"This is a gentle and heart-warming coming-of-age story that you can immerse yourself in and enjoy."
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A hope filled and immersive coming of age story about a nurse on an incredible journey. Connie, a newly qualified nurse, is looking for an escape and leaps at the opportunity to take a role in the Canadian Arctic. She’s well and truly in at the deep end as she gets to grips with having a home of her own, learning to be accepted in the community and learning the ways of the Inuit people around her. The setting for ‘From Manchester to the Arctic’ is based on the author’s wife’s diaries, from her experiences of taking up the same role earlier in life. Connie’s story is predominantly fictional, however I think that the inspirational diaries have helped to give an authentic feel to this story. This coming of age story about a young woman running from her past and learning how to adapt amongst the harsh landscape is a heart-warming one. The characters in Hudson Bay and the surrounding communities are vibrant and lifelike, the descriptions of the setting are immersive, the conflicts and troubles associated with an isolated life are detailed clearly. I thought that there was care taken to explore, acknowledge and explore the interactions between Canadians and the Inuit communities, from the mistrust of western medical treatment and new people, the importance of learning traditions and the horrors of being sent away to hospital or to the schools, potentially never to return home. I also felt the same care was taken with Connie’s relationships, as she slowly settles and is able to accept her past and herself. This is a gentle and heart-warming coming-of-age story that you can immerse yourself in and enjoy. It’s endearing to see Connie mature over her time in the Arctic, growing confidence in herself as well as her medical skills.
Charlotte Walker, A LoveReading Ambassador
| Primary Genre | Modern and Contemporary Fiction |
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