Quotes
“The great topic of Cormac James’ The Surfacing is the reach of human
possibility. The prose is calm, vivid, hypnotic, and acutely piercing…It’s a remarkable achievement.” Colum McCann, New York Times bestselling author
“At its center is a love story—not a romance between adults but
between a father and the son he learns to love…A moving reminder that some of
the biggest journeys in life don’t involve going anywhere at all.” Financial Times (London)
“Essentially a frontier novel…the book gratifyingly defies expectations by refusing all romance: the hero and heroine are largely indifferent to each other, if not outright hostile.” New York Times Book Review
“James’ haunting novel memorably captures the
desolate landscape and the triumph of the human spirit in adversity.” Mail on Sunday (London)
“James uses the sublime appeal of the Arctic and the
extreme situation of his characters as the stage for an essentially domestic
psychological novel…The prose matches the landscape, rigorously unadorned.” Guardian (London)
“The cool
precision of James’ writing draws you on as surely as if you’re there, trapped
in that claustrophobic interior with the vast northern landscape stretching
forever outside.” Irish Times
“James’ sharp prose and attention to detail…leave a lasting impression of this momentous journey.” Publishers Weekly
“Meditative and spare, this is not a fast read but one worth the effort: underneath all the ice, there is real emotional depth.” Kirkus Reviews
“Chris MacDonnell’s narration is perfectly understated and unhurried, capturing the austere and isolated setting and the crew’s masculinity and stoicism in the face of death…It’s a lyrical and poetic performance by both author and narrator.” AudioFile
“An extraordinary novel, combining a powerful
narrative with a considered and poetic use of language…Reading the book, I
recalled the dramatic natural landscape of Jack London and the wild untamed
seas of William Golding.” John Boyne, author of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
