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lambsears's review against another edition
3.0
I'd like to be able to give this another 1/2 star as I quite enjoyed it.
It's a well-paced thriller that starts off well, with lots of sense of place and a well-constructed air of suspense.
However, the final part of the book descends into some kind of frenzy, where an growing list of outlandish scenarios develops.
Our plucky heroine ends up flying all around the world (they must have amazing budgets in the Antarctic) before settling down for her happy-ever-after.
An easy and entertaining read, but a little crazy towards the end.
It's a well-paced thriller that starts off well, with lots of sense of place and a well-constructed air of suspense.
However, the final part of the book descends into some kind of frenzy, where an growing list of outlandish scenarios develops.
Our plucky heroine ends up flying all around the world (they must have amazing budgets in the Antarctic) before settling down for her happy-ever-after.
An easy and entertaining read, but a little crazy towards the end.
ljm57's review against another edition
3.0
During her latest stint in her beloved Antarctica, environmental scientist Laura Alvarado is asked to prepare an environmental impact report on the possibility of opening up an abandoned Norwegian whaling station to tourism. Her task is made more difficult by the misogyny she experiences from scientists and crew at the nearby base. However the deeper she digs, the more she is sure that something is very wrong at the historic site and she uncovers recent human activity at what is currently an exclusion zone. It was the rich description of the beautiful Antarctic landscape and its unique wildlife, together with the whaling history that I most enjoyed about this book. Laura also visits Nantucket in the US as part of her sleuthing and this is also wonderfully described. But the actual mystery, the crime and resolution were all unconvincing and totally unrealistic. The characterisation was also fairly shallow, as was the happily-ever-after ending.
kcfromaustcrime's review against another edition
4.0
Ann Turner’s Out of the Ice uses the point of view of environmentalist Laura Alvarado to reveal both the wonder and the threats within this amazing landscape: Newtown Review of Books
tonyriver's review against another edition
4.0
Great read. I really enjoyed Turners second novel. The characters are solid and interesting, the scenery stunning and the story keeps the reader truly engaged and wondering. Antarctica is one of the heroes of the story with evocative descriptions of the landscape and fauna.
Laura, the protagonist who tells the story, is interesting and intelligent. Support crew are also strong with just a little edge of wondering who are the goodies and not!
I was also fascinated to have a significant insight by the end of the book into the details of whaling settlements, long abandoned, that form a core to the story.
The writing is good and I feel a significant increase in skill and confidence from the author debut novel The lost swimmer.
Highly recommended.
Thanks to Net Galley for a chance to read an early copy.
Laura, the protagonist who tells the story, is interesting and intelligent. Support crew are also strong with just a little edge of wondering who are the goodies and not!
I was also fascinated to have a significant insight by the end of the book into the details of whaling settlements, long abandoned, that form a core to the story.
The writing is good and I feel a significant increase in skill and confidence from the author debut novel The lost swimmer.
Highly recommended.
Thanks to Net Galley for a chance to read an early copy.
colorfulleo92's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. An eerie thriller set in Antarctica. Only that drove me into the story and I was very intrigued by it. It was a decent thriller but wasn't as nail bitingly exciting I had hoped but it was a good book to relax with in the end of the day
bianca89279's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
This was a bit of a mixed bag.
To be honest, I was reluctant to read this novel, because I couldn't imagine being that entertained by a story set in the Antarctica, but it came highly recommended by some GR friends, so I decided to request it on NetGalley.
Luckily, Out of the Ice was much more interesting than I expected it to be.
I've learned a fair bit about the research stations and their operations. Also, I've learnt some things about the fauna. That was all absorbing. Ann Turner's views on the environment and the destruction caused by humans are apparent. That won her some brownie points. Brownie points were given for bringing to light the misogynism and double standards prevalent in the academic world. Why would the smart men be any different to the not-so-smart men, right?
The writing is kind of uneven, swaying from beautiful descriptive language to information dumping. At times, I found the first person narration grating and, occasionally, a bit mechanical, which I guess matched the academic brain of our marine biologist narrator, Laura Alvarado.
Also, there are some far-fetched scenarios and too convenient coincidences that I couldn't quite come to grips with. I would get into more details, but that would give away too much, and I don't want to spoil it for you.
The last third of the novel picks up the pace a great deal, and lots of things happen, in my view, a bit too many. Laura Alvaro seems to not get much sleep throughout the novel, while in Antartica or when jetting around the world, from Antartica to the USA, then to Italy and back to Antartica.
The ending is a bit too tidy and too happy-ever-after-ish, which I'm sure many will find very fulfilling. My cynical brain was a reluctant buyer.
Nevertheless, I'm glad I read it, as it was engaging enough, I just wish I had been able to suspend my disbelief a little bit more than I did.
3.5 stars
I've received this novel via Netgalley. Many thanks to the publishers, Simon & Schuster, who were so kind to allow me to read and review this novel.
Cover: 5 stars
This was a bit of a mixed bag.
To be honest, I was reluctant to read this novel, because I couldn't imagine being that entertained by a story set in the Antarctica, but it came highly recommended by some GR friends, so I decided to request it on NetGalley.
Luckily, Out of the Ice was much more interesting than I expected it to be.
I've learned a fair bit about the research stations and their operations. Also, I've learnt some things about the fauna. That was all absorbing. Ann Turner's views on the environment and the destruction caused by humans are apparent. That won her some brownie points. Brownie points were given for bringing to light the misogynism and double standards prevalent in the academic world. Why would the smart men be any different to the not-so-smart men, right?
The writing is kind of uneven, swaying from beautiful descriptive language to information dumping. At times, I found the first person narration grating and, occasionally, a bit mechanical, which I guess matched the academic brain of our marine biologist narrator, Laura Alvarado.
Also, there are some far-fetched scenarios and too convenient coincidences that I couldn't quite come to grips with. I would get into more details, but that would give away too much, and I don't want to spoil it for you.
The last third of the novel picks up the pace a great deal, and lots of things happen, in my view, a bit too many. Laura Alvaro seems to not get much sleep throughout the novel, while in Antartica or when jetting around the world, from Antartica to the USA, then to Italy and back to Antartica.
The ending is a bit too tidy and too happy-ever-after-ish, which I'm sure many will find very fulfilling. My cynical brain was a reluctant buyer.
Nevertheless, I'm glad I read it, as it was engaging enough, I just wish I had been able to suspend my disbelief a little bit more than I did.
3.5 stars
I've received this novel via Netgalley. Many thanks to the publishers, Simon & Schuster, who were so kind to allow me to read and review this novel.
Cover: 5 stars
charf47's review against another edition
4.0
An exciting mystery in a fascinatingly beautiful setting.
vulpeculex's review
3.5
this was a fun read. i really enjoyed the setting as it’s one i’ve never read about before and the mystery was very intriguing
jaclynday's review against another edition
4.0
Creepy, fun, and full of red herrings. Since it’s set in Antarctica, it’s the ideal late summer thriller. The characters are always cold. It rubs off.