Quote:
Originally Posted by issybird
I can but echo the comments above that it's the evocation of place that makes this a standout. Wilderness Alaska was as much or more so a character in the books as any of the people.
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Thank you for that comment, it's perfect. Yes, the Alaskan wilderness/national park is exactly like another character in the book, I think that's a perfect description. And it's something that continues in all the books -- the environment and
place of the books plays a starring role throughout. Whether it's the Park itself, or a crabbing boat or the oil fields, what Dana Stabenow gives us is a tremendous sense of place and time. The actual murder almost takes second place to where it happens.
When we get to the 7th book,
Breakup, it's less about the specific place, than the nature of that particular time of the year when the first signs of spring are causing the ice and snow to melt, the days are getting longer, and people who've survived the cold,
dark winter come out of their hunkered down survival mode and go somewhat crazy. But again, we have that same sense that the time and place are as much a protagonist as Kate and Mutt.