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    My Last Continent: A Novel
    My Last Continent: A Novel
    My Last Continent: A Novel
    Audiobook8 hours

    My Last Continent: A Novel

    Written by Midge Raymond

    Narrated by Cassandra Campbell

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    This unforgettable debut, set against the dramatic Antarctic landscape, is “refreshingly different, vivid and immediate. Midge Raymond has an extraordinary gift for description that puts the reader bang in the middle of its dangerous and endangered world” (M.L. Stedman, New York Times bestselling author of The Light Between Oceans).

    It is only among the glacial mountains, cleaving icebergs, and frigid waters of Antarctica that Deb Gardener and Keller Sullivan feel at home. For a few blissful weeks each year they study the habits of Emperor and Adelie penguins and find solace in their work and in one another. But Antarctica, like their fleeting romance, is a fragile place, imperiled by the world to the north.

    Each year, Deb and Keller play tour guide to the passengers on the small expedition ship that ferries them to their research station. But this year, when Keller fails to appear on board, Deb begins to reconsider their complicated past and the uncertainty of any future they might share. Then, shortly into the journey, Deb’s ship receives an emergency signal from The Australis, a cruise liner that has hit desperate trouble in the ice-choked waters of the Southern Ocean. Soon Deb’s role will change from researcher to rescuer; among the crew of that sinking ship, Deb learns, is Keller.

    As Deb and Keller’s troubled histories collide in this “original and entirely authentic love story” (Graeme Simsion, author of The Rosie Project), Midge Raymond takes us on an unforgettable voyage deep into the wonders of the Antarctic and the mysteries of the human heart. My Last Continent is “a sensitive exploration of how the smallest action can ripple through an ecosystem—seemingly impenetrable, but as fragile as the human heart” (The Minneapolis Star-Tribune). “Atmospheric and adventurous...The story and vivid writing will keep readers glued to the pages” (Library Journal).
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio
    Release dateJun 21, 2016
    ISBN9781508214649
    Author

    Midge Raymond

    Midge Raymond is the author of the short story collection Forgetting English, which received the Spokane Prize for Short Fiction, and a novel, My Last Continent. Her work has appeared in Poets & Writers, the Los Angeles Times magazine, TriQuarterly, and Bellevue Literary Review, among other places. Learn more at MidgeRaymond.com.

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    Reviews for My Last Continent

    4/5

    49 ratings9 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Raymond's writing is wonderful and her descriptions of Antarctica and it's inhabitants seem visual to me. She seems to have a breadth of knowledge of the region and the environment and dangers of global warming.A man and a woman meet there on a mission to study penguins. The book has alternating chapters with Deb (main character) talking in the present and letting us in on her thoughts and feelings. The other chapters portray the development of Deb and Keller upon first meeting. The time period spanned is 3 years. The first chapter is titled "One Week Before Shipwreck" so we know there is tragedy looming as it concerns another ship in the same general area. Not too long into the book Deb discovers that Keller is on that ship. She was expecting him to be on the same mission again but he was not. Other characters (boat passengers/crew mostly) are part of the story and Raymond has developed complex characters with them, as well as Deb and Keller. Deb and Keller are portrayed as loners who have found a home in Antarica for a few months every year. The book lovingly shows their personal growth as they also grew in their understanding and love for each other.
    • 4/5
      Deb discovered her passion and changed her life’s career. Keller lost his family and tried to find a way to erase the emptiness in his life. Deb is a naturalist who studies and counts penguins in the Antarctica. She meets Keller on an assignment there. Something clicks between them, and slowly but surely they discover how much they have in common and what secrets lie hidden in their pasts. A disaster is waiting in their future, but neither can do anything to prevent it. The author does a good job of describing the frigid air and freezing waters, so much so you will probably reach for a sweater. She also does an excellent job of building suspense. The chapters do jump back and forth in time as she builds the back stories of the characters, stopping at just the right point in the current story to keep you reading. My main complaint is with the ending, which I did not like, and which seemed too abrupt.
    • 5/5
      Antarctic scientists and a shipwreck. love stories.
    • 5/5
      Deb Gardner feels at home when she's at the end of the world. She does her research on the penguins that live there and enjoys the solitude the continent has to offer. Then one day Deb finds her world shifting like the icebergs around her when she meets Keller Sullivan, a dishwasher eager to learn all he can about the penguins Deb is studying. Soon they're spending as much time together as they can before returning to their separate lives up North.

      With a new research season beginning Deb will be travelling and playing tour guide to the passengers on board the small ship that will take them to their destination. Deb can hardly wait to see Keller again, but he never shows up. Shortly into the journey, Deb learns that Keller is on board the Australis, a massive cruise liner that she can see not far off in the distance from the ship she's on. Deb knows that cruise liner shouldn't be coming this way, and soon the ship receives an emergency signal from the Australis - they're in desperate need of help. Deb sets out helping as many people as she can all the while searching for the man she loves.

