What do you think?
Rate this book
Rage the Night
National Bestseller
At once the intimate tale of one man's quest to discover the truth of his birth and a riveting account of a real-life Newfoundland tragedy from 1914, brilliantly and sensitively imagined by one of Canada's most beloved and bestselling authors.
When a deathbed confession uncovers secrets about his birth, twenty-year-old Roan—who has always believed himself an orphan, with no last name—sets off on a quest to discover the truth of his origins. His journey takes him across the snow-covered landscape of Newfoundland from the remote Northern Peninsula to St. John's and then onto the Newfoundland , one of the rickety and poorly equipped ships heading out to the sealing grounds for the spring hunt.
Between his farewell to Dr. Grenfell, the man who raised, educated, and cared for Roan since his toddlerhood, and the final discovery that will alter his life forever, Roan is tossed both emotionally and physically into harrowing situations that he could never have imagined. The people Roan meets along his journey are vivid and unforgettable, from young Ila, isolated and desperate as her mother coughs her life away in a frigid cabin, to the hulking, volcanic, unknowable Ashur Genge, whose own heartbreaking secret may hold the key to Roan's deepest desire.
As Roan's personal story entwines with the historical tale of the Newfoundland disaster, it is “the b'ys”—the simple men who risk their lives year after year on the ice—their brotherhood, their resilience, their heart, and their humour that carry him through tragedy and beyond.
Rage the Night showcases Donna Morrissey's extraordinary empathy, her remarkable characters, and her unique literary voice; it is a masterwork from one of our finest storytellers.
At once the intimate tale of one man's quest to discover the truth of his birth and a riveting account of a real-life Newfoundland tragedy from 1914, brilliantly and sensitively imagined by one of Canada's most beloved and bestselling authors.
When a deathbed confession uncovers secrets about his birth, twenty-year-old Roan—who has always believed himself an orphan, with no last name—sets off on a quest to discover the truth of his origins. His journey takes him across the snow-covered landscape of Newfoundland from the remote Northern Peninsula to St. John's and then onto the Newfoundland , one of the rickety and poorly equipped ships heading out to the sealing grounds for the spring hunt.
Between his farewell to Dr. Grenfell, the man who raised, educated, and cared for Roan since his toddlerhood, and the final discovery that will alter his life forever, Roan is tossed both emotionally and physically into harrowing situations that he could never have imagined. The people Roan meets along his journey are vivid and unforgettable, from young Ila, isolated and desperate as her mother coughs her life away in a frigid cabin, to the hulking, volcanic, unknowable Ashur Genge, whose own heartbreaking secret may hold the key to Roan's deepest desire.
As Roan's personal story entwines with the historical tale of the Newfoundland disaster, it is “the b'ys”—the simple men who risk their lives year after year on the ice—their brotherhood, their resilience, their heart, and their humour that carry him through tragedy and beyond.
Rage the Night showcases Donna Morrissey's extraordinary empathy, her remarkable characters, and her unique literary voice; it is a masterwork from one of our finest storytellers.
312 pages, Paperback
Published August 29, 2023
29 people are currently reading
1518 people want to read
About the author
Donna Morrissey
17 books271 followersDonna Morrissey has written six nationally bestselling novels. She has received awards in Canada, the U.S., and England. Her novel Sylvanus Now was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, and she was nominated for a Gemini for best writing for the film Clothesline Patch. Her fiction has been translated into several different languages. Born and raised in Newfoundland, she now lives in Halifax.
She recently wrote a children’s book, Cross Katie Kross, illustrated by her daughter, Bridget. Morrissey grew up in The Beaches, a small fishing outport in Newfoundland & Labrador and now lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
December 14, 2023
Rage the Night is an unforgettable story, based on the very real story of the 1914 “Newfoundland Sealing Disaster”. The author sticks quite close to the facts in the book, but changes all but three of the characters’ names. If you’re Canadian, or simply interested in history, you’ll surely love this one. The Newfoundland was an old, wooden ship—built in 1872. By 1914, new sealing ships were made from steel, and could more easily break through the ice. However, on the journey to the hunt, the Newfoundland was continually iced in. Even more distressing was that several of the men, especially those leading the ship, had been on board the Greenland, sixteen years prior—in the winter of 1898—when a similar disaster occurred. Most of the men aboard had heard of the Greenland disaster and were keen not to let it happen again, but the weather and sea ice are unpredictable. A blizzard can form in an instant.
