Bainbridge’s beautifully written exploration of Captain Scott’s ill-fated expedition to Antarctica is a real gem. Narrated from the perspective and in the voices of the five final members – Scott himself, Captain Oates, Evans, Wilson and Birdie Bowers, it’s a wonderful evocation of the men themselves, the landscape and the appalling conditions they had to endure.

This book is an unusual format for a work of fiction ... and at the same time, it's not quite fiction.

<em>The Birthday Boys</em> by Beryl Bainbridge is a historical fiction account of the ill-fated Robert Falcon Scott-led trip to Antarctica. It's a relatively quick and easy read, and even if the reader doesn't know the outcome before beginning the book, it shouldn't take long for the outcome to be anticipated.

What is slightly unusual about this book is that it is written in five chapters and each chapter is a monologue narrative from one of the members of the expedition.

Petty Office Edgar "Taff" Evans, Dr. Edward “Uncle Bill” Wilson, and Captain Robert Falcon “Con” Scott each detail what they know of the preparations and fund-raising for the epic adventure as well as stopovers on their journey. They set the reader up by describing the conditions that they face and how they worsen with the conditions in Antarctica.

Wilson, as the doctor rightfully would, expresses concern for the crew's well-being and he believes he sees an angel of death appearing before the ship as a warning omen. And as Scott sets up their base camp, they experience mechanical failure and animals die in the elements. And if matters could be made worse, it would be that a competing expedition, led by Roald Amundsen is already ahead of them.

The last two chapters are told by Lt. Henry Robertson “Birdie” Bowers, and Capt. Lawrence Edward “Titus” Oates. From the beauty of the southern auroras to the slaughter of penguins for their fat to a blizzard that strikes, threatening every single life, Bowers' and Oates' tell riveting tales of the struggle of man against the harshest of nature and the ability of man to dig deep and accomplish something for himself and for his fellow man, when most necessary.

It is hard to remember, sometimes, that this is fiction. Bainbridge has written this as a series of essays/journal posts from the members of the expedition and she has done it well so that we believe it comes from each man.

But because of the nature of this story, it doesn't quite have the momentum and build that you would get in a more typical fiction narrative. It works okay for this story ... this story that we already know the outcome before going in to it.

Looking for a good book? <em>The Birthday Boys</em> by Beryl Bainbridge is a short, historical fiction account of the Scott's expedition to the South Pole and shares the adventure from the point of view of different members of the party.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

The Birthday Boys is a novel about perseverance. This novel is a look at humanity in the face of increasingly inhospitable conditions and the camaraderie of a group of ill-fated scientific explorers whose story is evidently famous. Personally, I know little of this expedition and have only read works on the Shackleton expedition. I honestly had no idea there was a second expedition on route at the exact same time as Shackleton’s until I read this account. Regardless, the perilous nature of the arctic during this time is well envisioned by Bainbridge in this alternating narrative concerning the push to reach he pole.
Originally written in 1991, Birthday Boys is still a powerful fictional account of Captain Scott's expedition to the Antarctic in 1912 and should still be consumed by readers of today. Bainbridge marries the style of classic novels and modern flair to create a haunting account of the ill-fated voyage and her doomed crew.

I found Bainbridge’s tale of survival on the ice sheets illuminating in a few ways. First, there were probably far more expeditions to the pole than what is in popular historical record. Second, all expeditions sent to the pole during this era were doomed. Modern technology has made living on the polar caps possible – although still incredibly difficult – but the early explorations relied on human capital and luck to survive these conditions. Today we have insulated parkas, heated buildings and advanced medicine to combat the effects of the elements, yet during Captain Scott’s expedition in 1912 they took ponies, basic medical supplies and sleeping bags made of material that freeze solid when wet. It is one thing to rationally understand the conditions early expeditions encountered, but another entirely to read a fictional account based on historical records. The suffering the members of this expedition and their animals faced was sometimes difficult to read.
The men of the Scott expedition continued to dream about their loved ones and the warm sunshine until the very end of their tales. Each man held onto the knowledge that soon enough they would set sail from the Arctic and return home - many of which planned to make this journey their last and settle down.

Birthday Boys was a sad tale about an ill fated voyage. I did not know what to expect going into this novel and was frankly surprised by the ending. I also found the characters to be a tad difficult to differentiate from when I had taken a break from the intense and often overwhelming monologues of the crew. Each crew member recounts their experience before setting sail for the Arctic, and each reveals their experiences on the ice once cold, frost bite and hunger set in. Hostility, fear and depression set in and each crew member recounts how they suffered. What really stuck with me once I finished reading Birthday Boys was the hope the crew members continued to hold until the very end.

Unfortunately, there isn't much more I can say about this novel. It was short but difficult to read, it was well written but often too intense and it will undoubtedly be a classic some day. Strong characters, realistic situations and a well researched fictional account of a real event with an exploration of the psychological effects the doomed crew of Scott's expedition experienced on their final journey to the top of the world.

This novel will appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction, psychological exploratory novels and novels with extremely dark subject matter. A warning to readers that this novel does not have a happy ending and the struggles of all involved are not for the faint of heart. This well written, thoroughly researched and beautiful novel may fool readers by it's small size, but is as densely packed as any popular classic novel.

Beryl Bainbridge reimagines Captain Scott's expedition to Antarctica on the Terra Nova in this novel, through the eyes of most of the men. Her ability to put herself into the minds of such different characters as Birdie and Captain Scott is brilliant, and her descriptions of Antarctica are irradiant. However, this is an extremely harrowing story and difficult to read. I also thought that she was quite hard on Captain Scott - she takes a dim view of his capricious character, his tendency towards depression and his blaming his mistakes onto others. She also criticises the team's inexpertise on skis and Scott's mistrust of dogs.

I especially liked her descriptions of the wive's characters and the rivalry between them, especially the rather intimidating Kathleen Scott, whose fame as a sculptress has sadly been eclipsed by her husband's ill-fated journey. Ever since I saw her sculpture of Captain Scott at Christchurch (and I was lucky enough to see that gorgeous city before the earthquake), I have been interested in reading more about her.

If you are interested in the expedition, this is an excellent novel about it.