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The Country of Ice Cream Star
The Country of Ice Cream Star | Sandra Newman
In the aftermath of a devastating plague, a fearless young heroine embarks on a dangerous and surprising journey to save her world in this brilliantly inventive dystopian thriller, told in bold and fierce language, from a remarkable literary talent. My name be Ice Cream Fifteen Star and this be the tale of how I bring the cure to all the Nighted States . . . In the ruins of a future America, fifteen-year-old Ice Cream Star and her nomadic tribe live off of the detritus of a crumbled civilization. Theirs is a world of children; before reaching the age of twenty, they all die of a mysterious disease they call Posiesa plague that has killed for generations. There is no medicine, no treatment; only the mysterious rumor of a cure. When her brother begins showing signs of the disease, Ice Cream Star sets off on a bold journey to find this cure. Led by a stranger, a captured prisoner named Pasha who becomes her devoted protector and friend, Ice Cream Star plunges into the unknown, risking her freedom and ultimately her life. Traveling hundreds of miles across treacherous, unfamiliar territory, she will experience love, heartbreak, cruelty, terror, and betrayal, fighting with her whole heart and soul to protect the only world she has ever known. Guardian First Book Award finalist Sandra Newman delivers an extraordinary post-apocalyptic literary epic as imaginative as The Passage and as linguistically ambitious as Cloud Atlas. Like Hushpuppy in The Beasts of the Southern Wild grown to adolescence in a landscape as dangerously unpredictable as that of Ready Player One, The Country of Ice Cream Star is a breathtaking work from a writer of rare and unconventional talent.
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review
readingjedi
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Panpan

This book was widely lauded on publication but I found so many aspects of it problematic that I have to Pan it. The aspect that sets it apart & probably bothered me the most is the language. It's written in what purports to be a Creole which is lexically more like a Pidgin & the grammatical structure jars my linguist brain. It's also a language spoke by black characters...written by a white woman & that sits a little icky. ⬇️More in comments⬇️

ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Too bad. I liked this one. I can understand your complaints about it, though! (edited) 4y
readingjedi From above:- Despite the occasional poetic turn of phrase & a certain addictive quality of the language, it is hard work to read in a novel that is twice as long as it needs to be. And for very little reward - I found it impossible to connect emotionally with the characters as I was too busy figuring out what they were saying! 4y
readingjedi So for me, as impressed as I was by the creation of an entire language & maintaining it for over 600 pages, it didn't work. It took me out the story & worked against itself. 4y
74 likes1 stack add3 comments
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readingjedi
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Phew, that was a slog! Finally finished this one & have lots of feelings about it ... not all of them positive. Have currently rated this as a So-so but have the feeling that by the time I get round to reviewing it I'll have downgraded it to a Pan. Certain things about it were ... problematic for me.

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readingjedi
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Just started this one. I'm not quite used to the language yet & it's taking a little more concentration than usual - I don't think this will be a quick or easy read.

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Decalino
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Pickpick

This hefty book explores a future America where a plague has ravaged the country, leaving small societies of children who typically survive only into their late teens. Eighty years after the plague, the surviving children are all people of color, a fact which is never entirely explained. The author does fascinating, sometimes poetic things with language in this engrossing and sometimes brutal story, but I wasn't always 100% convinced.

17 likes1 stack add
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rachelsbrittain
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1. American Royals and re-reading An Unkindness of Ghosts

2. The Country of Ice Cream Star by Sandra Newman

3. 7 if you count ebooks and audiobooks as well as physical books

#weekendreads

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xxjenadanxx
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New library books for a new month!

-The Golden Tresses of the Dead by Alan Bradley
-Auschwitz Lullaby by Mario Escobar
-Nest of the Monarch by Kay Kenyon
- I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo
-Girls with Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young
-The Familars by Stacey Halls
-The Binding by Bridget Collins
-The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna by Juliet Grames
-The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis
-The Country of Ice Cream Star by Sandra Newman

pocket.full.of.books How do you add ur tbr and etc 5y
73 likes1 comment
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valeriegeary
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Received a surprise package from my best friend today. A polka dot dress and books!! She gets me.

valeriegeary The other book she sent ... 5y
61 likes1 comment
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Dogearedcopy
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Next up: A PA dystopian tale of a world ravaged by a plague that kills everyone before they are twenty years old; and the quest of a girl who seeks a cure. The language is highly stylized so I'll wait until I've gotten a bit of sleep before I start in earnest, but in just taking a quick peek, this promises to be something special.

wtimblin Had this on my TBR for I don't k now how long. Enjoy. Let us know how you find it 5y
30 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Drnkpnkprincess
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#thisorthat

1. Both - soft serve is the best 🍦👑 #duchessofswirl
2. Lemon! 🍋
3. Either as long as they‘re “Vegas style” and grilled
4. Both. I usually don‘t eat sandwiches unless it‘s summer 🤷🏼‍♀️
5. Neither - not a big 🍿🍿 fan
6. Both! Don‘t mind books that have been loved before. Brand new bathing suits only though!

