Out of the Ice by Ann Turner
a boy trapped in ice…
a town preserved in time…
About Out of the Ice
By the bestselling author of The Lost Swimmer, a tense, eerie thriller set in the icy reaches of Antarctica
When environmental scientist Laura Alvarado is sent to a remote Antarctic island to report on an abandoned whaling station, she begins to uncover more than she could ever imagine.
Despite new life thriving in the icy wilderness, the whaling station is brimming with awful reminders of its bloody, violent past, and Laura is disturbed by evidence of recent human interference. Rules have been broken, and the protected wildlife is behaving strangely. But in this freezing, lonely landscape there are ghosts everywhere, and Laura begins to sense that her own eyes cannot be trusted. Is her mind playing tricks? Has she been in the ice too long?
Piecing together a past and present of cruelty and vulnerability that can be traced all around the globe, from Norway, to Nantucket, Europe and Antarctica, Laura will stop at nothing to unearth the truth. As she sees the dark side of endeavour and human nature, she also discovers a legacy of love, hope and the meaning of family. If only Laura can find her way… Out of the ice.
[summarised from the publisher blurb]
My thoughts
The village preserved in time is an inspired setting. The location, the creepy scientists and Laura’s mental state after a year in Antarctica make for a compelling mystery. The atmosphere is (literally) chilling.
Laura is an interesting character with plenty of family issues and a trauma that makes you question what she believes. The first two chapters set this up, unnecessarily, I felt, as everything of importance in those chapters is revealed as the story progresses. This is a book with a lot of detail—about the work, the setting, Laura’s past—which did at times detract from the pace and diminish the power of the setting and the question around Laura’s mental state. For all that, Out of the Ice is an utterly compelling tale.
It was great to learn about Antarctica, the fragile environment and the danger to the animal colonies. Turner can really paint a visual. I could smell the sealions and hear the penguins. The boy behind the ice is another spooky image that haunted my dreams.
If you like to be educated as much as intrigued Out of the Ice is definitely the book for you.
Recommended
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About the Author
Ann Turner is an award-winning screenwriter and director, avid reader, and history lover. She is drawn to salt-sprayed coasts, luminous landscapes, and the people who inhabit them all over the world. Ann was born in Adelaide and lives in Victoria. READ MORE
**My copy courtesy of Simon and Schuster**
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