The Ice Virgin

by Hans Christian Andersen, Paul Binding (Translator)

The relationship between a daring young chamois hunter from the remote Bernese Oberland and a prosperous miller’s daughter living in the comfortable French-speaking Swiss canton of Vaud plays out a complex of themes, such as the instinctive life versus rational civilization and the role of early experience in shaping personal destiny, in this dark and affecting Hans Christian Andersen adult novella.


In the terrifying Ice Virgin and her eerie minions, with their implacable hatred of mankind, we get a glimpse of the fairy tale Andersen. But The Ice Virgin, the most disturbing, ambitious, and searching of all of Andersen’s narratives, is also a thoroughly absorbing story of the real world. Andersen here is writing about a world he saw as something of a paradigm of the human condition, and this lies behind the story’s multilayered complexity.


This splendid new translation by Paul Binding and his erudite and comprehensive afterword together make a compelling case for just why The Ice Virgin deserves to be placed in the first rank of world literature.

Genres: Classics, Fantasy, Fiction, Short Stories, Fairy Tales, Childrens, Novella

96 pages, Hardcover

First published November 25, 1861

About the author

Hans Christian Andersen (often referred to in Scandinavia as H.C. Andersen) was a Danish author and poet. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, Andersen is best remembered for his fairy tales. Andersen's popularity is not limited to children; his stories — called eventyr, or "fairy-tales" — express themes that transcend age and nationality.

Andersen's fairy tales, which have been translated into more than 125 languages, have become culturally embedded in the West's collective consciousness, readily accessible to children, but presenting lessons of virtue and resilience in the face of adversity for mature readers as well. Some of his most famous fairy tales include "The Little Mermaid", "The Ugly Duckling", "The Nightingale", "The Emperor's New Clothes" and many more. His stories have inspired plays, ballets, and both live-action and animated films.

Reviews

[BJ Lillis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A curious novella. Like the stories in Adalbert Stifter’s Motley Stones of the same period (which I reviewed winter before last), The Ice Virgin is a story for children bent into a story for adults—or is it a story for adults bent into a story for children? The novella’s moral framing is complex, frustrating; its naked appreciation for the power of nature matched only by its naked appreciation for the power of man—or the Power of Mind, as the Ice Virgin says, peering down at the “winding snake” of a newly-opened railway:

‘The Powers of the Mind are playing at being lords-and-masters!’ said the Ice Virgin, ‘however the powers of Nature’s forces are the ones getting their way!’ And she laughed and she sang, the sound ringing out in the valley.

‘There was an avalanche rolling up there just now!’ said the men down below.

‘Vermin!’ she said again, ‘you to be lords-and-masters over the power of Nature!’ And she turned herself round and looked mockingly down into the deep valley where the railway train rolled past.

‘There they sit, these thoughts! They’re just targets for the violence of our forces! I see every one of them! One is sitting proud as a king, alone! The others sit all in a huddle, half of them asleep! And when the steam-dragon comes to a halt, out they climb, going on their way. The thoughts are going out into the world.’ And she laughed.

‘That was another avalanche rolling!’ they said down in the valley.

Who gets the last laugh, Nature or thought? You’ll just have to read the book. Maybe you can figure out what I can’t. The more I think about it, the stranger it all looks.

It is an uncomfortable book in many respects, and a lovely one. A novella of class and industrialization and offhand tragedy; of a distant time, another world. It is a cold book—especially when it becomes a love story. But then, it is called The Ice Virgin, and perhaps for more reason than one. And what do the house cats have to say about it? Plenty.

‘Now it’s all over and done with!’ said the Parlour Cat. ‘Rudy is here again, they understand each other, and that’s the greatest happiness of all, they say.’

‘Last night,’ said the Kitchen Cat, ‘I heard the rats say the greatest happiness comes from eating tallow-candles and bloating yourself with rotten pork. Now which should you believe, rats or people in love?’

‘None of them!’ said the Parlour Cat, ‘That’s always safest!’

[Marko Vasić · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another tragic Andersen's novel about the orphan boy with sad childhood and Ice-Maiden who possessively wove his destiny in her favor.

Note: novel isn't quite suitable for children, and has no relationship with Disney's Frozen, as rumors spread.

[Rosie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and yet chilling - a great read for anyone who loves a great old-fashioned fairytale.

[Carolien · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Ice-Maiden and Other Tales contains The Ice Maiden, Butterfly, Psyche and The Snail and the Rose Tree and may be found here: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/18604...

The Ice Maiden is a very sad story set in Switzerland of a boy who escapes the Ice Maiden as a child, but when he is to marry his sweetheart, the Ice Maiden wants to own him herself.

