There’s a lot of backstory to this book and it really does tie together all 5 of Mark Lawrence’s series so far, but I didn’t love the reveals as much as I normally do in the last instalment of a trilogy from him. Potentially that’s because this is the only series of his that I haven’t binge read and I didn’t have time to reread the previous two (honestly, I didn't bother because I knew how many connections there would be in this book to the previous 14ish books he had written and I really didn’t feel like rereading approximately 1345888379 pages to get the most out of the experience).
Usually my favourite part of a Lawrence series is the last 50 pages where suddenly everything makes sense, and it never feels like a surprise but more of an oh of course that’s what happened way, I didn’t have that experience with this book. There was just a few too many threads for me and I was swapping between following what the main cast of this series were doing and working out how other characters and storylines connected. I also felt this book was a bit heavier on the romance and I didn’t love how that was woven in, each “couple” ending felt a little convenient and I don’t really see how it advanced the story it just kind of undermined the dangers the characters faced. I’m going to struggle someone’s worried for their life and the fate of the world when they are only paying attention to someone smiling at them.
I did really enjoy this book and series, I just expected to love it and it fell a little short for me.

This book was fun. Good tie in to the original series, answered a lot of questions. More than I expected really. You come to enjoy the characters, they are believable and well motivated. Criticisms are that the plot gets a bit hard to follow at times.

The Girl and the Moon is not only the final novel in Mark Lawrence’s Book of the Ice Trilogy, it also acts as the closing chapter which brings together all of his previous works. Its nothing short of a masterpiece.
Its hard to put into words just how good and clever this book is, without spoiling all the previous books. Lawrence masterfully weaves the threads from well over a decades worth of novels together with masterful ease. He does this with such perfect pacing that the book races towards its conclusion, before BAM! you’re with surprise after twist after surprise.
Mark Lawrence really is a storyteller at the top of his game. Ill read anything he continues to write.

Received arc from Harper Collins and Netgalley for honest read and review,this review is my own.Finally,finally got round To reading this.I have been an avid reader of Mr Lawrence's books since the beginning and I must say that this instalment of Book of the Ice was wonderful.
I brings to a conclusion a brilliantly written story and culminates in a feel good factor that it was worth waiting for.
It brings together stories and characters across multiple books and has you going , is that the same person?
This is got to be up there with the best books of the year and one of the best Mr Lawrence has written.
If you want to read a great story with brilliant characters,give this series a go, and once you have done that ,read all of his books, you will not be disappointed.

The conclusion of my first Mark Lawrence trilogy and it won't be my last. This was an incredibily compelling, and pulled me back into the world and characters far more than the second book had. Here we see all the threads of the previous books in the series, as well as threads that I am aware tie into the wider world brought together in an satisfying ending. It meant there was a lot packed into the pages of this book, but it never feels too dense, or as though it's detracting from Yaz and the other characters at the heart of the story. Excellent conclusion, and now to go back and read the rest of the author's work.

I was pleased to be offered The Girl and the Moon as an ARC by NetGalley as I wanted to finish the series. Lawrence has concluded the series well and all the loose ends are tied up nicely. The main reason I haven't rated this book higher is due to the fact it felt very battle heavy which meant that I found myself losing some concentration/interest at times. If you like your fantasy to have lots of battle scenes you will probably love the concluding part!

What an absolute conclusion for the Book of the Ice trilogy. The Girl and the Moon brings us drama, fights, politics, ancient demons, and power in this epic final. Set in the same world as the Book of the Ancestor trilogy, the two series get pretty entangled for the final showdown, and even hints of Mark Lawrence’s other works (which I did not think possible, but he did).

As a big fan of the Book of the Ancestor trilogy, I was delighted that these two universes combine, getting answers to questions I had left with the previous trilogy (and some answers to questions I did not even have!). Obviously, this was great for me, and I absolutely adored every moment of this. But I wonder how it would have been read for people whose Book of the Ice is the first series they read by Mark Lawrence. I do think you would have to have read Book of the Ancestor first to completely enjoy Book of the Ice. At this point, I’m wondering for how long he’d been planning all of this work honestly.

I loved seeing more of Mali (definitely a favourite), and Yaz and Quina’s relationship with the convent.

While I liked this conclusion, I can’t help but feel a tiny bit unsatisfied with the fate of some characters, what’s next to their future. I loved the little found family Yaz built for herself from the beginning, but the ending had some unfound your family vibes which I do Not Like.

Also I still have questions about things!!! And Mark Lawrence better be planning more Mali stories because there’s so much more for her!!

