Play Book Tag discussion

An Old Captivity by Nevil Shute - 3.5 stars - My Review

An Oxford professor hires Donald Ross to pilot a seaplane to Greenland to take a photographic survey, seeking evidence of Viking and Celtic settlements. Professor Lockwood plans to accompany Ross. Lockwood’s nineteen-year-old daughter, Alix, feels he should not travel alone, so she decides to accompany him. Lockwood and Alix have no idea what they are getting into.

The first three-fourths of this book is about the trip to Greenland. It describes the preparations and the trip itself, how seaplanes are refueled, and lots of aviation-related specifics. It takes a hard turn in the last quarter, becoming almost a different book completely, though still set in Greenland. The characters are well-developed. I enjoyed it up to the last quarter, which ventured into bizarre territory.

It was published in 1940 and reflects many of the attitudes of the time. I had previously read Shute’s A Town Like Alice, which I enjoyed immensely. This one does not quite measure up, but the writing is strong. I will definitely be reading more of his work.