A Woman in the Polar Night by Christiane Ritter is an interesting memoir about her experience living in the unique landscape of the Arctic.

Imagine your husband decides to go live on a remote island in the Arctic and after a few years you decide to see what the fuss is about and leave your home in Austria to spend a year with your husband Svalbard - the Norwegian Arctic.

That is what Christiane Ritter did in 1934. While the circumstances leading to her adventure are fascinating, this memoir is about how her Polar year and how it impacted her. You can tell Ritter is an artist by the way she vividly describes her new and changing landscape. I could see Svalbard perfectly in my mind and I could feel the extremes highs and lows of life in the Arctic. This was such a cool memoir and felt way ahead of its time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the advanced reader copy.

"A Woman in the Polar Night" by Christiane Ritter is a stunning and profound memoir that transcends the typical adventure narrative, offering readers a deeply personal and poetic exploration of the Arctic wilderness. Written with clarity and depth, Ritter recounts her experiences living in the remote Arctic region of Svalbard for a year, a choice that was as unconventional as it was transformative.

Ritter's prose is captivating and immersive, drawing the reader into the vast, icy landscapes of the polar night with vivid descriptions that are both beautiful and haunting. Her reflections go beyond the mere physical challenges of surviving in such an unforgiving environment; they delve into the psychological and spiritual awakenings that come from profound isolation and communion with nature. Ritter paints the polar landscape not just as a backdrop to her adventure, but as a character in its own right, full of mystery, power, and beauty.

What sets "A Woman in the Polar Night" apart is Ritter's introspective journey and the philosophical insights she offers on solitude, resilience, and the human connection to the natural world. Her observations are thoughtful and introspective, exploring the depths of human experience with a sensitivity and wisdom that is rare. Ritter challenges the reader to reconsider their relationship with nature and the modern world, highlighting the stark contrast between the simplicity and richness of life in the Arctic with the complexity and often emptiness of urban existence.

The memoir is not just a tale of survival but a testament to the transformative power of nature. Ritter's account of her year in the Arctic is a journey of self-discovery and renewal, offering lessons on the importance of slowing down, observing, and being present in the moment. Her resilience and adaptability, coupled with a deep appreciation for the beauty and majesty of the polar landscape, make for an inspiring and compelling narrative.

"A Woman in the Polar Night" also touches on themes of environmental conservation and the impact of human activity on pristine wilderness areas. Ritter's love and reverence for the Arctic environment serve as a subtle but powerful call to action for the protection of such wild places, making the book not only a personal memoir but also a poignant environmental statement.

In conclusion, "A Woman in the Polar Night" by Christiane Ritter is a beautifully written and deeply moving memoir that offers much more than an account of Arctic exploration. It is a reflective and inspiring exploration of the human spirit, the power of nature, and the profound impact of solitude and wilderness on the soul. Ritter's experience in the Arctic is a compelling reminder of the beauty and fragility of our natural world, and her book is a must-read for anyone who seeks to understand the deeper connections between humanity and the environment.

What a great read! If you enjoy the natural world as I do. then this read will greatly inspire you as the author goes on a journey to explore the harsh but incredible Arctic. Its pages are well written accounts of life where many cannot survive, and I felt her journey was a great read for the wintertime!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc.

Written in the 1930s this real life account of living for a year in the artic circle is mesmerising.
There are words in the local languages for going mad in the 24 hour darkness and doing things like walking into the sea. But as well as the bleakness and struggle for survival there's the beauty.
I found most compelling the peace whilst Europe gears up for WW2, although they get a clue from their one newspaper a year or so.

Content note there is hunting for food and for fur.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

"A Woman in the Polar Night" by Christiane Ritter is a captivating memoir that transports readers to the unforgiving beauty of Svalbard. Ritter's vivid prose vividly depicts the challenges and wonders of life in the Arctic, offering valuable insights into the human spirit and the natural world. While the pacing may feel slow at times, the book's introspective reflections and historical context add depth to the narrative. Overall, Ritter's memoir is a compelling read that will leave readers spellbound by the allure of the polar wilderness. Highly recommended for those seeking adventure and a deeper understanding of Arctic exploration.

