The Voyage of the Narwhal (Text Only)
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Amazon.co.uk Review
Things were different, then: when Erasmus Darwin Wells set off for the arctic in May of 1855, he and his companions went off into the unknown. Then, the world was not charted as it is today: vast white spaces of ice were still vast white spaces on maps.
Andrea Barrett's remarkable fourth novel, The Voyage of the Narwhal, follows Erasmus on his journey of discovery--a journey that takes place both within and without him. This is a tale of adventure, but of a very uncommon kind. Barrett, a scientist who has turned her acute mind to the more fluid demands of fiction, has created in Erasmus an uncertain traveller. He is already 40 and afraid he has wasted his life: the men he sails alongside, including the expedition's dashing and reckless commander, Zeke Voorhees, are his juniors. Perhaps Wells has been moved to venture north to shadow the impulsive Zeke, a childhood companion who takes with him the heedless love of Erasmus's sister, Lavinia. Danger, romance, distance, loss: in some ways, Andrea Barrett's novel is old fashioned, an epithet she would probably relish. Yet in setting her book 150 years ago, Barrett has managed to shed a clear white light on present day dilemmas, such as the exploitation of the wilderness and that of native peoples. She provides no easy answers, but the questions she poses continue to fascinate long after the reader has closed her majestic book. --Erica Wagner --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
‘The clarity and depth of the story dazzle’
The Times
‘Enthralling, rivetingly authentic’
Literary Review
‘Crammed full of rich, pictorial description and tingling suspense.’
New York Times
‘Among the most emotionally wrenching, subtle works of the century’
amazon.com
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book exists on many layers. It is superficially an account of a fictional, but highly plausible, account of a mission to discover the fate of the explorer Franklin, who vanished seeking the northwest passage. But it is much more than that. Barrett weaves into this narrative not only great poetry but great insight into the motivation of her two main characters, the egomaniacal leader of the expedition, who seeks personal glory above all, and the expedition's diffident naturalist, who in his own way is just as self-aggrandising. Like that other great book of external and internal voyage, White's Voss, The Narwhal succeeds in both its actual and metaphorical purposes. A remarkable read.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Ostensibly a quest to seek the last traces of the Franklin expedition, this captivating novel pitches two characters, the careful, diffident Erasmus, and the headstrong, increasingly deluded Zeke onto a 19th C sailing ship, and into the beautifully strange world of the Arctic. Back home, the women wait and wonder, dreaming of possible futures. Meanwhile, the ship's company moves through various trials, and makes new, important and strange discoveries, on both their external and internal journeys.
The strangeness of the terrain and other cultures is also mirrored by the strangeness they discover in one another. Yet even in the heart of this frozen world, love continues to beat its uncertain yet insistent path. Barrett recreates the sound, sights and smells on board a sailing ship, until the reader almost fancies themselves as a crew member; meanwhile back at home the clock ticks slowly as those left behind try to make sense of what little news filters back. A beautifully wrought and sustained world, which is mourned by the reader when it slips away. Strongly recommended. If you enjoy this, you should also enjoy the much more contemporary The Forms of Water
The strangeness of the terrain and other cultures is also mirrored by the strangeness they discover in one another. Yet even in the heart of this frozen world, love continues to beat its uncertain yet insistent path. Barrett recreates the sound, sights and smells on board a sailing ship, until the reader almost fancies themselves as a crew member; meanwhile back at home the clock ticks slowly as those left behind try to make sense of what little news filters back. A beautifully wrought and sustained world, which is mourned by the reader when it slips away. Strongly recommended. If you enjoy this, you should also enjoy the much more contemporary The Forms of Water
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have had this book sat on my shelf for what seems like forever, so I'm pleased I eventually got around to reading it. Actually, I don't know why I didn't get around to it sooner- I think I'd been avoiding it because it was a bit of a long book on what I suspected might be quite a dry subject matter. Despite an admittedly slow start and some peaks and troughs in the middle however, this was actually a really absorbing read.
Set during the 19th Century, the novel follows the expedition of the crew of `The Narwhal,' on their journey to the polar north and their quest to try to find out the fate of vanished explorer, Sir John Franklin. On board with this motley crew is the headstrong, voyage leader Zeke, as well as naturalist Erasmus. Erasmus longs to visit the north to catalogue flora and fauna and gain a wealth of knowledge of a culture and terrain very different from his own, but it appears that Zeke's motives for the journey are somewhat questionable...
