A gripping, emotional page-turner involving adventure, determination and fate.

This is my fourth Greer Macallister book and another great adventure involving a strong, trailblazing woman. I admired the determined and disciplined Virginia Reeve who while internally grappling with her past, is about to lead an all-female expedition into the frozen Arctic on a recovery mission for two lost Royal Navy ships. She must stay sharp as twelve women are depending on her. She knows none of the women she will be leading as they were chosen by Lady Jane Franklin who is funding the secret expedition. Imagine Virginia’s surprise when a thirteenth woman shows her up after the long journey, snuck on board by rich and spoiled Caprice Collins. Logistics need to change. Caprice is a force to be reckoned with, someone I thought could in a blink sabotage the mission and endanger the women.

The chapters alternate between the expedition timeline beginning April 1853 and a murder trial in October 1854 in which Virginia has been accused of Caprice Collins’ death. There is a smooth transition between the two timelines and the entire narrative well organized.

It is interesting to note that the author cast each woman by researching real-life inspirations of the nineteenth century. Her complex characters jump off the page.

*will add links closer to publication

Wow, two significant past historical tragedies come together with powerful and polarizing women at the center of this upcoming uniquely different historical fiction piece, THE ARTIC FURY by Greer Macallister. Scheduled for a release date of December 1 by Sourcebooks Landmark / Sourcebooks, it might be just the perfect winter read for you as you read about female explorers trekking through the blinding snow and stark conditions of the Artic as you bundle and layer up against your own winter chill.

I was unfamiliar with MacAllister’s previous 3 books, but after finishing THE ARTIC FURY, the author has definitely gained a new fan in me. Greer was masterful in drawing the reader into the story and keeping pace by alternating chapters between the expedition’s search exploits and the courtroom trial drama that followed. Although this book drew my thoughts to Shackleton’s Antarctic expeditions and harrowing tales of survival, it was really based on a different true story that I wasn’t aware of : the failed expedition of Sir John Franklin to find the Northwest Passage. However, in actuality it’s foundation centers specifically on his wife’s, Lady Jane Franklin’s, tireless and never ending search for her husband and his fate that she pursued until her death. The other key tragedy that is united with this event to create the perfect storm for the main protagonist in the novel, Virginia (Reed) Reeve, I will not reveal in fear of being a spoiler for future readers since it is a key reveal/twist in the book.

The other highlight of the book that drew me in was the all female cast of explorers hired to set out to find the missing ships and men. At the onset of the book there is a list of these thirteen brave and fierce spirited women - in itself already declaring their importance and inspiring visions of their motley team. Women from all walks of life - from different social status levels and backgrounds to varied careers and future dream goals. Yet despite their differences, as one of these sharp ladies pointed out, they are all equally suppressed and limited in their aspirations and lives due to their gender, but this first in its kind all-female expedition offers them chances and a world unable to be experienced back home in their normal realities. What really added another layer of depth and intrigue that hopefully one day we can explore further with Greer, is that as revealed in the author’s note, each team member was based on a genuine woman who actually walked on this earth before, pioneering in her own true way. So if you are a history buff or reader who wanted to rabbit hole further into the background of the book, it would be so interesting to find out who each one was based on besides the obvious main historical protagonists.

Another nugget in the author’s note is a teaser of her next novel, still 19th century timeline, but this time MacAllister alludes to taking us to New Orleans—any guesses as to what NOLA event or significant person she might be writing about next?! Hopefully we will learn about another fierce woman warrior important and groundbreaking in her own way, just as we ponder on the 13 gifts that Greer gave us in THE ARTIC FURY, that were sorely underestimated by all. Women who were sent out to complete a mission no man had completed yet and prove that women were up to the task- physically, mentally, and in ways that were uniquely female creating bonds as a sisterhood and as trailblazers—no matter the outcome. They would not be disregarded, undermined, or slighted and swept aside by the ‘powers that be’-financial, judicial, or otherwise.

Enjoyed the premise of this book. Wish the writing was a little more polished and that it was more clearly promoted as a religious title.

The Arctic Fury had me with that cover. I got the chills just looking at it and I'm coveting that jacket/cape - looks like the perfect thing for the location. From the blurb I found it hard to imagine a dozen women (or anyone for that matter) braving the Arctic elements in search of Franklin.

It's the mid 1850's when Victoria is approached and takes on the challenge to discover the fate of the Franklin exhibition. I had hoped this was based on fact but alas, while there were multiple searches made for the crew this isn't one of them.

Told with a dual narrative that are not too far apart, time wise. The journey is told mostly via Victoria but also a few snippets from a couple of the other women - that I liked and wished for more, just to connect and really get to know the different personalities on board. That being said there is a large cast of characters to keep track of. The interaction I was hoping for didn't happen till later on and for me that might have been a little too late to get a true picture of the relationships.

The other narrative was the murder trial and Victoria's incarceration. That was a little slow moving and repetitive in terms of accommodations and also frustrating to read, so hats off to the author for creating that kind of emotion in this reader.

