My Last Continent
As a penguin researcher working on the eco-tourism ship The Cormorant, Deb Gardner is used to the everyday wonder and cruelty of Antarctica. When she meets Keller, a fellow arctic enthusiast who is haunted by tragedy, Deb feels her icy facade begin to thaw. Their relationship stretches over years, with them living apart and coming together only when their jobs bring them to Antarctica.
But when The Cormorant receives a distress signal from a cruise ship called The Australis — too large to navigate the ice-choked waters — one terrifying night will change their lives forever. Filled with gorgeous descriptions of Antarctica and culminating in heart-pounding scenes of suspense, My Last Continent is an unforgettable debut novel.
Quote:
“On an evening like this, with the air sogged with unshed rain and the penguins splashing in a pool of slush nearby, it’s hard to believe that Antarctica is the biggest desert in the world, the driest place on earth. The Dry Valleys have not seen rain for millions of years, and, thanks to the cold, nothing rots or decays. Even up here, on the peninsula, I’ve seen hundred-year-old seal carcasses in perfect condition, and abandoned whaling stations frozen in time. Those who perish in Antarctica — penguins, seals, explorers — are immortalized, the ice preserving life in the moment of death.”
Author:
Midge Raymond is an American author and the co-founder of Ashland Creek Press. Her books include My Last Continent; the short story collection Forgetting English; and two books for writers, Everyday Writing and Everyday Book Marketing.
Published: 2016
Length: 308 pages
Set in: Antarctica