"Lady Jane Franklin, The Woman Who Fueled 19th Century Polar Exploration...determined and dedicated to the sciences, she dispatched many a vessel to the Arctic."
-Lauren Young February 23, 2017 [Atlas Obscura]

Lady Jane financed a series of polar missions to search for her husband, famed explorer Sir John Franklin, who failed to return home after setting sail in 1845 to search for a Northwest Passage. "Each...failed expedition [to find Sir John] had been conceived by men, run by men, peopled by men entire". According to Lady Jane, "women can do far more than the narrow lens of society deems fitting". To this end, Virginia Reeve, a guide in "the wilds beyond the eastern edge of America...on the frontier..." was selected by Lady Jane in this work of historical fiction. "I propose you lead an expedition to the North to bring back my husband...a great man...the world does not yet recognize his triumph". "To return successful from [the voyage], with full knowledge of the fate of John Franklin, or God willing, John Franklin himself".

After agreeing to lead the journey, Virginia Reeve was excited and thrilled "to seek this lost man and his company and find them when no one else could. The impossibility of it was exactly the allure. She should focus on where she was and where she'd be going, not where she'd been...a fresh start...the lingering ghosts of her past... blessedly invisible". Lady Jane would deny any knowledge of this twelve woman expedition she had funded unless they returned triumphant. All preparations would be made through her envoy, Brooks. Eight women had been preselected and Virginia was only allowed to choose the remaining participants.. The women chosen included a navigator, a mountaineer, a battlefield nurse, a journalist and a breeder/trainer of sled dogs. Caprice Collins, mountaineer, had a malicious laugh and a condescending attitude. Virginia told her that they would be miles from "ballrooms and silk dancing slippers". "You, Miss Collins, are an arrogant, empty-headed fool...Come to the Arctic, disobey me on the ice, and I'll lay odds you'll never come back".

Massachusetts Superior Court, 1854. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts versus Miss Virginia Reeve. The charges: "One count of kidnapping and one count of murder in the death of Caprice Collins. "Five survivors choose to sit in the front row". "The five survivors...she fears the words they may speak when called upon later- not to mention the words of those who chose not to sit in the front row, some with damaging, dark things to say, true or otherwise...". Additionally, "Virginia wants certain survivors to stay away from this trial. She must protect the secrets that are not and never were hers to reveal". In alternating chapters, the women's journey battling the bitter cold Arctic in 1853 is revealed and the subsequent trial of Virginia in 1854.

"The Arctic Fury" by Greer Macallister is a riveting work of historical fiction. "Witnesses could do equal harm to [Virginia] through what they said and what they failed to say". "If she and the rich girl [Caprice] sniped...in the calm peace of an overstuffed parlor, how fiercely would their tempers flare when things got rough?" Author Macallister had created a wondrous novel of women's strength and endurance in blistering Arctic weather interlaced with a compelling trial in the aftermath of the journey. "They started in such ambitious optimism...which are the luckier? The ones who came back or the ones who didn't?" Highly recommended.

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Well, well, well… Macallister has really done it this time! To be specific, she’s taken a real woman and instead of following all of her real life, she took just one actual portion of it and then invented a whole new path for her. You see, Virginia did exist, but she’s famous for being one of the few survivors of a disastrous exhibition across the Sierra Nevada mountains. Apparently, Macallister wanted to give Virginia a much more exciting life than she actually had. To do that, she took another bit of history – the expedition of Captain Sir John Franklin with the two ships, the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. This tragic trip attempted to cross the last unnavigated portions of the Northwest Passage, located in the Arctic of Canada. Macallister decided to have Franklin’s wife put together an all-female party to find her husband, in the hopes of finding him alive, and she put Virginia up to lead these women on this mission.

Yes, this is pretty fantastical, I agree. However, you must admit that it is also an interesting concept, and one that was pretty forward thinking for the era. Then there’s the bit where the death of one of the women in the group leads to Virginia going on trial for that woman’s murder. In this way, Macallister has two, intertwined story arcs – the expedition, and the murder trial. But that’s not all! Macallister also gives us the backstory for each of the other women accompanying Virginia, albeit in less detail, but with just the right amount to keep the tension going, and further the plot/s. To top it all off, Macallister makes the whole work behind the building of the expedition into a type of cloak and dagger operation, where Mrs. Franklin wants to keep her name out of the whole business, using a surrogate to contact Virginia and the other women she chose to join her.

