An Amazon Best Book of the MonthA dozen women join a secret 1850s Arctic expedition—and a sensational murder trial unfolds when some of them don’t come back.
Eccentric Lady Jane Franklin makes an outlandish offer to adventurer Virginia Reeve: take a dozen women, trek into the Arctic, and find her husband’s lost expedition. Four parties have failed to find him, and Lady Franklin wants a radical … failed to find him, and Lady Franklin wants a radical new approach: put the women in charge.
A year later, Virginia stands trial for murder. Survivors of the expedition willing to publicly support her sit in the front row. There are only five. What happened out there on the ice?
Set against the unforgiving backdrop of one of the world’s most inhospitable locations, USA Today bestselling author Greer Macallister uses the true story of Lady Jane Franklin’s tireless attempts to find her husband’s lost expedition as a jumping-off point to spin a tale of bravery, intrigue, perseverance and hope.
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In her enthralling new novel, The Arctic Fury, Greer Macallister takes her readers on a thrilling, if arduous, journey to the Arctic north, alongside Virginia Reeve and her all female expedition in a quest to find the ships of a lost explorer. Through alternating glimpses into the voyage itself and the murder trial afterwards, the enterprise and its secrets — both tantalizing and terrorizing — reveal themselves in turn, sweeping readers along until they reach the story’s spell-binding conclusion. A captivating look at the manner in which the “truth” is formed by the lens through which it is perceived, a lens formed by time, place, and views on women.
I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, impatient to see what truly happened on the ice and for the outcome of the sensational trial. Never have I read a book about the Arctic and it makes me wonder why it took so long for someone to write such a brilliant tale.
The story of this book—a tale of 12 women who elect to go into the artic—appealed to me from the start (mostly because I couldn’t imagine anyone now, let alone 150 plus years ago, choosing to do this!). Told in 2 timelines, there’s the real-time courtroom drama, and the flashbacks of the artic trip itself. The order of these interweaving chapters is a slow unfurling of details, expertly timed, to keep the reader guessing. That was the real mastery of this book—the spoon feeding of just the right amount of information to keep the reader rapt as the story unfolds. From the beginning, the reader doesn’t know the big questions: How many women died? Who? Is Virginia Reeve innocent of the crime of murder and kidnapping for which she is accused? What did really happen out there? I devoured this book. Macallister’s crisp, immersive writing transported me every step of the way. A compelling mystery, an exceptional cast of unforgettable women, and a journey that won’t soon be forgotten when the last page is turned.
In 1854 Virginia Reeve accepts the most daring undertaking she’s ever taken part in—a rescue or recovery expedition to The Arctic Circle. Hired by the eccentric Lady Jane Franklin, Reeve leads an all female crew of a baker’s dozen to try to find Franklin’s lost husband and his crew, a task teams of men couldn’t accomplish.
A year later, tried for murder, Reeve holds out hope against a courtroom set against her. Even her own representative is not beyond suspicion of being influenced by her enemy.
Just who is Reeve’s enemy, and which ladies will survive their harrowing endeavors are questions worth delving into. Find out in this spectacular story of bravery and determination.
The Arctic Fury, a full on adventure tale, raw with emotion, will lead the reader to trek along side Reeve’s team, pulling for each woman’s success and survival with each turn of the page. Readers of women’s fiction, historical fiction, literary fiction, and adventure fiction won’t be willing to set this book aside until the very end.
This is historical fiction at its best. I wasn’t sure about it at first because there are quite a few characters, and I tend to like novels that go deep inside just one or two characters’ point of view. But every character was so well drawn and added so much to the story that I quickly got sucked in and never wanted to put the book down!
MacAllister sets the stage beautifully for this hybrid courtroom drama/life and death adventure with important historical details. Virginia is a compelling protagonist, and I was rooting for her all the way. I especially loved the author’s focus on female friendships in all their complexity: they weren’t relegated to the background of a love story (if you’re looking for romance, you won’t find it here except for little hints of it), nor were they subject to the typical stereotypes that tend to come up when a group of women is working together.
