Frozen Fire

KLIATT - Paula Rohrlick

"I'm dying," says a boy's voice on the phone in the opening line of this spooky thriller. Dusty, age 15, doesn't know what to make of the call, especially when the boy says his name is Josh—the name of her brother, who vanished two years ago and is presumed dead. Or could Josh really be alive? Dusty is determined to find the caller, undeterred by mysterious threats, menacing men with guns, and more than a hint of the supernatural. The "frozen fire" of the title refers in part to the snow constantly falling on the British countryside where Dusty's quest takes place, and also reflects Dusty's obsession with her brother—she's frozen, unable to move forward—as well as the cold, creepy, tense tone of the story, despite its lyrical language. The suspense is nail biting in this psychological mystery, and fans of Bowler's other imaginative works, like River Boy and Storm Catchers, will be eager to read this new page-turner. Reviewer: Paula Rohrlick

VOYA - Dotsy Harland

On a snowy night in rural Britain, fifteen-year-old Dusty receives a telephone call from a strange boy who knows details about Dusty's life, including the name of her older brother, Josh, who has been missing for two years. Dusty is determined to find the boy and question him about Josh. In the meantime, rumors about a mysterious young rapist are flying around town, with a vigilante group seeking revenge. They believe that Dusty is hiding him, and they stalk her, trying to frighten her into giving him up. Dusty senses that the boy is otherworldly, is not convinced that he is a rapist, and wants to protect him at least long enough to find out what he knows about Josh. In the end, the boy's body is exposed to an angry mob, revealing the fact that he has no genitals. He then magically disappears after driving into a lake. When Josh's body is found under the submerged car, Dusty realizes that Josh committed the rape and then drowned himself. Bowler creates an unsettling mood in this novel, which opens with an excruciatingly tense situation but then moves rather slowly. Set against a lonely winter landscape, this weird story will be savored by both fantasy and suspense readers. The fact that Bowler never reveals the identity or motive of the mysterious boy is slightly disappointing, and it is somewhat difficult to connect with his characters, but he spins a good tale nonetheless. Reviewer: Dotsy Harland

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up- "I'm sorry, little Dusty. Good-bye, little Dusty." These words, spoken by a stranger on a cell phone, are the same ones uttered by the British teen's brother before he disappeared. The boy on the phone claims he has overdosed and is dying. Dusty walks out into the snow to find him and enters into a supernatural puzzle beyond her imagination. She follows his snowy footprints to a place where they inexplicably vanish, but not long afterward, she learns he has not died. She soon finds herself pursued by vigilantes who are also looking for this boy. They claim he has abnormally snow-white skin and hair and is responsible for a number of reprehensible crimes. Dusty, convinced that he knows something about her brother, refuses to give him up to the mob before he reveals his secrets. Dusty is a bitter tomboy with many disagreeable characteristics, yet readers will find themselves rooting for her. The rest of the characters are flat. The mystery is creepy and compelling, and readers will want to know more. Unfortunately, that which is revealed is surface level, and the deeper mystery remains unsolved. Copious pages of dialogue thrust the story forward and will appeal to many readers; however, interpreting what has happened will take more effort than most teens will be willing to expend.-Heather M. Campbell, formerly at Philip S. Miller Library, Castle Rock, CO

Kirkus Reviews

Shimmering suspense and atmosphere highlight Bowler's trademark mysteriousness. Dusty answers the phone late at night and hears a stranger announce, "I'm dying." He isn't (though he wants to be), and he knows intimate details about her that no one should know. Furthermore, he implies knowledge of Dusty's brother, who vanished two years ago. When she realizes he's calling from a nearby park, she tracks him through the snow until his footsteps disappear. People across the country have seen this boy, and vigilantes pursue him for alleged rape; he may be made of snow or fire, and he knows everyone's secrets. Dusty searches for the entrancing boy despite the townspeople's fury, her father's distress and her own instinctive feelings of peril. A dangerous, gleaming brightness (possibly the same metaphysical matter as the boy) threatens to transform Dusty into frigid fire. The enigmatic whirl of events ends with a blend of closure and persevering questions; readers who liked Firmament (2004) but found Apocalypse (2005) too cryptic will want to return to Bowler for this one. (Fantasy. YA)