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caitrider16's review
adventurous
dark
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jennywithaz's review
5.0
Really impressive storytelling, both visual and narrative. Healy captures the sense of place and the accompanying state of mind exceptionally well. Though the way the three stories are woven together is confusing at first, eventually their juxtaposition builds to something satisfying and effective. 5 stars because it made me feel all the feels about a subject I didn't think I would get so invested in, in a format that doesn't usually hold my attention so well.
robertrivasplata's review
adventurous
challenging
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Riveting historical fiction based on Vilhjalmur Steffansson's two most disastrous Arctic expeditions, plus a sad sack professor who reads about them, and also gets inappropriate with a student. In the afterword, Healy writes that he's a little hard on Steffanson, but the facts of Steffansson's expeditions to Wrangel island, & his advocacy of the all-meat diet will always make me kind of skeptical of the guy. I guess the common thread between the prof & the arctic explorers is that they're all walking on thin ice. Does a good job of explaining some of the difficulties of crossing sea ice. Maybe now I'll finally remember that Dartmouth is in New Hampshire.
gardengnostic's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
karlijnmerle's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
indeedithappens's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Grief, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Racial slurs, and Sexism
chelseamartinez's review
4.0
Unexpected juxtaposition of a dishonored academic and an uncelebrated survivor he unearths in the archives; there is something here about the idea that people who do bad things can do good scholarly/artistic work. I liked the coloring and the spare drawings (ice cream colors to describe people freezing to death in the arctic can work!); this was a less pessimistic tale than the pistachio-pastel depression of Nick Drnaso that I read last year, but there's definitely some stylistic overlap.
aus10england's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Absolutely incredible. I had no idea this was based on true events until the very end. So glad I picked this one up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Death