifelong resident of the Northern Plains and having lived in MN just shy of two decades, this book hits a lot of nostalgia buttons for me that might make me a little bit generous in the rating, but I really enjoyed all the non-fiction inspiration, the historical fiction format, and having spent a week on a houseboat on Rainy Lake and having visited the Kettle Falls Hotel and International Falls, this was pretty much guaranteed to be on my thumbs up list, and it is. It's not perfect (I have -opinions- about the romance), but it's a good story and a quick read.
November 21, 2016
Mary Casanova is a master of historical fiction. The rich details of this prohibition era story and life in the farthest reaches of northern Minnesota combine with a well told story with a protagonist you can't help but hold your breath for and cheer on.
April 19, 2017
Good book...I read Frozen a few years back..I would recommend reading the book Frozen first then Ice-Out since it is a sequel.
December 14, 2017
My book ice out is based in minnesota. It makes you feel as if you are the characters the book. It gives you the feeling like you are in the book and are having the same struggles the characters are. It gives you an insight of what it is like to not have a lot of things. She did a good job showing what life is like the hard way.
In Mary Casanovas book ICE OUT. She did a really good job describing what the main character Owen Jensen is feeling. She made sure to let readers know how he felt when his father passed away. When his father passed away he had to take care of his mother and five brothers by taking on the family business. But he doesn't want to work at the family business he wants to start a car dealership.
I would recommend this book for people who are interested what it's like in a struggle. Or just life back when money wasn't the common for a lot of people. I think Mary Casanova made a really good book that could be read by anybody.
In Mary Casanovas book ICE OUT. She did a really good job describing what the main character Owen Jensen is feeling. She made sure to let readers know how he felt when his father passed away. When his father passed away he had to take care of his mother and five brothers by taking on the family business. But he doesn't want to work at the family business he wants to start a car dealership.
I would recommend this book for people who are interested what it's like in a struggle. Or just life back when money wasn't the common for a lot of people. I think Mary Casanova made a really good book that could be read by anybody.
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April 26, 2019Great story! Mary really puts the reader in the 1920's and makes you feel like the prohibition is happening. For me, I personally liked the Minnesota references since I am from Saint Peter. Her writing style is so realistic, well-paced, and a lively plot line. A great read.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews