My Last Continent by Midge Raymond
| My Last Continent by Midge Raymond | |
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| Category: General Fiction | |
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Reviewer: Luke Marlowe
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| Summary: A book that masterfully blends the vast and desolate lands of Antarctica with an intimate look at the relationships between humans, and the bonds we have with nature | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 320 | Date: June 2016 |
| Publisher: Scribner Book Company | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1501124709 | |
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Only at the end of the world, among the glaciers and icebergs of Antarctica, do Deb and Keller feel at home. For a few blissful weeks each year they study the habits of penguins, finding solace in their work and in each other. Yet Antarctica, like their romance, is imperilled by the world to the north. A new season has begun, and the two play tour guide to the passengers on the expedition ship that ferries them to their research destination. But when Keller fails to appear, Deb has to consider new feelings of love, loss, and a voyage deep into both the Antarctic, and the human heart.
At 5,400,000 square miles, Antarctica is double the size of Australia. Yet whilst Australia has a 24 million permanent residents, Antarctica has just 135. The coldest, driest, and windiest continent on Earth, it's a barren place, but, wonderfully, author Midge Raymond picks out the raw beauty of the place, and contrasts it with the raw and wild emotions of her characters - doing so to the extent that Antarctica becomes a character too.
As lead character, we follow Deb throughout the book, seeing her change, grieve, and love whilst exploring the icy plains that she calls home. A powerful lead, her strength and vulnerability are clear to the reader on page one, and it's fascinating to see her develop as the life changing events of the book hit home. Moving and raw, the reader almost embarks on a journey alongside Deb, navigating the choppy waters that make up both her life, and the treacherous seas that surround Antarctica. It's one that is, at times, rather hard to read, but nevertheless ultimately rewards the reader for the tribulations they are put through. The combination of the icy Antarctic and the warmth of human feeling make for compelling reading, and it's definitely a recommended read. For further reading I would recommend H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald. Whilst fact to 'My Last Continents fiction, H is for Hawk is also a powerful study of loss, love, and the rawness of nature, told through the compelling viewpoint of a strong and layered woman.
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You can read more book reviews or buy My Last Continent by Midge Raymond at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy My Last Continent by Midge Raymond at Amazon.com.
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