The Ice Cream Girls (original 2010; edition 2012)

For me, the unbelievable parts really took away from what could have been an insightful and groundbreaking novel. I think the author took on a very difficult subject (domestic violence and sexual abuse) and did a fantastic job in showing how such a relationship might be instigated and maintained. I think the relationship she portrayed was realistic and heartbreaking. Hard to read in some places because it was so heinous. I also really liked the premise, that one of the girls had been imprisoned for murdering her abuser while the other one got away -- and yet, not really because the trauma poisoned her life. This part of the story was very good.

BUT -- there were so many aspects that were just unbelievable to me. How can total strangers recognize Serena from the twenty-year-old case but not her husband or any of her husband's family? How can her husband not see how Serena's strange actions (hiding the knives) and paranoia are a result of some past trauma? Plus, she must have scars from stitches and a medical history of extensive injuries, including broken bones and hospitalization. How does he not notice? He's a doctor for Pete's sake! How could both girls' families -- parents, siblings, grandparents -- not have seen the extensive injuries their abuser inflicted? We're talking broken bones, gashes that need stitches, black eyes and bruises and cuts. And what about their teachers? How could the girls be spending all this time with their abuser, days and nights for years and no one noticed anything wrong or strange? Especially because their families were basically loving and supportive?

Also, there were aspects to both women's relationships with men that really bothered me. Serena's husband Evan is described by the author as 'an almost perfect' man. But he routinely makes big decisions without consulting her, uses their children to manipulate her, and his sudden reversal from being hurt and angry and convinced of her guilt when he discovers her secret, to suddenly being convinced of her innocence when she gets hurt did not make sense to me. And Poppy falls for someone who first deceived her and repeatedly crossed the boundaries which she set, but he was so 'nice and gentle' and treated her well that she ended up falling for him. Ugh. I guess I just wanted Serena and Poppy to be more empowered, especially Poppy after her time in prison. It would have been understandable if their trauma made them choose poor partners, but the men are presented as being these great guys, even though their actions show them to be otherwise. It would have been more interesting to see Poppy become independent as she healed her relationships with her parents, and Serena work to heal the relationship with her husband. As it was, their relationships with men were very one-dimensional.

Lastly, the crime. I figured out who the murderer must be pretty early on. But as presented, it was not believable. Marcus doesn't realize he's stabbing himself multiple times? No way. Marlene comes to his house even though she has a restraining order out against him, and knows how violent he is? No way. Marlene wipes her fingerprints off the knife but misses the place where Poppy's fingerprints are? No way. Too many implausible things. It would have been more interesting if one of the girls HAD been guilty. (

)

TheGalaxyGirl | Aug 14, 2021 |

All member reviews

date ▼ | votes

Showing 14 of 14

)

TheGalaxyGirl | Aug 14, 2021 |

Terribly predictable. Good for a mindless read to pass time.
(

)

Heather_Brock | Nov 23, 2016 |

Ack! No! I read another Koomson that was light and wholesome and sweet... like ice cream... and saw the pastel cover (the default) and title, and added this to my list. Then I saw this cover, the red and dark, more dramatic, and I thought, well, ok.... But no. It is a murder mystery, and the reviews on goodreads spoil that there's some very dark stuff happening. I really don't like yuck factor or mysteries, so, nope, returning after reading about 30 pp.

Cheryl_in_CC_NV | Jun 5, 2016 |

I could not put this book down! A great psychological thriller! (

)

teeth | Apr 11, 2016 |

Serena’s husband gets down on one knee and proposes to her. This, it seems, is something she has dreamed about for years. Their original marriage was something of a shotgun affair, rapidly followed by their first child, and now, at last, her wonderful husband Evan would like to do the things properly.

The scene shifts to Poppy, who has just been released from prison, where she has spent the last twenty years.

Snapshot newspaper-style cuttings tell us about the ‘ice cream girls’ Serena and Poppy who, in their mid-teens, had apparently murdered one of their school teachers. Poppy insists she is innocent... which means that Serena must have been the guilty one. And Poppy is resentful that Serena has what seems like a perfect wife, with a lovable husband and two delightful children...

The story continues switching between these two women who never much liked each other, but had a shared and horrific connection twenty years previously. There are flashbacks too, where they first meet Marcus, the history teacher who singles them out for extra tuition... Marcus is not just a seducer of teenage girls. He is an evil person without a single redeeming feature, as far as I could see, and it’s hard to imagine how anyone could be attracted to his lies. As the story unfolds, I began to feel that either of the two girls would have been totally justified if they had, in fact, killed him.

I was afraid at one point that this novel was going to be sordid, but it never quite crossed that line. The details of the past were sparse, the descriptions left up to the imagination. The story moves slowly at first but becomes quite gripping - will Poppy and Serena meet at last as adults? Will Poppy ever be able to trust anyone? Why has Serena never told her husband about her past, and will he find out...? And who did kill Marcus - or was it a joint effort?

As with Koomson’s other novels the writing is excellent, the characterisation three-dimensional and believable, the bedroom scenes minimal and non-explicit, and the bad language not too frequent.

