Book review: The Ice Dragon

Today's book review is The Ice Dragon by George R. R. Martin, illustrated by Yvonne Gilbert.

This is a peculiar book.  It's quite short, nowhere near novel length, and the large print, simple language, and extensive illustrations suggest that it's meant as a children's book.  The protagonist is a little girl, I think 8 years old at the end of the book.  But the story seems quite inappropriate for children that age -- it is grim, graphically violent, and very sad -- and the symbolic message that justifies it being such a sad story is probably too subtle for a little kid to catch, especially if said little kid is bawling her eyes out.  It's well written, but I feel rather ill used being presented with a nice little situation only to have it turn out so sadly.  Still, it can't be a total failure if it's well enough written to make me feel so sad.

Since this is almost a picture book, I feel I need to comment on the illustrations.  They are crudely drawn, and don't quite match the descriptions in the text.  I don't think they enhance the story.

6 out of 10.

( plot summary )