Bitter Passage (by Colin Mills)
I chose Bitter Passage by Colin Mills from the Amazon First Reads program. I was drawn to this story based on my interest in Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic Expedition. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing. (You can read my review of that book here.) I believed that since I found learning about Shackleton’s expedition enjoyable, I would also appreciate learning about a similar ice-locked expedition.
Bitter Passage, a historical fiction novel, follows the journey of Royal Navy Lieutenant Frederick Robinson and Assistant Surgeon Edward Adams as they search for Sir John Franklin and his crew. Four years earlier, Franklin, the commander of ships Erebus and Terror, embarked on a voyage from England to find a route across the northernmost part of North America. However, their expedition was halted when they became trapped in ice in the Canadian Arctic.
From the outset, this book proved challenging for me to fully immerse myself in the story. Mills appeared to be establishing a foundation to explain the expedition; however, I found it confusing to comprehend the locations, people, and ship names. It appeared overwhelming to comprehend, and I encountered difficulties in grasping the concepts.
However, I persisted. As the sled expedition, in which Robinson and Adams were searching for Franklin, commenced, I encountered numerous characters to learn about and limited excitement. It was challenging for me to visualize the scenery of a sled expedition in the Canadian Arctic. To enhance my understanding, I resorted to Google images, providing my brain with visual references.
To be objective, I understand it would be challenging to narrate a story about a group of men struggling in the Arctic for food, warmth, and enduring physical exhaustion due to the harsh conditions. Simply surviving daily would provide limited material for a compelling narrative. Consequently, the beginning of the book appeared to drag on for an eternity, with little significant progress.
Once there was a change in the group on the sled expedition, my interest was piqued. I also had fewer characters to keep track of, but the excitement was still limited. It became a monotonous routine of walking, eating, and sleeping. However, about halfway through the book, the intensity finally escalated with a dynamic range of emotional fluctuations and harrowing moments that revealed the lengths people will go to survive. The remaining half of the book was captivating and I eagerly anticipated the conclusion, eager to discover the fate of the expedition.
I found the dynamic between Robinson and Adams intriguing. They constantly disagreed and bickered over every decision, naturally leading to one of them conceding to the other. Despite their differences, they managed to find a way to collaborate. What made their relationship unique was that, despite their disagreements, they always worked together. I particularly enjoyed Mills’ description of their relationship from Robinson’s perspective: “It appeared to him that he and Adams were two celestial bodies orbiting each other, separated by their opposing forces yet held together by the gravitational pull of their shared mission. Each unable to break free from the other but destined never to collide.” In my opinion, their relationship served as the unifying force that held this novel together.
The Author’s Note at the book’s end was helpful because Mills clarified that the expedition was based on historical fact, while the events that unfolded during the sled expedition were entirely fictional. I had been wondering about this while reading the book and felt relieved to learn that the details of the expedition were fictional.
In summary, I enjoyed Bitter Passage. Initially, I was excited about the book but soon found myself growing disengaged as the pace was slow. I even considered giving up. However, when Mills finally introduced some action, I became committed to finishing the book. Now that I’m done, I found the second half to be engaging and suspenseful, with a satisfying ending. Mills created characters who felt real and flawed.
After completing this book, I happened to watch an episode of History’s Greatest Mysteryies that delved into the enigma of Sir John Franklin’s Expedition. The program presented intriguing theories and speculations about the fate of Franklin and his crew. It served as a captivating and informative addition to my reading experience, complementing the Bitter Passage. I’ve included a video clip of that particular episode for your reference.
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