FAR NORTH

Makepeace Hatfield thinks she may be the lone survivor after global warming and its aftermath wipe out her family, her Siberian city, and, as far as she knows, all of civilization. Narrator Yelena Schmulenson escorts the listener on Makepeace's remarkable journey as she ventures beyond her vacant city to explore the tundra, searching for any life besides her own. Schmulenson's interpretation of Makepeace as brazen and cunning is appropriate to her ongoing struggle for survival. As a gun-packing hunter existing on what nature provides, Makepeace must protect herself from the arctic climate and other dangers as she encounters a fragmented civilization mourning a vanished past and living an unpredictable, violent present. Schmulenson interprets Makepeace's intelligence and fortitude with compassion, providing a rhythmic pace that bridges the heroine’s insightful thoughts and brutal experiences. B.J.P. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2010]