I;ve posted this to GR and Black Dragon Books

If you follow me on Goodreads or my review here, you’ll know I’m a big fan of Mark’s works. That’s not to say I 5* everything, I don’t. I found The Broken Empire and the Red Queens War in the 3.5* - 4* range, whereas I rated the Book of the Ancestor a 4.5* - 5*. Mark’s work is consistently good to great and he’s quite prolific. I think he’s up to around 15 published books and believe he has already written his next trilogy!

Book of the Ice is right up there with Book of the Ancestor. I loved The Girl and the Stars, it brought me out of a reading slump, and it was great to be back on Abeth, albeit, on the ice. The Girl and the Mountain was also a great read, so I had high hopes for The Girl and the Moon, and it didn’t disappoint.

At the end of The Girl and the Mountain Yaz, and some of her friends, found themselves in the Green Belt, more specifically at The Convent of Sweet Mercy (where Book of the Ancestor takes place).

Yaz and her friends are unable to speak the language, but Yaz quickly adapts thanks to her connection with Mali, a quantal novice at The Convent of Sweet Mercy, who Yaz met on the ice (in The Girl and the Mountain). They also find everything so new! Warm water, hot food… lots of food types, warm weather, a variety of clothing, animals, plants, everything really, and this is endearing. It made me wonder what it would be like to discover something such a vastly different civilisation. Imagine living during a somewhat recent time period like the 19th century and then arriving in modern times, how would we deal with such a change?

Early on, Yaz and Quina stay at the Convent, for reasons I will not spoil, so Thurin and Erris travel into the city with Mali to continue their quest to save the moon, while Yaz and Quina train and learn at the Convent.

There are lots of connections in this book. Most obviously, f you’ve read Book of the Ancestor, you’ll find lots of cross over in The Girl and the Moon, albeit in an earlier time period, one where Sister Pan is a young novice! Jorg even makes an appearance… if you can spot him… there’s a challenge for you! And, of course, Taproot.

Our contingent goes through many trials and tribulations as they fight to save the Moon, their lives always in peril as they search for the Ark of the Missing. I’m not going to spoil the story discussing it, but rest assured this is a great conclusion to a wonderful series. There is plenty of excitement, many reveals and crossovers, combat, interesting new characters, and technology that we’ve come to expect on Abeth. Mark also does a wonderful job of closing out this trilogy.

5 of 5 stars

https://lynns-books.com/2022/05/05/the-girl-and-the-moon-book-of-the-ice-3-by-mark-lawrence-wyrdandwonder-book-review/

To be honest I’m in two minds writing this review. One is that you simply have to read all of Lawrence’s books to understand the magnitude of what he achieves in this third instalment of the Book of the Ice series. There are a number of reveals and little surprises included here that were great to read with the benefit and hindsight of having read Lawrence’s other books. At the same time I do appreciate that the idea of backtracking through so many books can be off putting for some readers in which case I would say simply pick up the series that most appeals to you and enjoy it for what it is.

If I’m going to be perfectly blunt I’m both dazzled and dazed by this third instalment. It is without doubt mind blowing but at the same time it makes me feel like I might need a reread. It makes me think of the film Interstellar (hear me out). I love that film but I feel no shame whatsoever in admitting that I needed to watch it at least three times before I really felt I’d grasped everything – and when I say ‘everything’, let’s be honest, I probably still missed things. In a very long winded way what I’m really trying to say is that Lawrence’s creation rewards patience by delivering a stunning work that encompasses multiple genres and a long picture that is cunningly clever.

You may be pleased to know that I’m going to keep this review fairly short(ish) which is not a reflection on the book but an admittance that spoilers could easily and inadvertently be dropped at this stage in the story and I have no desire to deprive readers of surprises along the way.

The story kicks off virtually where book 2 left off and we find Yaz and her companions in danger of losing their heads! I won’t elaborate on that point but can say that the action and pace is intense from the get-go. Yaz and her friends are embroiled in a desperate race to save their world and staying alive would also be nice.

We return here to the Corridor and the Convent of Sweet Mercy where novices are trained in the deadly arts and this is where our companions go, for a while, in two separate directions. I loved this part of the story, the strange conundrum that happens to one party whilst the party that remain behind help us to revisit the Convent once again seeing it through their amazed ‘eyes’.

As with all the books I’ve read by this author his writing is just my catnip. I love the way he writes and I’m not simply referring to the story or the plot, or even the pacing, the actual style just works for me on a very fundamental level. It pulls me in easily and keeps me wanting to read more. Another confession at this point – I did read until the early hours of the morning on one occasion and was so tired that when I picked it up the next day I realised that I’d have to backtrack as my brain had rebelled and although I was, technically speaking, ‘reading’ I wasn’t actually absorbing. Again, the beauty of good writing that can entrance you so much that you’re hypnotised!

