Shiver
by Nikki Gemmell
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Description
The heartbreaking and beautiful original debut novel from the now-acclaimed Australian writer, Nikki Gemmell. I can catalogue Antarctica by touch. The touch of air sucked dry on my cheek, the fur of a day-old seal pup, the touch of an iceberg, a blizzard, a lover, the touch of sweat at minus twenty-three, of a camera stuck to the skin on my face, of cold like glass cutting into my skin, of a snowflake, of a dead man, of a doctor's fingers on my inner thigh, of a tongue on my eye. Shiver show more tells the story of Fin, a young woman who gets the chance of a lifetime to go to Antarctica. Surrounded by the cruel beauty of the last great wilderness on earth, she finds herself transfixed by the power of the land. Travelling and living with a close-knit and idiosyncratic team, Fin learns the rules and taboos of community life in Antarctica, and then promptly breaks the strictest taboo of all - she falls in love. The consequences are shattering. Lyrical, haunting and sometimes painfully moving, Shiver is a first novel of great power and beauty. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
I've no idea how this ended up on my bookshelves, but I'm kinda glad it did. I mean it's not a profound novel, but it's an "I enjoyed it" novel and not every novel can be "Crime and Punishment." I haven't rated it highly, and that's a bit misleading. It's an extraordinarily well researched novel. Well I think it is. I have no idea what journalists - or anyone - wear when they're mooching around on Antarctic ice. And it's all very convincing.
In fact I have to say it's rating is a bit ruined by the precis on the cover. "She falls in love. The consequences are shattering." That wasn't a precis, it was a spoiler. But the journey to confirm it was pleasant enough. Well ... except for the present tense narration which has been just such a show more cliche for the last 25 years or so. Yawn. Actually existence is always narrated after the event ... unless you're hotwired to Police HQ or something. For any other reason ... it's over, past tense, gone, okay?
I am writing a review. I am finishing it. I am pushing the save butto .... show less
In fact I have to say it's rating is a bit ruined by the precis on the cover. "She falls in love. The consequences are shattering." That wasn't a precis, it was a spoiler. But the journey to confirm it was pleasant enough. Well ... except for the present tense narration which has been just such a show more cliche for the last 25 years or so. Yawn. Actually existence is always narrated after the event ... unless you're hotwired to Police HQ or something. For any other reason ... it's over, past tense, gone, okay?
I am writing a review. I am finishing it. I am pushing the save butto .... show less
> [Des pages vraiment glacées] — « Traversée », de Nikki Gemmell. Une jeune journaliste australienne, fatiguée des faits divers sordides, s'embarque avec une expédition scientifique dans l'Antarctique. Le premier roman de l'auteur de « Noces sauvages », succès de librairie en début d'année. Ed. 10/18 Domaine étranger, 224 pages, 47 F.
—Philippe Duval, le 23 déc. 2000 (Le Parisien)
> Critiques Libres : http://www.critiqueslibres.com/i.php/vcrit/3244
> « Traversée », de Nikki GEMMELL. Une virée dans le bush australien et un raid dans les déserts glacés de l'Antarctique. Deux romans dépaysants nous emmènent jusqu'au bout du monde. Trad. par Michèle Valencia, 10-18, 224 p. (inédit)
—André Clavel, le 22 janv. 2000 show more (Le Temps)
> Babelio : https://www.babelio.com/livres/Gemmell-Traversee/23649 show less
—Philippe Duval, le 23 déc. 2000 (Le Parisien)
> Critiques Libres : http://www.critiqueslibres.com/i.php/vcrit/3244
> « Traversée », de Nikki GEMMELL. Une virée dans le bush australien et un raid dans les déserts glacés de l'Antarctique. Deux romans dépaysants nous emmènent jusqu'au bout du monde. Trad. par Michèle Valencia, 10-18, 224 p. (inédit)
—André Clavel, le 22 janv. 2000 show more (Le Temps)
> Babelio : https://www.babelio.com/livres/Gemmell-Traversee/23649 show less
Mar 11, 2021 (Edited)French
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Female Protagonist
1,056 works; 56 members
Author Information
20+ Works 1,876 Members
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Shiver
- Important places
- Antarctica
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 195
- Popularity
- 167,312
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.40)
- Languages
- English, French
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 8