The real story begins much earlier. It’s the story of young Roan—a 20-year-old “orphan”, living on Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula, and raised by the kindly Dr. Grenfell and Nurse Ivy. Roan has been following in the good doctor’s footsteps by accompanying him on his hospital boat, travelling into small ports to help anyone needing care. Dr. Grenfell had paid for Roan’s education at an excellent boarding school in Boston, and he was back now, expected to join Dr. Grenfell’s practice. But something was said by the old nurse as she lay wasting away that affected Roan deeply, causing a major change to his plans. He’d been teased his whole life for having no surname. He was simply Roan. He wants to know who he is, where he was born, and to whom? With the words Ivy spoke, he sets out on a long, dangerous winter journey with only a bag, his komatik, and a few dogs to pull it. The trek will take him south and eastward to St John’s. Along the way, he’ll gather other useful information that will form the real story of his mysterious birth. He learned the name of his family—Genge—and once in St. John’s, he asked after the family. With great trepidation, he knocked at their door and, surprisingly, was invited in! They believed him to be another young man wanting a berth on the sealing ship setting out early the next morning.
The journey to the ice floes is full of suspense, putting me on edge for hours. At one point, circumstances found many of the men out on the ice, searching for their ship in a blizzard. The poorly-dressed men were beginning to succumb to the cold—frostbitten and freezing to death. It’s here that Roan learns what he hopes is the real truth of his parentage. With this small detail in hand, he plans to follow up should they make it back to port alive, and this discovery could change everything.
5 “find-yourself-and-everything-else-will-follow” stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The real story begins much earlier. It’s the story of young Roan—a 20-year-old “orphan”, living on Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula, and raised by the kindly Dr. Grenfell and Nurse Ivy. Roan has been following in the good doctor’s footsteps by accompanying him on his hospital boat, travelling into small ports to help anyone needing care. Dr. Grenfell had paid for Roan’s education at an excellent boarding school in Boston, and he was back now, expected to join Dr. Grenfell’s practice. But something was said by the old nurse as she lay wasting away that affected Roan deeply, causing a major change to his plans. He’d been teased his whole life for having no surname. He was simply Roan. He wants to know who he is, where he was born, and to whom? With the words Ivy spoke, he sets out on a long, dangerous winter journey with only a bag, his komatik, and a few dogs to pull it. The trek will take him south and eastward to St John’s. Along the way, he’ll gather other useful information that will form the real story of his mysterious birth. He learned the name of his family—Genge—and once in St. John’s, he asked after the family. With great trepidation, he knocked at their door and, surprisingly, was invited in! They believed him to be another young man wanting a berth on the sealing ship setting out early the next morning.
The journey to the ice floes is full of suspense, putting me on edge for hours. At one point, circumstances found many of the men out on the ice, searching for their ship in a blizzard. The poorly-dressed men were beginning to succumb to the cold—frostbitten and freezing to death. It’s here that Roan learns what he hopes is the real truth of his parentage. With this small detail in hand, he plans to follow up should they make it back to port alive, and this discovery could change everything.
5 “find-yourself-and-everything-else-will-follow” stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
August 6, 2023
“I c-curse—I c-curse them greedy bastards,” he grits out. “I—I—” and with the curse still on his lips he slumps, his head rolling onto Roan’s shoulder. A horrid sound wrenches from Mose and a terrible pain fists itself from Roan’s belly up through his chest. He catches himself on a sob and is startled like a child who’s known only the pain of the flesh. He drops his forehead against that wildly thatched brow and his mouth trembles.
I’ve read and delighted in Donna Morrissey before, but still, I was happily surprised by how entranced I was by Rage the Night. Set a century ago across the Northern breadth of Newfoundland, and blending domestic drama and real-life historic tragedy, Morrissey delivers a heart-pounding, riveting tale of identity, survival, and finding one’s tribe. Centred on a decent young man who leaves behind everything’s he’s known — travelling through frigid snows by dog sled, decrepit sealing ship, and finally, by frozen foot — I couldn’t help but become incredibly invested in this one character’s survival (which was a neat literary trick to make me care about the [mostly faceless] scores of men involved in the historical event.) If I had a complaint: This character’s domestic mystery (the impetus for his journey) is pretty convoluted and drawn out and I was often unsure what was happening or if I had missed something along the way. Taking off half a star for that, but happily rounding up to five. (Note: I read an ARC and passages quoted may not be in their final forms.)
