A review by johnclough
Ice by Anna Kavan
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A hallucinogenic blizzard of a novel replete with wonderful turns of phrase. Easier to get into when you let go of any hope of coherent narrative. Kavan called Ice a fable and it is certainly packed with allegory. Plenty of this is obvious Cold War reference but there remains much that feels more esoteric. Having a psychotic, psychopathic narrator is challenging at times, and I'm not sure I found much satisfaction in the ending, but certainly a vivid and unique read.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Blood, Domestic abuse, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Violence, War, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Alcohol and Mass/school shootings