Putting this down for now. Not the atmospheric novel I was expecting. 26% in and the group of rescue team, twelve women have not set foot in the northern arctic yet.

It rotates chapters between 1853 and the present 1854, which is in the courtrooms. They tell you who dies and who survives the expedition in the courtroom chapters from the start. So that mystery is gone. Virginia Reeve, the leader of this women’s group, is getting charged for one of the women's murder who died during the expedition. The “evidence” is ridiculous because it’s the 1850’s and f*ck being a woman back then. It felt like Salem's which trials. And at one point, it’s even mentioned!

“His trembling finger points at Virginia, and even though part of her wants to roll her eyes at the cheap theatricality, there is also something terrifying in that accusing finger. She feels like a Salem witch on trail.”

Not rating. Hoping I’ll pick up later.