He is struck with the desire to beat the remaining snow from this cold grave, to shovel down through the earth until he reaches Frances Elizabeth and the little nest of bones upon her skeletal breast. Then all would be still, the spirits pummelled back into their graves and he restored to what he was before the old nurse spun out her confession.
Roan — raised in an orphanage on Newfoundland’s Northern Peninsula, but as a favourite of the local doctor, educated at a fine Boston boarding school — has learned, at twenty years old, details of his birth that send him immediately in search of some rumoured family in the colony’s faraway capital of St. John’s. Roan is an intelligent, damaged, big-hearted character, and as he makes his way through the long snowy stretches by dogsled, the people that he meets and helps along the way prove that he would make a good minister or doctor with further education, as his mentor back home had hoped. When he finally arrives in St John’s, Roan sees the men he’s searching for scrambling to make their berths on the sealing ship The Newfoundland, and although he has not done this work before, he’s able to secure his own berth and follows along, standing out awkwardly from his shipmates with his polished speech and well-made clothing. As Roan slowly becomes accepted by the men below-decks (a camaraderie he never knew as a backwoods orphan outcast at boarding school), and as he forces a few awkward conversations with the man he believes to hold the key to his origins, the real-life tragedy of The Newfoundland plays out: a heart-pounding tale of survival and brotherhood in the face of greedy Captains and cold-hearted nature. Between the relatable characters and the evocative nature writing, Morrissey has crafted a compelling story that critiques social imbalances that hold true today.
Uncle Jack sings, his voice starting to hoarsen, sounding rougher than an anchor dragging the ocean floor. “Abiiide with meee, ooooh, abiiiide with me.” The men sing with him: they sing to keep themselves going, they sing to banish the cries of the dying, they sing to banish their own fear of dying, they sing to banish the night and banish thoughts of their weakening legs and frozen fingers and hungry bellies, and their songs are their tears and their voices are as one and it is louder than the winds.
The best part of Rage the Night is witnessing the decent, yearning Roan find his tribe among the motley sealing crew (so many wonderful scenes with the distinctive, humorous Newfoundland accent and patter), and when the crew finds themselves in a harrowing survival situation, watching as they fight for one another; closer than any family. As I wrote above, the unravelling mystery of Roan’s origins was a bit too convoluted for my tastes, but I do appreciate how Morrissey used this as the catalyst, backstory, and plot propellor: it certainly did humanise the historic tragedy to follow along with this outsider as he learned the economic pressures that would send poor men to sea in such a dangerous industry. This book has so much heart — and simply incredible nature writing — and is exactly to my tastes.
December 1, 2024
Rage the Night by Donna Morrissey is a compelling tale that blends personal discovery with a historical tragedy, set against the stark Newfoundland landscape. The story follows twenty-year-old Roan, who, after learning the truth about his birth from a deathbed confession, embarks on a journey to uncover his origins. Along the way, Roan meets a series of unforgettable characters, including Ila, a young girl with a sick mother, and Ashur Genge, a mysterious figure with his own dark secret. Morrissey weaves Roan’s personal journey with the historical events of the 1914 Newfoundland sealing disaster, creating a rich narrative about resilience, survival, and the deep ties of brotherhood formed in the harshest of circumstances.
Morrissey’s strength lies in her vivid descriptions of Newfoundland’s icy, unforgiving landscape, which mirrors Roan’s emotional and physical struggles. The characters are deeply developed, and the themes of family and identity are central to the narrative. While the pacing can be slow at times, which may not appeal to all readers, the emotional depth of the story kept me engaged. The novel's historical context adds layers of meaning, especially in portraying the tough lives of the men involved in the sealing disaster. Rage the Night is a powerful, character-driven story that will resonate with readers who appreciate slow-burning, reflective narratives and historical fiction with deep emotional resonance.
Three out of five stars.
I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads.
Morrissey’s strength lies in her vivid descriptions of Newfoundland’s icy, unforgiving landscape, which mirrors Roan’s emotional and physical struggles. The characters are deeply developed, and the themes of family and identity are central to the narrative. While the pacing can be slow at times, which may not appeal to all readers, the emotional depth of the story kept me engaged. The novel's historical context adds layers of meaning, especially in portraying the tough lives of the men involved in the sealing disaster. Rage the Night is a powerful, character-driven story that will resonate with readers who appreciate slow-burning, reflective narratives and historical fiction with deep emotional resonance.
Three out of five stars.
I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads.
