Cold Earth

Description

Six young people meet on an archaeological dig in a remote corner of Greenland. Excavating the unsettling remains of a Norse society under attack, they also come to uncover some of their own demons, as it becomes apparent that a plague pandemic is sweeping across the planet and communication with the outside world is breaking down. Increasingly unsure whether their missives will ever reach their destination, each of the characters writes a letter to someone close to them, trying to make sense of their situation and expressing their fears and dwindling hope of ever getting back home...In fluid, witty prose, Moss weaves a rich tapestry of personal narratives, history, ghost stories, love stories, stories of grief and naked survival. Through these missives, the author explores themes that are at the very heart of our existence: What do people do in extremis? What do they think when faced with near-certain death? How do the group dynamics shift under such strain?

Author description

Sarah Moss is a lecturer of English and American Literature at the University of Kent. She has written extensively on the history and literature of food and travel, and is currently working on a short book on chocolate. She co-edits, with Nicola Humble, the Food series at Manchester University Press, and has a BA, MSc. and DPhil from Oxford University. COLD EARTH is her first novel.