The Readventurer
  • Home
  • YA Reviews
  • Adult Reviews
  • Contests and Giveaways
  • Policies
  • About Us
    • Flannery's Challenges
    • Catie's Challenges
  • Contact Us

Adult Review: Iced by Karen Marie Moning

11/16/2012

23 Comments

 
iced cover
Iced
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Publication Date: 10/30/2012
Publisher: Delacorte Press
[Goodreads | Amazon]

Blurb:
The year is 1 AWC—After the Wall Crash. The Fae are free and hunting us. It’s a war zone out there, and no two days are alike. I’m Dani O’Malley, the chaos-filled streets of Dublin are my home, and there’s no place I’d rather be.

Dani “Mega” O’Malley plays by her own set of rules—and in a world overrun by Dark Fae, her biggest rule is: Do what it takes to survive. Possessing rare talents and the all-powerful Sword of Light, Dani is more than equipped for the task. In fact, she’s one of the rare humans who can defend themselves against the Unseelie. But now, amid the pandemonium, her greatest gifts have turned into serious liabilities.

Dani’s ex–best friend, MacKayla Lane, wants her dead, the terrifying Unseelie princes have put a price on her head, and Inspector Jayne, the head of the police force, is after her sword and will stop at nothing to get it. What’s more, people are being mysteriously frozen to death all over the city, encased on the spot in sub-zero, icy tableaux.

When Dublin’s most seductive nightclub gets blanketed in hoarfrost, Dani finds herself at the mercy of Ryodan, the club’s ruthless, immortal owner. He needs her quick wit and exceptional skill to figure out what’s freezing Fae and humans dead in their tracks—and Ryodan will do anything to ensure her compliance.

Dodging bullets, fangs, and fists, Dani must strike treacherous bargains and make desperate alliances to save her beloved Dublin—before everything and everyone in it gets iced.

Review:

What is the quickest way to make your intended sexy book absolutely, irrevocably, totally unsexy? Karen Marie Moning has the answer for you - just have your "heroes" act like abusive pedophiles, who love perving all over a scrawny, barely 14-year old girl, have them tell dick jokes around her, crawl into her bed when she is unconscious, lick her and wax poetically about her panties, sexualize this underage girl in every which way, and voila! - your book becomes revolting instead of tantalizing.

Now, I am not going to pretend that I didn't know Moning wasn't exactly a PC writer when it comes to treatment of women - Mac had her share of atrocious, abusive things done to her by a slew of men, including her life mate, in the Fever books, but at least she was a grown-up and could fight back physically, sexually and emotionally. Dani is a child! I seriously question Moning's judgment here. She is definitely no Nabokov to take on a subject so controversial and make something good out of it. She should have stuck to what she knows best and let us, her fans, enjoy a book that is entertaining and fun rather than the one that unnecessarily and thoughtlessly pushes boundaries and makes us gag in the meantime.

What makes me the most annoyed is that with the way Iced is plotted, there isn't actually a reason for Dani to be so young and for the story not to take place 5 or even 10 years in future. As the novel opens, post-wall-crash Dublin is in an even more dire situation than at the end of Shadowfever. Not only is our world infested by fae, but something weird is freezing and icing the whole areas of Dublin and beyond. It seems, Ryodan learns first about the ice problem and then decides to recruit Dani to help him investigate it, and does so by quite literally torturing and blackmailing her. (Don't ask me why a millenia-old man with a gang of friends, equally old, smart and experienced in many things fae and human, even needs a help from a teenager. I still don't get it.) So, having no choice, Dani starts investigating, with assistance from her friend Dancer, a 17-year old science geek and the only non-creepy male in the whole story. Lurking about is pedo fairy Christian, who suddenly and unexpectedly acquires a very unhealthy sexual obsession with Dani.

I personally wasn't that impressed with the first half of Iced. First, there is too much recapping of the Fever story and mythology and second, naturally, there is too much uncomfortable sexualization of Dani, done mostly by the mega-creep Christian. As far as the mystery of Iced goes, I'd say it's of an average quality for urban fantasy. The new bits of mythology are interesting but the plot is not as elaborate and twisty as that in the Fever series.

However, the second part is a tad livelier and less offensive (or maybe I just got used to the grossness of it all by then?). That's where the investigation really gets going, we learn more about Dani's past, we see how Cruce is plotting his escape and how Christian's transformation into an Unseelie Prince is progressing, and, most importantly, Christian's sick POV is scaled back. In this second part he is presented in a sort of humorous way, because once we no longer have to be in his head filled with thoughts of sex and odes to his hard member so much, from Dani's POV he is just a pathetic and often laughable psycho.

With that said, I honestly don't know if I can actively recommend Iced. While reading it, I spent too much time trying to imagine Dani was older, so that I didn't have to feel so revolted all the time. But then, judging by the multitude of 5-star reviews of this book, there is a HUGE portion of women who have absolutely no problem with the blatant pedophilia in this book. It's astonishing, really, just how many don't really think anything of it at all, "as long as Dani doesn't actually have sex with anyone." Oh well...

I will probably read the sequel.

3/5 stars

Tatiana's signature
23 Comments
Vanessa
11/16/2012 03:26:09 am

I agree with you: I don't get why Iced has to take place a week after Shadowfever. It would have been more appropriate if Iced took place years after and Dani would have been more mature.
You know what makes me disappointed? Moning said she will write two more books in Mac's POV but you'll have to read Dani's trilogy to know what's going on. I don't know if I want to read Iced.

Reply
Tatiana (The Readventurer) link
11/16/2012 04:37:49 am

Yes, it's a dilemma. I can see how you would have to read these books to know what's what. Although there is hardly any Mac or Barrons in Iced, you still will probably have to know the info about Cruce and Christian it contains.

Reply
Sam (Realm of Fiction) link
11/16/2012 06:39:41 am

You know, just reading about the whole Dani/older men aspect in other people's reviews has me uncomfortable. I doubt I'll be able to overlook that as easily as some readers have done... but I still look forward to reading this. I only just recently started the Fever series and am enjoying it so far. Wonderful review, Tatiana!

Reply
Tatiana (The Readventurer) link
11/16/2012 09:21:21 am

I am glad you are enjoying Fever books. Memories of it will probably help you to get through Iced.

Reply
Sarah link
11/16/2012 07:22:51 am

This sounds like it would really upset me--I know the young girl-older guy trope is a beloved "thing," but it always, always creeps me out when it's extreme like this. While I have only read the first book in the series, I don't remember it being particularly rooted in a specific timeframe (aside from "current") so it sounds kind of (and this is a judgy word) lazy to not age Dani forward but a time jump. *shudder*

Reply
Tatiana (The Readventurer) link
11/16/2012 09:26:42 am

I can get behind an older guy/younger girl scenario, too, especially in a historical setting, but this Lolita/Humbert(s) setup is just super-gross.

Reply
Keertana @ Ivy Book Bindings link
11/16/2012 07:31:43 am

Tatiana, I couldn't agree with you more. I read about two chapters of this one, searched my e-book for "Barrons", saw that there was a cliffhanger ending, and have resolved to only pick it up closer to the release date of Burned. I love Dani and her PoV was already excellent, but somehow, Ryodan already started grating on me. I'm so uncomfortable just with the IDEA of a pedophile Ryodan who abuses Dani and a Christian making sexual plans for an older Dani that I can't imagine actually READING it. I really wish this novel had taken place a few years after Shadowfever if Moning was so determined to take that route. In fact, the only reason I'm going to be reading it is simply because after the second book, the novels are supposed to revert back to Mac's PoV which means more Barrons. ;) Anyway, fantastic review, Tatiana and it's a shame this one was disappointing. *sigh*

Reply
Tatiana (The Readventurer) link
11/16/2012 09:41:53 am

I am not sure you have to put it off, because I feel the main mystery in Iced is generally resolved. And the cliffhanger really is just a tacked on hook for the next novel. I personally felt neither here nor there about it. (SPOILER: Do you really think Mac will actually do anything to Dani?)

Also, I didn't know the next book would have Mac's POV. I definitely need some mature sexy times.

Reply
Maja
11/16/2012 04:43:59 pm

I actually gave up after the first 40% or so. Maybe I should have waited for the second part, but I wasn't enjoying it at all. If anything, I was thoroughly disgusted.
That all business with Jo didn't help either. I won't write any spoilers, but she's another victim of Moning's "heroes" and I didn't like it one bit.

Reply
Tatiana (The Readventurer) link
11/17/2012 01:21:46 am

I won't lie, I was weary of that magic penis turn myself. Surely you need something extra to fall for a person?