October 4, 2023
Excellent Canadian literature. Morrissey wrote so well about the treacherous and dangerous aspects of a life on the ice, seal hunting and also captured beautifully the brotherhood of these men all while drawing upon an actual event in Newfoundland history. Roan's story on the search for the truth of his birth started out strong, but slowed quite a bit in the middle, but overall an excellent work of Canadian literature.
December 2, 2023
When Morrissey is focused on telling the story it’s great but then the read is interrupted by copious banter of characters in Newfoundland jargon and dialect. It is so overdone that it is annoying and distracting.
Another disappointment was the confusing way Roan’s heredity was revealed.
This novel was ok but it had the makings to have been great. It was trying to accomplish so much that it just didn’t take off.
Another disappointment was the confusing way Roan’s heredity was revealed.
This novel was ok but it had the makings to have been great. It was trying to accomplish so much that it just didn’t take off.
August 25, 2023
Rage the Night is classic Donna Morrissey, the kind of story that fans expect from her and will devour. Rage the Night is set in Newfoundland, in 1914, centered around 20-year-old Roan. Roan was orphaned and knows nothing about who he is or where he comes from. He lives at the orphanage, has high quality schooling in Boston and is expected to follow in his benefactor’s footsteps and become a rural doctor to the sick and poor. The story begins with a deathbed confession, that sets him on a journey to find out who he is and leads to him ending up on the Newfoundland, an old and unsuited for the conditions ship that heads out on the ice fields to hunt seals. He is following members of his “family” even though he has not yet put together all the pieces. The tragedy of the Newfoundland sealing ship is a true one and was a very devastating part of Canadian history to explore than I hadn’t really known about before.
Roan grows as a person and takes strides to find out answers about himself that he was missing. He chases rumours and puts up with secrecy trying to find out if he belongs anywhere or if he can grow to love what he is. It is both beautiful and tragic and often the story physically left me feeling cold, imagining myself stuck on an ice field. There are some wonderful by’s, imaginative character description and a brotherhood that seeps off the pages. “Living these days among a brotherhood that breeds such courage out of misery that things seem possible.”
This is a novel that breathes empathy, imagining yourself in the shoes of these men. Morrissey is a master of the dramatic mood and setting the scene. Seal hunting was a way out of poverty, and you can feel that not many people had much of a choice. The greed of the other world is there, and yes, inspires rage. This novel gave me a great view of Newfoundland in the 1910s in a way I hadn’t imagined.
This novel would appeal to those who like historical Canadian events, Newfoundland tales, or just beautiful writing that hits you to your core. These are some horrific events, coming from greed, miscommunication and poverty that make you want to look away, but need to be looked at. In many ways this novel can connect to today, the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. When will things ever change?
Roan grows as a person and takes strides to find out answers about himself that he was missing. He chases rumours and puts up with secrecy trying to find out if he belongs anywhere or if he can grow to love what he is. It is both beautiful and tragic and often the story physically left me feeling cold, imagining myself stuck on an ice field. There are some wonderful by’s, imaginative character description and a brotherhood that seeps off the pages. “Living these days among a brotherhood that breeds such courage out of misery that things seem possible.”
This is a novel that breathes empathy, imagining yourself in the shoes of these men. Morrissey is a master of the dramatic mood and setting the scene. Seal hunting was a way out of poverty, and you can feel that not many people had much of a choice. The greed of the other world is there, and yes, inspires rage. This novel gave me a great view of Newfoundland in the 1910s in a way I hadn’t imagined.
This novel would appeal to those who like historical Canadian events, Newfoundland tales, or just beautiful writing that hits you to your core. These are some horrific events, coming from greed, miscommunication and poverty that make you want to look away, but need to be looked at. In many ways this novel can connect to today, the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. When will things ever change?
September 7, 2023
The writing was amazing as always but the story itself did not grab me, and I think that is just a personal preference. The last 25 percent of the book was the best IMO.
September 10, 2023
Donna Morrissey’s Rage the Night was a remarkable book! Set against the true events of the SS Newfoundland’s tragic journey in 1914, we followed Roan on his journey for truth and identity. With historical events guiding some of the story, there were some aspects of plot that could be anticipated, but this book was so much more than I could have ever expected.
From the beginning, the story gripped me as we meet a nameless, faceless character uncovering a hidden grave. As the first few pages progress, we learned of the death-bed confession that propelled our main character, Roan, forward. An orphan, the shocking truth of his origin compelled him to leave the life he had been prepared for and set off to find the truth of his nature.
