Turtle Under Ice Review: grief, sisterhood, and change

Another book of verse! These are a great way to go if you’re looking to complete your reading goal before the end of the year! *Hint*Hint*. This book explored grief and how well we actually know our family members. I thought that was a really interesting way to explore the ripple effects of death.

It’s told in alternating perspectives of two sisters whose mother died when they were younger and they’re still dealing with the after effects as high school students. They feel close because of the death but they’re also realizing they have drifted away from each other over the years as they dealt with their grief in their own ways.

I think books of prose really allow writers to hone in on specific themes and ideas because poetry lends more toward emotions and metaphors. I think that this book did that and explored grief in new ways. Also I was curious about the title of the book the whole time, and how it’s tied into the story is really meaningful and worth the wait.

This is also a great wintery read as it includes a lot of wintery descriptions. It’s sad though, so maybe drink some hot chocolate while reading for something sweet.

I’m always interested in how different people process, think about, and even write about grief and this book didn’t disappoint with its fresh perspective.