There’s an afterword which explains that the author wrote this in the hope of encouraging girls caught in a similar situation to speak up, to say anything that might help them out of an abusive or otherwise toxic relationship. I don’t know if girls in such a situation would read a book like this - but I hope they might.

Definitely recommended. (

)

SueinCyprus | Jan 26, 2016 |

Excellent book

shazjhb | Feb 27, 2014 |

Guilty of judging books by the author and cover, I never would have chosen a Dorothy Koomson novel in a million years, but a colleague recommended The Ice Cream Girls to me. Koomson's territory is sort of 'chick lit with issues', and although easy enough to read and yes, a page-turner, I was left with the same impression after finishing the story.

Without giving too much away - although the book was recently televised, so other readers will likely be more familiar with the plot than I was - Poppy Carlisle and Serena Gorringe are reunited twenty years after an incident which changed their lives forever, but in different ways. Two details bothered me - the ages of the two narrators leading up to the fateful event, and the title of the book, which comes from a lame reference in the girls' history together. The first was unnecessary, in my opinion, if the object was to 'shine a light' on domestic abuse. Was the author scared that her readers would be less than sympathetic with two older women in the same position? The second was just naff, and I can't believe it was used as the title to boot.

I did warm to the characters, even though both women managed to find and hold onto improbable chick lit relationships with handsome and understanding men. Poppy's homecoming was heartbreaking, and Serena's kids are adorable (and believable!) The figure who brought them together degenerated into a pantomime villain, though the author's motivations were not lost on me, and the final chapter felt slightly artificial and tacked on, but not a bad read overall. I shall have to break out of my comfort zone more often! (

)

AdonisGuilfoyle | Jun 9, 2013 |

So time to write my review. I am not sure what to write of this book. It was a quick read. There are 2 main characters and like most I felt more for Poppy who we find out is less strong as Serena. As always with Dorothy Koomson she has a way with words that really pulls you in. Maybe I am a bit too smart but after a while I knew who had really killed the teacher. What was a suprise is how the author ended it. I liked it.So all in all a very good book. Can't wait for her next book to come out! (

)

Marlene-NL | Apr 12, 2013 |

At only eighteen years of age, Poppy and Serena were the only witnesses to a tragic event. Amid heated public debate and scrutiny, the two glamorous teens were dubbed 'The Ice Cream Girls' by the press and forced to go their separate ways and to lead very different lives. Twenty years later, Poppy is keen to set the record straight about what really happened, while married mother-of-two Serena wants no one in her present to find out about her past. But some secrets will not stay buried - and if theirs is revealed, their lives will start to unravel all over again ...

My Thoughts:

I had read a DK book ages ago for book group and I didn’t enjoy it all. When I saw that ‘The Ice Cream Girls’ had been adapted for television I thought I would give it ago.

I couldn’t believe that I was reading a book by the same author. This book was so different. It was gritty and full of suspense and really was a page turner. No chick lit in sight with this one.

The story is told by both Poppy and Serena and what happens when they fall for the boyfriend from hell. I loved both girls and wanted for both of them to have an outcome they deserved. What I didn’t guess was the ending, not until the last pages which for me is a sign of a good book.

I would highly recommend this book and would say it can be classed as a page truning thriller and would perhaps seek out more books by this author. (

)

tina1969 | Feb 10, 2013 |

A good read for a journey on the Tube or by train, interesting plot, and writing style, good ending. Nicely written male characters. Now I am interested what else did Dorothy Koomson had written? Just saw her new book on the billboard today - I guess will just go and buy it! (

)

USSangel85 | Aug 9, 2011 |

I really enjoyed this book. I expected to because I've enjoyed Ms Koomson's previous books but this one was a bit different to the rest as it had the whodunit element to it without making it too much of a crime novel. So I actually enjoyed it more because it surprised me.
It kept me guessing right to the end - I guessed one of the minor twists early on but had absolutely no idea who did it until about ten pages before it was revealed. And once the book ended it left me with a good feeling but also with questions about what happens next which I quite like in a book because it lets me make my own mind up.. I suspect there won't be a sequel but there is possibly room for one.
Very impressed with this book (

)

funkyfairy22 | Sep 16, 2010 |

I bought this book as it was only £2.80 on Amazon and it had great customer reviews. It was a real surprise to open the book and start reading as it was pretty bad from page 1. How can so many people give 5 stars to something that has no real characters? I didn't empathise with any character in it. It's meant to be a bit of a crime novel (even though the crime happened before the events of the first chapter), but there's just no suspense.

It might be of interest to anyone who reads chick-lit and wants something a little different(?), but it would be best for more people to keep well away. (

)

upster | Aug 25, 2010 |

The Ice Cream Girls is another excellent read from Dorothy Koomson. It tells the story of how a series of innocent decisions have profound ramifications on the lives of Poppy and Serena and their families.

The story is told in the first person alternating between Serena and Poppy,"The Ice Cream Girls" recounting the series of events that led to a tragic one that changed the course of their lives.

This is one book where you can't read the back page to find out whodunit because you are engrossed right from the first page;and on the last page you come away feeling, "I didn't see that coming".

I would highly recommend this book, however be warned that you may find some of the events sad and disturbing and if you are the teary type, get a tissue. (

)

Kingzkid | Mar 20, 2010 |

Bev.