I think for me, one of the stronger aspects of this novel was the relationship dynamics portrayed between the two lead characters- Zeke and Erasmus. Both are very different individuals and their underlying conflict and tension is clear from the beginning of the book and I enjoyed seeing this played out as the story progressed. The secondary characters too, are well written- from Joe with his leanings towards the Arctic lifestyle, to the much underused Dr Boerhaave and ships cook, Ned. As much of the book is set aboard the ship and time ticks by very slowly, the characters have to be strongly developed, otherwise the novel will become too dull, but they carried the plot well with all of their little quirks and foibles, even lifting it unexpectedly in places as they tried to make the best of their new surroundings.
Another device used is women waiting at home for their men to return from sea, a common theme in this type of book, but one that I think is used to great effect here. I appreciated Alexandra as a character and as a person who tries to make the best of things, but I found Lavinia to be incredibly vapid and a bit one-dimensional and I didn't like her at all. I also have to say, that I did sense the twist that was coming towards the end, and for me, the book troughed a little once the explorers were on dry land, though this was to be expected of course.
The story is rife with details of life on board a ship and society at the time as well as looking at the Esquimaux culture, but thankfully the authors research does not come across as reading too much like a history textbook and is instead conveys a wealth of interesting information to the reader. I feel that I actually learned something in reading this book and it has piqued my interest in reading more books in this genre in future.
By one token a gripping adventure story, yet on the other hand a great tale of human insight and character study, this is a book I am pleased that I eventually gave a chance. I would recommend this if you enjoy well written historical fiction or have an interest in maritime history.
Set during the 19th Century, the novel follows the expedition of the crew of `The Narwhal,' on their journey to the polar north and their quest to try to find out the fate of vanished explorer, Sir John Franklin. On board with this motley crew is the headstrong, voyage leader Zeke, as well as naturalist Erasmus. Erasmus longs to visit the north to catalogue flora and fauna and gain a wealth of knowledge of a culture and terrain very different from his own, but it appears that Zeke's motives for the journey are somewhat questionable...
I think for me, one of the stronger aspects of this novel was the relationship dynamics portrayed between the two lead characters- Zeke and Erasmus. Both are very different individuals and their underlying conflict and tension is clear from the beginning of the book and I enjoyed seeing this played out as the story progressed. The secondary characters too, are well written- from Joe with his leanings towards the Arctic lifestyle, to the much underused Dr Boerhaave and ships cook, Ned. As much of the book is set aboard the ship and time ticks by very slowly, the characters have to be strongly developed, otherwise the novel will become too dull, but they carried the plot well with all of their little quirks and foibles, even lifting it unexpectedly in places as they tried to make the best of their new surroundings.
Another device used is women waiting at home for their men to return from sea, a common theme in this type of book, but one that I think is used to great effect here. I appreciated Alexandra as a character and as a person who tries to make the best of things, but I found Lavinia to be incredibly vapid and a bit one-dimensional and I didn't like her at all. I also have to say, that I did sense the twist that was coming towards the end, and for me, the book troughed a little once the explorers were on dry land, though this was to be expected of course.
The story is rife with details of life on board a ship and society at the time as well as looking at the Esquimaux culture, but thankfully the authors research does not come across as reading too much like a history textbook and is instead conveys a wealth of interesting information to the reader. I feel that I actually learned something in reading this book and it has piqued my interest in reading more books in this genre in future.
By one token a gripping adventure story, yet on the other hand a great tale of human insight and character study, this is a book I am pleased that I eventually gave a chance. I would recommend this if you enjoy well written historical fiction or have an interest in maritime history.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Well researched, enjoyable
This is an unusual and absorbing novel about an expedition to the arctic to try and discover what happened to Sir John Franklin's 1845 expedition, who set out to find the North... Read more
Published on 28 Jan 2009 by paulzwo
An historical tale set in the Arctic / E Coast US in 19th Century
Having read many true accounts of arctic adventures I thought I read some arctic fiction. The historical references seem to be correct. Read more
Published on 28 Dec 2006 by Ixi Books
Erudite, romantic and suspenseful
This is a wonderfully absorbing read - erudite, romantic, suspenseful and thought-provoking. Barrett writes beautifully and her characterisation in particular is superb. Read more
Published on 29 Oct 1999
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