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Icy Sparks

By Gwyn Hyman Rubio

(9)

| Paperback | 9780142000205

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Book Description

In the tradition of To Kill a Mockingbird and The Cape Ann, a funny, sad, wise, and redeeming first novel about a young girl's battle with a troubling affliction. Rural Kentucky in the 1950s is not an easy place to grow up in, and it's especially hard for 10-year-old Icy Sparks, an orContinue

In the tradition of To Kill a Mockingbird and The Cape Ann, a funny, sad, wise, and redeeming first novel about a young girl's battle with a troubling affliction. Rural Kentucky in the 1950s is not an easy place to grow up in, and it's especially hard for 10-year-old Icy Sparks, an orphan who lives with her grandparents. Life becomes even more difficult for Icy when the violent tics and uncontrollable cursing begin. Icy's adolescence is marred by the humiliation brought on by her mysterious condition, and its all-too-visible symptoms are the source of endless hilarity as everyone around her offers an opinion about what's troubling the girl. Eventually, Icy finds solace in the company of an obese woman who knows what it's like to be an outcast in this tightly knit Appalachian community. Narrated by a now-grown Icy, this first novel shimmers with warmth and humor as it recounts a young girl's painful and poignant journey to womanhood--and the many lives she touches and enriches along the way.

--Icy Sparks was a New York Times Editor's Choice

"Awesomely intelligent . . . Robinson's accurate but unstuffy writing has done much to popularize wine and make it accessible to new drinkers." --The Guardian (London)

Critics

  • TheBookHaven.net - Icy Sparks - Gwyn Hyman Rubio

    Click the pic to buy the book. Support this site! Get all your books by clicking on this Amazon link. Icy Sparks has led a troubled life. Her mother died just two weeks after giving birth to the young girl. Her father died when she was four. Since th ... (read full critics)

    thebookhaven published on Fri, 10 Sep 2010

  • Icy Sparks

    Icy Sparks has led a troubled life. Her mother died just two weeks after giving birth to the young girl. Her father died when she was four. Since then, her grandparents, Matanni and Patanni have raised her. As a small child, Icy has few troubles. Lif ... (read full critics)

    thebookhaven published on Thu, 2 Sep 2010

3 Reviews

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  • 1 person find this helpful

    Young Girl with Tourette's

    Beautifully written story of a young girl in 1950's Kentucky who develops Tourette's. She speaks with clarity about how the disorder affects her and those around her. Icy befriends a severely obese woman who teaches her that the inside of a person is what truly is important. Rubio uses humor and ... (continue)

    Beautifully written story of a young girl in 1950's Kentucky who develops Tourette's. She speaks with clarity about how the disorder affects her and those around her. Icy befriends a severely obese woman who teaches her that the inside of a person is what truly is important. Rubio uses humor and a truly Southern voice to soften the heartbreaking tale of coming of age in a small town while feeling very alone and different. Highly recommend - Oprah hit this one right on the mark.

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    Bibliophile said on Sep 27, 2009 | Add your feedback

  • I might have rated this one higher but I felt the ending was weak and rushed. Just an okay read for me.

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    Leahrussell76 said on Oct 27, 2009 | Add your feedback

  • Icy Sparks

    The writing is not bad and I usually enjoy a well-written character driven story, but in this case, I found it very difficult to connect to Icy or maintain interest in her story. This story is told from 1st person view, but some how the reader still seems to be kept at a distance.

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    Readingrat said on Jul 1, 2008 | Add your feedback

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9780142000205 Paperback $15.00 $10.80 bn.com
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