Jeremy Page

When I was around 8 or 9 I received a book called "The Encyclopedia of Vanished Species" that I read from cover to cover to cover. One of the first species in the book was the great auk. It was a story that moved me to tears. For years after, even still now, I like to imagine that there is still a colony of birds out there that haven't been discovered or publicised. I chose to read this book as it is, in part, an exploration of similar ideas.

Having read a lot of wildlife books, and being actively involved in nature conservation, the theme of violence and exploitation of wildlife did not surprise me, although I can see that many people would be put off by this recurring theme throughout the book, as the title and cover description do not prepare you for the extent of it. I think there may be a bit too much graphic content in the book, and that much of it is the author bringing the point across that this is how things used to be, and what paved the way for the action against wildlife crime today.

The best thing about this book (except for the very poignant ending) are the descriptions of the Arctic scenery. I was worried that a book about an ocean voyage would be a bit boring to read, but the way Page describes the actions of the ocean, the ice floes and the sights they come across are beautifully written. Normally I don't enjoy long passages of description, but here it is most welcome, and a good distraction from the violent scenes that take place every time they stop. it is a book of contrasts. The description of events, however, are a little less enjoyable to read, and there are some things that are repeated unnecessarily.

I liked meeting the characters on board the Amethyst. They were all very distinct and had their own stories, which gave the story some depth away from the main character, who I got frustrated by at times. He had a very troubled past that he was clearly affected by, and this provided some intrigue about him, but on the whole I found him to be very naïve. As someone who studies nature at this period in time, he should've been well aware of what the crew's intentions were towards the wildlife they saw, and he should have known full well not to have told them about the great auk colony he found . He should have also known that there are no secrets in a tight-knit community like the one on the ship.

The story set around Clara/Celeste was interesting, although I found the strong parallels between the two womens' stories, and the great auk that was locked up and the drownings of the other birds, to be a little too obvious. However, it was sad the way in which Saxby was affected by Celeste's death and that he convinced himself that she was Clara. . While this storyline really had no bearing on the main storylines in this book, it provided a bit of depth to the main character's past, without which he would have come across as a bit one-dimensional.

I've given this book four stars for the great auk content and the wonderful descriptions that set the scene. I'll look out more books from this author.… (mehr)

AUK! NO AUK ! Historical fiction about the knowingly purposeful extinction of this flightless north Atlantic bird. So now I have to read more - looked up other books and who knew? - a well rated one by Allan Eckert - from the Auk's standpoint. Well, every bird has his story, doesn't he?
(and now I'm reminded of Eckert and have to read his Newberry runner-up - "Incident at Hawk's Hill" . . and then there is his book on Dayton Flood that I have to finish. Every book begets another half dozen. Sigh.)
Back to this one - Obviously the story of the bird's extinction was interesting and I especially enjoyed the atmosphere of the journey - the whaling, trading, the ship, it's workings and it's journey to and through the ice and the cold of the Arctic. Reading those passages while watching the ice form & change along the shore of Lake Michigan was magical.
I suppose there had to be further human interest and a love story, but those seemed to me to be written in such a different genre that they should have been in a separate novel.
It's was perhaps a 3.5 for me.… (mehr)

It is 1845 and Elliot Saxby, naturalist and collector, has set sail on the ‘Amethyst’ to settle a bet between two gentlemen about whether the Great Auk has actually become extinct. The crew and passengers on the Amethyst are a strange collection themselves including Sykes the captain, ruthless and coldly cruel but with a love of embroidering especially pictures of animals the crew slaughters and French, the enigmatic first mate who harbours deep secrets and hidden passions. But the most perplexing of all are the other two passengers, Edward Bletchley a gentleman hunter, and his beautiful, mysterious cousin, Clara, whom Saxby is convinced is really Celeste, a woman he once knew and loved.

The ship, once a slave ship and now a whaler, has been commissioned to take Saxby to the cliffs where the Great Auks were once prolific but its real purpose is the profits which are to be made from the Arctic, the furs, the tusks, and the ambergris, a substance which can be found in the intestines of whales and is used to make perfumes. It is a long journey and Saxby is shocked at the cruelty of the crew as they slaughter many of the birds and marine animals they encounter just for the amusement of the kill.

Author Jeremy Page does an almost pitch perfect job of reproducing the dark, emotional feel of a mid 19th c. gothic novel with it roots in the earlier romantic movement. Within the cramped quarters of the ship, there is a real sense of claustrophobia and controlled violence which permeates much of the tale. His descriptions of the wanton killing of the animals they encounter is made more disturbing not least because, rather than a great outburst of violence followed by a sense of release, it feels more cold, passionless, without remorse or reason. Everything, it seems, is to be placed at the mercy and control of ‘civilized’ men with no thought or caring to the destruction left in their wake.

But it is in the description of the desolate and dangerous beauty of the Arctic where Page is at his most lyrical. He brings the Arctic to life in his descriptions of the landscape, the endless white broken only occasionally by shades of grey and the brutal storms which seem almost to have purpose in their relentless and furious battering of the ship. Juxtaposed against the controlled violence of the crew, the violence of the Arctic becomes even more breathtaking:

“The worlds of ocean and ice were meeting in a frontier of rage, as if the Earth had torn in two along this line”

The Collector of Lost Things is at once beautiful, bleak, and disturbing. It is a compelling and haunting tale of man versus nature which resonates with the reader long after they have finished the last page. It is perhaps even more compelling in the questions it raises about the relationship we have with nature today.… (mehr)

In 1845, Eliot Saxby is a naturalist who has been booked passage upon a ship sailing to the Arctic in order to settle a bet. The bet is whether or not the Great Auk is still alive. Eliot is excited by the prospect that he may be able to see and study these wonderful birds that everyone thought to be extinct. There are two other passengers on the ship, Edward and his cousin Clara. Eliot notices that Edward is quite a character, who is a little off at times and has an interesting relationship with his Clara. When Eliot finally catches a glimpse of Clara, he thinks of her as a woman who haunts his past. The rough crew and the troubled captain of the Arctic ship, Amethyst add an element of danger that the passengers can not escape.

Written with a haunting passion, The Collector of Lost Things is a poignant novel for today. Set at the time when humans began to destroy the Arctic, our destruction continues today. Many of the hunting and killing scenes were written so vividly, that I had to put the book down for a minute. Eliot's character reacted to these scenes appropriately, and I think my emotions would be similar. An air of mystery was added with Eliot's reaction to Clara and it was interesting to learn of his past. I was glad to join Eliot on his journey to find the Great Auk, and I appreciated this story being told.

This book was received for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.… (mehr)