Customer Reviews

Frozen Tears

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The author has crafted a highly compelling story, placed in solid setting, and revolving around well developed characters. It pulled me in; I found it to be very engaging. The story incorporates themes of romance, love, tragedy, survival, inspiration, and Native American culture all well woven together and balanced. It is difficult to describe exactly what the book is about, except to say that it is a very compelling story of one woman's passions and tragedies through a decade or so of her life. Without revealing any spoilers, I will say that the story followed a far different path in the latter half than I had expected it to go and that in particular grabbed my interest throughout and impressed me greatly. By often setting a chapter to be months or years after the previous one, the story winds up encompassing quite a long range of the main character's life, but without bogging down in even the least at any point. Well done. It is quite a page turner.

For your family, you would do anything. "Frozen Tears" is the story of Kale Weaver, an environmentalist as she is faced with a challenge of Alaska's beautiful natural landscape. Blending its native culture, creatures, and more, Mary Ann MacAfee blends a delightful read that will entertain many a reader. "Frozen Tears" is of especial interest to those intrigued by the native Alaskan culture.

In Frozen Tears, a tale of love and adventure in contemporary Alaska, Mary Ann MacAfee parallels real life issues and spiritual elements to create a story that is haunting, heartbreaking and hopeful.

Kale Leland is a hydrologist in the remote wilds of Midland, Alaska. She has a job, friends and an overbearing boyfriend that her family approves of. Her life is pretty well set until she meets Elliot Weaver, an Alaskan Native at The Crusty Miner, a local bar. There's a strong attraction between the Ennuit bush pilot and the California-bred white girl. Over the objections of friends and family Kale marries Elliot and despite their cultural differences the young couple is happy and looking forward to a long life together. He takes her to visit the Native village where his family lives and she forms a bond with his grandfather, Ittuq who is a wolf shaman. But when they get a call that Ittuq is sick they attempt an emergency flight to the village and it ends in a tragic accident. Elliot dies leaving Kale pregnant and lost in the snowy wilderness. Caught in a whirl of pain, loss and confusion she is led to a cave and then later to the village by a gray wolf. She believes Ittuq became a wolf one last time before he died so he could save her and his grandchild. Kale comes to love the wolves and she will rely on their spiritual guidance in the future when tragedy strikes again.

I love to open a book and find myself immersed in another world. Frozen Tears did that for me. MacAfee paints vivid pictures of the Alaskan landscape and weather that left me breathless. Her descriptions of the Ennuit village with its native traditions, extreme poverty and alcoholism give the story a real depth. Her characters live and breathe. I found myself empathizing with Kale and her struggle to overcome each challenge and loss. This bittersweet tale will entice readers to suspend belief in ordinary reality and enter a world of mysticism and reincarnation. Themes of environmentalism are woven in a compelling exploration of life, love and loss. A wonderful story filled with redemptive hope and the promise of enduring love. I highly recommend it.

Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (May 8, 2009)
ISBN- 978-1439218198
Paperback: 368 Pages
Price: $15.99

"Frozen Tears" by Mary Ann MacAfee is a love story and adventure set in the vastness that is Alaska. Kale Leland, a young environmentalist meets Elliot Weaver, a local Ennuit and fall in love. She is introduced into the Ennuit culture. But after Elliot dies, she struggles to survive in the wilderness with the help of a wolf, so that their child can be born. But rejection is found everyone and Kale has a rough road ahead. Ms. MacAfee describes the rough frozen tundra of Alaska, the animals that inhabit it and the depth of the characters is amazing. She has a way that draws one into the world of Kale. Makes me want to be one with nature.

Set in remote Alaska, Kale LeLand leads a rather basic life: job, boyfriend, good friends. Her present and future is both joyfully and devastatingly changed when she meets Elliot Weaver, a local Ennuit, during a night out at the neighborhood tavern. The connection is strong between them and they are ultimately married. What follows is a story of their struggle to be live in both the native and non-native cultures of the area, a tragedy that imparts a strong bond between Kale and the wolf population, the determination of Kale to understand the native's anciet rituals and legends and ultimately Kale's will to grant a wish when obstacles are constantly set in front her.

I am glad I took some time before reviewing this Frozen Tearsby Mary Ann MacAfee. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I enjoyed the story. The descriptions of the vast Alaskan wilderness, the frigid weather and the poverty of a native village paint a picture. The relationships between Kale and Elliot, between Kale and her friends and especially between Kale and the elders of the Ennuit village are intriguing. There are some "oh my gosh" moments where I was surprised when the story took a different direction than I was expecting. I truly enjoyed the character of Kale. Her devotion to her son, friends and the wolves was relatable and honest.Frozen Tears

Frozen Tears, is a captivating adventure set in the remote Alaskan wilderness, contrasting the ethos and prejudice, myth and ritual, of a primitive society with the beliefs and behaviors of a group of diverse refugees from contemporary culture.

Undeserved misfortune bedevils and challenges Kale Weaver. First the loss of her husband, Elliot, a native Ennuit, then the loss of their son, Matthew, in whom she embodies all her love, plans, and expectations. A long-time friend Russell Rusty)Blades, plays a key role as does Gray Wolf, a wolf shaman from whom Kale learns the meaning and power of wolf tears.

Finally, Kale must fulfill Mathew's final destiny, a wish which she herself never imagined for him.