Does this sound complicated? Of course; it is VERY complicated. And yet, at the same time, it is all very simple. In fact, in the hands of a lesser writer, this could have been one huge, hot mess. The thing is, Macallister’s mastery in storytelling makes this into an historical thriller that slides as smooth as silk from one point to another. Macallister also teases her readers by slowly but surely building the conflict, and holding off on the dual climaxes until the very last moment possible. She even adds a twist in the end that’s such a punch in the gut, it almost had me in tears! But what really makes this book work on all levels, is how Macallister is able to turn a rag-tag bunch of strangers into a group of quasi-sisters, with all the affection and rivalry that abound in these types of relationships. In other words, it isn’t all kumbaya, but the discords are never disrespectful, even when the deference is sometimes given less than charitably.

I should note that reading this book made me realize that the one I read before this was a bit of a disappointment as far as writing style was concerned. That novel was very dull reading by comparison. This novel is written in such a vivacious style, with descriptions that truly came alive for me in my imagination. The starkness of the scenery, both beautiful and scary at the same time, felt very real. (Hell, I actually felt like I needed to put on a sweater, if not a fur coat, when Macallister described the cold.) This is the type of writing that I’ve come to expect from Macallister, and she did not let me down in the least. No, the subject matter isn’t easy, and yes, there’s a whole lot going on, but oh my… this book delivers on every level! For all this, there’s no reason for me not to warmly and wholeheartedly recommend this novel, and give it a full five out of five stars!

Thank you to Greer Macallister and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really, really wanted to like this book. The cover is GORGEOUS and the premise is so unique. Sadly, I struggled to finish it. I didn't care for the style of writing, nor the lack of 'oomph'. I wasn't vested in any of the characters and unfortunately didn't feel any connection that kept me wanting to come back for more. Sigh...

5 ⭐️s for the Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister.

Synopsis: this historical fiction follows Virginia Reeve, who, after spending years leading settlers in California, is asked to lead an all-women rescue mission into the Arctic to find the husband of a historically prominent woman. Set in the 1850s, the novel alternates between the Arctic expedition and the murder trial that unfolds when one of the women doesn’t return. As the events in the Arctic catch up with the trial storyline, the reader is left questioning what happened out on the ice, and what secrets Virginia is hiding.

My thoughts: this one had so many elements that make out a five-star historical fiction. One, it was based on two historical events from the 1850s that I did not know much about. I love reading about time periods and events that aren’t typically written about. It’s such a refreshing change from the usual time periods (*cough cough* WWII). Two, it featured strong female leads who were all trailblazers for their time. Three, it featured a trial, which the attorney in me can’t help but love (and since it was a trial from the 1850s, I didn’t have to worry as much about any legal inaccuracies that I would normally freak out about). Lastly, it even had some twisty moments for me as some of the secrets were revealed. In sum, it had history, inspiring female leads, mystery, legal, and even some romance elements. Overall, I would highly recommend it as having a little something for everyone.

Who should read: fans of the Lilac Girls, Giver of the Stars, and the Postmistress.

This book was quite an adventure! In 1853, Virginia is asked to lead an all women's team into the Artic to find a group of lost explorers. Virginia leads an incredible team of ladies each with their own strengths to help on the mission. When Virginia and the women's team return not all the women are there. Where are the others? Virginia finds herself on trial for murder! This wonderful adventure is told in points of view from the expedition and from the murder trial. What really happened in the Arctic? I truly enjoyed this book and its strong incredible women! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

Twelve women are sent on an Arctic journey to search for a lost male expedition. Their journey slowly unfolds through the course of the trial of their leader. The alternating chapters kept the tension high and me reading past my bedtime. I don’t want to reveal too much because I believe it is best read without previous knowledge. If you enjoy historical fiction with strong female characters you should read this excellent novel.

