danchrist's review against another edition
3.0
Found in Parade 12 Great Summer Books, July 10, 2011.
An enjoyable read, but no great art here.
Edie Kiglutak is a likeable enough hero, and one that we root for throughout the book, but there is just something missing. She suffers the loss of her stepson, and soldiers on to find his killer.
The most interesting part of the story for me proved to be McGrath's insights into Inuit culture. From Edie never locking her door to burial practices to the life lived close to the land, I felt I had a behind-the-scenes look at an entirely unique way of life.
An enjoyable read, but no great art here.
Edie Kiglutak is a likeable enough hero, and one that we root for throughout the book, but there is just something missing. She suffers the loss of her stepson, and soldiers on to find his killer.
The most interesting part of the story for me proved to be McGrath's insights into Inuit culture. From Edie never locking her door to burial practices to the life lived close to the land, I felt I had a behind-the-scenes look at an entirely unique way of life.
lauren_cuellar's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
cook_memorial_public_library's review against another edition
5.0
Recommended by Susie (Book 1 of the Edie Kiglatuk series)
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Swhite%20heat%20mcgrath__Orightresult__U1?lang=eng&suite=pearl
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Swhite%20heat%20mcgrath__Orightresult__U1?lang=eng&suite=pearl
tbsims's review against another edition
3.0
I read because I like the dana stabenow books. and liked learning about greenland, and the canadian islands next to greeneland. but the storyline seemed overly complex.
ljjohnson8's review against another edition
1.0
What I liked: the author's encyclopedic knowledge of Inuit culture and the Arctic environment, two things I knew pretty much zilch about before reading this book, and found very interesting. The sense of place was superior; I was freezing the whole time I read. Also, the two main characters, Edie and Derek, imperfect but sympathetic. What I didn't like: the writing - dulll, uninventive, amateurish. The plot: boring, unnecessarily convoluted, major "so what?" The character development: none; potentially interesting characters utterly disserved by the overlong, tiresome story. My advice: skip this unless you're having trouble sleeping.
kiramke's review
4.0
Solid, good writing by every metric. I found this mesmerizing for a crime novel and the scene-setting was particularly well-done. I felt like I was reading it very slowly, and although I'm sure there's room for improvement, I think my reluctance was actually just that I didn't want to see anything bad happen to these people; a credit to the characterization.
jheckman324's review
2.0
I was really not a fan of this book. No real good reason why - I just didn't connect with the author's voice.
mschwartz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Violence, and Suicide
sawyerbell's review against another edition
4.0
One of the best mysteries I've read in years. Edie is a compelling heroine and the author's description of the Arctic was so evocative that I really felt like I was there. Highly recommended.