The Frozen Deep

It’s about two men and two women–the women are the dearest of friends; the men, bitter rivals, though only one knows that, but I get ahead of myself. One of the women is married to a First Lieutenant on a ship bound for the arctic. She’s very close to the younger woman, Clara. Both of the previously mentioned men are also sailors–one, Richard, has just returned from Africa and the other, Frank, is set to go to the arctic with First Lieutenant Crayford. Richard left for Africa some years ago under the assumption that Clara was his for the taking upon his return, but she’s in love with Frank. When her spurned paramour finds out she’s no longer his (she never was, really, he just presumed she was) he vows revenge on his rival, show more even though he’s no idea who that man is.

Once he discovers the man he so despises is on the arctic expedition, Richard wrangles his way aboard though he’s only just returned home. The boats get trapped on the ice and all of the men come to depend (even moreso than usual) upon one another for their sanity and survival. Richard spends this time trying to figure out which one of his compatriots is his rival in love and eventually does so. The ending wasn’t what I expected, but in a good way–I highly recommend this taut, suspence-filled, beautifully written, little-known gem by Mr Collins. show less

In 1845, an English vessel set sail to explore the Artic. The expedition failed, ending in tragedy and death. Wilkie Collins used the events of the adventure as a setting for his gothic tale of revenge and redemption, [The Frozen Deep].

Clara Burnham is afflicted by clairvoyant abilities; afflicted because her friends routinely dismiss her visions as symptoms of a nervous and frail constitution. On the night before two English vessels set sail for an Artic expedition, Clara refuses a marriage proposal from Richard Wardour, a sailor from one of the expeditionary vessels and accepts a proposal from Frank Aldersly, a sailor from the companion ship. On the following morning, Clara is struck with a vision of terrible tragedy, foreseeing that show more Wardour will meet Aldersly during the voyage and vengefully murder him. Clara’s dark dream plays out across the frigid tundra and icy waters of the Artic as Aldersly battles to stay alive, and Wardour descends into madness.

Collins trickles out the gothic tale in fits and starts, swinging wildly between narrative perspectives and frequently lurching forward in time. The disjointed result, while somewhat suspenseful, frustrates any smooth pace from developing. On the other hand, Collins mastery of the foibles of human relationships and his faith in the ultimate valiance of the human spirit makes the story a rewarding read.

A couple of points of trivia about the short novel. Originally, the story was produced as a stage play starring Collins himself and his close friend Charles Dickens. Can you imagine watching such a production? What a treat. Second, the underlying themes of the story also inspired Dickens’ [A Tale of Two Cities] character Sydney Carton.

Bottom Line: A solid Collins read, though not in the tradition of Collins’ other more well-rounded and complete narratives. Read it if you’re a Collins or Dickens fan and have a compunction over completeness or if you’re a fan of the traditional gothic tale.

3 ½ bones!!!! show less

First appearing as a play written in collaboration with Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins’ The Frozen Deep is a novella concerning a failed expedition to find the Northwest Passage. At the heart of this story is a love triangle, which, speaking of Mr. Dickens, made me think back to A Tale of Two Cities. I wonder if love has ever existed in the exact form that Victorian’s imagined. I fear it has not.

I very much enjoy Wilkie Collins’ writing style and found this an easy and fascinating read. One thing I cannot help admiring is the willingness of the men of this time to go out into the dangers of the little known world. The only men of that ilk we have had in my lifetime were the Apollo Astronauts. Ah, but, to quote Milton, they also show more serve who stand and wait. show less

After reading Collins' A Woman In White, this novella fell short, though it has its own merits. As a typical piece of Victorian England, it represents the utter reliance by women on men. The element of the supernatural (visions, trances, etc.) gave it an extra depth.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this as an important piece of Wilkie Collins' repertoire and found the connection to Charles Dickens quite intriguing. I am amazed to find that this novella (and its original play format) inspired the famous A Tale of Two Cities. I recommend this for fans of Victorian Gothic literature or Wilkie Collins.

I was expecting a play, but this was a novella. Good story, very quick read. The setting was exciting, the moral was heart-warming. Couldn't help but think of the Franklin Expedition as I read this.

Wilkie's Collins' novella "The Frozen Deep" is based on the play of the same name he co-wrote with Charles Dickens. The setting is a British naval expedition to discover the Northwest Passage (loosely inspired by John Franklin's ill-fated voyage). The story is a melodrama about two men on the voyage -- one of whom is engaged to be married to a woman that the other has just broken up with. This fact is discovered after they have been shipwrecked in the Arctic for over a year, with predictably melodramatic consequences. Suffice it to say it all turns out better than Franklin's actual expedition and that the play this is based on was the basis of the ending of a Tale of Two Cities.

Nowhere nearly as good as any of Collins' novels that I've show more read with little in the way of real suspense, mystery or psychological depth. But still enjoyable nonetheless and worth reading. show less

I give this book a solid three and two-thirds stars. It was a good story, but - more action! Less love triangle!