This is a thoughtful and engaging book about a young girl struggling with a socially debilitating disorder in Kentucky in the 1950′s. I enjoyed the writing style and soon became lost in another place and time. I thought the colloquial dialog was slightly repetitive, but that was easy to forgive. Icy’s character is genuine and multifaceted, revealing many truths about relationships and human nature. It is inherently human to fear what is unfamiliar, and wisdom comes from knowing we are all more alike than different. The way the author revealed the history of Icy’s parents, and the story of her birth, created great depth to Icy’s acceptance of her illness. The author does not portray Icy simply as a victim and I appreciated the way some of Icy’s trials were created by Icy herself. This book evokes many emotions; from humor to anger to sadness and finally to triumph. I must admit feeling slightly let down by the climax. I thought Icy was too smart not to see the final conflict coming, and by the end I still felt there were unanswered questions. Despite not being perfect, I would recommend this book and believe it was uplifting without being syrupy sweet.