''The Ice Princess'' is a
crime novel by Swedish author
Camilla Läckberg
Jean Edith Camilla Läckberg Eriksson (; born August 30, 1974) is a Swedish crime writer. As of the early-2010s, her work has been translated into more than 40 languages in 60 countries. She has been called "the rock star of Nordic noir."
Writ ...
. As her
debut novel
A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to p ...
, it was originally published in 2003 in Swedish, entitled ''Isprinsessan''. The novel follows detective Patrik Hedström and writer Erica Falck investigating a suspicious suicide. A sequel, ''
The Preacher'' was published in 2004 and subsequently translated to English in 2009.
Plot
Writer
A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles and techniques to communicate ideas. Writers produce different forms of literary art and creative writing such as novels, short stories, books, poetry, travelogues, p ...
Erica Falck, has returned to her family home in
Fjällbacka
Fjällbacka is a Urban areas in Sweden, locality situated in Tanum Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 859 inhabitants in 2010.
Fjällbacka is mostly known as a summer tourist resort, with a long history, and as the setting for man ...
after her parents died. While coping with the death of her parents, she is trying to work on a biography of
Selma Lagerlöf
Selma Ottilia Lovisa Lagerlöf (, , ; 20 November 1858 – 16 March 1940) was a Swedish author. She published her first novel, '' Gösta Berling's Saga'', at the age of 33. She was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, which she wa ...
, a Swedish author and the first female writer to win the
Nobel Prize in Literature.
Patrik Hedström, a
detective, is assigned to investigate a case in which the victim, Erica's childhood friend Alex, is found frozen in a bathtub, her wrists cut in an apparent suicide. The investigation shows that the young woman's death occurred before she was placed in the tub, allowing the liquid to freeze around her as the temperature dropped far below freezing inside her house. Exactly when the furnace went out-of-order is a timely coincidence to the alleged suicide.
At the prompting of Alex's parents, Erica begins to investigate the death of their daughter. Her breakthrough comes when she meets a police officer who is also investigating the mystery; together the two uncover dark secrets within the town. Erica and Patrick's fascination gives way to deep obsession as they struggle to determine the true circumstances surrounding the death. Erica visualizes a memoir about Alex, one that will answer questions about their missing friendship.
Critical reception
''
Publishers Weekly
''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...
'' review reflects that in her first novel, "Läckberg skillfully details how horrific secrets are never completely buried and how silence can kill the soul." ''
Kirkus Reviews'' notes that the novel turns up "the sordidness of the wealthy, the appalling effects of child abuse and the general mayhem that ensues whenever cabin fever sets in."
Characters
*Erika Falck: Writer and journalist who gets involved as an amateur sleuth.
*Patrik Hedström: Detective Inspector in
Tanumshede
Tanumshede is a locality and the seat of Tanum Municipality in Västra Götaland County, Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is th ...
, romantic interest of Erika.
*Bertil Mellberg: Detective Chief Inspector, often seen as lazy and not very competent.
*Gösta Flygare: Detective Inspector.
*Anna Maxwell (née Falck): Erika's sister.
*Lucas Maxwell: Anna's abusive husband.
*Pernilla Karlsson: Wife of Erika’s high school sweetheart
*Dan Karlsson: Pernilla's husband. Former boyfriend of Erika
*Eilert Berg: Old working man who finds Alexandra's corpse.
*Alexandra Wijkner (née Carlgen): Victim whose corpse is found in a frozen bath.
*Henrik Wijkner: Alexandra's husband.
*Karl Erik Carlgen: Alexandra's father, who lives in
Särö
Särö () is an area in Kungsbacka Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 3,165 inhabitants in 2010. It is located south of Gothenburg on the Särö peninsula. Geographically, the peninsula marks the transition from the Bohuslän archipelago i ...
.
*Birgit Carlgen (née Persson): Alexandra's mother.
*Julia Carlgen: Alexandra's thirteen year younger sister.
*Nelly Lorentz: Widow of a rich businessman.
*Nils Lorentz: Nelly's son, who disappeared many years ago.
*Jan Lorentz: Nelly's adopted son, who took over the tin can food company.
*Anders Nilsson: Alcoholic painter.
*Vera Nilsson: Anders' mother.
*Francine Sandberg (née Bijoux): Friend of Alexandra who started an art gallery with her.
*Bengt Larsson: Former convict, friend of Anders.
Themes
The difficulty of parent-child relationships is a recurring theme in ''The Ice Princess''. True to the genre of
Scandinavia
Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...
n
crime fiction
Crime fiction, detective story, murder mystery, mystery novel, and police novel are terms used to describe narratives that centre on criminal acts and especially on the investigation, either by an amateur or a professional detective, of a crime, ...
(often called
Nordic noir
Nordic noir, also known as Scandinavian noir or Scandi noir, is a genre of crime fiction usually written from a police point of view and set in Scandinavia or Nordic countries. Plain language avoiding metaphor and set in bleak landscapes results ...
), a heavy emphasis is given to
characterization
Characterization or characterisation is the representation of persons (or other beings or creatures) in narrative and dramatic works. The term character development is sometimes used as a synonym. This representation may include direct methods ...
and (especially in Lackberg's instance) the development of the small town where the crime occurs. The importance of the location is emphasized by the inclusion of a map of Fjällbacka, and the depictions of the landscape are both colorful and integral to the plot.
In multiple instances throughout the book,
Läckberg. explores interesting details dealing with food, and body and self esteem issues.
References
External links
Camilla Läckberg talks about ''The Ice Princess''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ice Princess
2003 Swedish novels
Swedish crime novels
Novels by Camilla Läckberg
Novels set in Sweden
Grand Prix de Littérature Policière winners