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THE ICE STORM is one of the wittiest books about family life ever written (THE GUARDIAN )
A huge '70s nostalgia trip, a litany of kitsch, a mountain of memorabilia as the backdrop to a bitter-sweet story of suburban America. (TIME OUT )
With intelligence, restraint, and without sentimentality, Rick Moody has created a moving portrait of a nuclear family meltdown. A hilarious, remarkable and beautiful book (Jeffrey Eugenides author of THE VIRGIN SUICIDES )
A blackly funny and beautifully written novel. (SUNDAY TIMES )
A huge '70s nostalgia trip, a litany of kitsch, a mountain of memorabilia as the backdrop to a bitter-sweet story of suburban America. (TIME OUT )
With intelligence, restraint, and without sentimentality, Rick Moody has created a moving portrait of a nuclear family meltdown. A hilarious, remarkable and beautiful book (Jeffrey Eugenides author of THE VIRGIN SUICIDES )
A blackly funny and beautifully written novel. (SUNDAY TIMES )
TIME OUT
'A huge '70s nostalgia trip... a bittersweet story of suburban America.'
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SO LET ME dish you this comedy about a family I knew when I was growing up. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
SO LET ME dish you this comedy about a family I knew when I was growing up. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"Be careful what you wish for. You might get it".
Wise words that came to acquire a new meaning as the baby-boomers' children were entering the 70's. Bell-bottoms and mutton-chops were the cutting edge of fashion; Nixon's lies (and not his Kissingerian real-politics and crimes against humanity) were what finally cost him his office; polyester was more expensive and desirable than natural fibers; America was fighting another youth-grinding senseless war - and (for the first time) loosing badly. The swinging sixties came and gone and left behind only discontent and drug habits; New Heaven, Connecticut was Suburbia having everything it had wished for; every morning waking to the American Dream - only to find it hollow and wanting. And there was an ice storm brewing in the horizon. Would its whiteness make everything pure again? Would its crystals make things clearer?
I picked the book after of greatly enjoying Ang Lee's MASTERPIECE movie. I agree with most other reviewers: the movie was much more tight and effective - and, in the end, a crisper experience. I can understand how RICK MOODY's writing, with its long-winded phrases, rich likenings and not so subtle metaphors, may seem a bit dated to the 1.3sec zapping generation. However, I think that a slow, joyful reading is needed to do justice to this book.
RECOMMENDED!
Wise words that came to acquire a new meaning as the baby-boomers' children were entering the 70's. Bell-bottoms and mutton-chops were the cutting edge of fashion; Nixon's lies (and not his Kissingerian real-politics and crimes against humanity) were what finally cost him his office; polyester was more expensive and desirable than natural fibers; America was fighting another youth-grinding senseless war - and (for the first time) loosing badly. The swinging sixties came and gone and left behind only discontent and drug habits; New Heaven, Connecticut was Suburbia having everything it had wished for; every morning waking to the American Dream - only to find it hollow and wanting. And there was an ice storm brewing in the horizon. Would its whiteness make everything pure again? Would its crystals make things clearer?
I picked the book after of greatly enjoying Ang Lee's MASTERPIECE movie. I agree with most other reviewers: the movie was much more tight and effective - and, in the end, a crisper experience. I can understand how RICK MOODY's writing, with its long-winded phrases, rich likenings and not so subtle metaphors, may seem a bit dated to the 1.3sec zapping generation. However, I think that a slow, joyful reading is needed to do justice to this book.
RECOMMENDED!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Don't believe this cover - this book certainly isn't a comedy although it has a few humorous moments. In reality it is a gripping read of relationships falling apart and the impact on the families - all coming to a head with the dramatic events on the evening of the ice storm. I saw the film first and loved it. I'd also recommend the book for a slower more in depth exploration of a moving story where you can connect with each of the 8 central characters. I'm looking forward to watching the film again.
Why not 5 stars ? A little slow at times during the first half before really gripping in the second half.
Why not 5 stars ? A little slow at times during the first half before really gripping in the second half.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
"Love was scattered on the winds. It exceeded its targets," writes Rick Moody in this atmospheric but somewhat jaded and pessimistic family story. It involves teenagers fumbling their way towards maturity (can Mikey make it home through the ice storm?), and adults drawn into the `swingers' world in suburbia. It was published in 1994, made into a film in, I believe, the late-1990s, and is set in the 1970s, in Nixon-era America. I vaguely remember seeing the film late one night on TV and enjoying it's sophistication while not caring much about anyone but the younger actors, (in the book, fourteen and thirteen), who seemed badly served by their self-involved parents. Sigourney Weaver, Joan Allen and Kevin Kline starred.
It is a witty, sometimes brilliant book, if occasionally self-conscious in its verbosity, but that's a minor flaw. It is very good with the atmosphere of middle America in an era where some people seem to have learned that there is more to life than marriage with 2.4 children, but not what the cost of attaining that "more" that is somewhere out there could be. It did not quite manage to make me care about the two marriages depicted, both of which seemed doomed. Nevertheless, this is a well written and well-realised novel with some useful and entertaining things to say about life, love, sex and the pursuit of happiness.
It is a witty, sometimes brilliant book, if occasionally self-conscious in its verbosity, but that's a minor flaw. It is very good with the atmosphere of middle America in an era where some people seem to have learned that there is more to life than marriage with 2.4 children, but not what the cost of attaining that "more" that is somewhere out there could be. It did not quite manage to make me care about the two marriages depicted, both of which seemed doomed. Nevertheless, this is a well written and well-realised novel with some useful and entertaining things to say about life, love, sex and the pursuit of happiness.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Among Moody's Best ... but Not Quite
I love Rick's writing, but I also note his tendency for verbosity. This is his most nostalgic and personal story, with deeply insightful and moving moments flowing like a river. Read more
Published 4 days ago by George Wells
american suburbia in the 1970's
in this novel moody depicts a nuclear family being torn apart in 1970's Connecticut. This book is a great read, and moody's eye for detail makes it very enjoyable. Read more
Published on 9 April 2001
Seen the film - now read this
It's amazing what the film left out of this tale about the swinging 70's -in depth character descriptions bring the people we love to hate (in the film) to life. Read more
Published on 20 Nov 2000
Good but only for one reason!
This is an excellent screenplay, however, in my mind, only for one reason. One of the actresses is the greatest- Katie Holmes, she is in this and that's why it's great!!!
Published on 19 Aug 1999
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