3 out of 5 stars
Share This Review
Hassan is a young Pakistani-American, who is trying to get by in life. However, the lack of income, loneliness, and foreseeable eviction from his small apartment sets Hassan on a path unrecognizable to his high-achieving family. As he attempts to fulfill his dream and pluck up the courage to do stand-up comedy, he meets the lovely Yasmine. The instant connection is compelling. Unbeknownst to Hassan, though, Yasmine has a deep, dark secret that will put the young man in danger.
Come follow the two, along with a lovable, yet terrifying friend, as they embark on a journey filled with magic, realm traveling, dangerous creatures, and more in Vik Azeem’s urban fantasy, Ice Dance.
There were several aspects of this book that were well-executed. Firstly, I thought the way the author tied in romance within the pages of Ice Dance was clever. It was evident how much Hassan cared for Yasmine and vice versa, but Mr. Azeem aptly did not overwhelm his storyline with romance. There were nothing more than slight kisses. Secondly, the twists and turns included in this fantasy kept me engaged. Thirdly, the characters were also likable and the humorous moments throughout the text lightened any serious plot points.
As with any book, there were areas that I felt could be improved and/or I enjoyed the least. Unfortunately, the plot was slow for the first quarter of the book. In addition, the amount of profanity was on the high side for me. Also, the amount of pop culture references included took away from the fantasy genre. Regrettably, there were also several errors scattered throughout Ice Dance. For instance, the realm the characters visited was Hollow-Maid. However, the author included multiple variations of the name, including “Hollow Maid”, “Hollowmaid”, and “HollowMaid”. These errors were distracting.
Ice Dance was an easy-to-follow read that had both positive features and ones that could be improved. The relationships between the characters and fast-paced ending made this an entertaining story. On the other hand, the errors included and some of the pacing could be improved. Considering everything, I rate Ice Dance by Vik Azeem three out of five stars.
Though simple enough of a text to comprehend, due to the amount of profanity included, the target audience would be those who are in the young adult age range and older. Those who find joy in reading simple fantasy and light romance, with a dash of humor, would also find this book enjoyable.
******
Ice Dance
View: on Bookshelves
