The Austins have settled back into their beloved home in the country after more than a year away. Though they had all missed the predictability and security of life in Thornhill, Vicky Austin is discovering that slipping back into her old life isn’t easy. She’s been changed by life in New York City and her travels around the country while her old friends seem to have stayed the same. So Vicky finds herself spending time with a new friend, Serena Eddington—the great-aunt of a boy Vicky met over the summer. Aunt Serena gives Vicky an incredible birthday gift—a month-long trip to Antarctica. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. But Vicky is nervous. She’s never been away from her family before. Once she sets off though, she finds that’s the least of her worries. She receives threatening letters. She’s surrounded by suspicious characters. Vicky no longer knows who to trust. And she may not make it home alive.
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Release date
December 1, 2008 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781427205865
- File size: 255343 KB
- Duration: 08:51:57
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Languages
- English
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Levels
- ATOS Level: 5.1
- Interest Level: 9-12(UG)
- Text Difficulty: 6-12
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Reviews
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Publisher's Weekly
Starred review from August 29, 1994
Vicky Austin, the poetry-writing heroine of four of the Newbery Medalist's previous novels, finds herself caught in a web of political intrigue in this exotic, multilayered thriller. The high school junior is overjoyed when given the opportunity to travel to Antarctica to visit good friend Adam Eddington (introduced in A Ring of Endless Light ), a college student majoring in marine biology. Her enthusiasm wanes only slightly after she receives mysterious notes warning her to stay home. When she embarks on her journey, danger indeed seems to lurk around every corner--in one tense scene atop a pyramid, she is nearly pushed to her death. Her traveling companions, a colorful lot, include Otto, prince of Zlatovica; Esteban, a tour guide; and various eccentrics; as the voyage continues, their odd behavior intensifies Vicky's suspicions. Interspersed with flash-forwards of Vicky stranded on an iceberg, the intricate story line mounts in suspense. L'Engle, writing for a sophisticated audience, contrasts the purity of a frozen paradise with the burning greed of humans, and her stunning descriptions of the Antarctic waters and their inhabitants transmit a strong ecological message. Good overcomes evil in the end, but enough loose threads remain to suggest further adventures for the intrepid Vicky and Adam. Ages 12-up. 50,000 first printing. -
AudioFile Magazine
Narrator Jorjeana Marie's dreamy voice suits the story of the curious young poet Vicky, who finds herself entangled in an Antarctic conspiracy. When her boyfriend's elderly aunt gives Vicky the opportunity to visit Antarctica, she leaps at the adventure. Marie's youthful voice recounts Vicky's friendship with Aunt Serena, which develops over many philosophical conversations. Marie moves easily between the voices of Vicky's large family and the global passengers she travels with at sea, and she creates palpable joy as Vicky encounters the wonders and wildlife of the Southern Hemisphere. Listeners will feel the chill and desperation set in when Vicky is left stranded on an iceberg with only seals for company. L'Engle's granddaughter, Charlotte Voiklis, gives context for this work in her introduction. E.E.C. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
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Formats
- OverDrive Listen audiobook
Languages
- English
Levels
- ATOS Level:5.1
- Interest Level:9-12(UG)
- Text Difficulty:6-12
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