I received an advance Kindle copy of this book from Netgalley for a fair and honest review. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity.

I had just read a recently published non-fiction book about North Pole exploration when I became aware of Greer Macallister’s new fictional account of a secret all female search for the members of the Franklin Expedition. The Franklin Expedition goal was to discover a Northwest Passage north of Canada when they sailed from England in 1845.

In chapter one when we meet Virginia Reeves, the search expedition leader, in a Boston courtroom in 1854, she is being charged with one count of kidnapping and one count of murder for events which occurred during the search attempt the previous year. Also present are some of the survivors.

The year before in 1853 Captain John Franklin’s wife, Lady Jane Franklin, had requested that Virginia, previously a guide leading groups to the American West, led the search party of thirteen women to locate her husband, his missing ships, and their crews in the Arctic. Other expeditions of men tasked with providing answers had failed.

Five stars for me for Arctic Fury as Macallister is skilled at creating alternating chapters which occur not only between the two time periods but also point of view in the chapters detailing the expedition. The women on the expedition came to life with action and dialogue and the fictitious experiences interlaced with historic facts enticed me to research more details about the actual events of John Franklin’s journey. Don’t miss this chilly adventure this winter!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. I'll be posting my review on Goodreads and Amazon

First of all, the cover of this book is stunning, and so wonderfully conveys the feel of this book. There is so much to say about this extraordinary book, I hope I can put into words how amazing it is. This compelling historical fiction novel follows a group of courageous women, led by Virginia Reeve, an intrepid woman who had been a trail guide out west. Now she is the leader of an Arctic expedition, fraught with danger, in charge of a diverse group of women who bond and clash equally. The chapters alternate timelines as well as narrators, with each voice lending its own unique version of events. The novel is told from three different timelines: the Arctic expedition, flashbacks to Virginia’s western journey, and a murder trial. I read each section with bated breath, following the twists and turns, the desperation and bravery. There were many heart-wrenching moments, as you would expect with the subject of the book, but there were also beautiful moments of unexpected friendships and hope. The setting of this book is immensely vital to the story, and its effects on the characters, and the author does an outstanding job of placing the readers in such an unforgettable place.

Told in alternating timelines, The Artic Fury, tells the tale of a party of twelve women as they journey into the unforgiving Artic in search of the lost Franklin expedition and the resulting trial against their leader Virginia Reeve, a year and a half after their return, or rather I should say some of their return.

Virginia, already having experience leading groups on the trail out west to California receives a request from an anonymous sponsor to lead a group of women, some already picked for her, into the Artic. She was able to pick the remaining women that outfitted her party, each having expertise in some area like maps, medicine or hunting to help the group on their trek. The fact that this benefactor wants women is strange enough, given that their journey takes place in the 1850s. Women weren’t exactly the first choice for expeditions such as this one, yet Virginia and her crew do take this journey and forge hard-won respect for each other as they battle one setback after another on this winding and perilous excursion through the ice.

In the alternate timeline we find Virginia back from the Artic on trial for murder in Boston vacillating about her defense. The only thing keeping her going is the presence of the five fellow survivors from their expedition sitting front row for her in the courtroom.

This is an excellent book about the strength of women both physically and emotionally, and the setting itself is treated like an unforgiving character out to impede them. I read this book based on the recommendation of another favorite author of mine Kate Quinn. I thank her for introducing me to Greer Macallister and look forward to reading more of her novels. Thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and of course the author for the advanced copy.

Greer MacAllister always gives me a different perspective on a period or situation in time that I thought I had figured out. The idea of an all female Arctic expedition was so intriguing to me that I couldn't pass this book up. I've been in a big romance phase and was unsure how an intense historical fiction would even land with me. But I couldn't stop reading. I told my friend I was going to read it 100 pages at a time and I lied. I hid from my kids and ignored housework to find out just what exactly happened on that expedition and how the trial would turn out for Virginia. This is a story of overcoming hardships, female friendships, self determination, and grit. The Arctic Fury would be an outstanding book club selection. If you like stories that you can't quite figure out, strong female characters and strong atmosphere - don't mess around. Get this book.

