I bought this because I was genuinely curious about skating but too embarrassed to take a group class with kids. The first day chapter was exactly what I needed — it told me what to wear (sweatpants, not jeans), how to get on the ice without clinging to the wall, and gave me the simple 'march like a duck' trick that actually worked. I didn't master anything, but I didn't fall on my face either, and that's a win in my book. Four stars because I wish it had photos, but the writing is so clear I didn't miss them much.

The 10-day structure is helpful, and day one is genuinely encouraging without being cheesy. I liked the self-assessment checklist on day two — it made me realize I live 40 minutes from the nearest rink, which means this hobby is going to cost me more time than I thought. That's not the book's fault, but I wish it had covered that reality check on the very first page. If you're already close to a rink and unsure about cost, this will help you decide, but for me it was a bit of a wake-up call I wasn't ready for.