What do You think about The Solitude Of Thomas Cave: A Novel (2007)?
This novel about survival in the far north & how it affects the rest of Thomas Cave's life is written quite gorgeously. Periodically it includes Thomas's journal entries--& these are no exception, which undercuts the author's occasional assertion that he is a man of action rather than words. If he did not wield words well, he wouldn't have the capacity for such deep & subtle thinking.Exploring the long-term effects of his prolonged experience of hyper-cold is a fascinating undertaking; I'm not sure this final half (or third) of the book works as well as the survival chapters, but good for Harding for trying.
—Ruth
First of all, don't read this expecting a descent into madness by any means. Harding did a great job mimicking the "classic" writing style (and by that I mean pre-Victorian), which made the tale seem more authentic in my eyes. And luckily it lacked the (in my opinion) annoying trait of pre-Victorian novels actually written back then where the author would extrapolate for page and page about the scenery. But at the end I felt cheated, as I wanted more suspense and psychological issues than the rather uninteresting ones he dealt with. The love story was realistic but, sadly, not overly romantic, which also was a let down. I don't think I'd read it again, but it was worth reading once.
—Tina
Either writers really like writing about the Northern sea, whaling, and surviving in the polar ice, or I have a prediliction for choosing the only ones out there. This is the story of a whaler who takes a bet that he cannot survive alone on a northern island (off of Greenland) throughout the winter. He is provided with a cabin, a gun, and enough stores from the ships for 5 men to survive. I suppose the focus was how does a person survive psychologically in the cold and dark for months on end. Indeed, he is haunted by his dead wife and son. I never really felt like surviving was a challenge for him, and I don't feel like he resolved anything concerning his feelings about his wife and son. The only thing he seemed to carry away from the experience is that man tried to have dominion over things that should be left alone, that they are cruel and wasteful, and that the only evil that exists is found in man. If you want to read about whaling, read Moby Dick. If you want to read about surviving in extreme conditions read Island of the Lost.
—Mitzi