The Canadian Maritime provinces were both the most beautiful and most devastating landscapes. Setting this in the deep of winter, just on the doorsteps of spring, the people of the Atlantic provinces would be waiting patiently for the arctic ices to thaw to bring food and warmth back into their homes.
On his journey, Roan followed the leads of his past onto a sealing boat where the harshest conditions possible awaited him. This was where the fictional crossed with tragic reality as we endured the crew’s brutal interaction with the frigid climate. What followed was the rawest and most heartbreaking depiction of the crew, family by trade or blood, desperately trying to save themselves and each other. The storm dissolved any need for secret keeping, and ultimately brought Roan the truth he was seeking. I felt every single emotion that Morrissey conveyed through each character: the fear, the pain, the complete devastation and hopelessness. It was all encompassing and I devoured every line, needing with all of my heart for the crew, MY crew at this point, to be delivered safely to the end of the night.
The ending of the story was as beautiful as the journey to get there was horrific. It was a perfect parallel to the monstrosity of the storm being followed by the calm of a bright new day. Roan ended the story with everything I had hoped for him: family, identity and purpose. With all of these tools in hand, I ended the book satisfied that he would build the life he deserved and tell the stories of those who no longer could.
Wow. Just wow!
From the beginning, the story gripped me as we meet a nameless, faceless character uncovering a hidden grave. As the first few pages progress, we learned of the death-bed confession that propelled our main character, Roan, forward. An orphan, the shocking truth of his origin compelled him to leave the life he had been prepared for and set off to find the truth of his nature.
The Canadian Maritime provinces were both the most beautiful and most devastating landscapes. Setting this in the deep of winter, just on the doorsteps of spring, the people of the Atlantic provinces would be waiting patiently for the arctic ices to thaw to bring food and warmth back into their homes.
On his journey, Roan followed the leads of his past onto a sealing boat where the harshest conditions possible awaited him. This was where the fictional crossed with tragic reality as we endured the crew’s brutal interaction with the frigid climate. What followed was the rawest and most heartbreaking depiction of the crew, family by trade or blood, desperately trying to save themselves and each other. The storm dissolved any need for secret keeping, and ultimately brought Roan the truth he was seeking. I felt every single emotion that Morrissey conveyed through each character: the fear, the pain, the complete devastation and hopelessness. It was all encompassing and I devoured every line, needing with all of my heart for the crew, MY crew at this point, to be delivered safely to the end of the night.
The ending of the story was as beautiful as the journey to get there was horrific. It was a perfect parallel to the monstrosity of the storm being followed by the calm of a bright new day. Roan ended the story with everything I had hoped for him: family, identity and purpose. With all of these tools in hand, I ended the book satisfied that he would build the life he deserved and tell the stories of those who no longer could.
Wow. Just wow!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2024
Rage The Night is a haunting journey into the harsh realities of Newfoundland in the 1910s, where greed, miscommunication, and poverty crash together in a tragic, unforgettable tale.
Morrissey sets the mood effortlessly—everything from the icy winds to the weight of the men’s desperate choices feels so real, that you can almost feel the cold seeping into your bones. Her writing is beautifully tragic.
It’s the kind of book that has you curled up under a blanket, reading by candlelight, trying to keep warm, both physically and emotionally.
The downside; the pacing can be a bit slow at times, and it took me a while to fully sink into the story. But once the tragedy hits—and believe me, it does—the book takes off, though I did wish it lingered a little longer before wrapping up. It all ends a bit too neatly, especially considering the weight of what’s happened.
Still, the chilling details of the seal hunt tragedy are powerful enough to keep you hooked and make this a hauntingly emotional read you won’t forget anytime soon.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
Morrissey sets the mood effortlessly—everything from the icy winds to the weight of the men’s desperate choices feels so real, that you can almost feel the cold seeping into your bones. Her writing is beautifully tragic.
It’s the kind of book that has you curled up under a blanket, reading by candlelight, trying to keep warm, both physically and emotionally.
The downside; the pacing can be a bit slow at times, and it took me a while to fully sink into the story. But once the tragedy hits—and believe me, it does—the book takes off, though I did wish it lingered a little longer before wrapping up. It all ends a bit too neatly, especially considering the weight of what’s happened.
Still, the chilling details of the seal hunt tragedy are powerful enough to keep you hooked and make this a hauntingly emotional read you won’t forget anytime soon.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
February 17, 2025
4.5. Loved this one. Such vivid imagery of frigid atlantic Canada. While I loved how the use of local jargon and vernacular made for an immersive read, it also made the book slightly hard to follow at times. Overall fantastic read, and a beautiful depiction of the human experience - shame, loss, guilt, the need to belong.