Reply
Rachel link
11/17/2012 02:02:15 am

I've been listening to the Fever series on audio and I'm currently in the middle of Shadowfever (loving it), so I was excited to hear about Iced. For some reason I thought the book was going to be 3 yrs in the future, when Dani was about 17, still young but much better than 14. I'm so disappointed at hearing all of this. According to KMM even though Dani is 14, this is still in no way a YA book, with your review and the others I've seen, I can see why. Not sure if I'll be picking this up. It sounds beyond creepy and I have no idea WHY it would be written like this. :(

Reply
Sara Meehan
11/22/2012 06:28:48 am

"While reading it, I spent too much time trying to imagine Dani was older, so that I didn't have to feel so revolted all the time."

Yes! I did the same thing! I am shocked this book is as highly rated as it is. The choice to make Dani 14 was a huge, huge turnoff for me, and as I read the book, it just made me queasy to see the way grown men were slobbering over her. If she had been older -- 17 or 18, maaaaybe even 16 -- it would have been more understandable, but 14-year-olds should not be sexualized like Dani was in this book. REGARDLESS of whether 14-year-olds think about sex all the time or have sex.

Reply
Chad Aaron Sayban link
12/3/2012 02:38:31 am

Thank you so much for this great review. I was wondering about this book with all of the marketing of it. I read the first fever book and thought it was pretty good. But the unnecessary pedophilia would be a big turnoff for me.

Reply
Cailyx13
1/11/2013 12:45:19 pm

First, I have been reading KMM for 10 years and have loved everything she ever wrote. I have been to Fever Conventions and toted her praises to the masses. But after about 15 pages of Iced, I put it down and will not pick it back up again especially after reading this post. Thank you for writing it. I have a 12 year old daughter, who unfortunately looks a lot older, so the 'sexuality' of this book struck too close to home. It's essentially literary child pornography and it's disgusting. Karen, I'm grossly disappointed.

Reply
WhoDatGirl77
1/19/2013 03:45:41 pm

So, all of you writing these reviews realize these characters are FICTIONAL, don't you? Did reading Iced make u want to go jump a14-year old's bones? No, of course not. This had a lot of innuendo, but no lines were crossed. On the Game of Thrones book series, brother and sister were screwing within the first 20 pages of the first book. As long as everyone reading can disseminate fact from fiction, I think we'll all be okay.

Reply
CGA22
1/30/2013 06:52:16 am

I agree. Also, this is like a post-apocalyptic world - most of your "normals" don't exist anymore. There is a lot of talk with sexual references, but a lot of the "gross" talk is in the characters heads and not for Dani to hear. Plus, Christian is a victim as well. He KNOWS he shouldn't be lusting after a 14 year old. Both are waiting for her to grow up. Unfortunately, teenagers can look attractive and sexual - doesn't means Ryodan wants to have sex with Dani NOW!

Reply
Tucktuckaluck
2/1/2013 05:08:12 am

Whodatgirl77 i am with you. This book is fictional. no one is being forced to read it and it seems that some people feel a little too passionate about it being a pornography style book. I found it fast and easy to read and the banter between Ryodan, Christian and Dancer kept it all that more interesting. I don't beleive KMM would cross the line and they seem to have a more protective stance over her than anything. If anyone were to get together i would hope its Dancer who seems more her age!
Glad we aren't doing a review of 50 shades of grey... hate to hear what you all think about that..

Reply
megan
2/1/2013 06:01:04 am

I couldn't disagree more with you. 14 is just an age but she clearly is more mature then most and had to grow up fast which is the MAIN point in the whole story. I can say when i was 14 I had men lusting after me its not unrealistic a bunch of uncivilized men are doing it. I dont think Ryoden is ment to be a good guy......yet. this is set in a different world and mindset put on your big girl pants and let karen moning tell HER story. A good author knows how to pull a readers emotions and i think Moning has proved shes Great. Stop being a prude. I give it 5 stars

Reply
Zak
2/16/2013 02:19:14 am

Age is a #, dudes & dudettes, & love knows no right & wrong.
The beauty of Dani is her non-inhibited nature.
Most of the comments I read here so far came from the people who were very inhibited.
Ryoden has more charater than Barron.
Mac is not a particularly appealing charater, not to me @ least. She reminded me of barflies. A very pretty barfly.
Dani is very unique.
I don't notice much of Ryoden's age as he's not really aging anyway, therefore, ageless.

