Open Ice

I am a 14 year old girl and I just finished reading Open Ice. It was by far the best book I have read in awhile. I am a hockey player so I know how important hockey was to Nick. This was an inspiring book for me because I appreciated how much Nick fought to play, if something like that happened to me I would fight too. I think all teens should read this book whether you play hockey or not, it makes you realize a lot of things. Nick is an inspiring character to me because I could completely relate to everything he was talking about. Overall this book was amazing!

A complex and a compelling REAL teen jock narrates. Nick is the most authentic 16 year-old I ever found in a novel. I love this book.

OPEN ICE is the story of self-centered Nick Taglio, the sophomore star of the high school hockey team. When a head injury puts him on the sidelines, he loses everything he cares about. Friends start treating him differently, his girlfriend doesn't look at him the same, and well-meaning adults take pity on him. His parents keep telling him that he is risking his future if he plays, but Nick can't imagine life without hockey. During his time off the ice, Nick must find a way to reinvent himself. He always thought of himself as only a jock. Will he discover that he is well-rounded and has other interests? Will he be able to put other people's needs before his own? OPEN ICE is Pat Hughes's first young adult novel. She is the author of two middle-grade novels --- GUERILLA SEASON and THE BREAKER BOYS --- and is an editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer. Whether or not you are a hockey fan, you will experience the excitement and passion that Nick feels for the game. I found myself rooting for Nick and hoping he could get back on the ice where he belongs. Hughes has scored a goal with this one! --- Reviewed by Renee Kirchner

Pat Hughes can portray a character unlike anyone else. As in her first two outstanding novels, "Guerrilla Season" and "The Breaker Boys," Hughes ability to bring her characters to life is uncanny and Nicky Tag is no exception. Nick Taglio, is a high school sophomore who's been playing hockey for almost as long as he's been able to walk. He's used to being the "star."The big man on campus. The center of attention on the ice. Head down, skate hard, nothing ahead but "Open Ice." Nick can hear the chants of "Nicky Tag, Nicky Tag" echoing through the arena. But what he didn't hear was the defender of the opposing team bearing down to blind side him! And when Nick ends up in the hospital with his fourth concussion his hockey career and all he's played for the past 10 years, may hang in the balance of his Doctor, and his parents. Nick's anger not only jeopardizes his relationship with his best friend "Griff," and his self-centered girlfriend Devon, but he begins to alienate his parents,as well as the welfare of his baby brother! Nick needs to come to terms with his injury, but in the meanwhile his schoolwork suffers. With the help of a Peer Tutoring Program perhaps Nick will learn that there is more to life then hockey. As with Hughes' first two novels this is relatively a fast read. Believe me you'll have trouble putting it down. Hughes has put a lot of detail as well as a lot research into the game itself. From the terminology, to the equipment, down to the high school hockey lifestyle itself. Open Ice is a real score!

Open Ice is a brilliant insight into the psyche of an injured 16-year-old hockey star that grabs your attention until the very last word. Master storyteller Pat Hughes has chosen violence in hockey and its consequences, as his principal theme. According to Hughes, "it was kind of what Mark Twain said about the weather: `everybody talks about it, but nobody does anything about it!'" There was no denying that hitting was a big part of the game." In fact, the famous Eric Lindros had seven concussions. The character of the principal protagonist, Nick Taglio, is very well-developed, while the supporting characters are all believable. Taglio loves to be on the ice with all the adulation and attention given to him by his "friends" and "girlfriend". Unfortunatley, he runs into some hard luck when he suffers a concussion and is forbidden by his doctors and family to continue his hockey career. He cannot fathom a life without hockey! The social interaction between him and his concerned family and his "friends" suffer the ravaging effects of his concussion. His "girlfriend" Devin, dumps him and the friends he thought he had are only his hockey companions. His schoolwork suffers from his difficulty with concentrating. Depression sets in as he lashes out at everyone. It is only when he meets Kara Jensen from the Peer Tutoring Program that he starts to slowly return to "normal." Griff, his best friend, cautiously tries to continue to be his true friend. Nick comes to a very mature conclusion while skating again on "Open Ice". The tumult in his heart touches us with poignancy. A few racy words and sexy scenes just add to the interest of this engrossing and entertaining quick-read. At 271 pages, this novel can be read in a sitting, yet never feel rushed. Hockey connoisseurs as well as the average person who have no interest in hockey will thoroughly enjoy the dynamics of this endearing family. Lily Azerad-Goldman, Artist and Reviewer For Bookpleasures