June 8, 2024
An incredible story of history intertwined with family secrets! I really enjoyed this book and think it would make a great movie!
January 1, 2024
What a great read to end the year with! Gripping to the very last page.
June 6, 2025
You win some, you lose some—and unfortunately, this one was a loss for me. If this hadn’t been a book club pick, I honestly would’ve DNF’d it.
Rage the Night (I’ll give it this: great title and a beautiful cover) is my first read by this Canadian author, and I was looking forward to a story set in Newfoundland. The novel follows Roan, a young orphan who sets out to find his birth father after receiving a deathbed confession from one of the nuns who raised him. Set in 1914, his journey takes him through the harsh winter in Labrador, eventually landing him aboard a Newfoundland sealing ship—an element based on real historical events.
Unfortunately, that’s where the story lost me. Once Roan joined the ship, the plot dragged, and I found myself completely disengaged. Despite the dramatic setting and real-life inspiration, I was bored out of my mind.
One of my main issues was the pacing. We’re thrown into Roan’s journey so quickly that I never felt a real connection to him. I didn’t care much about his fate, and the mystery surrounding his parentage was unnecessarily convoluted—I had to reread several sections just to make sense of it. By the time we reached the ending, it felt far too tidy and upbeat given the bleak and traumatic events that had just unfolded.
Needless to say, I won’t be recommending this one, even though the goodreads reviews might convince you to give this one a chance. I think there’s a good story buried in here—possibly even two—but the execution didn’t work for me.
Rage the Night (I’ll give it this: great title and a beautiful cover) is my first read by this Canadian author, and I was looking forward to a story set in Newfoundland. The novel follows Roan, a young orphan who sets out to find his birth father after receiving a deathbed confession from one of the nuns who raised him. Set in 1914, his journey takes him through the harsh winter in Labrador, eventually landing him aboard a Newfoundland sealing ship—an element based on real historical events.
Unfortunately, that’s where the story lost me. Once Roan joined the ship, the plot dragged, and I found myself completely disengaged. Despite the dramatic setting and real-life inspiration, I was bored out of my mind.
One of my main issues was the pacing. We’re thrown into Roan’s journey so quickly that I never felt a real connection to him. I didn’t care much about his fate, and the mystery surrounding his parentage was unnecessarily convoluted—I had to reread several sections just to make sense of it. By the time we reached the ending, it felt far too tidy and upbeat given the bleak and traumatic events that had just unfolded.
Needless to say, I won’t be recommending this one, even though the goodreads reviews might convince you to give this one a chance. I think there’s a good story buried in here—possibly even two—but the execution didn’t work for me.
July 24, 2024
An amazing book. Beautifully written, filled with vivid descriptions that places you on the island of Newfoundland with its harsh climate and harsh realities of day to day living. The poetry interspersed through the book is another bonus to this wonderful book. It tells the story of a young man searching for the truth about his birth and his family. This search for truth takes him to the seal hunting grounds of 1914 where greed and poverty drive men to make dangerous decisions with disastrous results.
Books like “Rage the Night”, fiction based on fact, lead me to read additional information in order to gain further details of the story. Thus, I read up on the history of sealing in Newfoundland and on the 1914 sealing disaster of the SS Newfoundland.
A really remarkable read!
Books like “Rage the Night”, fiction based on fact, lead me to read additional information in order to gain further details of the story. Thus, I read up on the history of sealing in Newfoundland and on the 1914 sealing disaster of the SS Newfoundland.
A really remarkable read!
March 24, 2024
Very low 3. This book had two storylines. 1. Roan, an orphan is looking for his origin story. 2. The Newfoundland disaster: men go out to hunt seals and end up on the ice for 2 days during a storm with no food, water or protection. It is the first story line that dragged this book down for me. While Morrissey’s writing is beautiful throughout, I feel the book meandered through Roan’s story and I could never really bring myself to care about him. This actually took space away from the Newfoundland disaster. There is so much more that could have been said about the men on that boat, who they were, the history of the hunt, why they risked their lives every year. I think that all this detail could have made a fine story in and of itself.
July 1, 2025
Roan finds out there have been lies surrounding him since birth. The nun gives him pieces of information just before she passes away. We follow him on his journey to put together the pieces. Who were his parents and why was he abandoned? On board a fishing boat, in perilous weather will he get the answers he needs? Will he survive?