This fictional story of an all women expedition to search for John Franklin and his ships in the arctic was one of the most tense historicals I've read in a while. Lady Franklin hires Virginia to lead the expedition and the story switches between the journey to the Arctic and Virginia's trial in which she is accused of kidnapping and murdering Caprice Collins. This creates great tension and made me eager to see what truly happened as the story follows the breadcrumbs laid out by the trial. We also get multiple perspectives, getting to see what many of the women truly felt about the journey and each other. Watching the relationships between the women develop was as engrossing as waiting to see how much of the trial was true and what happened to Caprice.

Overall this is a fantastic read for winter.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I felt the story was a slow build but in the end really enjoyed the story. I think the slow build was to really develop several of characters for the reader.

Virginia Reeve has led an all women expedition into the Artic and is now on trial for the death of one of those women. The story is told through two timelines from the point of the current trial and the expedition. Is Virginia a murder?

Grab your copy December 1st.
#Netgalley #TheArticFury

The author admits a female exoediton into the Arctic in the 1850s seems far fetched even for historical fiction. But then again, that's the power of historical fiction. The Arctic Fury is an interesting proposition. One woman goes on trial for murder after leading 12 women into the frozen environs of the North. The best part came toward the end when a major reveal is made. I thought the correlation was a nice intermesh of one of the most famous traveling disasters in history. It was a nice distraction from all e current fury in the world.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for granting my wish. Wow what a cold, snowy, icy and turbulent ride this historical fiction book was. It took me a while to warm (pun not intended) to the main character Virginia. I'm so glad I continued reading. Loved that the historical aspect and the courtroom drama. I had tears in my eyes at the conclusion of the trial. With all that Virginia and her friends went through it was very emotional to see them all come together when it really mattered. Will read more by this author. She did a fabulous job with the detail. Once I warmed up to Virginia's character I was captivated and did not want to stop reading.

The Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister begins in October 1854 in the Massachusetts Superior Court, Boston. Virginia Reeve is on trial for the kidnapping and murder of Caprice Collins, a wealthy Boston adventurer. As she gazes out into the courtroom, she sees five (5) women on the front row, who are there to support her. They too are survivors of the failed arctic expedition that resulted in Caprice Collins’ death. The Collins family controls a local newspaper, and the stories have called Virginia “The Arctic Fury”.

The novel then goes back to April 1853 when Virginia is mysteriously asked by Lady Jane Franklin ( a real historical figure) to lead a group of 11 other women on an arctic expedition to find her missing husband, Sir John Franklin, a British naval explorer. Lady Franklin thinks a group of women might find success where the British navy has failed. As it turns out, Caprice Collins decides to bring her maid, making the number an unlucky 13. Lady Jane is very careful to make sure that there is no evidence of her involvement. After their initial meeting, all communication is done through her male associate, Brooks. None of the other women chosen met either Lady Jane or Brooks.

At the time of trial, Lady Jane, who is in England, denies knowing Virginia or funding the expedition. Unfortunately, Virginia’s appointed attorney was most likely paid for by the Collins family and is entirely incompetent. As the trial progresses, the novel's chapters go back and forth between it and the expedition, until the real truth is finally revealed. The reader also learns why Virginia and the other women would want to go on such a journey to this frozen land. For most, it is much more than the reward money if they succeed.

5-Stars for this combination of suspense and legal thriller. Book Club recommended. This book will be published on December 1, 2020. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Sourcebooks Landmark for my advanced reader copy.

(2.5 stars if I'm to be entirely honest). I was highly anticipating this one and delighted when my wish was granted by Netgalley to be an early reader. I'm just terribly sorry I'm not the one to perhaps provide the review they might have been hoping for.

I had already read Lady Franklin of Russell Square which has a similar premise, although focused on Lady Franklin herself and her undying devotion to finding her husband Sir John Franklin and his Arctic expedition. Here, in Arctic Fury we briefly meet Lady Franklin again as she commissions a 12-person entirely female team to find Sir John.

