Summary and Review of Icebreaker Written By A.L. Graziadei

     

    The book Icebreaker, written by A.L. Graziadei, follows the story of Mickey James III, destined by his prosperous family to become the next big hockey star. His father and grandfather are hockey legends, and his mother is an Olympic ice-skating gold medalist. As a 17-year-old, he only needs one more year before he can be drafted into the #1 pick he is projected to be in. The only problem is that fellow college hockey teammate Jaysen Caulfield is another contender for that #1 draft pick. A rivalry begins to form between the two, but Mickey is battling much more than that. He recognizes signs of depression falling under all of the pressure to present himself as the best, but also falling for Jaysen, as their rivalry forces them together, and they confess to liking each other. Navigating his hockey life with his relationship proves to be tough as he needs to choose between living the life he is destined for, or one where he can finally settle down with Jaysen, straying from the path everyone, including the media, wants him to go into.

    As I don't follow hockey too often, I wasn't sure whether or not this book was for me at the beginning. I started reading this book on a weekend night, and just couldn't put it down until the end. The main character Mickey came from a rich background, of two successful parents, and five older sisters, who have all made a name for themselves in sports. Even with the privilege that Mickey was born into, he still felt out of place most of the time. He had never been close with any of his teammates, his parents hardly raised him, and most of his sisters were so much older than him that they never really formed a bond. The only close relationship he had was with a girl named Nova, whom he had lived with away from his home, but now she travels constantly and he only sees over calls. All of this loneliness immensely affects his mental health, and he copes with copious amounts of alcohol to the point of a blackout. I really enjoyed seeing how his mental health changed with more positive methods, and how he understood and accepted love from his family, friends, and his partner Jaysen. Once he learned that he wasn't alone, he was able to navigate how he wanted to live his life.

    The importance of mental health in Icebreaker is shown through the constant battles Mickey faces with his own depression. The book's perspective is shown singularly through Mickey, going inside his thoughts to create a genuine look into his feelings. Many books give a double perspective of the two partners, but this singular perspective gives a truer sense of what Mickey feels toward the different people in his life. Overall, I loved this late-night read, and the storyline kept me up the whole night with a cliffhanger ending. 

~ Lucas Tosi ~