The Frozen Waterfall

by Gaye Hiçyılmaz

Twelve-year-old Selda and her family move from Turkey to Switzerland, where Selda has to cope with a strange country and language. With determination she sets about the task of embracing a new culture, and to her surprise she forms two new friendships, neither of which proves easy to pursue.

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult

Paperback

First published September 1, 1994

Reviews

[Shovelmonkey1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is YA. I'm not a frequent visitor to the domain of Young Adult so this was a departure from the norm. There's nothing wrong with YA but I'm officially an OA (old adult) so I never imagine i will find anything to sweeten my bitter old book palette. This book was an accidental purchase. Suckered in by the Turkish author i didn't actually stop to check the blurb or subject matter, indicating what a rash, flagrant and compulsive purchaser of books I really am.

Frozen waterfalls feature infrequently so those of a National Geographic turn of mind will be disappointed. Instead the book deals eloquently with the transcultural trials and tribulations faced by Selda and her family, Turkish gastarbeiters newly arrived in Switzerland. Unlike many childrens books it is not filled with noses on kittens or brown paper packages tied up with string... instead it deals with some real issues. Cultural, social and class divide, sexism, drug addiction and illegal immigration in Europe all get a mention and in a non cuddly non patronising way.

Worth a look, so Y don't you YA?

[Ewa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in one sitting and wasn't disappointed - true, there is no big cliffhanger or thrilling action or plot twists, but that's not what this book is about. It's about Selda's experience of immigrating from Turkey to Switzerland as a child; about the struggles of the language barrier, cultural differences, complicated familial relationships, the perils of illegal immigration, adapting and finding a place in the new and strange environment. Her story resonated within my own experiences, even though both my origin and destination country was different; Selda's perspective is so convincing that I would not have been surprised if the author herself immigrated from Turkey as a child.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

An understated book this one....compared to some of my recent reads however a warm tale which brings together the stories of a migrant an illegal immigrant and a well to do native of Switzerland (which is where the book is set).
No one character really has the perfect life and the pluses and minuses of all does add to the book...where one gains family warmth...the other loses that and yet lives in relative security.
It's a slow mover but not a bad book at all.

[Gentian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a pleasant surprise. I picked it up to keep me company during a visit to the vets thinking it would be rather dull and worthy. I could not have been more wrong. The book is beautifully written and evokes its locations beautifully. The characters are extremely well drawn. It tackles difficult themes in a very adult manner never patronising the target audience.

[Summer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uuggh! I hate this book sooooo much. But I have to read this for school to get a good grade. It is soooo boring I don't think I can keep reading this book bein all borin and everything. I finally finished this book it has no plot at all.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book despite it almost made me rage quit over the personalities and the actions of both the parents and the grandmother. The three of them frustrated and angered. The highlight of this book was definitely the simple action of Sevgi Hanim being at the train station to be with Selda when she heard of the accident at the train station, defying her husband in and telling him when she got home (after he informed her that there was no supper) that supper would be late. Also when she slipped Selda some spending money that they wouldn't speak of.

[Ioannidesz Evjeniosz · Rating 5 out of 5]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Amandine - Des histoires et des mots · Rating 3 out of 5]

J'ai mis beaucoup de temps pour accrocher à cette histoire. D'un côté j'ai trouvé le thème de l'immigration et de l'intégration bien traité, racontant les peurs, les difficultés, les désaccords, les malentendus qu'il peut y avoir. De l'autre j'ai eu beaucoup de mal avec la plupart des personnages, y compris Selda, pendant la majeure partie du roman. En revanche j'ai apprécié Ferhat, Gisèle et Ahmet. Heureusement, le bilan est positif. On se rend compte à travers cette lecture des différentes facettes de l'humain, capable du meilleur comme du moins bon. Mais c'est aussi un récit de vie, d'amitié et d'altruisme, de connaissance de l'autre.

[Celestina · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not bad i actually quite enjoyed reading it. A nice advertisement for Switzerland its descriptions.