Greer Macallister created an atmosphere story that reflected the times, from the streets of Boston, paddling the lakes, the cold of the north and finally back to Boston. The Arctic Fury was an interesting concept which will appeal to readers that like something off the beaten path.

My thanks to Sourcebooks (via Netgalley) for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

1853. An all-female expedition set out in search of rescuing Arctic explorer Captain Sir John Franklin and his crew but upon their miraculous return, leader Virginia Reeve is accused of kidnapping and murder. Merciless and treacherous conditions, a determined sisterhood, and suspenseful courtroom dramatics make this novel utterly absorbing historic fiction. For fans of Kim Michelle Richardson and Paula McLain.

A group of women are on their way to the Arctic. They have been acquired by a wealthy woman. She is the wife of the Captain of the ship the Terror. The Terror and another ship are lost. These woman are on an expedition to find and discover what happened to the crews.
Virginia Reeve is the leader of the expedition. She has been on such expeditions before. With a group of thirteen woman they start their journey.
This journey will prove the nettle of these woman. Some will survive, some will die, some will simply disappear. Each is on this mission for a different reason. Some have secrets that they don't want revealed..
Awesome read, definitely Recommended!

In 1986, Ann Bancroft gave up her special education and physical education teaching positions in Minneapolis to participate in Will Steger’s North Pole Expedition, which reached the Pole by dogsled in 56 days. Six years later, she led a four-woman expedition to the South Pole on skis, making her the first woman to accomplish both feats.

Greer Macallister’s The Arctic Fury is a work of historical fiction involving thirteen women engaged in the pursuit of a similar, much more difficult challenge. The year is 1853 in Boston. Adventurer Virginia Reeve is summoned to the stately home of Lady Jane Franklin. Lady Franklin offers Virginia an unusual proposal – to lead an all-female expedition to the frozen wilds of the far north in search of her husband, his missing ship, and crew in the Arctic. Four previous expeditions have failed. Perhaps women can succeed where men have not. Most of her team is chosen for her; she is allowed to pick but three of twelve. There is a reason for the extra woman, which I will leave readers to discover for themselves.

Chapters alternate between the women of the expedition in 1853 and the trial in 1854. Yes, one year later, Virginia Reeve finds herself on trial for murder. Five survivors of the long, hard trek sit in the front row of the courtroom every day and are called as witnesses. What did they see? What did they experience? What happened during those long, hard, cold, dark days and nights out on the ice.

Greer Macallister establishes the events brilliantly. She introduces the characters one by one. Each woman has strengths that will aid the team along the way, as well as weaknesses that could prove detrimental. One woman, in particular, spells trouble from the start, because she and Virginia clash from the moment they meet.

There is a lengthy stretch aboard a whaler, which serves as their transport ship. This proves to be a major part of the adventure, long and tedious, but not without danger or trouble. I came to love the ship’s captain; he seemed to have just the right temperament for the long haul.

What better way for each woman to learn the depth of her own character? Her strengths, her weaknesses, her longings, her passions? How far would any one of them go to survive? How far would any go to save another? The women are strong; there is some gender bending that would have been quite rare and certainly very taboo for the times. I applaud Ms. Macallister for daring to go there. She seems to have done her research about the trek and the Arctic quite well. I truly felt the cold and the exhaustion that these women were suffering!

The author finds the perfect balance between fictitious adventure mixed with historical fact and throws in suspense every step of the way so that I wanted to keep turning page after page. What really happened? What will happen to Virginia in the end?

This was actually a nail-biter until the end, and I was somewhat surprised by the turn of events. If you love cold-weather thrillers and adventure, I highly recommend Arctic Fury.

I wish to thank NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and the author for granting my wish to receive this copy as an ARC in exchange for my unbiased, honest review.

5 stars

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This is a great book. The writing is amazing and had me engrossed throughout the whole novel. The author did a wonderful job showcasing history and strong women. I especially loved the different viewpoints of the women in the story. It’s a compelling novel that really makes you think at the end of the novel. Highly recommend!!!

An expedition of 12 women to find out what happened to the Arctic expedition of Lord John Franklin ends with the leader of the expedition, Virginia Reeve in court being tried for murder. But is she guilty of the murder she is accused of? Who were the women of the expedition? Why did they agree to go on the expedition and what really happened? A story of strong women trying to be true to themselves in a world dominated by men.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

"A dozen women join a secret 1850s Arctic expedition—and a sensational murder trial unfolds when some of them don't come back."

Good story, it's amazing what women in that era put themselves through to show they were as strong or stronger than men. I like Greer Macallister and have read several of her books.

3.5☆

First line: In the front row sit the survivors.

Summary: Virginia Reeve has spent years as a guide for settlers trying to cross the mountains to California until one day she receives a request for a new adventure. Upon meeting her new benefactor she learns that she is going to be leading a group of women into the arctic to find the ships and crew of the Terror and Erebus. Many men have tried and now it is time to let women try to succeed where the men failed. However, not everything turns out like Virginia and her hopeful crew had planned.