@RealLifeReading thanks for posting!!

RealLifeReading You‘re welcome! Ok I have to know what are Vegas style wings? 6y
Drnkpnkprincess @RealLifeReading they are baked, tossed in sauce and thrown on the grill to get those perfect char-marks. A restaurant in Flagstaff, AZ has them on their menu and I can‘t resist them. 🤤🤤🍗 (edited) 6y
45 likes2 comments
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Giabow
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It took me a bit to get into the narration style, but now that I have, I'm really enjoying this book. I read a blurb of it somewhere and found it at the library because it sounded like something I would like. It's totally different from what I thought, but I'm still really enjoying it.
I love pleasant little surprises like that in a book.

9 likes1 stack add
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jpmcwisemorgan
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Today is National Start Your Own Country Day, something I think quite a few of us probably want to do. I don‘t have an ebook about starting my own country but I do ha r one about defending the only world one knows. Maybe next year I‘ll feel up to post-apocalyptic reading again. #twentytwo #NovemberByTheNumbers

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Sue
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All my book mail came today!

Alicia Oooh I‘ve been wanting to get Lit Chat for a while after hearing about it on Book Riot!! Hope it‘s fun! 6y
Izai.Amorim Patriotism is cool! 6y
Sue @Alicia It looks so cool, I‘m looking forward to playing with it more on the weekend. @Izai.Amorim I had to pick up Patriotism after you posted about it the other day. I‘m hoping to find time for it this weekend too. 6y
BookBabe That Patriotism book cover should win a design award! 🙌🏻 6y
71 likes1 stack add4 comments
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The.Intentional.Reader
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Picked this up today. Heard good things about this.

Drnkpnkprincess I want to read everything with “ice cream” in the title! 🍦🍦🍦 can‘t wait to read your review! 6y
12 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Dorisdoomsday
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Pickpick

Ice Cream Star is one of the best heroines I've encountered, ever--in my mind, only Buffy Summers is a worthy contender. The book is written in a patois created entirely by the author, and the language is as down-right addicting as the comfort food that comprises the heroine's name. I'm going to buy this book and read it everyday on my birthday!!! 🍦🌟🌈✨💗🎉

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Dorisdoomsday
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"Yo, this cowardesse feel right; like every world desire this cowardesse, and call it wisdom."

I can't help thinking that the apocalyptic world of the future in "The Country of Ice Cream Star" too feary resemble today, is vally truth!!! ??

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Dorisdoomsday
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Going to make today a DEAR day and finish up Sandra Newman's wonderful "The Country of Ice Cream Star". Thanks to #allthebooks @Liberty for this very excellent recommendation!

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SuperPunkNinja
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I'm about a third of the way through this and no ice cream so far. I'm starting to suspect there will be no actual ice cream in this book. I feel like I've been misled and now I need to eat my feelings. 🍦🍧🍨

Donna_sBookMinute From the looks of the synopsis, "Ice Cream" is the name of the protagonist. Not sure if the narrative goes into how she got that name. ??? 7y
britt_brooke 😂 7y
CocoReads How dare they lead you astray like that. Ice Cream is a good cure. I'm indulging in box Mac and cheese myself. 7y
See All 10 Comments
Daisydo Thus we should have ice cream after book club next month. 🍦 7y
cathysaid 😂😂 7y
Smrloomis 😂😂 7y
Sace It's not right to tease people like that! 😡 7y
65 likes1 stack add10 comments
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SuperPunkNinja
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While I was searching for a #favoritequote I found these lovely words. 🍦📚❤

RadicalReader @McShelfington so incredible love the wonderful world of chocolate and books 7y
ScarletQuill Truth. 7y
candyflossramparts I'm already fat, so I can read and eat as much chocolate as I like. 🍫🤘 7y
97 likes3 comments
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Lindy
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Pickpick

Twenty-six and a half hours of dystopian action in invented dialect. I kept thinking I needed to take a break and listen to something else but this story was too compelling and from the start my heart was completely won over by the 15-year-old protagonist. Audiobook narrator Lisa Reneé Pitts does a brilliant performance.

