True North

by Kimberly Kafka

For six years Bailey Lockhart has lived alone in the Alaskan bush, supporting herself from the cockpit of a floatplane. She is the only white woman in a land owned by the local Ingalik tribe; her closest neighbor is a fellow bush pilot and activist named Kash. Bailey and Kash are drawn to each other, but their fiercely independent natures keep them apart. When two Easterners hire Bailey to pilot them into the bush, a series of events is set in motion that will upset the delicate racial balance of the land and lead to violence. As the truth behind the couple's arrival becomes apparent, the refuge Bailey has created for herself shatters. Forced to face the demons of her unresolved past, she is given a chance to free herself at last from the secret that haunts her.  Marked by spare, resonant prose and imbued with an indelible sense of place,  True North  tells a powerful story of adventure and survival. It is a welcome debut by a gifted new voice in literary fiction.

Genres: Fiction

288 pages

First published March 1, 2000

About the author

Kimberly lives, writes, edits, and eats very well in Southwest Wisconsin thanks to a magnificent family of loving friends. She is not a licensed pilot.

She has published three novels, two released by Penguin/Dutton (True North, 2000, and Miranda’s Vines, 2004), and a third novel, Flowers at the Edge of the World (Ramshackle Press 2024). She has published short fiction and nonfiction in various literary journals and other periodicals.

She earned an MFA (Creative Writing & Comparative Literature) from the University of Michigan where she won the prestigious Hopwood Graduate Award in Major Fiction.

Kimberly has also taught, written, and edited in academia and the private sector.

Love of the natural world and the printed word has guided Kimberly's career for more than 30 years. She supports, practices, and promotes ecological initiatives such as prairie restoration, watershed protection and conservation, organic agriculture and regional food systems, and she has operated wilderness catch-and-release fly fishing lodges in Labrador and Alaska.

Learn more at kimberlykafka.com or flowersattheedge.world

Reviews

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had decided to give up on pg 114 but gave it another go. that's when the action starts and there is lots of excitement. Well rounded characters and suspense. Interesting woman characters which is always a prerequisite for me to enjoy a book. And good feel for Alaska with its scenery, life and issues .

[Liesel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story itself could have been good had it not been written so poorly. I spent a great deal of the book trying to decide who was telling this portion of the story and whether it was new information or a recap from another character’s prospective. The author repeatedly made claims that somehow the reader was supposed to already know what was going on. I found myself frequently rereading pages trying to figure out what I missed only to realize nothing was there. The end of he book left me with more questions than answers. Did not enjoy.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

clumsy attempt for a first novel

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the best piece of writing but it did hold my interest. I have lived in Alaska so it was fun to relate to the descriptions and to the characters and their relationship to one another and to society. The friction between white people and the Alaskan native is believable.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The ending was a little off for me. I found myself wanting some more closure with the characters.

[Davita Crowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Waiting on a new Dana Stabenow book about mystery and murder in Alaska, I was desperate and found this book, this author. I was afraid it would be a copycat thing, just a knockoff. I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. We tend to forget the oppression and downright theft "Americans" have and still are doing to the indigenous peoples.

[Jolene Knapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars for being set in Alaska, an all-time favorite of mine. The drama was a little over the top. That said, I enjoyed reading it and was quite engrossed.

[Peter Simons · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoa! This book just got better and better the further I read. Great sense of place, interior Alaska. Interesting characters. Believable mistrust between whites and natives. Good read.

[Lori · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really 2.5 stars. Readable enough, with multiple, nuanced conflicts rippling through the book in a satisfyingly murky way. Kafka establishes a vivid, accurate-feeling setting in rural Maine and the wilds of Alaska, but several long passages on the mechanical details of bush piloting are less successful. The technicalities intrude and distract from the ongoing psychological tension between characters and cultures, and simply aren't compelling enough to merit the time spent trying to understand them. While her portrayal of female characters is subtle and always suggests complexity, contradiction and potential, her male characters are practically cardboard cutouts - Ignorant Bitter Dad, Clueless Arrogant White Guy, Brutal Low Life, Sensitive Educated Guy With A Foot In Each World. They all drive the plot rather transparently toward crisis, while displaying an overplayed, oddly anachronistic sexism that plays up the subtlety, strength, and flexibility of the women in a cheap, unconvincing way.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting story...the writing would hum along nicely, and then derail, leaving me wondering what was happening. The character development also was half-baked, leaving me with the feeling that I didn't care about the characters as much as the author would have liked. Loved the setting for the story!

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. Well written. Although there wasn't a big plot to this novel, it wasn't totally predictable. Right up until the last few pages I couldn't fully anticipate how everything would turn out. The characters weren't deeply fleshed out but they weren't your usual stereotypes. Overall, an enjoyable read but not an award winner.

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

single, independent woman living on her own in Alaska.....good read.

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh, okay if you're in an Alaska kind of mood, but not a great story or high-quality writing. I like the protagonist's name, though: Alpha.

[Merry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kim is a friend of my cousin Barbara, found this book ok, but not my favorite

[Becky]

Entertaining but not the kind of depth that sticks with you.

[Melody Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was OK but left you wanting more. There were so many details about the people's lives but the end left so much unsaid. It's like the story isn't really finished.

[Greece Public Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mystery set in Alaska. Tense with the relationship between natives and newcomers.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

PG 13 for language and some sexual content. A little "jumpy" but an interesting read!

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and found it difficult to put down.

[Aiko]

Library pursue. Hiding from sleep read. Female tough girl plot.

[Claire Talbot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edgy family drama and suspense in the wilds of Alaska.

[fawnydawny · Rating 1 out of 5]

As an archaeologist who lives in Alaska, this book actually enraged me. Kafka is tackling some big issues here (racism, ANCSA, subsistence rights and sovereignty, substance abuse, etc) but does not handle any of them well. The writing is not great and it left a bad taste in my mouth. Don't waste your time reading it - especially if you live in the state and are familiar with Alaska Native politics.