This is a great read, but I wouldn't make my friends read it. Top marks for being really Canadian, well written, and full of gripping characters. There are many and I found them all interesting.
The story takes place in northern Ontario in 1867, some where between Sault Ste. Marie and Moose Factory. The main character is Mrs. Ross, whose son is suspected of a murder. He disappears into the snow, and she follows him. Various people follow and search for various other people throughout the story. It takes place in winter and I can't believe they didn't all freeze to death in skirts and shawls. The foreground history is of the Hudson's Bay Company, its competitors, its employees, and its native and metis traders and voyageurs, potentially very interesting, but I am not sure how true. An interesting fact stated in the book is that all the fur bearing animals had vanished, trapped and sold by the company.
The story, the vernacular speech, and the social rules don't feel authentic. I was always conscious of the writer, making up a story, and not getting the feel of the times.
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