Rating: 
Summary: Intrigue now and then
Review: Although Elizabeth McGregor moves back and forward in time in her novel "The Ice Child", it is so well written that no confusion abounds. This tale of obsession and romance will lead readers into new territories and through a myriad of emotions. The drama, action and authentic charactors keep you turning the pages through to the end. Well plotted and easily read.
Beverly J Scott author of Righteous Revenge
Rating: 
Summary: Some Cold Comfort for Summer
Review: Elizabeth McGregor's The Ice Child is not an entirely satisfying read. It tells the story of the Franklin expedition, from the useful device of a fictonal boy on board who grows into a man during the disastrous trip, and the it is also the story of people obesses with the Franklin expedition, including two half-brothers, both in danger of never growing up in their very different ways, one physically and one emotionally, and the women who connect them both. The book does have an emotional impact but the writing, at times, lets the story down. Some of the characters, particulary the grown son and his mother (the truly evil and selfish first wife) seem half drawn. The Franklin expedition sequences are quite exciting and the author keeps both stories moving swiftly and effectively along. For many, this book will prove a cool read in the summer sun. For me, the entire book did not live up to the promise of the best parts of the novel.
Rating:
Summary: Well done
Review: Historical fiction is often difficult to read, but McGregor did a wonderful job blending a historical story (which she stayed very true to throughout the novel) with two other main story lines. Transitions were almost always seemless and, although a few chapters in I sometimes got confused with all the names and the switching back and forth, I am so glad I stuck with it. After those few chapters of getting to know the characters and their situations I was enthralled and didn't want to put it down for anything. Her characters are very realistic and the lives of the characters have become a part of me as though I were by their sides through their hardships.
Rating:
Summary: Well done
Review: Historical fiction is often difficult to read, but McGregor did a wonderful job blending a historical story (which she stayed very true to throughout the novel) with two other main story lines. Transitions were almost always seemless and, although a few chapters in I sometimes got confused with all the names and the switching back and forth, I am so glad I stuck with it. After those few chapters of getting to know the characters and their situations I was enthralled and didn't want to put it down for anything. Her characters are very realistic and the lives of the characters have become a part of me as though I were by their sides through their hardships.
Rating:
Summary: A spellbinding read
Review: I loved this book. It is is one of the most satisfying novels I've read in many years. It operates on many levels, exploring complex relationships and an almost forgotten historical event, linking the two through the actions, needs and desires of the main characters. This is the dramatic story of a race against time to save the life of a child, two year old Sam Marshall. The adored only son of journalist Jo has contracted severe aplastic anaemia and his only hope is a bone marrow transplant from his half-brother, John, who is a close match. But John is missing, his fate curiously linked to one of history's enduring mysteries - the fate of the Franklin expedition - and he's lost in the most inhospitable place on earth. Essentially THE ICE CHILD is a story about the power of unconditional love and in particular a mother's love for her child. McGregor writes beautifully and has created a deeply moving story that will grab you from the very first page. This is storytelling of the highest order. ENJOY!
Rating:
Summary: A good read
Review: I've gotta pick up books like this out of the blue more often! It was such a tremendous surprise to me to find a well-written and articulate novel, based on a historical happening that I had never heard about. Most of the other reviewers have given a good synopsis of the surface story in this book. A young single mother is raising her son after the accidental death of the child's father, who was an academic explorer. The child comes face to face with a catastrophic illness, aplastic anemia, and the only real potential donor is the step-brother of this boy, a young adult, who the mother had alienated by charging him with responsibility for the death of the father of both. The story revolves around the search for this step-brother who is blaming himself for the loss of his father, and trying to follow in his father's footsteps as a means of forgiveness and absolution. Underlying this poignant story is the true story of the 1845 Franklin expedition. I had no idea that even that late in the 19th century they were still trying to find a passage through the Northwest, over the American Continent. As per usual, the British need to explore and expand human knowledge, put them in the driver's seat. Two ships, combining sail and steam as the ultimate in technology at that time period, tried to make their way through the ice floes of the northern seas. Even with their best efforts including the metalization of the hulls of the ships and massive provisions from the new methods of storing foodstuffs in cans (for longer keeping), the ships were doomed to failure. I checked online to the great quantities of information available concerning the Franklin expedition. Such notable groups as National Geographic are STILL searching for evidence of these ships and the locations of both the ships and the men, who were never heard from again. Only a few buried bodies and a a couple of canisters with information written by the captains concerning the whereabouts of these great ships have been found in over 150 years. McGregor did her research and got the expedition information right, even though she had to create a 'voice' in the presence of a young boy on ship. In the midst of the heroic efforts of these men to survive and further the growth of human knowledge, the story of what actually led to their demise is horrifying. Once again, like with the shuttle Challenger, the greed of those men/corporations providing materials for these 'ships' doomed these men to almost sure death. In this case, it was the canned goods, which were sealed with tin that leaked lead into the meat inside. On top of that, the meat inside was often put in without prior cooking, and the temperatures reached for sealing the cans were not high enough to cook either the middle of the meat, nor complete the vacuum. This meant that the meats were raw, and over time became disgusting and putrid, as well as many of the tins contained botulism (one of the faster acting toxins even used in biowarfare today). There is written evidence of an inquiry into the tin cans from the 1850's and the exposure of this horrific negligence in order to gain more money by the man who supplied these goods to the royal navy of Britain. Once again, man's inhumanity to man raises it's ugly head. The book is extremely articulate, the pictures drawn by the author well-done. The agony of the mother and those who love this child who is going through chemotherapy and the push for a bone marrow transplant are accurate (as I've been through it with a friend's daughter who did not survive with leukemia). I went through this book in two days flat even with work and dissertation.Highly recommended!!! Karen Sadler,