Reply
Moonfae link
2/17/2013 04:30:00 pm

I can not say I agree with those of you who are making rude comments and talking down the book as if it caters to pedo's.. This world we live in has far worse things happen every second on a daily basis and your going to complain about things taking place in a book, a clearly stated fictional book, seriously. I thought this book was awesome and just as the others it put me in disappointment when I realized I had finished it to quickly and must wait for the next book to see what happens and if you can't handle reading it how exactly do you handle the news, going places or real life in general? The way I read it is Moning wanted to start off with Dani is still a kid so that we can experience her growing and changing into something much greater. As for the aspect with sex talk and such well that's the characters and they are who they are made up to be, get over it. If all books we're only filled with rainbows and unicorns and everyone did the right thing and acted accordingly and there was no bad guys or perverts or men that act like well men, books would be pretty boring if you ask me. I like happy endings but you need mahem to lead to the happy endings to make it interesting.

Reply
holly
4/7/2013 12:10:37 pm

Ryodan and Christian are drawn to the potential that Dani will become and set out to be her protectors until she reaches that potential. Dancer is attracted to the here and now. Amazing how everybody focuses on the sexual part but not the part where she was made to kill at 9.

Reply
Mini
1/22/2015 08:14:20 am

I got over the fact that Mac was a pretty fluffy character in the beginning of the fever series - she evolved into a strong/complex woman. I thought Dani was incredibly immature and annoying in the Fever series. I couldn't understand how she would make a good main character but pushed on. Nope. I couldn't handle reading the book because of her age. 14 is still clearly a child. and just because she has instincts/hormones and is some killing machine, which is a necessary evil in their situation, doesn't make sexualizing her okay. And even Mac thought, and treated her like a young girl, and felt bad that she didn't have a more "normal" childhood. But the readers are expected to be fine with it? Sorry - I can't...

Reply
Heather
8/16/2016 04:52:40 am

I didn't really go in order and read this book first. And it was so off putting with near child pornography that it completely makes me not want to read any more of the series. Plus the story was so much harder to track than any of the highlander series. Last to use Christian mackelter in this book gave me a sick taste in my mouth. Weather it's the same one talked about in the highlander series or a distant relative it makes me feel awful.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Follow Us On:

    Facebook Twitter Feed

    Subscribe:

    Subscribe
    Follow on Bloglovin

    Subscribe via email:

    Delivered by FeedBurner


    What We're Reading:

    Blood of my Blood cover

    Flannery

    Goodreads
    Monstrous Affections cover

     Tatiana

    Goodreads
    Rules of Civility cover

      Catie

    Goodreads

    Archives 

    March 2014
    September 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011

    Categories

    All
    Author Spotlight
    Book Events
    Book Vs. Movie
    Catie's Adult Reviews
    Catie's Y.A. Reviews
    Contest Or Giveaway
    Flannery's Adult Reviews
    Flannery's Y.A. Reviews
    If You Like This Maybe That
    Library Quest
    Odds & Ends On The Web
    Randomness
    Readalong Recaps
    She Made Me Do It
    Tatiana's Adult Reviews
    Tatiana's Y.A. Reviews
    Three Heads Are Better Than One Or Two
    Year Of The Classics


    Blogs We Follow

    Angieville
    Anna Scott Jots
    Badass Book Reviews
    The Book Geek
    The Book Smugglers
    Book Harbinger
    Books Take You Places
    Bunbury in the Stacks
    Chachic's Book Nook
    Clear Eyes, Full Shelves
    Collections
    Cuddlebuggery
    For the Love of Words
    The Galavanting Girl Books
    Inkcrush
    Intergalactic Academy
    Ivy Book Bindings
    The Nocturnal Library
    Rainy Day Ramblings
    The Readers Den
    The Reading Date
    Realm of Fiction
    Sash and Em
    Stacked
    The Unread Reader
    Vegan YA Nerds
    Wear The Old Coat
    Wordchasing
    Wrapped Up In Books
    Young Adult Anonymous 

    Grab A Button

    The Readventurer
    <div align="center"><a href="http://www.thereadventurer.com" title="The Readventurer"><img src="http://www.weebly.com/uploads/7/8/9/9/7899923/custom_themes/149267861480723643/files/TheReadventurer.png?1321429794244" alt="The Readventurer" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

    Parajunkee Design
    SiteLock
    Since 2/4/2012

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License.
Photos used under Creative Commons from savillent, vue3d, vue3d, ljcybergal