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GREENLAND
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Charlotte is telling stories to some of
the school kids in Saqqaq in Diskobay |
2001 |
Charlotte Blay's new book Slædehundene hyler
(The Huskies are Howling) is a thriller, and also a love story and a
coming-of-age story played out against a finely detailed backdrop of
Greenland landscape and culture. |
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While staying
with her father in Copenhagen, Nannavina is called home to Greenland - her
alder brother, folIowing a row with his friend Norsaq, has gone missing in
the snowy mountains. Is Nannavina's brother dead? And what is Norsaq really
up to? Despite having doubts about Norsaq, Nannavina agrees to accompany him
into the wilds of Greenland in an attempt to find her brother. They travel
by sledge, pulled by huskies, and the journey turns out to be both dangerous
and challenging; but the harsh natural environment helps Nannavina find her
true self. The Huskies are Howling is not only a thriller, it is also a love
story and a coming-of-age story, during the course of which Nannavina
matures from edgy youth to develop into a young woman at ease with her
family and cultural background. |
EXTRACT:
Now she could see the hazily outlined ruins of the deserted houses. Seen
from this side they were faint silhouettes in the snow at the foot of
Thumb Mountain.
Grandfather's house built of wood and peat was just across
on the other side. It would be like coming home, even though grandfather
wasn't there. She looked around for bear tracks, but there weren't any.
She breathed a sigh of relief.
At that moment the huskies began to growl and howl in a frenzy. A large
yellowish shape reared up to their right. Nannavina saw the polar bear
snarling and baring Ion g yellow teeth as it roared.
For a couple of seconds Nannavina was rooted to the spot. Then she
started cracking the whip, her yells ringing in the frozen landscape.
The bear let out another angry roar and trotted atter them in the tracks
lett by the sledge. Panic gripped Nannavina when she saw that the bear was
gaining on them, even though they were hurtling along at a furious speed.
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Charlotte Blay on a dog sled ride |
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