This is not an easy book for me to review. I love stories of adventure in harsh places, and the fact that it was written by a woman made it even more appealing to me, as most such stories are told by men. Christiane Ritter's style is beautiful, she skillfully captures the majesty and stunning nature of the Far North. Her perspective and sensitivity is strikingly modern, and when applied to the brutal realities of a subsistence hunter's life, it was sometimes too much for me to bear.

If you have similar issues with reading about animal suffering, this may not be the book for you - but you will be missing out on something very original and powerful.

Thanks to the publisher, Pushkin Press, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

An extraordinary memoir of an artist who agreed to spend a year with her husband, Hermann, in Spitzbergen, a remote island in the Arctic Circle. Initially she thinks it will be a cost year of isolation allowing her to read and paint, but the realities of life in such a harsh environment quickly settle in. She very soon learns to love the place, and we get beautiful descriptions where she paints it with an artist's eye.

*Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a review copy in exchange for an honest opinion.*

A Woman in the Polar Night is a gorgeous memoir by Christiane Ritter about her year spend in a tiny cabin on Spitsbergen with her husband and another hunter. She's funny, smart, and writes beautifully about nature and isolation. I'm devastated she never published anything else, so will just have to return to this book again and again.

This is a beautifully written nature memoir of am incredible year in the life of and incredible woman. So evocative of the Arctic landscape, colours, wildlife and seasons this was pure escapism for me.

Whilst this account was brutally honest about the basic living and hard conditions there was a romance in the wooing of the environment which Ritter felt leading her to have an emotional attachment that it is clear will stay with her forever.

This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book

The memoir is a reprint from the author. Fascinating description of a year in the polar arctic. Enjoyed reading of the desolation and beauty as well as the ingenuity and struggles of life under severe circumstances.

Just as enchanting the second time around!

Written in 1934, A Woman in the Polar Night is Christiane Ritter’s account of a year spent in a hunting shelter on the island of Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago of northern Norway. The visit was her husband’s idea, and for years she laughed her decline. But she changes her mind on page one, and the adventure begins.

The hut is located between Misery Bay and Distress Hook, and looks like “a tiny box thrown up by the sea.” It is surrounded by skeletons, skis, tubs, and a post to lure the polar bears that arrive with autumn’s pack ice. Christiane jokes that she will make pets of the bears: Hermann doesn’t laugh. He teaches her how to shoot: in the chest first, then through the brain.

Everything is about survival. Her nearest neighbour is sixty miles away, and water for that first coffee takes an hour and half to find. Mist drifts in through the window. Later, ice forms on the interior walls.

Ritter’s writing is lean, each word essential as polar kit. She is a cool-headed observer, and the absence of ego and spin gives her account an enchantment and freshness that sets it apart from the modern misery memoir.

That said, there is a moment with Mikkl - surely one of travel literature’s most endearing creatures - that is nerve-wracking and had me sniffing and blinking fast.

Five stars. I’ve read A Woman in the Polar Night twice and was just as affected by Christiane’s adventure and Mikkl’s charm the second time around.

This short read is a classic memoir, an account of a year spent in the Arctic by Christiane Ritter.

In 1934, Christiane left her comfortable life as a painter in Austria to join her husband, who had always dreamt of living in the Arctic. She soon abandoned her hopes of a quiet life and long reads as she arrived in a tiny, cluttered, dirty hut on a remote island. Terrified of the loneliness, the weather and the insufficient supplies, she questions her decision. Gradually, she learns to appreciate the harsh beauty of the Arctic…

This book is a true story of survival and change. Written in simple but beautiful language, it relates a story that could be a base for a novel or a movie. It presents the harsh life of the hunters in the Arctic through the eyes of a European woman used to relative comfort, but it also praises the beauty of wilderness. It was a fascinating read.

