Frozen

August 20, 2012
In this suspenseful historical novel set in northern Minnesota in 1920, 16-year-old narrator Sadie Rose, who has been mute since her mother's murder 11 years before, discovers clues to the trauma that silenced her ("Other than an occasional cry or moan, my voice had died with Mama years ago. Silence. My sanctuary and prison"). Sadie Rose lives in cloistered luxury as the ward of a prominent state senator. When Sadie Rose finds racy photographs of her mother and begins to remember her past, she finds the strength to speak, explore, make friends, rebel, and eventually run away to a frontier town to seek the truth. Casanova (The Klipfish Code) creates a strong sense of place and ably establishes her story's historical context. The narrative confronts weighty issues including prostitution, mental illness, and political corruption, but some are boldly presented and then tidily resolved. Although Sadie Rose's transformation into a daring and self-assured young woman is rather rapid, given her silent and highly sheltered upbringing, readers should find her an admirable heroine as she finds her voice and her future. Ages 13âup. Agent: Andrea Cascardi, Transatlantic Literary Agency.

August 1, 2012
Sixteen-year-old Sadie Rose, mute since her mother's murder 11 years ago, finds her voice again. After her prostitute mother's body is found frozen in a snowbank, with her own not-quite-lifeless body nearby, little Sadie Rose is taken in by the mayor of Rainy Lake, Minn., a boisterous frontier town. When she recovers she is unable to speak. Casanova's novel begins 11 years later, with Sadie Rose chafing under life with her foster parents, who, though wealthy and generous, hold themselves distant. Sadie Rose accidently finds photographs of a woman she recognizes as her mother, which sets off a cascade of memories that leads to her recovering her voice. She runs away to learn the truth about her past and discovers a sense of personal power. In the beginning, Sadie's character is hard to understand--she seems immature and fretful rather than haunted. It's not clear whether her muteness is physical or psychological, and the suddenness with which she returns to speech seems artificial. Her foster father is a caricature of self-importance; some of the supporting characters, also, seem too quick to become intimate and spill their secrets. In effect, the puzzle is too easy to solve, but the story becomes more compelling and believable once Sadie Rose leaves home. Period and place are well-portrayed. A good effort, but not compelling enough to capture many teen readers. (Historical fiction. 13 & up)

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January 1, 2013

Gr 7 Up-In Minnesota during the 1920s, when Prohibition was the law and women did not have the right to vote, Sadie Rose, now 16, was 5 years old when she was found in a snowbank after the death of her mother and taken in by the Worthingtons. She has not spoken in 11 years. While they are away, Sadie Rose discovers some scandalous photographs of a woman whom she realizes is her mother. She begins to slowly remember bits and pieces of her past, and as she does she wants to know more about the woman and how she died. Sadie's voice returns as she discovers more of her past. Her father, an environmental photographer, lost his life because of the photographs he took of shorelines before and after they were logged, but murder was never proven. His death led Sadie Rose's mother into prostitution. Politics play a role throughout the book as readers learn about power, corruption, class inequality, the environment, and the strength of family ties. There is a budding romance, and some very interesting twists and turns throughout the book. This book does a wonderful job of depicting the time period.-Jesse L. Ray, Seattle Public Library, WA

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2013
Sixteen-year-old Sadie Rose, sheltered within the home of the prominent Worthingtons, is determined to uncover the truth behind her mother's mysterious death. Vivid descriptions of a rural Prohibition-era Minnesota town round out a suspenseful page-turner containing flashbacks of an early childhood spent in a brothel under the care of a mother forced into prostitution. Realistic portrayals are wrapped up in a conveniently contrived conclusion.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)