South Pole Station

This novel written by Ashley Shelby caught my eye on the bookshelf because I do love reading books that take me places I have never been.  I have been fascinated with the idea of traveling to the South Pole forever.  My elementary school was named for Admiral Richard E Byrd, the famous explorer who is credited with discovering Mount Sidney on Antarctic.  So even as a child I was curious about the Poles.  I also spent some time studying the South Pole and was interested in the idea that so many countries can do research there and working cooperatively.  I wanted to go there and film a documentary about the tiny fish called krill that are specific to the Antarctic waters. Just a few reasons this book caught my eye and had to come home with me.

I just keep wondering if this is really what it would be like to live at the South Pole Scientific station... would I be able to survive it?  Probably not ...so darn cold and you are so bundled up, but it sounds beautiful in this interesting novel about a twin who loses her brother, who as children they played fantasy games about being South Pole explorers.. so she want to go to the place he loved to sort of mourn his death.  She discovers her artistic talent and who she really is as she struggles to become a part of the scientists, Beakers, and the Nailheads, workers at the Science station.

Cooper Gosling is applying for a grant for the Science Foundation's Antarctica  Artists and Writers grant to go unfreeze her drawing career on the South Pole.  She has been stuck since her brother's death.  She grew up with a father who was obsessed with the Pole and its explorers and she and her brother grew up pretending they were famous explorers.  She is really very prepared for this journey.

At the psychological test they are not quite sure but Tucker the leader of the mission recognized  something in her that he saw in himself and gives her the chance.  Tucker tells her, "It's not running from something. It's turning aside.  Or looking askance.  Looking askance at civilization.  IF you apply to go to the Pole because it seems 'cool' or because you are looking for 'adventure', then you'll crack up when you  realize it's not a frat party.  If you don't fit in anywhere else, you will work your ass off for us. .."

But of course after going through some hard times, trials and tribulations, Cooper becomes a member of the team.  She is ready to winter over, and is on the way to healing herself and recovering her artistic talent.  Also this is not just a fluffy warm story, there is a climate change denier who raises his ugly head and challenges the scientists who are studying weather at the South Pole.  This creates tension and drama at the International Station and between the characters in the book.  This takes place in 2003 - 4 and things have developed since then but it gives the reader pause.

This was a great novel with an entertaining plot and may even change or at least question my views on climate change...