Wow, this was a phenomenal read. I can't believe this is my first time ever hearing of this memoir, but I am so glad I picked it up. The prose is absolutely incredible and as someone who lived and worked in the arctic year round, I found this story really resonated with me. Don't get me wrong, I don't think you have to live in the arctic to appreciate this, but she put in to words what my heart has always felt. I still feel the call to that strange world, and I will cherish this memoir forever and make sure that it becomes common reading in my household.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC.

I loved the first half of the book and chuckled (maybe even laughed out loud) at the dry humor. I can’t even imagine living in such conditions especially when a lot of amenities were non-existent at that time. Truly fascinating how people can survive and even thrive, and choose to live in such an environment.

I found the writing somewhat odd and the ending was so unsatisfactory!

A Woman in the Polar Night is a slight book with a powerful punch. It's a classic memoir, an engrossing account of Ritter's year spent living in a remote hut in the Arctic. Set in the mid 1930s, it follows Ritter's decision to leave her comfortable life in Austria, and travel to the remote Spitsbergen, where she lives with her husband in a ramshackle hut. Here, Ritter tries to survive the brutal, yet beautiful, Arctic winter.
It's the adventure of a lifetime, and yet is the single most difficult thing Ritter has ever done. Bears, seals, ice, perpetual night, solitude, and deep peace, all combine to create the most incredibly life-affirming account of one woman's attempts to transcend the limits of her life. I absolutely loved this, and was transported all the way to the far north, living and breathing through all the terror and triumphs that Ritter faces.

A text much more well-known in German markets, this is being reviewed in honour of a rejigged Pushkin Press cover and packaging, due early 2024. The piece is the only literary output of a well-to-do Austrian woman, who somehow married a chap who loves nothing more than spending winters on Spitsbergen in the far Arctic north. When he says she would do well to follow him for a season, she does. And so the book conveys first how very different she is from all the 1400 people on the cruise ship taking her there – and slowly shows that woman becoming someone else indeed in turn. Their hut is little larger than a shed, the stove blackens everything (to the extent their playing cards are all black suits), the trials and tribulations of the year depend solely on the whims of the weather and the animals they need to hunt, and the husband doesn't let her know until the last minute there will be a second bloke living there too.

Pleasantly descriptive writing, that doesn't over-do the colours, skies and senses, the sheer drama of the place (embodied by the photos of the shack in summer and then completely swamped by winter snow drifts) and of course the climatic extremes all feature nicely. The piece is just plain reportage, not over-doing the "reader, I found myself", not pushing this sentiment or over-egging that aspect of it all, merely defining the year for herself and on a casual basis for anyone else who may have been interested. If there is any 'side', it's a later thought that has a kind of feminist bent – that in European villages women are worried about fresh food and smuts, and she is too – but in an unearthly wonderland, therefore who not try it on for size yourself? Oh, and that it's not the frozen hell of ordeal after ordeal other previous writers had made out. You'll see no trace of someone pushing themselves unnecessarily, just stoically seeing how life works up there and getting on with it – and yes, some of the potential audience will dislike all the facts of the huntsman's lot. The rest of us will see how this has gained a certain easy renown in appropriate circles.

I have a huge love for books of wilderness adventures. It probably started with Hatchet, but has grown to ESPECIALLY books of discovery and exploration by women. A Woman in the Polar Night is exactly that. Although I have never been to the Arctic - and probably never will - there is something both pure and relatable about her initial misgivings of, and her evolving love for, the polar region. The prose is sparse: not overly lyrical, it avoids unnecessary frills, while remaining evocative of a region loved by so many.

I would definitely call this essential travel reading.

I received this book as an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the translators and publisher for this opportunity.

What a treat to read a translated classic.

#NetGalley #AWomaninthePolarNight
#netgalleyreviewer #netgalleyreader

This was a hard book to follow and some of the stories of hunting were just hard to read. I never felt from the writing what the reason was for the author to experience the year in the wild. I just did not feel any connection to this book. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the advance read.