The Butterfly tells the story of a butterfly looking for a wife among the flowers. He is very picky and indecisive.

Psyche is a beautiful story of a young artist who makes a sculpture of a beautiful girl. When she rejects him, he buries the sculpture and joins a monastery.

In the Snail and the Rose Tree, the snail keeps expecting change to happen, but the rose tree keeps making roses. A short fable.

These are not fairytales for children and written towards the end of the author's career.

[inra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I have found my new favourite Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale. I began reading this because I mistook it for the original story Frozen is based on (which is actually 'The Snow Queen', not 'The Ice Maiden'). However, my disappointment disappeared completely by the end of the first chapter.

This is a dark tale, as is the Anderson fashion. However, the light outweighs the dark in this one. The description is absolutely breathtaking, and the protagonist, Rudy, is a lovely character. This short story is fairly long compared to the author's other works, but my only complaint is that it isn't longer.

“The whole world is mine, why therefore should I grieve?" thought he. "Everything is created for our enjoyment and happiness. The stream of life is a stream of happiness; let us flow on with it to joy and felicity.”

“'I heard the rats say one night,' said the kitchen-cat, 'that the greatest pleasure in the world was to eat tallow candles and to feast on rancid bacon. Which are we to believe, the rats or the lovers?'
'Neither of them,' said the parlor-cat; 'it is always the safest plan to believe nothing you hear.'"

"'What a glorious world this is; one day ends, and another begins even more beautiful than the last.'"

[Elinor Loredan]

Reviewing Ice Maiden only:

This one has amazing descriptions of the setting, and Rudy's mantra "You won't fall if you don't think about it" is appealing. The story has a very fatalistic feel. No matter how skillful and careful Rudy is, he cannot escape his ultimate fate. I think the same is true for everyone. Certain things are going to happen to us, and there's nothing we can do to prevent them (similar to a theme in Sleeping Beauty). However, I don't believe that God causes these things to happen and that we must accept them as his "will." They just happen. I also am not sure whether we would be "better off" if our lives ended when we are at our happiest, as the ending implies.

Similarly to the Snow Queen, the Ice Maiden feels like a side character who could be taken out of the story without much difference, although the Ice Maiden might represent "fate," if such a thing exists, and in that case she is more significant than the Snow Queen. I have always felt that this story is not as magical as I hoped it would be based on the title, but still a good one.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strangely haunting read, from an author who was apparently as famous in his time for fiction as for fairy tales. Also a very interesting afterword, which puts the writing into context.

[Jess (Jessie’s World of Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ice Maiden - 3 stars (interesting, but dark).
The Butterfly- 5 stars (really good fable).
The Psyche - 3 stars (not sure if I understood it).
The Snail and the Rose Tree - 4 stars (solid fable).

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I'm only being nice with 3 stars because it's Hans Christian Anderson. Really, the story wasn't special enough to be a novella. I'm just glad I borrowed it from the library rather than buying it.

[Rift Vegan · Rating 3 out of 5]

ah, fairytales. kinda sweet, and yet disturbing! :)

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a much longer story than his usual ones. The writing and setting were beautiful.

[Terzah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella was a lucky find in the stacks at my library. It was the perfect escape when I was stuck on a plane at the Las Vegas Airport last weekend. I've always loved how Andersen's darkness offsets his whimsy and in turn is itself offset by his gorgeous descriptions. Here's one sample: "...Rudy would make his way up the mountain, often before the sun reached far up, and there he'd take his morning-drink, that drink which only Our Lord can brew. But ordinary mortals can read the recipe for it, which is as follows: the fresh scent of the mountain's herbs and the valley's curly mint and thyme. The overhanging clouds absorb everything heavy into themselves, and then the winds pull them through the spruce forest. The essence of the scent turns into air, gentle, fresh air, getting ever fresher; this was Rudy's morning-drink."

Andersen always makes you feel unworldly longings (remember the little match girl's vision of her grandmother?), and in this case I find myself longing for his Switzerland and its high Alps, even for their cold dangerous waters and deep crevasses. My daughter talks about how the air in Colorado, far from being inferior due to its thinness, is superior due to its fragrance and coolness. I suspect she'd also agree that its scent is also part of that. Mountain places everywhere are kin.

The ending of this story--despite the fey-like villainess of the title--has a sad, very human ambiguity that rivals modern novels. There is no happy ending here. Vintage Hans Christian Andersen.

[emilie.❤ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sigh. Let me try to keep this short. I'm so upset with myself for spending my money on brand new hardcovers and a bleak realization slowly creeps in...that my gorgeous, impulse-bought hardcovers aren't that good...at all.