In a nutshell. This book has so many winning elements. A thrilling adventure. A twisted ending. Characters that you can love (and hate), a jaw dropping conclusion and also one that is packed with emotion and a series that manages to be fantasy and science fiction combined (which shouldn’t be a surprise when you have a former research scientist in control). What a ride this has been, I’m not sure whether to unbuckle or not. I feel like this ended on a note of completion but then again when you have multiple possibilities and time travel who knows.

In terms of criticisms. A slight feeling of build up before the grande finale when it felt like things were being put into place and the pacing slowed a little but it was nice to have a breather.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

And finally, the end not just of the Book of the Ice trilogy, but a story begun in Red Sister that, according to the author, ties in with no fewer than 9 other books of his. I have some serious back-reading to do!

But, here we are, at the end of Yaz’s journey. It’s been momentous: from scraping a hard living on the ice to discovering a city and community beneath her feet; overturning centuries of abuse her people faced at the hands of the so-called priests; and fulfilling her dreams of seeing the semi-mythological green lands. This picks up immediately from the cliff-hanger ending of the previous instalment.

I absolutely squeed when we reached the Convent of Sweet Mercy in book 2, linking up fully with the Book of the Ancestor – but, eagle-eyed readers might have already sussed that this is set before the earlier series, by some 80 years. That new-old element joins several others requiring resolution here, not to mention finding a way to feel satisfyingly concluded given we’ve already had a big flash forward. There are enemies breathing down Yaz’s back – mortal and more/less so. There are ‘stars’ to create and use, too.

After finding the middle book, The Girl and the Mountain, a little busy and not quite as top-notch as I hoped, I am thoroughly pleased with how well this book ties up everything. But it’s not just connecting the remaining dots: there is plenty of unpredictability still to throw the reader before we reach the end. And throughout it all, first class writing, excellent characterisation and relationships, and world building that it still doesn’t feel like we’ve seen even half of.

The blend between fantasy and sci-fi is handled excellently as well, with the later perhaps getting a little more prominence than in previous books – as is fitting for explaining a lot of the story.

I still didn’t quite love The Book of the Ice in the same way that The Book of the Ancestor absolutely captured me: not because it’s a lessor work, but perhaps because it’s a little more of a slow-burn. I still could have spent another trilogy revelling in the world! But it was still excellent, and even better: an excellent excuse to go back to Nona’s story, and really see all of the clever connection more deeply. Yaz’s last words to Mali, for instance, have been uttered before. It’s glorious to see!

Recommendation for the series, the previous series, and to myself now for the other 5 (?) of Mark Lawrence’s series, too!

‘I think it’s just what people are like everywhere if you give them enough to eat and some spare time. We build wonders and horrors in equal measure . Sometimes both at the same time.’

Stunning conclusion to my favourite @mark___lawrence trilogy. I loved every single page of it, the characters are wonderful and the world is rich and vivid. I have not more words except go and read it, you won't be disappointed.

'Yaz of the Ictha. The girl for whom the stars will always shine brighter.’

Thank you @netgalley and @harpervoyager_uk for my eARC

#TheGirlandtheMoon #netgalley #TheBookofIce #YazoftheIctha

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I liked the book enough to buy a copy and the audible as well.

The beginning is the end of book two. An epic climax continues with Eular's accusations. Will Yaz survive? The Ice, the Greenlands, the Convent and Abbess Claw are part of the canvas an outstanding ending gets painted upon.

This writing is among Marks's best. To me, book 2 was the Empire strikes back of the trilogy. It set the foundations the story could build skyscrapers upon in book 3. Politics and lore grow in depth and flavour. In the end, I was impressed. I'm simultaneously sad the story is over yet happy at the ending.

I highly recommend this book. It is worth buying.

This book is the third in the Book of the Ice trilogy, so you definitely need to read the first two before this one. The book starts straight after the end of the previous story,I don't want to get in to too much detail about the book, since I don’t do spoilers in reviews, but the end just blew me away and I loved every twist and turn. If you love well written and constructed fiction and fantasy then this series is for you

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

As with book 1 and 2 of this trilogy, I loved the story. I loved the characters and I found myself fully absorbed in the story from the first page. The little recap at the beginning was perfect to remind me of where the story had left off. I love the author's voice and the way he weaves a captivating story full of action, tension, adventure, and everything else in between. This is the first trilogy I've read by this author and I am now going to devour all his other books. For me, Mark Lawrence is now one of my go to authors and I won't hesitate to hit the buy now button whenever I see a new book from him. A very easy 5 stars for this amazing trilogy.

This was a great ending to a series.

Lawrence continues to write compelling and real characters. His characters are always so interesting to follow, and it's always to easy to love them (even when they are very much unlikable). I loved following Yaz and her friends, and towards the end I didn't want it to end.

