Under a Pole Star

A whaler's daughter, Flora Mackie first crossed the Arctic Circle at the age of twelve, falling in love with the cold and unforgiving terrain and forging lifelong bonds with the Inuit people who have carved out an existence on its icy plains. She sets out to become a scientist and polar explorer, despite those who believe that a young woman has no place in this harsh world, and in 1892, her determination leads her back to northern Greenland at the head of a British expedition. Yearning for wider horizons, American geologist Jakob de Beyn joins a rival expedition led by the furiously driven Lester Armitage. When the path of Flora's expedition crosses theirs, the three lives become intertwined. All are obsessed with the north, a place of violent extremes: perpetual night and endless day; frozen seas and coastal meadows; heroism and selfishness. Armitage's ruthless desire to be the undisputed leader of polar discovery sets in motion a chain of events whose tragic outcomes--both for his team of scientists and the indigenous people of Greenland--will reverberate for years to come. Set against the stark, timeless beauty of northern Greenland and fin-de-siecle New York and London, Under a Pole Star is a compelling look at the dark side of the golden age of exploration, a study of the corrosive power of ambition, and an epic, incendiary love story. It shows that sometimes you have to travel to the farthest edge of the world in order to find your true place in it.

About the Author :
Stef Penney grew up in Edinburgh. She has degrees in Philosophy and Theology and Film and TV, and was selected for the Carlton Television New Writers Scheme and has since written and directed two short films. She is the author of The Tenderness of Wolves and The Invisible Ones.

Review :
Praise for The Tenderness of Wolves "A suspenseful epic, offering a leitmotif of constant unease . . . impressive."--The Guardian Praise for Under a Pole Star "What has marked Penney out from the start is her ability to make her extensive historical research come alive."--Sunday Herald "A beautifully written tale, elegant and well-observed, full of powerful descriptions of a dazzling landscape."--S magazine, Sunday Express "A classic Bildungsroman . . . Penney explores themes of love, desire, companionship and the difference between the three."--Times Literary Supplement "A first-rate gripper with a notably sensual as well as psychological understanding of its main characters."--Globe and Mail "A terrific and beautifully written yarn that will make readers yearn to travel and fall in love in a cold climate."--The Times "Against the backdrop of the Arctic Ocean, explorer Flora meets Jakob, a member of a rival expedition. Science gives way to love with devastating results."--Grazia "Penney works hard to fill her canvas with colour and conviction."--The Sunday Times "Penney's absorbing, quietly convincing narrative illuminates the characters, each a kind of outcast, through whose complex viewpoints this dense, many-layered story is told."--Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) "This is an epic love story set against the forbidding beauty of snow meadows. A perfect winter read."--Red "With the nights drawing in and the temperature beginning to plummet, there's no better time to curl up with this stunningly evocative tale about an intrepid young female explorer. As immersive as it is mesmerizing, this is a novel that you won't ever forget."--Heat