Parisians Ludovic and Louise, each thirty-something, are enormous outdoor enthusiasts. Louise in particular is an avid mountain climber, and her passion for nature is part of what draws Ludovic to her. Ludovic is more the risk-taker and he convinces Louise to take a sabbatical, before they marry and have children, and sail around the world. After months of planning, they head off in their sailboat to the Cape of Good Hope. In the Antarctic Ocean, they make a stop at a deserted island. In fact, visitors aren’t allowed there at all, which makes their clandestine visit all the more exciting. But then, by immense misfortune, they become stranded on the island, a place never officially on their itinerary and that no one knows they planned to visit. Suddenly, everything changes, and they are forced to rely on each other in completely new ways while maintaining hope they’ll be rescued. Autissier is the first woman to have sailed around the world solo in competition, and her experience informs the narrative brilliantly. The suspense is rooted in her knowledge of nature, from the fierce storms that roll over the island to the lives of the penguins and seals that provide the couple with sustenance. Prepare to be thinking about this book for a long time. It’s that suspenseful, that emotionally engaging, that beautifully written and translated.