Science Education
Rating:
Summary: Haunting but Flawed
Review: Prior to reading "The Ice Child", I'd never heard of the Franklin expedition and was unfamiliar with past Arctic Explorations and the search for the Northwest passage. McGregor writes a story that switches from the Franklin expedition of the past to the present day tale of a mother trying to save the life of her ill son. The chapters of "The Ice Child" which are told from the point-of-view of a member of the Franklin expedition are remarkably well-done, involving, and educational. While we can already guess the ultimate fate of the Arctic explorers, I was still engrossed by their story and was delighted to learn what life as an 1845 explorer was like. The novel's present day story pales in comparison however. Nothing about the present day characters particularly grabbed me and I never felt emotionally involved with their tale. The central character suffers so much tragedy in such a short time that I felt I never got to know her. She merely moved from one tragic event to the next without ever becoming a fully developed character. This part of the novel was very weak, and for that reason I'm giving it 3 stars. However, two weeks after reading the book I find the story of the Franklin expedition popping into my mind at odd moments. I'm still haunted by their tale, and believe "The Ice Child" would have been a much better story if it had stuck with the Artic exploration alone.
Rating:
Summary: Haunting but Flawed
Review: Prior to reading "The Ice Child", I'd never heard of the Franklin expedition and was unfamiliar with past Arctic Explorations and the search for the Northwest passage. McGregor writes a story that switches from the Franklin expedition of the past to the present day tale of a mother trying to save the life of her ill son. The chapters of "The Ice Child" which are told from the point-of-view of a member of the Franklin expedition are remarkably well-done, involving, and educational. While we can already guess the ultimate fate of the Arctic explorers, I was still engrossed by their story and was delighted to learn what life as an 1845 explorer was like. The novel's present day story pales in comparison however. Nothing about the present day characters particularly grabbed me and I never felt emotionally involved with their tale. The central character suffers so much tragedy in such a short time that I felt I never got to know her. She merely moved from one tragic event to the next without ever becoming a fully developed character. This part of the novel was very weak, and for that reason I'm giving it 3 stars. However, two weeks after reading the book I find the story of the Franklin expedition popping into my mind at odd moments. I'm still haunted by their tale, and believe "The Ice Child" would have been a much better story if it had stuck with the Artic exploration alone.
Rating: 
Summary: A great summer read
Review: The Ice Child flips back and forth between two different stories. The first is the ill fated Franklin expedition and the second is about the man obsessed with the first and how that obsession affects his family. McGregor skillfully balances both stories while keeping you on the edge. Some scenes are predictable, but the book makes an engrossing summer read. It may not become one of your all time favorites, but read it for the harrowing scenes of the Franklin expedition and a mother who will go to any lengths to save her son.
Rating:
Summary: A gripping tale of two journeys
Review: This is a stunning novel, a tale of two remarkable journeys, present and past, of suffering, endurance against the odds and huge courage. In one, a small boy and his mother battle against a terrifying disease; in the other, a crew of sailors and their officers struggle into the unimaginable bleakness of the arctic to find the elusive North-West passage that they hope will open up a northern route from the Atlantic to the Pacific. THE ICE CHILD has it all: from meticulously researched historical writing to a full-blown love story. The very personal present-day drama concerns the journalist Jo Harper and her young son Sam who suffers from aplastic anemia - a disease similar to leukaemia and which requires an urgent bone-marrow transplant to give him a chance of survival. Sam's half brother John is the most suitable donor, the only match so far: but John is obsessed with his father's legacy, the desire to discover the truth of what befell the mysterious Franklin expedition to find the North-West Passage, and he has disappeared. Sam's mother Jo's determination is truly moving and we are kept on the edge of our seats until the very end as she moves heaven and earth to save her son. The story cuts between the present and the past, and we see the historical narrative through the eyes of a young crew-member serving under Sir John Franklin. Gradually the truth of the tragedy that defeated the expedition is revealed just as the present-day crisis reaches its climax. The very diverse plot elements in this story are masterfully managed by Liz McGregor, who has the lightest touch with marshalling detail and paints sweeping backdrops against which to set her tale. The descriptions of the arctic, its flora and fauna, and the desperate struggles of the men on the ice are at once bewitching and heartbreaking. I have read several non-fiction accounts of the Franklin expedition; this was by far the most affecting because the novelist's license to dramatise has given Liz McGregor the freedom to portray in the greatest depth the motives, the experiences and the extraordinary valour of Franklin's men. I loved this book, and can't recommend it enough: it has something for everyone, and will touch your heart and your mind in equal measure.
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