Thank you to NetGalley and Atlantic Books, Allen & Unwin for kindly providing me with a digital copy of this book for review.
Hands up, I admit the cover of this book is what first attracted me and drew me into wanting to read this book. It had a very nostalgic, almost Art Deco kind of feel to it that really appeals to me. However lovely the cover though, that will not keep you turning those pages to get to the end. So when I tell you that I polished off this book in one cold afternoon, that should tell you how much I enjoyed the writing. I can’t put my finger exactly on what connected me most but I found the author’s voice came through so strongly and I found her warm and engaging, despite going through some pretty traumatic experiences that might cause other people to withdraw. The author’s memoirs are not followed chronologically, so at first I did find it a bit distracting nipping you her childhood and back, but I do also appreciate that the main focus of the book is her time spent in the Tundra, and the other remembrances are there to give some back story and context. I did find her early life spent in the USA to be equally interesting and horrifying though. The actions of her step mother are particularly distressing to read.
This book really swept along for me and I learned a lot about a culture that I previously knew nothing about. Really enjoyed it and would highly recommend- especially to all the animal lovers out there.