There was just enough psychological depth to keep me interested, and plenty of thrilling, suspenseful moments to keep me holding my breath and sometimes gasping in shock. A beautiful, well-balanced story that every reader of historical fiction should have at the top of their TBR list.
This amazing story opens in a Boston courtroom in 1854. Virginia Reeves, the leader of a tragic Arctic rescue mission, is on trial for the alleged murder of one of her team. Virginia had been chosen to lead this expedition consisting of 13 women to find the missing explorer husband of the Lady Jane Franklin. She has privately funded and designed this trip to prove her husband’s death or to bring him back.
This is the story of 13 women who become part of the team headed on a deadly mission during an era where women were expected to marry and care for their husbands as they were thought to be witless and weak to be of any other value to society. None of them have any experience with Arctic travel, but most have strengths needed for the task.
We learn each woman’s backstory throughout the book. Focus is mainly on Virginia, a survivor of the Donner Party disaster and former guide for wagon trains. She leads as best she can. Enthusiasm is not the greatest quality of an Arctic explorer; most of the women are excited about their mission, others have been drafted against their wills.
I thoroughly enjoyed this saga. The main struggle the adventurers had was with the wealthy financers of the trip and the corrupt legal system Virginia had to endure. Witnesses were bought off, the trip’s organizers denied even knowing them, her attorney was disinterested. The story was intricate and sharply designed and executed. Kudos to the author!
exxellant read.
We had not been back to our library in a year (thanks Covid), and I saw this on the display and had to read it. I am so glad I picked this book up. It was the first novel I’d ever read by Greer MacAllister and it led me to read all the others. This novel hooked me from the beginning and held me fast until I finished. Excellent work!
This book was suspenseful til the very end. It kept me turning pages to see what was going to happen next. I was so surprised with the ending. You won’t be sorry you ordered it.
A thrilling adventure! A mysterious benefactor sends a young woman on a perilous journey. The narrative is woven from courtroom drama and goes back to the adventure that landed the young woman in jail. I loved this book for the setting and the mystery woven into the storyline. My favorite character was Caprice—aptly named, and what a character she was! The setting was so icy and surrounded you. I felt cold reading this!
My Review of The Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister; published by Sourcebooks Landmark
The Arctic Fury is an incredulous story of courage! Greer Macallister wrote a story full of fury, sorrow, and the ever present injustices in our world. I have spent one winter where negative degree temperatures and never seeing pavement were normal occurrences. With that in mind, I can’t even fathom willingly setting out on a journey into the unknowns of the Canadian arctic. Then to undergo such an excruciatingly painful life or death court debacle, where facts are blatantly misconstrued, is gut-wrenching to say the least. Have tissues nearby! Greer created a powerful story of the strifes Virginia faced in both the arctic and the courthouse by utilizing alternating timelines that were easily followed. The Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister is an exemplary story of strength, perseverance, and the powerful belief in hope. I highly recommend The Arctic Fury.
I couldn’t turn the pages of THE ARCTIC FURY fast enough. The characters–even the most difficult–are so real, so human, and so sympathetic, I wished deeply for their well-being and had my heart broken and put back together many times as their fates were revealed. Macallister is a master of historical fiction, and her care for those who populate her stories comes through in her portrayal of them. This is a book that wants to be discussed. Recommended for book clubs.
I enjoyed The Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister. What happened during the expedition that resulted in an accusation of murder upon the return of the survivors? I liked how the story was told during the murder trial and through flashbacks of the journey. What I enjoyed most was that this was not like any story I had read before. In the end, I found myself wishing many of the characters had been real people as I longed to know more about them.
I enjoyed the book. The characters were varied and interesting and the plot unique.
The Arctic Fury by Greer MacAllister
Exceptional story telling that drew me in and kept me invested from beginning to end. I could not put it down!
