The North Water - Ian McGuire - Part 1

The North Water - Ian McGuire

2017 Reading Challenge - Day 91

  April 1, 2017 

Book 29 - The North Water
by Ian McGuire (2016)
 Part 1 - pages 1-272
Reading Time - 5 hours

I came across a review of this novel in a magazine in a doctor's office. It sounded interesting... violent, but interesting. So I got it from the library. I've read a fair bit of military fiction so am no stranger to violence but... this book took it to a whole new level.

The story of a whaling voyage that goes awry in the twilight days of Britain's whaling industry. This book has such scenes as:
pedophile rape, bashing heads of baby seals, drug abuse, killing whales, killing polar bears, tormenting orphaned polar bear cubs, murder, sodomy, prostitution, murder. The level of brutality is horrendous. Women play an infinitesimal role in here, basically as whores and sex objects. The author also seems to love using the "f-word" in the conversations of his characters. To me... it seemed out of place and out of time. I didn't really see how it added anything to the narrative (since the British have so many other swear words that would be more historically accurate) and for me, in fact, it was abruptly jarring. But what do I know... perhaps the "f-word" was a common swear word back in the day.

It's a well-written book but... it's gorily, brutally violent. Be warned.