This story is told mainly through courtroom flashbacks, as the leader Virginia is on trial for the murder of one of the other team members. I thought the courtroom drama aspect of this story would engage me, but it did not. This is another dialogue-heavy book, and the lack of vivid descriptions of the Arctic and this teams trials in any detail beyond the surface sadly bored me. The potential here was strong, but for me the focus on instead dialogue and not on description led me to rate it what I have. Bummer.

I'm sorry but I just couldn't follow the story...too narrative and aimlessly wandering...
I will not post reviews so that it won't hurt the books ratings

Thank you for allowing me to read it but I didn't even make it half way...

As a librarian, I get random emails from Library Association’s outside of my working state. I was tickled pink to see that Arkansas had been able to host a two day event with Kim Richardson. If you aren’t familiar, she wrote the wildly popular and well received story The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. During her interview, attendees asked what she would recommend or has recently read that stuck out to her. She specifically brought up The Artic Fury. She had nothing but praise to sing and her gushing caught my ear. Immediately, I found my fingers clicking and tapping away on NetGalley to find this book. Once the email came through, I was geeked for many reasons.

Reason 1. I genuinely enjoy historical fiction. Which is hilarious since about two years ago, I would always mention my distaste for the genre. I suppose that means that I might be getting old.
Reason 2. The ARTIC! Hell yes, I’ve read very few, if any novels with this setting and location being the star.
Reason 3. A expedition full of women led by a women during the mid-1800’s. Sign this librarian up!
Reason 4. A murder trial. We know this expedition went to hell. Give me the TEA! *Please note my hilarious joke since our leader Virginia was summoned to Boston.* (How about that for a Dad joke?!)

With so many reasons to read this novel, you bet your sweet little ass that reading it is exactly what I did. And I must say, overall, I found the book to be enjoyable. The setting was exciting. The characters were varied with strong personalities that conflicted. There was a court case where we learn rather quickly about corruption and what a woman’s word was worth. There are elements of race laced through out the novel that give it that something extra. I really can’t find too many things to complain about. But not too many isn’t no complaints.

And I do have one. I wouldn’t call it a major complaint but I did erase the word minor as it isn’t strong enough for said complaint. Honestly, I felt a bit let down once the story was completed. Let me explain. This whole novel is building up a “Party of 12 women into the wild, hazardous Artic to search for the lost Franklin Expedition”. Alright that sounds thrilling as hell. But the actual expedition was rather underwhelming because we get so little of it really. Most of this story is about preparation and sailing to get there and the court case. They spend very few page counts and chapters focusing on this journey in the actual Artic. Which was a bit shocking and disappointing as it was the main selling point. Don’t get me wrong, there is some Artic adventuring to be had. But the story primarily played out in Boston and on a ship getting to the Artic. I would say less than 20% of the story happened in the actual Artic. Like the woman spent a small amount of time on the Arctic’s iced over land. In that regard, I did knock down a full star. I felt like the novel was much more about preparation and getting there verses the actual adventure of the Artic. Does that make sense?

Important mention. This story obviously is going to incorporate snow dogs. From the moment these animals were mentioned, I was dreading what I thought would inevitably come. I won’t give anything away but fear not readers, Macallister did animal lovers right. I’ve seen many reviews where animals being harmed or abused is an immediate no in regard to reading. Readers, no need to remove this from the TBR pile for those reasons.

Overall, I would encourage readers to give this one a shot. It was a unique adventure (at least in my reading experience). It was entertaining and the alternating chapters (present time to adventure) really added that little something to the story. This could be a fun book club story.

Thank you NetGalley and SourceBooks Landmark for the read! I’ve enjoyed myself!

I couldn't help but be glad that I am not in Virginia Reeve's shoes. Crisis after crisis! And all that before she'd even really started what she set out to do – venture into the icy wilderness to look for a missing man! Neither did I envy the group of women who were going with her.

The starting was a little slow – but once I got to 30% of the story, it started to pick up a little. The mystery of Clarice's death and the mystery of Virginia's past kept me reading.

There are twists at the end...even the reason for Clarice's death was totally unexpected. The style of writing is not quite my favourite.

Not light reading by any means, but if it were a movie, I'd watch it.

Note: No language issues (as far as I can remember) and no sexual situations though there were a few references to it.