Although I enjoyed this book & the characters it felt to be dragging a little for me. Things were not progressing the way I would have hoped it would. frustrating for the characters to not outright grasp what was right in front of them. They danced around topics rather then deal with it.
Although I enjoyed this book & the characters it felt to be dragging a little for me. Things were not progressing the way I would have hoped it would. frustrating for the characters to not outright grasp what was right in front of them. They danced around topics rather then deal with it.
October 8, 2023
Donna Morrissey is a national treasure and I adore her stories.
Her latest piece of historical fiction follows the life of Roan, an orphan who was taken under the wing of the legendary Dr. Wilfred Grenfell. Grenfell had Roan educated in Boston with the hope that Roan would follow in his footsteps and become a medical doctor in northern Newfoundland. A deathbed confession convinces Roan that his parents are still alive so he temporarily abandons the good doctor and sets off across the island to learn the truth about his birth. He encounters various characters throughout his journey and his desperate search for identity causes him to eventually join an ill-fated seal hunt, inspired by Newfoundland's 1914 sealing disaster.
While the seal hunt is extremely controversial these days, Morrissey effectively describes the desperation of men who took on such a dangerous job to feed their families. Kudos to her for being honest about the greed and agony of the hunt.
I highly recommend listening to this audiobook, narrated by actor Jonathan Watton, even if it is just to hear the authentic accents of the characters.
Her latest piece of historical fiction follows the life of Roan, an orphan who was taken under the wing of the legendary Dr. Wilfred Grenfell. Grenfell had Roan educated in Boston with the hope that Roan would follow in his footsteps and become a medical doctor in northern Newfoundland. A deathbed confession convinces Roan that his parents are still alive so he temporarily abandons the good doctor and sets off across the island to learn the truth about his birth. He encounters various characters throughout his journey and his desperate search for identity causes him to eventually join an ill-fated seal hunt, inspired by Newfoundland's 1914 sealing disaster.
While the seal hunt is extremely controversial these days, Morrissey effectively describes the desperation of men who took on such a dangerous job to feed their families. Kudos to her for being honest about the greed and agony of the hunt.
I highly recommend listening to this audiobook, narrated by actor Jonathan Watton, even if it is just to hear the authentic accents of the characters.
December 21, 2023
This is a fascinating, if difficult, read. The book deals with a sealing disaster in 1914 where 77 men died on the ice, searching for their ship. In a very dramatic setting, the book examines the morals of the time and looks at issues like family and pride. It is also a stark look at the poverty of the time and what people would do to survive. Morrissey’s writing is engrossing and her characters are rich with authenticity.
January 31, 2024
This is hard-going, especially in its second half, as heavy old-school Newfoundland slang & language occasionally makes for impenetrable reading. But read you must, because this emotionally exhausting book demands that you reach the end and discover the truths that the protagonist Roan is look for...and I promise you, it will be worth the journey.
October 18, 2023
A beautifully written novel, telling a story based on a true tragedy that took place in Newfoundland in 1914. It shows the danger, mistreatments and hardships of the men who risked their lives to hunt for seals.
December 3, 2023
Yes..this story talks as I read..Donna Morrisey has one of the best voices for writing stories of the peoples of Newfoundland. Thank you Donna Morrisey.
December 28, 2023
Terrifying.
March 14, 2024
keep walkin, b’ys, keep walkin
April 27, 2025
A lovely deep story with real events entwined, a great balance of historical facts and fictitious feelings
December 28, 2023
This was a bookclub pick so I had no idea what the story was about until it unfolded.
Firstly, the author writes beautifully - I’ve read Pluck and there is a real punchiness to characters.
I was however not ready to read about the sealing disaster again. I read Death On The Ice in school and Cassie Browns version is burned into my head. And while a fictionalized story built around disasters sometimes works (see Titanic) this didn’t for me.
The sub plot of the characters was a superficial drama that only subtracted from and did not enrich the real life events. Roan wasn’t a sympathetic character and there wasn’t enough meat for any other character to stand out. The reveal of Roans past was confusing and hard to understand. I may have read it 4 times.
The characters that were more interesting were the brothers and the man who was looking for his sons. Even Ila.
I will definitely read more of Morrissey but this book kind of missed the mark.
I own this - bookclub
Firstly, the author writes beautifully - I’ve read Pluck and there is a real punchiness to characters.
