The narrative of A Killing Freeze is told in the first person by the main character Clarie. Hall sometimes runs into the problem of having her firstperson narrators speak in a language that is too sophisticated for them, which slightly diminishes the credibility of the characterization. This is not the case in A Killing Freeze. The diction throughout rings with authenticity; Clarie is an interesting, intelligent, and energetic person whose powers of observation seem entirely appropriate for someone with her characteristics. Her voice is authentic.

It's [the Winter Fest is] the high point of the year for Dad and me, even though it means busting our butts chasing details. For instance, spent all day Wednesday in Dad's shop, which was headquarters for the Fest. I stuck labels on one hundred eighty trophies. I checked the trophies against the master list and ran down the three missing...