BethFishReads Ohhh. Hummm. I have this in print but now I'm thinking audio! 7y
Lindy @BethFishReads I recommend audio. It would be helpful to have the print if you want to see how some of these words are spelled. 7y
BethFishReads I have the book 7y
Lindy @BethFishReads Yes, so if you decide to go with the audio instead, you can still refer to the print version. Maybe it's just me who's curious about spelling. 7y
BethFishReads @Lindy no you're not alone. 7y
43 likes1 stack add5 comments
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Lindy
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Keeper say: I learn his talk so quick it be like science. Next, I go and learn the talk of deer. I go convince the deer to come be meat for us.

tpixie Great photo. Interesting quote! 7y
Lindy @tpixie Thanks. I saw this sculpture (two taxidermied deer covered in resin) at an art museum in Brisbane. Can't remember the artist. 7y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled This book was very interesting. I loved the language. 7y
Lindy @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled I'm loving the language too. I'm 3 hours into the 26-hour audiobook. 7y
tpixie @Lindy cool 😎 7y
37 likes3 stack adds5 comments
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Susan
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6 likes1 stack add
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SaintUrsula
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"My name be Ice Cream Fifteen Star."

#firstlines

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Laney1733

I'm about a third of the way into this one and still not sure about how I feel about it. The first chapter was rough but I'm adjusting to the language now and it's starting to go easier. I think I'm starting to like the main character more.

Chessa Welcome to Litsy! 📚❤ 7y
Laney1733 Thank you very much! I am really enjoying it. 🤓 (edited) 7y
MrBook Very belatedly, welcome to @Litsy 😁👍🏻! 7y
15 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Marchpane
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Pickpick

Fifteen year old Ice Cream Star is an unlikely leader in a dystopian future devoid of adults, as a mysterious disease means that no one survives beyond their teens.

600 pages of invented dialect won't be everyone's cup of tea, but I was immersed in the world and seeing through the eyes of Ice Cream Star.

#kickassheroines #seasonsreadings2016

Lindy Could you hear her voice in your head as you read? I've been considering listening to the audiobook instead of going with print for this. 7y
Marchpane @lindy I did feel like I could hear her speaking. Audiobook would be interesting, quite a different experience I think! 7y
Lindy I'll be on a 14-hour flight next month and this might be the audiobook to get me through that. 🎧✈️ 7y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled I enjoyed this - especially the first half. I adapted to the language quickly. So very creative. 7y
jesslovestype Sandra was one of my favorite writing professors! I'm so glad you enjoyed her book, it's been on my TBR for ages. 7y
88 likes6 stack adds5 comments
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kmbezner
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Let's start fall off right with some fall colored books! With the help of Deadpool and Harley, of course.

2 likes1 stack add
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ScoutDarling
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Taking a break from schoolwork to sink into this novel tonight. The bookseller I purchased it from said it's his absolute favorite! Here goes nothing...

2 likes1 stack add
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ScoutDarling
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I've got two semesters left in the south and Nashville's Parnassus Books just might become my favorite spot of the year. Now if only I can hitch a ride to the city... #getindie

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bookriot
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Pickpick

Doing the #2016ReadHarderChallenge? Here's a great recommendation for "Read a book over 500 pages long" or " Read a dystopian or post-apocalyptic novel." THIS BOOK IS AMAZING. It will melt your brain like ice cream in the sun! Here's the rest of challenge: http://bookriot.com/2015/12/15/2016-book-riot-read-harder-challenge

Titania Excellent. I've read like 4 books with 497 pages. So close! 8y
Owlizabeth Yes! I have this sitting in my pile - it's hard to pass a book with that title! 8y
Jlmergler I need to bump this one up on my TBR list. 8y
acc5446 I saw a 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' reference so I'm totally sold. 8y
marixa You had me at "dystopian or post-apocalyptic" 8y
129 likes68 stack adds5 comments
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heikemarie
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I am finally (!!!) reading this and really floored by it so far. However, I've got some competing priorities at the moment... (I mean grad school of course.)(Gotta catch em all.)

3 likes1 stack add
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Cassie
Pickpick

Not an easy read for multiple reasons, but definitely a rewarding one. This is a stark and beautiful book, and a wholly immersive reading experience. Ice Cream Star is one of the best characters I've read in fiction, ever. Raw, wild, sensitive, heartbreaking, horrifying. Worth the read for sure.

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Cassie
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I was just sitting down reading for a few minutes when I got a sudden urge for ice cream. Weird, right?

3 likes1 stack add
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CandycaneBelle
Bailedbailed

I had a hard time getting into this book as the vernacular of the characters was halting to read. I would consider trying to pick it up again in the future but for right now I had to bail :/

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anwade88
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Pickpick

Not at all a usual pick for me. A post-America book written in an entirely author-created dialect. I found this both parts fascinating and annoying. Nonetheless this book left me reflecting on it and issues it brought up for weeks. One of the (many) times I wished I had been reading with a book club

2 likes3 stack adds