Kirkus Reviews

With spirit, energy and a puckish sense of humor, George weaves the "East o' the Sun and West o' the Moon" tale into a novel-length saga. The ninth child of an impoverished family, the Pika (girl) or Lass—for her mother will not even name her—grows into her gift of understanding the speech of animals under the tutelage and affection of her oldest brother Hans Peter. He has come from seafaring and is sad and wounded in his soul. When a white bear offers material comfort to the family in exchange for a year of the Lass's company, she accepts, although Hans Peter warns her off. She goes with her companion wolf Rollo to live with the bear in a palace of ice, served by gargoyles, fauns and selkies. A man sleeps in the Lass's bed each night but does not speak or touch her. Like Psyche, the Lass cannot resist trying to see him by candlelight and lo, he is the bear. The troll princess who has enchanted him takes him "east of the son and west of the moon." The Lass rescues her own bear prince, and her brother and his love and reveals her own name in a rousing and happy ending. Rich in Norwegian lore and perfectly delicious to read. (Fiction/fairytale. 10-14)

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-As the last born in a family of nine siblings, the lass is a source of great displeasure to her mother. Angry that she had been unlucky enough to produce a girl, the woman denies her a name. Nevertheless, the child finds happiness in a close relationship with her older brother. This closeness is broken when an enchanted polar bear enters her home and demands that she spend a year and a day with him in return for her family attaining riches and good fortune. This exciting tale built on the foundation of an old Nordic tale is a work of great beauty. George demonstrates her mastery of both Norwegian folklore and storytelling by taking an old yet familiar story and making it captivating from start to finish. As the nameless lass searches for the answers to the riddles that surround her and her loved ones, readers will find themselves engaged in the emotions and adventures that she faces. They will be taken on wild rides across the countryside on the back of a polar bear, experience life in an enchanted ice castle, and fly on the winds of the far corners of the Earth, as the girl moves swiftly toward her inevitable destiny.-Caryl Soriano, New York Public Library Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.

Horn Book (Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2008)

This beautifully rendered retelling of a Norse fairy tale involves enchanted polar bears, a woodcutter's daughter who can talk to animals, and evil trolls. George's lyrical writing deftly handles exotic settings and poignant family relationships, resulting in a story of bittersweet sacrifice that's offset by flashes of humor. The protagonist is strong and courageous but humanly flawed. Bib., glos.

Voice of Youth Advocates

The "Lass" is a young girl from Norway who is so unwanted by her mother that she refuses to give her a name. She is simply called pika, which means girl or lass. But little do her parents know that she has a special gift enabling her to communicate with animals. The girl comes across an isbjorn (polar bear) and begins to realize he might not be all that he seems. She goes on a journey that takes her to a palace made of ice with many interesting creatures. The Lass goes in a wild ride through the four winds to try and defeat a troll queen and save her prince from an evil curse. George creates a visually stunning story that is part fantasy and part fairy tale. Although she uses a lot of words derived from the Old Norse language, there is a comprehensive glossary in the back of the book that defines each one. George makes the characters interesting while maintaining a fast pace that teen readers will enjoy. This book is a nice addition to libraries that have a large science fiction/fantasy following. The fairy-tale aspect of the book provides a nice hook for female readers while also offering good fantasy sequences for male teens.-Robin Guedel.

ALA Booklist (Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2008)

Unnamed and rejected by her mother, a girl (known as the lass) jumps at the chance to leave her meager home after a great white bear offers her a deal: if she accompanies him to his ice palace for a year and a day, he will reward her and her family with wealth. At the palace, she is waited on by an odd assortment of creatures, including salamanders and a selkie, but there are sinister undercurrents beneath the luxury, leading to a series of horrifying deaths. George has adapted Norse myths and fairy tales to create this eerily beautiful, often terrifying world in which animals talk, trolls marry humans only to destroy them, and weather forces are actual characters. Mystery, adventure, the supernatural, and a touch of love are woven together to create a vivid, well-crafted, poetic fantasy for readers who have enjoyed works by Robin McKinley and Esther Friesner or who are ready to move from Gail Carson Levine's fairy-tale adaptations to more sophisticated fare.