The Ice on the Lake

A haunting story of survival and redemption on the frozen expanse of Lake Superior

The harsh winters of Duluth, Minnesota, don't bother Hugh McLaren. Decades after the death of his wife and estrangement from his children, the only respite from his troubled thoughts comes from ice fishing alone on the windswept expanse of Lake Superior. Out on the ice, Hugh can drop a line in search of monsters of the deep and be free of his own demons.

But when a routine exam turns into a terminal diagnosis, Hugh enters a new spiral of guilt and regret--about the loss of his wife and his own troubled upbringing--making him consider how he might mend his broken relationships with his children. To push aside his internal turmoil, Hugh goes onto the ice to fish during a severe storm, but as the blizzard rages on, he is forced to reckon with worsening conditions and the even colder storm inside himself.

The Ice on the Lake is a novel of resilience and determination--both to survive the fury of nature and to reconcile with the ghosts of the past.

These dicsussion questions were provided by the publisher, Blackstone Publishing.

Book club questions for The Ice on the Lake by Alex Messenger

Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.

The author was inspired by a real rescue event on Lake Superior. How does knowing this true story influenced the novel change the way you read it?

Hugh, the main character, is portrayed as flawed, distant, and yet ultimately redeemable. Did you find him sympathetic? Why or why not?

The author says in the Q&A at the end of the book that writing fiction gave him more freedom than writing memoir. How do you think that freedom shaped the story?

Themes of isolation, family estrangement, and personal tragedy are woven throughout the book. Which theme resonated with you the most, and why?

The author describes using writing as a way to confront his own fears—about fatherhood, loss, and falling short of one’s aspirations. Did you sense this personal undercurrent in the story? How does it affect the authenticity of the novel?

In early drafts, Hugh was portrayed as bitter and unlikable. How do you think the decision to make him more complex and layered improved the final book?

The novel raises the haunting question: What if no one knew you were missing? How does this idea expand beyond physical isolation into emotional or relational isolation?

The stark setting of Lake Superior and its treacherous ice plays a major role in the novel. How does the natural environment act as more than just a backdrop? Does it feel like a character in its own right?

Hugh’s relationships with his children evolve over the course of the book. How do these dynamics shape your understanding of him as a father and as a man?

How did you react to the ending of The Ice on the Lake? Would you have preferred more closure, or did the open-endedness make it more powerful?

If you’ve read the author’s memoir (The Twenty-Ninth Day), how did your experience of The Ice on the Lake compare? What different insights do memoir and fiction offer about resilience, survival, and human vulnerability?

The Ice on the Lake Book Club Questions PDF

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