I was however not ready to read about the sealing disaster again. I read Death On The Ice in school and Cassie Browns version is burned into my head. And while a fictionalized story built around disasters sometimes works (see Titanic) this didn’t for me.
The sub plot of the characters was a superficial drama that only subtracted from and did not enrich the real life events. Roan wasn’t a sympathetic character and there wasn’t enough meat for any other character to stand out. The reveal of Roans past was confusing and hard to understand. I may have read it 4 times.
The characters that were more interesting were the brothers and the man who was looking for his sons. Even Ila.
I will definitely read more of Morrissey but this book kind of missed the mark.
I own this - bookclub
June 14, 2024
One of Donna Morrissey’s finest! Her descriptive prose allows the reader to feel as though you too are in the thick of the chaos and trauma.
February 5, 2024
As always, Donna Morrisseys’ writing is captivating.
It’s an incredibly harsh story about a real disaster.
Probably not what I should be reading in the doldrums of Winter.
It’s an incredibly harsh story about a real disaster.
Probably not what I should be reading in the doldrums of Winter.
September 11, 2023
Rating: 3.5
August 15, 2025
It took me a while to get into the story, and I think I would have preferred to focus more on Roan's
journey to finding the truth of his past than the sealing disaster. But, Morrissey paints vivid pictures,
whether of the Newfoundland topography or life (and death) on the seal hunt, and weaves in mention of real-life figures (Dr. Grenfell, Abe and Wes Kean) with a cast of colourful characters. Family, chosen family, brotherhood, resilience, greed are all reflected back and forth between the two storylines.
journey to finding the truth of his past than the sealing disaster. But, Morrissey paints vivid pictures,
whether of the Newfoundland topography or life (and death) on the seal hunt, and weaves in mention of real-life figures (Dr. Grenfell, Abe and Wes Kean) with a cast of colourful characters. Family, chosen family, brotherhood, resilience, greed are all reflected back and forth between the two storylines.
January 21, 2024
“Rage the Night”, is quite the yarn, it’s a terrific tale that takes the reader to rural Newfoundland, to a journey that takes place in the early 1900’s, incorporating the seal hunt disaster of 1914 into its storyline, its effects and aftermath. The seal hunt was the bread and butter for many families at the time, it brought together men from many little Newfoundland outports from all over, but death was forever knocking on the doors for many unfortunate souls.
A deathbed confession plants the seed about orphaned Roan’s birth, and the circumstances surrounding it are questionable, unknown, or are they? Roan, born without a last name, is determined to seek answers about his familial heritage, it becomes a personal crusade across the ruggedness terrain that Newfoundland is well known for even to this day. Roan’s search for identity becomes a struggle of survival, its a riveting account, powerful in fact, in a place that is mercilessly unique. Despite the dark and cold elements, Roan will grow, his soul will be feed and fill the void of hunger. The annual seal hunt was a way to avoid poverty, and you can feel that not many people had much of a choice but to go and put their lives at risk, hunting and isolation sometimes can inspire greed and rage on the cold ice flows off the coast, but the sense of brotherhood is a mighty force all on its own and the characters are remarkable, unforgettable.
The imagery in this book is explicit, you can feel the harsh conditions, picture it vividly. The mood in this novel is so dramatic, but beautifully written. I learned so much about the province I grew up in and the horrific events that resulted in tragedy way before my time. It’s Canadian history at its finest and I really enjoyed this book.
A deathbed confession plants the seed about orphaned Roan’s birth, and the circumstances surrounding it are questionable, unknown, or are they? Roan, born without a last name, is determined to seek answers about his familial heritage, it becomes a personal crusade across the ruggedness terrain that Newfoundland is well known for even to this day. Roan’s search for identity becomes a struggle of survival, its a riveting account, powerful in fact, in a place that is mercilessly unique. Despite the dark and cold elements, Roan will grow, his soul will be feed and fill the void of hunger. The annual seal hunt was a way to avoid poverty, and you can feel that not many people had much of a choice but to go and put their lives at risk, hunting and isolation sometimes can inspire greed and rage on the cold ice flows off the coast, but the sense of brotherhood is a mighty force all on its own and the characters are remarkable, unforgettable.
The imagery in this book is explicit, you can feel the harsh conditions, picture it vividly. The mood in this novel is so dramatic, but beautifully written. I learned so much about the province I grew up in and the horrific events that resulted in tragedy way before my time. It’s Canadian history at its finest and I really enjoyed this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews