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The North Water

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The North Water

By: Ian McGuire
Narrated by: John Keating
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About this listen

A 19th-century whaling ship sets sail for the Arctic with a killer aboard in this dark, sharp, and highly original tale that grips like a thriller.

Behold the man: Stinking, drunk, brutal and bloodthirsty, Henry Drax is a harpooner on the Volunteer, a Yorkshire whaling ship bound for the hunting waters of the Arctic Circle. Also aboard is Patrick Sumner, an ex-army surgeon with a shattered reputation, no money, and no better option than to embark as ship's medic on this ill-fated voyage.

In India during the Siege of Delhi, Sumner thought he had experienced the depths to which a man can stoop and imagined he'd find respite on the Volunteer, but now, trapped in the wooden belly of the ship with Drax, he encounters pure evil and is forced to act. As the true purposes of the expedition become clear, the confrontation between the two men plays out in the freezing darkness of an Arctic winter.

©2016 Ian McGuire (P)2016 Simon & Schuster Genre Fiction Historical Literary Fiction Sea Adventures Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction Adventure Polar Region Scary Sailing

Critic Reviews

"Fast-paced, gripping. A tour de force of narrative tension and a masterful reconstruction of a lost world." (Hilary Mantel)
"Utterly convincing and compelling, remorselessly vivid and insidiously witty. A startling achievement." (Martin Amis)
All stars
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Fast paced, briliantly constructed and written. Every scene dripping with gore and all aspects of what man will do to survive their circumstanes. Well done

So good!

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Good story although the ending seemed a little rushed. Overall well worth the purchase as an enjoyable yarn!!

Great performance, absolutely superb

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Excellent novel about the harsh whaling trade and some of the overlooked behaviors aboard these old vessels. This novel won’t be for everyone as some content is harsh (sexual violence against a minor) however the story is exceptionally engrossing and aside from that, was quite an enjoyable read.

Brutal and driving story

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A refreshing, clever story. It has some interesting details about whale fishing. Humans can really be barbaric so be prepared for some ugly scenes. Overall I enjoyed it. It had a satisfying ending.

Gruesome

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Take themes right up there with Melville, the mastery pros of Hemingway, and mash with Bear Grills and you get The North Water. I cant describe how much I enjoyed this work of literature. By now I usually delete a finished audio book off my phone and move on to the next, but this time Iam starting The North Water a second time. Don't read about it in case you spoil the plot, as there are tons of turns and twists. Just get it and try to tell me that its not the best book so far in 2016. Anyone can enjoy this, those that like serious literature, those who like quick fun reads, and those of course that are fans of Moby Dick will especially be delighted. As you can guess Iam all three!!

Fantastic historical fiction

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Haunting story. Absolutely gripping. Characters unforgettable, richly drawn, very human, all male cast but that's the whaling industry.
The reader is Irish, so works well with story line as Sumner is Irish late of the British army.
John Keating really made the story come alive. Book is a little bloodthirsty but again like the whalers

North Water shimmers & shines

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Best narration of any audio book I've listened to and great story. Very atmospheric

highly recommended

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A terrific adventure set in the frozen North. You will meet some of the roughest and most dastardly characters in this book. Very well written and performed.

Great Artic adventure

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Masterful historical fiction and character creation. Extremely vivid, tense, authentic and atmospheric. Highly recommend to any fan of historical fiction. Narration was flawless and excellent.

Fantastic

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What made the experience of listening to The North Water the most enjoyable?

The narrator is brilliant, didn't miss a beat with so many different accents and voices. The story is really gripping and the end definitely not expected...

What did you like best about this story?

Everything. So original, fast paced, clever, descriptive.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

Probably the descriptions of the ice and the incredible hardship the men lived under.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me not want to stop listening....

Excellent narration, gripping tale

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