The Ice Chorus

This one didn't touch me quite like These Granite Islands because I couldn't warm up to some of the characters. BUT---when I read the epilogue I found myself snorking and snuffling and wiping the tears from my cheeks, wondering how Sarah Stonich managed to do that to me again. It was the Irish characters that got to my heart. The love and loyalty between Remy and Maggie Conner is enviable, and was so sweetly portrayed. And you can't help loving their granddaughter Siobhan for her sass and spunky [...]

As fragile as spun glass, as soothing as a poem; that is how I would describe The Ice Chorus by Sarah Stonich. I went into this blind, not having heard about the author or the book. The cover picture of a lady wrapped in a red blanket walking on the sea shore, with her unruly hair flying in the wind, is what drew me to this book. Of course the title too had a strange attraction.The story outwardly seems simple and oft told. A dying relationship, a new attraction and life at the cross roads. But [...]

Stars: 4.0The Ice Chorus by Sarah Stonich is the picturesque, perceptive and contemporary tale of Liselle (Lise) Dupre, an amateur documentary filmmaker from Toronto who is torn between the men in her life: her self-absorbed, archaeologist husband Stephen, 17-year-old son Adam, once womanizing and now dead father Hart, and the lover she met on a Mexican vacation – Welsh painter Charles Lowan – who makes her feel like she has never felt before.Exquisitely written with as much consideration of [...]

At its most basic, The Ice Chorus is a story about a woman named Liselle who had an affair, and has travelled to Ireland to get away from her life. She’s just gotten divorced from her husband, and her teenage son won’t speak to her for more than a minute. The story unfolds moving from the present through flashbacks to show Liselle’s life and how she met the man she loves, and how her relationship with her family changes, and how she ends up in the middle of nowhere on the Irish coast, aski [...]

Within the genre of romance novel, I'd give this more stars. It's pleasant. A good read for people who read for escape or to linger in fantasy-land. It's not meaty or intellectual enough for my taste. The writing is probably far more sophisticated than the average romance novel — or what I would assume is the average, since I don't read genre romance — but is a bit saccharine. Everything is warm and fuzzy, glowing, lovely. The main characters and their love affair so sweet and idyllic — so [...]

From the opening line of this book, Stonich gets it right"An ocean-hued piece of silk rests over her hand like a landed butterfly." The excellent writing continues and it's some of my favorites. Stonich is from Minnesota, another bonus. It's the story of a woman's rediscovery after her marriage has fallen apart. The scenery is Ireland, Toronto and Mexico.

This is really a lovely book. Wonderfully written. About believing in yourself and following your heart Very interesting characters and also has a lot of history in it. Great read.

What happens when you are in your life, filling out the shape of it, and suddenly you see someone and you hear a voice inside your soul say, "Now here's someone." Love has no rules. It makes no sense. It finds you. Sarah Stonich's The Ice Chorus is a profoundly moving story of love, betrayal, hope, redemption and healing. Lise's life has fallen apart. Her marriage of 18 years to archeologist Stephen has crumbled, and soaring above all the mess is a painter named Charlie. She met him while visiti [...]

This book gently washes over you like the waves in Mexico, then suddenly grabs you like the crashing surf of Ireland. I loved the contrast of the two shores as it related to the story.

This book is by the author of These Granite Islands, which is going on my best books ever list. This novel did not move me as much as These Granite Islands, but it was still a very wonderful, lyrical book. While both books are about love, marriage and affairs, I believe the story of These Granite Islands was more powerful. Or, perhaps, because of my stage of life, it resonated more with me about how love can change, re-kindle and grow in a marriage after many years. The line that I still remembe [...]

Refreshing Look at LoveI enjoyed this reading for many reasons. The history, the culture, the setting near the ocean, and the complex look at love, to name a few. Liselle and Stephen have what would appear, for many, to be the perfect life. He's an anthropologist, she's a well respected teacher and film maker. Their son does well in school and is a respectable young man. Yet, what looks good from one side doesn't always present the same from the other side. Stephen's job often requires him to be [...]