What I liked:
* The seamless moves between the expedition and trial
* That I felt I was with the characters on their journey
* The plot and quality of writing
* That I could “see” the characters and felt I knew them
* The way revelations were made
* The exceptional women and the talents they brought to the expedition
* The intrigue, infighting, contest of wills, and eventual bonding that occurred between most of the women
* The strength and fortitude of the women
* That there was a hint of romance for one or more of the women
* That there were elements of hope even when things were grim
* That I had more than one person to thoroughly dislike
* The conclusion
* Everything really except…
What I didn’t like:
* The underhanded people with hidden objectives and what they were willing to do to achieve their goals
* The loss of life – though it was expected from the beginning that not all would survive the expedition
* Having to say goodbye when the book ended
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Definitely
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks-Landmark for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
In 1853, Virginia Reeve is tasked by Lady Jane Franklin to head an expedition of twelve women into the Artic to find her husband and his lost crew. Already being a seasoned adventurer having led many groups over the years through the Oregon Trail into California, Virginia is looking for a different kind of adventure. One that will replace a certain event that resulted in a recent tragic loss. Despite the inherent dangers, Virginia is confident in her ability to lead this expedition.
Fast-forward a year later and Virginia is on trial for murdering one of the women. Only five women from the expedition are seated in the courtroom to show their support for Virginia. So what really happened out there in the Arctic? Events unfold between chapters alternating from the expedition and the courtroom. Between the truth told and secrets kept, is the real story of what lengths people will go to survive.
This is only the second book by Greer Macallister that I’ve read although all of them have been on my radar, but of what I’ve read from her, I’m so impressed with the way she focuses these historicals so completely upon women. Giving them such agency and such depth even when they’re battling within a world that caters more to men.
The Arctic Fury drew me in from the first page and I think the way that Greer Macallister cleverly delves out information, how the mystery is slowly pieced together is simply marvelous. I loved how she connects Virgina’s past and present. It all clicks rather brilliantly together and I loved that I actually could see where we were being led because I kinda felt like I was in on something. It connected me a little more to the story and made those instances where I didn’t know what was coming all the more impactful.
I don’t want to speak too much about the story as I don’t want to give any crumbs of information away because that will surely ruin some of the twists.
I loved that, even though this is mainly Virgina’s story, Greer Macallister takes the time to make the other ladies within the expedition really well rounding characters themselves. She’s such a talent that even these women whose voices aren’t the loudest, I still feel like I understood them, their actions. Why they would choose the path they did.
My only complaint is that some of the finally revealed motivations remain a bit murky for me. They didn’t have the impact that I had hoped given the build up. Mind you not everything just a few bits and pieces.
So far, Greer Macallister has never failed to draw me in, in a completely immersive way within her stories. The Arctic Fury will make you feel the frigid cold air in your bones, will make you feel the dedication and commitment of these women. And speaks a lot about our will to survive. I cannot wait to see what comes next from Greer Macallister and in the mean time to catch up on what I’ve missed.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
MY THOUGHTS:
This book takes you to a very cold and unforgiving place. Both in the courtroom and on ice. Virginia Reeve takes a group of 13, suppose to be 12, women on an expedition to try and find Lady Jane Franklin’s husband. From ships out on the water to walking in the freezing cold she tries to guide these woman. Many won’t and don’t make it. It’s very hard for Virginia to see the women dying and knowing there is nothing she can do to stop it.
In the courtroom Virginia watches helplessly as person after person comes and testifies to things many do not know. They haven’t a clue what happened. She’s on trial for one person’s death. Both her death and her “kidnapping.”
You will feel the freezing cold. You will feel the ship as it glides across the water. You will feel the fear in Virginia as she faces a very uncertain future. If she has a future at all. If she is not hanged.
This book is done so excellently and in a way that draws you right in. It’s written in almost complete perfection. You will feel so many things. From a bit of laughter to full on sobbing tears. From anger at how some people act both before the expedition and after while in the courtroom. It made me very mad how Virginia was treated by the men in this century.
This story is told from different time frames. One from the court and one from the beginning to the ending of the Arctic expedition. How the women managed. What they felt both about where they were and how they got along with one another. It always amazes me how women treat each other…. My heart broke for Virginia all during this book. I felt she was giving a raw deal. But you have to make up your own mind. You have to read this beautifully written, almost poetic, story for yourself and decide if you think things happened the way they should have. You will see things from several points of view. Things that happened on the expedition and things that happen in the courtroom. The thing that got me was how crooked courts could be even back then…
Very well written. Very likable characters. This book will take you on an adventure you won’t soon forget. The descriptions are so well done. All of them.
Thank you #NetGalley, #GreerMacallister, #Sourcebookslandmark for this ARC. This is my review as I saw this story.
A big 5/5 stars and the highest possible recommendation.
Captivating, atmospheric, and immersive!
The Arctic Fury is an emotive, absorbing novel set in the mid-1850s that sweeps you back-and-forth between a Boston courtroom where Virginia Reeve is on trial for the kidnapping and murder of socialite Caprice Collins, one of twelve women who embarked on a northern expedition to find the missing Sir John Franklin, and the icy, cold, Arctic where friendships were formed, life was lost, secrets surfaced, and past tragedies haunted.
The writing is vivid and expressive. The plot is well crafted and uses a past-present style to create tension, suspense and emotion as it unravels all the histories, personalities, and relationships within it. And the characters are unique, troubled, and scarred; with the setting, the arctic wilderness, being a character itself with its harsh weather, isolation, and physical challenges.
Overall, The Arctic Fury, loosely based on real-life events, is an intense, unique, gripping novel that reminds us that survival of any form takes unimaginable sacrifice, strength, courage, and often ethical and moral dilemmas.
Lady Jane Franklin hires Virginia Reeve to take 12 women on a trek to the Arctic to find her husband. This expedition ends tragically. Virginia also ends up on trial for murder. One of the women on the trip dies and her family needs to blame someone! However, there is a lot of double dealing, secrecy and lies.
This book is told in various time periods, settings and various points of view. This bothers many readers. However, the author handled this excellently and I had no trouble keeping up.
Now, there are several parts I enjoyed more than others. I loved the courtroom scenes. That is where the true mystery lies. This section is intriguing and unique.
The part about the expedition is just ok. This is why I gave the book a 4 instead of a 5 star. The expedition should have been the most exciting. But I just did not enjoy this part as much as I expected.
All that being said…this is a unique read about strong women overcoming many facets of life! Grab your copy today! You will be glad you did!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
Greer Macallister has written an engaging historical fiction novel with The Arctic Fury. In April of 1853, Lady Jane Franklin chooses Virginia Reeve, an experienced guide, to lead the first all women expedition to the Arctic Circle. Their mission is to find Lady Franklin’s husband (a Captain of one of two British Royal Navy ships that went missing during their own expedition of the Arctic) and bring him back with any other survivors. Intrigued and challanged by Lady Franklin’s proposal, Reeve and a dozen other women set out for the Arctic.
As the book opens, it is eightteen months later, October of 1854 in Boston. Virginia Reeve is on trial for her life, charged with the kidnapping and murder of one of the women in the expedition. The story is told from the POVs of Virginia, a narrator, and several of the women who took part in the expedition; it alternates between what occurred during the expedition, and what is currently occurring during the trial.
I found this book absolutely fascinating! Macallister does a great job of making the reader feel part of the action through her descriptive writing and her rich, deep, and flawed characters. It takes a strong, smart and independent woman to want to travel over land and water through uncharted territory under the harshest of conditions to the Arctic and back. Now imagine thirteen such women, each chosen to be part of the expedition for different purposes, and each having reasons of her own as to why she wanted to be included. This is quite an absorbing read given the adventures of the expedition, the stories (and back-stories) of each of the women, and the drama of the trial.
A captivating read, I hated to see The Arctic Fury come to an end. I highly recommend this book.
My thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for permitting me to read an advance copy of the book, which is scheduled to be published on 12/1/2020. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.