My Thoughts: I went into this book really excited because I loved the author’s debut novel, The Magician’s Lie. And I am not saying I didn’t like the book. I did. I found the story interesting and the setting fascinating but it just didn’t have the same magic as her first book. I liked how the author linked several very tragic events together in one book. Virginia kept referring to the Very Bad Thing. I guessed early on what this was but I liked that twist. I definitely did a lot of reading on the internet to get better informed about the true events behind the story.

One thing that surprised me was that there was very little time in the book dedicated to the actual time on the ice of the arctic. But the descriptions were stunning. I cannot imagine trying to spend time, especially months in the winter, in the arctic. I could tell that the author did research on survival skills, the time period and life on the ice.

FYI: Perfect for fans of historical fiction.

What a read! This book hits you on so many levels. I felt so many emotions and really feel that this book reflected so many strengths women can have and are not recognized for.
The ties to actual historical events was fascinating and I found myself taking breaks to read up on other facts that were mentioned.
Although there were a lot of characters, I really felt like they were given their own personalities and depth so I could imagine them so clearly.
Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebook Landmarks for a chance to read this book!

The Arctic Fury
A Novel
by Greer Macallister
SOURCEBOOKS Landmark
You Like Them
Sourcebooks Landmark
Historical Fiction
Pub Date 01 Dec 2020 | Archive Date 02 Dec 2020

I haven't read this author before and I will be sure to do that now. Loved the book! Loved the strong women characters. I Will recommend it to our patrons.Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Net galley for the ARC.

4star

Greer MacAllister delivers again. I love that all of her book have strong female characters. Because of this, I anticipate the publication date of her books.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read one of my favorite authors.

The Artic Fury is a historical fiction novel about a women only expedition in 1853 that was hired to travel to the Artic Circle in search of a missing Naval expedition. It alternates between the dangerous group of 13 women and a courtroom drama after the travels. I liked this framing a lot- I felt that it really added to the understand and suspense of what was happening. With themes of women's roles, class, secret lives, slavery, racism, cannibalism, survival, leadership, and justice, this book weaved a lot into an adventure story.

3.75 stars- I'm glad I finally read a Greer Macallister book. She's been on my TBR list for a long time and from what I'd heard, her writing style was right for me. I will definitely read more books by her (and I may like the content better than this one.) It was a little slow in places and admittedly I am not much for adventure/wilderness stories. The strong writing and well developed characters helped capture by attention. If you liked Wild by Cheryl Strayed, westerns, strong female pioneers, or are even just interested in women just before the Civil War, this book is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy for review.

This was my first time reading Macallister and it won't be the last. This book was an intense story of lies, survival, and betrayal. Macallister did a magnificent job of weaving historical pieces together with a fictional plot. The author touched on many societal and gender related issues without overwhelming the development of the characters or the plot. I truly enjoyed how Macallister only subtly referenced key aspects of the main character's past and allowed the reader to speculate for themselves until the very end. Very enjoyable book.

The Arctic Fury is a story about a (sadly) fictional female expedition to the Arctic to find John Franklin's lost ship, and the murder trial which follows after some of the women don't come back. A wonderful premise, and the execution didn't disappoint me. It is definitely my favourite Greer Macallister's book so far.
The book alternates the present, during the murder trial, and the past, which recounts the events leading to the expedition, and both storylines are equally gripping. The story obviously has an adventurous tone as it follows the women, lead by Virginia Reeve, during their difficult journey, and the hardships they have to face are indeed nail-biting and dramatic. However, what I most appreciated about the book where the themes of women strenght and solidarity. I became really involved in the women's fates. Not only they had to face a difficult journey, but they were hindered by men just because of their sex and it made me so mad! However, they supported and helped each other, and some moments in the books made me want to stand up and cheer. The ending was especially great.
I would highly recommend this book if you like stories about strong women who have to face difficult circumstances.

I’ve been a big fan of Greer Macallister for a long time so when I saw that she had a new book out, I knew I had to get my hands on it. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. This book follows the journey of Virginia Reeves as she leads herself and 12 women to the Arctic to look for Lady Franklin’s missing husband. That’s just the start. The story is told in alternating sections between the court room in October 1854 and the Expedition. The book has twists and turns and keeps you guessing on whether Virginia is innocent or guilty in the murder of Caprice Collins. I absolutely loved this book, but it was a little hard to initially get into but once I was pass that stage, the book just takes off and all you can do is hold on! Highly recommend this book for the wild adventure and amazing storytelling - almost felt like I was in the courtroom watching the trial take place!!

Featuring women as earlier adventurers, the leader comes back and as tried for murder of one of the women. Some twists and turns that don't really gel with the motives. Told in flashbacks from the trial to the expedition to the leaders early days. Well researched.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley