The Voyage of the Narwhal: a novelBy: Andrea Barrett
A voyage in search of the lost explorer Sir John Franklin runs aground due to its young commander's egotism in this wholly convincing fictional memoir. In 1855, Erasmus Wells, a reserved Philadelphia naturalist, joins an Arctic mission led by Zeke Voorhees, a family friend and his sister's fiancée. Zeke's ambition and desire for personal glory ultimately bring disaster when the Narwhal becomes locked in the ice off Greenland and is forced to overwinter. The next summer, when Zeke fails to return from a solo expedition, an uncertain Erasmus faces the dilemma of either waiting for his friend or leading the crew to safety. Barrett writes powerfully of the beauty and terror of the Arctic, making this a worthy successor to her National Book Award-winning Ship Fever (Norton, 1996).
Copyright 1998 Library Journal Reviews
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