A great piece of historical fiction with a flawed protagonist.
Feature image credit: Matt Palmer (via Unsplash)
South Australian Rachel Mead is the author of four poetry collections and published her first novel The Application of Pressure in 2020. The Art of Breaking Ice is her second novel and just like the first one, focuses on relationships in the workplace. This time, the workplace is aboard the Magga Dan, bound for Antarctica as part of the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition (ANARE). The year is 1960 and women are not welcome.
It is in this climate that expedition leader Philip Law smuggles his wife Nelle Law (Nel) onboard, making her the first Australian woman to voyage all the way to Antarctica, and in doing so, make history. During this journey, Nel discovers another side to her husband. Although they have been married for more than a decade, it is not until she is in this environment lacking in comfort and fancy dinner distractions, with concerns for survival, that she grasps her place in society as a woman, both within the intimate relationship of her marriage, and as a whole.
The title and blurb suggest that this is a novel about feminism, and inspirational women trailblazers in male-dominated environments. Mead advises the reader that the story is a reimagining of Nel’s life, and the characters are fictional. In this sense, I felt the construction of Nel’s character was flawed as she is very much a passive explorer. She is not depicted as a pioneer or legend for most of this narrative, owing to the fact that her motivation is not intrinsic, her attendance is accidental, and she was happy to give up her career once married. In stark contrast are the four admirable women scientists who come along for part of the journey, and spend their whole life working towards this voyage, sacrificing everything.
Nel does not consider how the women may feel about her being onboard, yet constant references are made to how acutely aware she is of being looked upon by the men. The central theme becomes about her feelings toward the men around her as she starts to redefine herself as an artist. Mead’s writing is exceptional in illustrating this awakening alongside her escalating anger. We clearly see her character growth as she blossoms into a true feminist from a passive character.
The Art of Breaking Ice is a great piece of historical fiction overall, particularly in terms of the level of research and its accuracy. This was clear as the author illustrated the dangers of icebergs or the constant threat of weather locking the crew in for the winter. Mead is also a talented visual writer, helping readers to clearly see and immerse themselves in the scenes she depicts.
Reviewed by Rebecca Wu
The views expressed in this review belong to the author and not Glam Adelaide, its affiliates, or employees.
Distributed by: Affirm Press
Released: June 2023
RRP: $34.99
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