The Girl and the Mountain
by Mark Lawrence
SPOILER ALERT: Please be aware that this is book 2 of this series. If you have not read the previous book, this review might spoil events in that book. If you’re interested in the first book, I have a review here. If you want a spoiler based review of this book click here.
Yaz was right on the brink of freedom. She clawed her and her friends out of the Pit of the Broken ready to make their quest to the green land. However, she has a new obstacle in her way. She’s been captured by the priests, locked in a cell alone. She fears for her friends whose fate is unknown to her. She fears for the plot she discovers has been brewing in the priests’ mountain. The Black Rock is filled with more than just priests. Everything the people of the ice tribes believe is wrong. Will Yaz ever make it from this mountain surrounded by ice? Will she ever get to really experience what it’s like to touch the grass on the green belt?
The Girl and the Mountain by Mark Lawrence is a fascinating continuation to the Book of Ice series. This is the first series I have read that has developed the world seemingly so fully in one book only to show you how little you know in the next one. Throughout this novel, Yaz’s world becomes more than the ice, the pit, the stars, or the mountain. It is amazing how much more there is to learn and experience. The minor sci-fi elements, that mixed with the fantasy, throughout the first novel are embellished and truly bloom in this novel to truly create an intriguing and fascinating place. It makes me wonder how much more there is to still learn in book three. I have a feeling that this series is one that is so complex that it will continue to grow until its very finale.
I also found the continued usage of the Greek mythology in this story very cool. Of course, we saw it start from the tainted one called Theus, and as more is revealed, more references to the mythology is made and helps give extra meaning to events and people. This is another element of the story that I am intrigued to see how it continues to develop. I think any reader that is knowledgeable and/or likes Greek mythology will really enjoy these elements and be just as intrigued by them as I am. Lawrence really has woven so many things that we know from our own world into a world that is so incredibly different from ours that the characters don’t understand the meanings the way we do as the reader. I am amazed that Lawrence could plan so many small details in advance and execute them so smoothly and believably.
Along with all of the amazing world building and subtle weaving of mythology, this book is also engaging for its constant surprises. I doubt any reader would ever be bored reading this book with how many twists, turns, revelations, and experiences there are. The characters continue to evolve as they traverse hardships and gain knowledge of the world they live in. Lawrence continues to keep you on your toes wondering what exactly will be coming next. How will Yaz and her friends make it? What new discovery is just on the next page?
The only thing I found a little off about this novel is the pacing of events. The book starts and builds from the events that the previous book ends with. Yaz is caught by the priests as she is exiting the Pit. The book develops smoothly from there until the halfway point where the events lead Yaz forward in her adventure, but I felt like it was a bit quick to move in that direction. Based on the title of the book as well as how much happens in the first half of the novel, certain starting events were resolved sooner than I expected, and the transition was a bit hard for me. This might be a personal feeling based on my own expectations and investment in what Lawrence was building, but it took me a couple of chapters to once again immerse myself in the story. I had to keep shaking off the thought that things resolved easier than they should have been.
Overall, I think this is a great read. It truly kept me engaged and excited. I was constantly surprised by how many things develop and change. The first novel was a book that sent the reader on an adventure exploring new places and discovering new wonders. This novel is about the characters’ determination and the fight for true freedom. If you liked the first book, I think you would like this one just as much. And, just like the first book, Lawrence has left his ending with some anxiety and leaving me needing to know what happens next. I am really looking forward to book three.
Pros:
- Lots of surprises and suspense
- Greek Mythology incorporated
- Amazing world/ world building
- Great Characters
Cons:
- Some story events ended quicker than expected
Recommended for readers who like:
- The first book
- Unique world
- Mixed genres (sci-fi and fantasy)
- Third Person POV
- Interesting characters
Book Details:
- Published: April 13, 2021
- Series: The Book of the Ice
- Book Number: 2
- Pages: 379
- Publisher: Ace
If you want to see my rating system Click Here
Mark Lawrence’s Website: Click Here
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