This book arrived last year in my Teatime Bookshop subscription (click the link for 10% off!) or follow this link for my Teatime Bookshop review. It was one of the first books I received from them and, as the genre is a surprise every month, I had no idea what to expect. I didn't read up on it, just read the blurb and jumped right in! The cover gave nothing away so no clues to be had there either :)
BLURB
A WHITE REVIEW BOOK OF THE YEAR
'It leaves the reader moved and subtly changed, as if she had become part of the story' Hilary Mantel
'So moving and delicate and terrifying and haunting' Maggie O'Farrell
The highly anticipated new novel from the Costa-award winning, three times Booker-longlisted author of Reservoir 13.
When an Antarctic research expedition goes wrong, the consequences are far-reaching - for the men involved and for their families back home.
Robert 'Doc' Wright, a veteran of Antarctic field work, holds the clues to what happened, but he is no longer able to communicate them. While Anna, his wife, navigates the sharp contours of her new life as a carer, Robert is forced to learn a whole new way to be in the world.
Award-winning novelist Jon McGregor returns with a stunning novel that mesmerisingly and tenderly unpicks the notion of heroism and explores the indomitable human impulse to tell our stories - even when words fail us. A meditation on the line between sacrifice and selfishness this is a story of the undervalued, unrecognised courage it can take just to get through the day.
MY REVIEW
This is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, one of the most beautiful stories I read last year. I was overwhelmed with how brilliantly the author brought me into the main character's world, through language (and the failure of it). It showed the gritty side of dealing with a life-changing situation and demonstrated that things are not always sunshine and roses, coming to terms with a 'new normal' is hard for everyone involved, and that getting through the day is enough.
Reading the blurb, I initially thought this would be a James Bond, action-type novel but boy I was wrong about that. It's intensely emotional and really focusses on the aftermath rather than the incident itself.
Doc is a research guy in the Antarctic. He lives there for months on end with nobody but his fellow research people for company. It's a lonely existence, where every day is exactly the same as the last, but Doc loves his job and its remote, unforgiving location. One fateful day, no spoilers, but I will say there's a storm and a rescue mission, and leave it at that. The build-up to this incident was incredibly written and realisation sets in slowly but with a heartstopping impact.
Back home, Doc has some recovering to do, along with new realities to face and huge adjustments to make. Communication is now a virtual impossibility, and Doc soon learns that anger can be easier to sustain than patience or resilience. His wife is now no longer just a wife, she's a support, a caregiver, and a crutch (whether she wants to be or not!). This story follows the couple as they adapt and try to move forward into the great unknown.
The writing, especially the sections from Doc's point of view, is clever, intricate, and haunting. It transported me as close as possible to actually experiencing what Doc was going through. It made me very reflective, considering how many people (or their loved ones) may experience something similar. I felt vulnerable, and emotional and wanted to run and hug my loved ones in case I wasn't able to again. Not that I would be spending any time in the Antarctic anytime soon! This story also filled me with hope and pride in the strength of the human mind to overcome even the most devastating events. New friends, new way of life
The two main characters, Doc and Anna were portrayed brilliantly, with genuine, believable development. They had flaws, they had thoughts and feelings that weren't picture-perfect, and they were raw, honest depictions of how some people deal with trauma, illness, and loss.
A Five-Star read all the way, from the unique way of bringing the reader into Doc's experience to the intensity of emotions I felt when reading Anna's point of view. An engaging (though difficult and emotional at times) read that I finished in a day and that I cannot recommend highly enough!
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