This book I suppose is really a fairly simple romance story with more sophistication. Liselle is the main character who accompanies her husband to an archaeological dig in Mexico. While he is digging she begin an intense relationship with Charlie. The affair is relayed to the reader months later when Liselle has moved to a remote location on the Irish coast which is the scene of one of Charlies paintings. This book provides wonderful imagery with Ireland, Mexico and Canada all beautifully descri [...]

Liselle has met the man of her dreams. The problem is, she is married to someone else. When she sees Charlie, a fire ignites and the passion she feels is something her husband has never given her. Liselle realizes that life is short and true love is a wonderful emotion. The affair begins.Finally knowing what it feels like to really live, Liselle decides to document the lives of average, everyday people. Soon she finds out that in order to express the lives of others, she also needs to confess he [...]

Read quickly by headlamp. Born in my town! Parts of this story were predictable and dull (her father's secret - Charlotte and Charlie, really?) But the setting reminded me of days spent on the beaches of the North Sea and precious, lovely memories. I will read more by Stonich. Although bits of the plot development faltered she tied it up so well at the end. And the language is beautiful: a favorite "Only my name, half-legible, and inside a page with a grey wash of ink and a spoonful of salt." Gr [...]

The descriptions of paintings that Charlie creates and of the Irish landscape are lovely. At first it was hard to care about the main character, Lise, but eventually I was drawn in. This is not the kind of fiction that I usually choose. I tend to stick with the classics, but this was well worth reading. I wondered if this novel might be especially enjoyed by people who have been through a divorce or the break-up of a long relationship.

I enjoyed this story. The main character Lise is likeable and you can empathize with how the current of life has swept her along for 20 years. She has an encounter while on vacation that changes things and she makes the bold decision to swim against that current. I like the characters she meets and setting she finds herself in. A solid B rating.

This is Sarah Stonich's second novel. It is a very good book and well written. Lis escapes to Ireland to heal. She is a film maker and gets to know and take pictures of the Conner family. Her own story unfolds as she leaves a dead marriage and falls in love with a painter. Great story!

As much as I wanted this book to pull me in, it just never did. I think it was well written and I liked the love story but I had a very hard time relating to any of the characters. I finally was able to finish it but it did take some forced effort to get it done.

Quick, fun read. Loved the descriptions of Ireland - the landscape and the people. Nothing new, just fun to read. Interesting journey for the heroine. Lots of symbolism with the ice etc - I think I missed some of it.

I wasn't expecting a love story. Stonich's usual lyrical writing but for a sophisticated love story. Woman meets "someone" after 18 years of marriage. She needs to figure out the rest of her life. The coast of Ireland provides a good location for reflection.

DifficultWow it took a long time to actually relate with the characters, was ready to give up in the middle of the story but since I'm not a quieter, I persevered and can say it was worth it.

I got this book on a whim at the dollar store of all places just to read something on the airport. I didn't start it until I was home from vaca. It was a little slow at the beginning but ended up being a great love story. The woman in it found herself late in life and it was a great lesson.

This book was so good from the beginning. The descriptions of the places were so real, I could picture them so easily. It made me wish I could go to Ireland, with the descriptions of it. It also portrayed real life circumstances, and made you look deep into your heart.

Sarah Stonich is a marvelous storyteller. Her characters are surprising but very believable. She uses descriptions of times, places and people that flow easily so that I can relax and become lost in the beautiful words telling the story.

This book is very similar to another book I read by Susanna Kaysen. It's about a woman who moves to Ireland and makes a documentary and discovers family secrets while also examining her past. The book by Kaysen was in the Faroe Islands same theme. Its a relaxing read.

A breeze to read. A love affair that starts on a Mexican resort and ends in rustic and rocky Ireland. I enjoyed it.

Anne's review says it all:vulpeslibris.wordpress/200

It's okay. I couldn't relate to the characters.

I just could not get into this, the story and characters just didn't make sense to me.

I enjoyed her style of writing and will probably read another by her.