With its atmospheric settings, dual timelines and alternation between Arctic adventure and domestic drama, this historical mystery had me gripped from the start and held my attention the whole way through.
It tells the tale of newly-married Caro as she follows her husband to his Scottish family castle and gets involved in tracing the history of his line. When no information can be found about his great-grandmother, and a long-buried body turns up on their property, a mystery begins to unravel and the family sets out looking for clues.
I loved piecing together the narrative both from the POV of Caro, who is navigating new motherhood and the intricacies of in-law relationships, and the POV of Oliver, who impulsively sails out on the Arctic waters as a ship's surgeon in the 1870s.
I also enjoyed learning about the customs and beliefs of the Inuit people. The way they were treated by the Scottish whalers and wider society is heartbreaking, and some scenes had me close to tears, but I loved seeing the strength and courage of the Inuit mothers, the way they lived in harmony with their surroundings and trusted each other with their lives.
If you're looking for a haunting yet beautiful read that deals sensitively with history, culture and familial love, I recommend that you pick this up.
It tells the tale of newly-married Caro as she follows her husband to his Scottish family castle and gets involved in tracing the history of his line. When no information can be found about his great-grandmother, and a long-buried body turns up on their property, a mystery begins to unravel and the family sets out looking for clues.
I loved piecing together the narrative both from the POV of Caro, who is navigating new motherhood and the intricacies of in-law relationships, and the POV of Oliver, who impulsively sails out on the Arctic waters as a ship's surgeon in the 1870s.
I also enjoyed learning about the customs and beliefs of the Inuit people. The way they were treated by the Scottish whalers and wider society is heartbreaking, and some scenes had me close to tears, but I loved seeing the strength and courage of the Inuit mothers, the way they lived in harmony with their surroundings and trusted each other with their lives.
If you're looking for a haunting yet beautiful read that deals sensitively with history, culture and familial love, I recommend that you pick this up.