A review by ferdie
The Barrens: A Novel of Love and Death in the Canadian Arctic by Kurt Johnson, Ellie Johnson

adventurous reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The authors use of landscape to build an emotional story was so well done. I loved all the elements of the wildlife around Lee as she navigated loss and grief. In some ways, these descriptions did more to help me see the inside of Lee's mind then when she was talking about her feelings outright. When she got off the Thelon, the book lost a bit of that pacing and the emotional story felt like it was missing some punch. Overall though, I did enjoy this book and am happy to support queer Minnesota authors 💞
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