Madhouse at the End of the Earth
The Belgica's Journey into the Dark Antarctic Night
Ratings18
Average rating4.3
A slow-burn with a heavy emphasis on historical scene setting and establishment for the first 1/3-1/2ish of the book. The back half, however, is worth the payoff. I finished the final third of the book within a day for that exact reason.
“We are no longer navigators, but a small colony of prisoners serving their sentence.”This is my second voyage (ha!) with a polar expedition book, the first being [b:In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette 20897517 In the Kingdom of Ice The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette Hampton Sides https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1395935993l/20897517.SY75.jpg 28027377]. Rather than going for the North Pole like the Jeannette several years previous, the Belgica and her crew gave it the honest college try in being the first to reach the magnetic South Pole. As you can imagine, in such an extreme environment and it being 1897 without modern advances and conveniences, things go south (haha!) quickly.I thought this book had a bit of a slow start, but it quickly drew me in once the Belgica got underway and the actual expedition began. Some backstory of the ship and its crew is necessary to really establish a connection between the reader and the characters, so I didn't particularly mind. I thought the writing style was engaging, if a little bit sensational – I get that it reads like an adventure book, but it's ultimately supposed to be a historical account, and it feels like the author played it a bit fast and loose with the day-to-day dialogue and accounts of what happened. The transition of the crew as their voyage became much longer than anticipated was especially interesting, and I liked the inclusion of the epilogue of sorts at the end that showed what happened to everyone at the conclusion. In summary, a very engaging adventure book about the impact of hubris and stubborness on polar exploration. A bit of a slow start rewards the reader with much drama later on. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.