      Oh my God. This book is perfect. The beautiful, descriptive writing makes everything come to life. You really feel as though you're in Antarctica watching those cute penguins and then scrambling around trying to get to safety and help those who need it. It was intense. But it was refreshing to travel someplace different. It's a book that made me think about our impact on the environment and how our choices can be so life-altering. An amazing book. Definitely have tissues handy.
    • 5/5
      Deb Gardner meets Keller Sullivan on a flight to an Antarctic cruise ship where she is a penguin expert and he will wash dishes. Over several seasons, a romance develops between the two cemented by their mutual love for the continent and the flightless black and white birds that live there. My Last Continent by author Midge Raymond begins with Gardner trying to teach a group of eco-tourists in Antarctica about penguins. However, they are only interested in her knowledge of the tragic sinking of a cruise ship, The Australis. The story then moves back in time to before this event but leading up to it. We learn the backstory of both our protagonists including how their fascination with the Antarctic and penguins developed, their romance, and the difficulties of maintaining this relationship when they are apart. Raymond also draws a deeply moving and beautiful portrait of the continent itself which is as much a character here as Deb and Keller. As I was readingother reviews of this novel, I encountered a new word – eco-romance. I have, in past reviews, mentioned my dislike for romance novels but I may have to eat my words at least in the case of eco-romances if they are as well-written and interesting as this one - although admittedly, I found the descriptions of the continent, the different penguins, the shipwreck and the rescue efforts much more romantic than the actual love story. I was also impressed by Raymond’s subtle criticism of eco-tourism in fragile ecosystems. I don’t know how accurate Raymond’s descriptions are but they had an impact beyond the book at least for me– on the one hand, her portrait of the continent was so vivid I thought it would be marvelous to see it all for myself while taking to heart her warnings about how, while this type of eco-tourism is well-meant, it is having a detrimental effect on the continent and on the wildlife and is just adding to the devastation of climate change. So my recommendation – whether you like traditional romance novels or if you love stories about unique and romantic places, My Last Continent wins on both fronts. Thanks to Edelweiss and Scribner for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
    • 5/5
      Sad! Beautiful! MY LAST CONTINENT is a story about love and loss, about running away only to find yourself in a remote land of ice. I'm almost certain that reading this book will be the closest I get to Antarctica, and I appreciated the author's gorgeous descriptions. There are three main characters in this book: Deb, an ornithologist who studies penguins; Keller, a former Boston lawyer who heads to Antarctica as a dishwasher; and the continent itself, who brings Deb and Keller together and comes between them at the same time.We know from the beginning that a tragedy is looming. A cruise ship in the area full of tourists has hit ice and a distress call has gone out. The story moves back and forth, past to present, as Deb reveals what brought her to Antarctica and how she fell in love with the penguins and Keller. Of course, there's always an ominous feeling present, wondering what will happen with the doomed ship.This book was well researched, and the author's love of Antarctica shone through brilliantly. Though the ice is stark and intimidating, the ecosystem is fragile. Should humans be there? Maybe not, but I can understand why people are drawn to the last continent. Fantastic debut novel! I listened to this book on audio, which was narrated by Cassandra Campbell. I think she captured the compassion, desperation, and hope of main character Deb beautifully.Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      3.5 I have such a huge fascination for the Antarctic continent, a place I will never visit. Plus, love reading novels set in cold climates when it is so blasted hot out.Wonderfully descriptive writing, the cold, the ice, the glaciers, and the wonderful penguins. A love story between Deb and Keller, but it is so blended with the setting that their love for each other is entwined with their love of the Antarctic. Loved all the environmental warnings, what the changes of global warning and more tourism in these areas are costing the wildlife there and what it will eventually cost us. All done in a non preachy manner, just fitted in nicely with the structure of the plot. A cruise ship tries to get too close to an area where they should not have been and a tragedy ensues. Held my breath for parts of this, very tense, and keep in mind this is not a Titanic type story, not written in a dramatic style, the scene itself is dramatic enough. Did doubt Deb's actions here, don't think what she did made much sense but all in all enjoyed this story very much. Also wasn't a big fan of the back and forth timeline of this one, current, past and Deb's backstory in alternating chapters, but it did not prove to be too distracting and I got used to it. Unusual location for a love story, with gorgeous descriptions and wonderful penguins, one in particular and some courageous characters.ARC from Netgalley.
    • 4/5
      This is a beautifully written novel mainly because of it’s descriptions of ice and wildlife in Antarctica. There is truly a love triangle between Deb, Keller and Antarctica. The love story and the disaster are as epic as Titanic as written and is riveting and heartbreaking. I actually cried while reading which I rarely do. I loved learning about the penguins and the ecosystem which is a good part of the novel. It tells the story in flashbacks which were a little uneven, but the story is strong, romantic and adventurous. Get on the reserve list at your library to borrow this one or pre-order if you like books about Antarctica or are an armchair traveler. Provided by NetGalley
    • 5/5
      This paean to our most mysterious continent uses the relationship between two researchers and the sinking of a passenger liner in the Antarctic ice to frame a tale in which the beauty and danger of life in the far south is made indelible for the reader. Although told in the first person, the main character here is most definitely Antarctica. Deb Gardner, a penguin specialist and college professor, pays for her research trips by working as a tour guide and naturalist on a the Cormorant, a smallish tour boat plying Antarctica waters during the summer season. Several years before the shipwreck in question she meets Keller Sullivan, a grieving man who is going to McMurdo to do scut work, but he becomes so entranced by the birds and Antarctica itself that he signs on to overwinter. Their relationship continues from there in fits and starts, with them spending time together on research trips but on opposite coasts doing other jobs the rest of the year. It's unclear even to them if it's each other or Antarctica they love more. In the year of the shipwreck, Deb learns that Keller is working on the Australis, a large cruise ship, not built to withstand ice, which is making a rogue run into the uncertain waters near the coast. When the call comes that the cruise ship is going down, the Cormorant attempts a rescue. Keller's fate is uncertain.The story moves back and forth across time, with each jump to the present bringing the story closer to the shipwreck. This is a bit distracting sometimes, especially as the shipwreck gets closer, but in the end it turns our to have been an effective tool. Great attention is paid to the destruction of penguin life and colonies by climate change and the human presence and, in fact, the reason Keller is on the Australis this year is because he caused such a ruckus with an uneducated tourist the previous year that he was not rehired for the Cormorant's current season. The rescue effort carried out by Cormorant staff, none of whom are trained for this type of thing, is beautifully and terrifyingly wrought.If you love Antarctica or penguins, this gently-told novel is for you.