A review by tasmanian_bibliophile
Cold Coast by Robyn Mundy
4.0
‘Only two things are certainties: the long polar night and the long polar day.’
Svalbard, Norway, 1932. Wanny Wolstad, a young widow, want to enter the exclusively male world of the Norwegian trappers. While Anders Sæterdal reluctantly accepts her as a partner, he does not believe that she will be fit for the work involved. And so, we enter the cold, dark world of the Arctic winter. Wanny and Sæterdal are accompanied by three dogs. While Sæterdal’s dogs are accustomed to pulling sleds, Wanny’s dog must learn.
‘A trapper’s life cannot dwell on what ifs we learn what we can from each encounter to keep ourselves alive.’
After preparing for the winter, Wanny and Sæterdal confront the harsh Arctic weather as they set out to trap Arctic foxes. But weather is only one of the dangers they face. In addition to blizzards, glaciers, and dangerous sea ice, the pair also encounter polar bears. Over the course of the novel, we learn of the sacrifices Wanny has made to pursue her dream to be a trapper while she and Sæterdal become an effective team.
Alongside the work of the trappers with their claustrophobic living conditions, we also have the story of a young blue Arctic fox. This fox, the runt of the litter, is watchful of the hunters. The woman occasionally feeds her scraps. The fox needs to be vigilant, as well as an effective hunter, if she is to survive her first winter.
‘This land shows no care for a person who forgets that their hold here is conditional. Who would we be without a rifle in our hand? How long would we last out in the open?’
Ms Mundy has based her novel on a real person: Wanny Wolstad (1893 – 1959) was the first female trapper on Svalbard. I found this novel totally absorbing, from its portrayal of the harsh and dangerous but beautiful landscape, through its depiction of the issues Wanny and Sæterdal faced both as a team and as individuals.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Svalbard, Norway, 1932. Wanny Wolstad, a young widow, want to enter the exclusively male world of the Norwegian trappers. While Anders Sæterdal reluctantly accepts her as a partner, he does not believe that she will be fit for the work involved. And so, we enter the cold, dark world of the Arctic winter. Wanny and Sæterdal are accompanied by three dogs. While Sæterdal’s dogs are accustomed to pulling sleds, Wanny’s dog must learn.
‘A trapper’s life cannot dwell on what ifs we learn what we can from each encounter to keep ourselves alive.’
After preparing for the winter, Wanny and Sæterdal confront the harsh Arctic weather as they set out to trap Arctic foxes. But weather is only one of the dangers they face. In addition to blizzards, glaciers, and dangerous sea ice, the pair also encounter polar bears. Over the course of the novel, we learn of the sacrifices Wanny has made to pursue her dream to be a trapper while she and Sæterdal become an effective team.
Alongside the work of the trappers with their claustrophobic living conditions, we also have the story of a young blue Arctic fox. This fox, the runt of the litter, is watchful of the hunters. The woman occasionally feeds her scraps. The fox needs to be vigilant, as well as an effective hunter, if she is to survive her first winter.
‘This land shows no care for a person who forgets that their hold here is conditional. Who would we be without a rifle in our hand? How long would we last out in the open?’
Ms Mundy has based her novel on a real person: Wanny Wolstad (1893 – 1959) was the first female trapper on Svalbard. I found this novel totally absorbing, from its portrayal of the harsh and dangerous but beautiful landscape, through its depiction of the issues Wanny and Sæterdal faced both as a team and as individuals.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith