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Under a Pole Star

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Under a Pole Star

By: Stef Penney
Narrated by: Cathleen McCarron, Thomas Judd
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About this listen

The Richard & Judy Book Club Pick. Shortlisted for the 2017 Costa Novel Award.

Follow the path to the freezing north. Follow your ambition. Follow your heart

Flora Mackie first crossed the Arctic Circle at the age of 12. Years later, in 1892, determination and chance lead her back to northern Greenland as a scientist at the head of a British expedition, defying the expectations of those who believe a woman has no place in that harsh world.

Geologist Jakob de Beyn was raised in Manhattan. Yearning for wider horizons, he joins a rival expedition. Jakob and Flora's paths cross. It is a fateful meeting, where passion and ambition collide and an irresistible attraction is born.

The violent extremes of the north obsess them both: perpetual night and endless day; frozen seas and coastal meadows, and the strange, maddening pull it exerts on the people trying to make their mark on its vast expanses - a pursuit of glory whose outcome will reverberate for years to come.

©2016 Stef Penney (P)2016 WF Howes Ltd Action & Adventure Coming of Age Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Romance Polar Region Heartfelt New York

Critic Reviews

"A supreme storyteller." ( Sunday Times)
"One of the best novels I have read for a very long time." (Richard Madely)
"A dazzling tale of romance and survival." ( Guardian)
All stars
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This was a beautiful and enthralling story....well written and very well told. Thank you.

Wonderful performances.

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Engaging, beautifully developed characters and descriptive passages. I didn't want it to end. Fascinating historical context.

Exploration of love and the Arctic

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An excellent book for those who love the days of great explorers and historical novels. Or love stories, iconoclasts and powerful women.

Cathleen's narration is excellent and I relished the chapters she reads. They are full of heart and energy and to me wonderfully interpreted.

Though definitely not a deal breaker, for me I sadly found Thomas's narration frustrating and distracting. His cadence and rhythm felt wrong. He would finish a phrase with the same pause and downward tone he finished a sentence.

Even with this complaint I still enjoyed the listen and would happily recommend it with that one caveat.

Excellent storytelling, disappointing narration.

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Narration was done well, some parts, excellent. Having two narrators helped define the story. I can't fault the storyline or the way it played out, I just felt that some characters deserved more and that the ending was a bit weak, otherwise a fantastic story and well worth it.

Fine Ice

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.