Valor is an engaging heroine who never loses courage, even when everything goes wrong. ' Prisoner of Ice and Snow is an exciting, fast-paced story, full of twists and turns. This exciting middle-grade debut effortlessly melds an unforgettable protagonist, a breathless plot, and stunning world-building-and is impossible to put down. And if the plan fails, she and Sasha could end up with fates worse than prison. If Valor's plan is to succeed, she'll need to make some unlikely allies. But she didn't count on having to outsmart both the guards and her fellow prisoners.

Valor has a master plan and resources most people could only dream about. Never mind that no one has escaped the prison in centuries. Valor's twin sister, Sasha, is serving a life sentence for stealing from the royal family, and Valor is going to help her escape. Demidova's prison for criminal children is exactly where she wants to be.

When thirteen-year-old Valor is sent to jail, she couldn't be happier.

Readers will therefore mostly root for the defiant Valor instead, and they’ll cheer her eventual success, even if it does come with some inevitable costs.She'll do anything to break her sister out of prison-even get arrested on purpose. Sasha’s a bit too perfect to be interesting, but Valor’s undying loyalty is at least understandable even if Sasha’s appeal and alleged charisma aren’t effectively conveyed. She’s going to mess things up and be brash and foolish, but fortunately she’s surrounded by staunch and clever allies who can save her when she goes too far. Valor is the type to dive in first and only then think through what she should be actually doing, and in this she is both an exhilarating and exasperating character. That knowledge matters little since Valor is trapped in a horrific prison where the best she can hope for-and not be assured of-is survival. Thirteen-year-old Valor doesn’t even care if her sister is innocent or not, but she soon learns that Sasha was framed, and a political plot unfolds (with plenty of red herrings) about the ruling family of this land and who is actually wielding power. Valor will risk her own life to save her twin sister, so it’s an easy decision for her to get herself sent to a grim, icy prison just to be with Sasha, who was arrested for stealing.

The prisoner of ice and snow