The writing style is excellent, the kind I'm able to follow, as I often struggle when reading (both because English isn't my native language, and because I'm easily distracted). It was easy to get back into the story if I had a break, and I just simply enjoyed following the story, even though the chacracters are the ones I love the most. They're all so different, they have their own personalities and they feel real.

It was interesting to see how The Book of the Ice is linked to Lawrence's other series, though I have yet to read his Impossible Times, and finish The Red Queen's War. However, it is not necessary to have to his other series to enjoy this one, but I'm sure it is more fun if you've read at least Book of the Ancestor and The Broken Empire.

Mark Lawrence is one the contemporary master of fantasy and this book is the practical demostration of why he's considered so good.
Epic, well written and gripping. I loved it and it's strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Girl and the Moon is the final book in the book of the ice trilogy and brings everything to a dramatic and heart pounding conclusion. Full of cut-throat politics, ancient demons, a chilling atmosphere and battles for survival - this series has been an excellent ride from start to finish.

I've really enjoyed this series (possibly more than book of the ancestor) and while I don't feel like this was my favourite in the series it still wrapped everything up in a very satisfying way and was an all round great conclusion. The majority of this book is set in the corridor and around sweet mercy convent which I enjoyed seeing (and felt nostalgic for the book of the ancestor) however I feel like I missed the ice setting as one of the strengths of the first two books in the series was the incredible atmosphere the author created.

I really enjoy the characters in this series. Yaz is a great protagonist and her determination and resilience really drive the story. I also love Thurin, Quina and Erris - they are a great set of side characters and all have their own journeys to go on throughout this book. I also liked getting to know more about Mali and the nuns at sweet mercy throughout the story and seeing Yaz/Quina befriend them.

The writing in this series is really good and everything is very easy to imagine without getting too bogged down in elaborate descriptions. I really enjoyed the contrast in this one with how the characters from the ice tribes view the lush greenery of the corridor and how they don't have to spend every minute battling for survival there and so turn to plotting, intrigue and war.

There is some interesting playing with time in this book, as well as a blend of fantasy and sci-fi elements - which is something I thought was done very well here. The ancient technology being co-opted by demons for nefarious purposes is very interesting to explore and well as all the mythology and legends around the missing. Towards the climax of the book a lot was happening and at times it got a little confusing, so that is one slight negative.

I liked how full circle the story felt and all the tie-ins with book of the ancestor. It felt like we got a lot of answers whilst still maintaining the air of mystery and hauteur that has always surrounded the ice.

In conclusion I have really enjoyed this series and was very happy with how the finale panned out (although it was not my favourite in the series [I missed the ice T_T] the author had a very clear vision and executed it very well). I'm excited to see what's next for this world as there still feels like a lot of potential for future stories!

I've been reading Mark Lawrence's books since the very beginning. I have a paperback copy of Prince of Fools, which I noticed the other day actually says 'map forthcoming' on the map page:)

Never once, in all the books I've read, has he finished a trilogy the way I wanted him to do so. He is infuriatingly consistent with this, and still, I hope, each and every time, to have the answers to all I want to know. And now, with the end of the Book of the Ice, I find myself not only without the ending I 'thought' I was going to get, but much, much worse, feeling as though I need to go back and read ALL the books again to unpick the 'threads' and perhaps find the answers I want for myself. Grrrr.

To me, this means Mark Lawrence remains at the top of his game, and while I might find it all very frustrating, that doesn't take away from my enjoyment of the books, and the universe(s)? he's created.

A fine end to another great trilogy, and one I took my time with because, quite frankly, I didn't want it to end, not in the end:)

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my review copy.

The final book in the Book of the Ice trilogy picks up straight after the cliff-hanger of book 2 with Yaz & her companions coming unexpectedly face to face with an unwelcome familiar face (and a load of nuns).
Can they survive & complete their quest? I'm not going to tell you.

I have come to love this motley cast of characters with all their strengths & flaws and I'm glad this book does them justice.

With so many threads coming together it should be a dense read but it's not. I don't know how Mark Lawrence manages to create a world with so much depth, history & conflict that is still so easy to read, but he does! This is a masterclass in world-building!

As someone who hasn't read all of his previous works, I realise I'm missing some of the clues and reveals but I don't feel like they are necessary to understand or enjoy this trilogy. Having said that, I will definitely be reading his other series soon.

I really recommend this series if you enjoy great characters and richly layered worlds.

Oh, how I wish I could write a review that's just a stack of emojis showing my facial expressions while reading... I think I went through my entire range while reading "The Girl and the Moon". If you've been following my reviews you'll know how much I loved "The Girl and the Stars" and "The Girl and the Mountain", I love this final book in the trilogy just as much... and the whole series is just stunning. Read it, or I'll weep!!

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.