Toward the Midnight Sun by Eoin Dempsey takes place in Alaska during the Klondike gold rush in 1897.
Anna Denton is supposed to marry the wealthy Henry Bradwell. Bradwell has agreed to pay for her sister’s medical treatment if Anna marries him. Anna doesn’t know this man at all but she’s willing to marry him to save her sister.
Anna is traveling from Seattle to Dawson City, Alaska. Her original escorts sold her tickets so she has to take the most challenging route to her destination. One of her chaperones kills the other, so she tags along with Will and Silas instead of traveling with a less-than-savory character. No one is sure if she will be tough enough to hike on the Chilkoot Trail but she doesn’t have any other options.
The trail is not an easy hike. The Chilkoot Trail is about 33 miles long. Many people did not have the stamina to make it to the end. To this day the trail is still recommended for advanced hikers.
Of course, Anna falls in love with Will. Can she get out of the marriage to Bradwell without someone suffering the consequences? Bradwell seems decent, but he’s been hiding his true nature from Anna.
Recommendation
If you like historical fiction set primarily in the wilderness, then give Toward the Midnight Sun a chance.
If you cannot even stand to read about the cold, maybe wait until the summer to read it.
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