I feel so ashamed saying this about Hans Christian Andersen. The Snow Queen and The Nightingale were some of my favorite fairytales as a kid and remain so. I'll admit it, I'm a fairytale lover, and I wish I would actually sit down and take the time to read the originals more often. The pretty cover and intriguing summary of The Ice Virgin had me excited. I had my chance! How could one possibly go wrong with Hans Christian Andersen?

The only things I liked about this adult fairytale were the writing style and setting. The Swiss-French setting was wonderful and had a lot of promise for magic. It didn't happen. Not in the way I'd hoped. I kept waiting for something interesting to unfold, or for a passage to grip my heart and make me want to pore over it. That didn't happen either. The protagonist-who I sort of liked-died very suddenly, leaving his young and stupid fiancée in mourning, then we end with a "Only God knows what's best, so accept his ways!" lesson. The ice virgin herself barely seemed important throughout most of the story, which greatly disappointed me. I expected her to have a MUCH more prominent role yet she was mostly in the background. I found nothing disturbing or complex about this. Even after reading the afterword, the only thing going through my mind is, "Okay...so what?" I'm aware that probably sounds kind of airheaded.

The plot of this particular story bored me, and I'm sorry that I was unable to enjoy it for what it was.

[Denise Spicer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whether it is Andersen’s original or this 2017 translation by Paul Binding, the story gets off to a slow start. The ending of this allegory (??) is a bit more gripping but probably to modern taste there is too much descriptive verbiage. Andersen definitely waxes rhapsodic about the Swiss landscape. Although much has undoubtedly changed in Switzerland since 1856 it might be interesting to read this novella before traveling to the region he so lavishly describes. The themes of nature versus man, good versus evil are explored with the somewhat ambiguous conclusion that “God lets the best for us happen!” P.75 Also included is a brief 14 page Afterword by the translator giving brief biographical and critical review.

[Suzanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so disappointed with this "modern translation" of the Hans Christian Andersen tale sometimes know as The Ice Maiden . Though I loved the descriptions of the Swiss countryside, I found the writing too precious; it lacked the charm of the children's tales I had formerly read. I do not know if this is due to Andersen's writing or the translator's treatment of the source material. This novella ads nothing to Andersen's oeuvre. I loved Andersen and am sad this left me cold (no pun originally intended, but I'm leaving it in now that it is there).

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not the fairy tales he is usually known for

These are not children's fairy tales. Instead The Ice Maiden is a short story followed by a few brief (single-chapter) stories. You start each story expecting a certain outcome only to realize as you go on that the story can't end the way you had expected. So you wonder as you read, just how will he end the story? I can tell you it won't be what you expect

[Daze · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although Andersen's tales are grim, there's always a silver lining; they offer us hope in moving forward through trauma, loss, and adversity. One thing contemporary readers may dislike is the preachiness of Christian ideals of self-sacrifice, but I believe the belief that "God works in mysterious ways" may be construed as a positive outlook on life: "We should not fear the unknowable and that should not deter us from seeking happiness."

[Overlady · Rating 1 out of 5]

My least favourite hans christian story. Very disappointing compared to his other work. I expected different ending plus some parts touched borderline pedophilia which were just plain weird. Just not enjoyable read for me.

[Lexy Kaune · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have lived in the area of Switzerland this book is based on and I like the description of the beautiful mountains, way of life and nature however what a slog to read. A very boring and clumsy tale, the only part I really enjoyed was the Kitchen Cat and Parlor Cat’s conversations.

[Lita · Rating 3 out of 5]

I understand why it's billed as an adult fairytale because of the ending. However, it was rather dry and I'm glad it was short.

[Maren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skylight Books. I always forget that stories don't have to have rules and can be magical and whimsical.

[Bernice Rizor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found like this author and found story enjoyable

[Adam Runk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chilling to say the least. A sad ending.

[Nghia Nguyen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this when I was twelve or somewhere close. It broke my baby heart and haunted me for years.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but i feel like i needed to read more deeply to appreciate fully and it was brief and hard for me to drive deeper into

[Hugo Stenlund · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jag kan se mig läsa denna saga för mina framtida barn tbh

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting, its a bit like the Snow Queen, but better written and lot more fun to read, not as confusing as Anderson's Snow Queen, which I just read a few days ago, which is why I am drawing a parallel between the two books. With Anderson's work, I see a lot of Christianity, which was very unique back in Anderson's time, but quite refreshing at the same time.

[Mau Supan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The whole time while reading I was thinking how the movie Frozen adapted this story and I finished the story disappointed. Maybe I believed I'll have more surprising turns and challenges but I didn't.

[Judithe]

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 112 KB

[Manu · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring. All of them. Very boring!