I received a complimentary review copy of this book as part of the Little, Brown and Company ambassador program, and was dubious at first, despite loving Ivey's debut novel The Snow Child. It's a fictitious account of a late 1800s exploration into Alaska, told through letters and journal entries of Colonel Forrester and his pregnant wife left behind in Washington state, as well as present day letters between the great nephew who inherited these journals and the museum curator to whom he sent them. Before I knew it, I was entranced by the story in the same way the men in the present have become. It is stark, visceral and mysterious, while also being lyrical and otherworldly - much like The Snow Child. I highly recommend it, and give it a good 100 pages to get your bearings among the many pieces of the narrative.
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