Rating: 4
Set in the 17th Century, Thomas Cave is a quiet whaler who agrees to a wager, overwintering alone in the harsh Arctic wilderness with only the basic shelter, food and provisions. His fellow seafarers have little hope for his survival, yet he is determined to remain behind. Relying on his own determination and skill to survive the bitter conditions, Cave finds himself in a physical and psychological struggle, not only against the environment, but also his reasons for accepting the ordeal.
With almost painfully beautiful prose and evocative imagery of the stark landscape of the Arctic, Harding has not only created a situation that feels utterly believable, but a powerful and engaging struggle that alludes to man's tremendous impact on the environment around us. A short read, this book is best digested slowly, allowing the true beauty of the prose to sweep over you. Don't rush it!
I have always been fascinated with man's desire for solitude, self-discovery and need to understand what it really means to experience the wild. Books that delve into this are great sources of contemplation for me, with other examples being the heartbreaking "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer and gorgeous "The Snow Leopard" by Peter Matthiesen. I will be the first to admit that the title and cover (of both hard-and paperback) caused me to pick up this title in the first place, but the book had a far greater impact on me that I would have expected. I was actually unable to read anything for several days afterwards, with my thoughts constantly being drawn back to Thomas Cave. A breath of fresh air.
Other blog reviews
Melanie at The Indextrious Reader
Thursday, April 17, 2008
The Solitude of Thomas Cave - Georgina Harding
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Sounds interesting and not the sort of book I would usually pick up to read if I am honest.
Your description reminded me of Into the Wild right away, which is a book I've been curious about for a while now.
Rhinoa - Wouldn't be the first book I would recommend for you, but I always think its worth trying something different!
Nymeth - Into the Wild is a wonderful book, and has probably been one of the books that have affected me most in my life. I still think about it now, and first read it years ago!
Post a Comment