The Barrens

A Novel of Love and Death in the Canadian Arctic

By: Kurt Johnson, Ellie Johnson

Narrated by: Erica Sullivan

This riveting debut is at once a white-water adventure, coming-of-age novel, and tale of tragic love—and an extraordinary father-daughter collaboration.

Two young women attending college decide to have a summer adventure canoeing the rapids-strewn Thelon River that runs 450 miles through the uninhabited Barren Lands of subarctic Canada. Holly made the trip once before with a group of skilled paddlers she trained with at camp, and she wants to share that experience with her friend and lover, Lee, believing it will draw them closer. But a week in, Holly, the risk-taker, falls while taking a selfie near the edge of a cliff. She is left injured and comatose, and soon dies. Their locator beacon for summoning rescue was smashed in Holly’s fall. It remains to Lee, the inexperienced paddler, to continue the grueling and dangerous trip alone, to save herself and return her lover’s body to civilization and Holly’s family.

In their relationship, Holly and Lee had always told each other stories; Lee had called Holly a “storyist.” Storytelling helps Lee endure the rigors of her journey and engage her grief as she explores her relationship with Holly while chronicling her own coming-of-age off the grid in Nebraska with her estranged eco-anarchist father, who is now serving time in prison.

©2022 Kurt Johnson and Ellie Johnson (P)2022 Blackstone Publishing

A Young Woman Finding Herself

It moves back-and-forth through time, past and future, but it’s still easy to follow. I enjoy realistic wilderness journeys. This one was a river canoeing journey hand-in-hand with the journey of young woman finding herself - and under the worst possible conditions.
Key words: lesbians, hunting, family- conflict, death, triumph.
My main complaint is the narrator. She has a strange cadence and adds an emphasis on the last word of each sentence that can be a little annoying.

okay

creative story. disappointed no credit was given to the father, Jake, who taught her the survival skills that ended up saving her life. he also taught her the loyalty to bring Holly's body back to her parents.

Story good. Narrator bad

The story was good but the narrator and her uptick on the end of words and incorrect pronunciation of MN towns was obnoxious and quite frankly, hard to listen to.

Excellent Adventure Story

I really loved the story It was a great adventure. It was easy to connect and sympathize with the characters. Wonderful read.

Interesting story

I am not an adventurer, but envy those who are and defy the extreme odds. I found this story engaging throughout.