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The Art of Breaking Ice
In 1960, when the legendary icebreaker Magga Dan set sail for Antarctica, it contained a secret. Hiding on board was Nel Law, wife of expedition leader Phillip Law. She would make history by becoming the first Australian woman to set foot on the icy continent, but it was her art that would change everything.
Though a talented artist, Nel has always been defined by her role as 'the explorer's wife', but in the clear expanse of the Southern Ocean, her true self is finally allowed to emerge. Despite misogyny from the all-male crew and increasing resentment from her mercurial husband, Nel's art begins to flourish. Her new friend, a gentle ornithologist, encourages her to explore, but as the ship ploughs on towards Antarctica, rumours swirl, threatening her marriage and the tenuous peace between the controlling Phillip and his crew. In the clear, white light of the south, Nel will be forced to confront the truth of herself and the man to whom she has dedicated her life.
This stunning reimagining of Nel Law's life reveals a ground-breaking artist searching for freedom in a world where women's lives were still defined by their husbands.
Though a talented artist, Nel has always been defined by her role as 'the explorer's wife', but in the clear expanse of the Southern Ocean, her true self is finally allowed to emerge. Despite misogyny from the all-male crew and increasing resentment from her mercurial husband, Nel's art begins to flourish. Her new friend, a gentle ornithologist, encourages her to explore, but as the ship ploughs on towards Antarctica, rumours swirl, threatening her marriage and the tenuous peace between the controlling Phillip and his crew. In the clear, white light of the south, Nel will be forced to confront the truth of herself and the man to whom she has dedicated her life.
This stunning reimagining of Nel Law's life reveals a ground-breaking artist searching for freedom in a world where women's lives were still defined by their husbands.
307 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 27, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
July 21, 2023
Actually 4.5 because of the ending. I thought it’d tied everything upon in a nice, 60s appropriate box, but that’s just me.
This Girls’ Own Adventure is Nel Laws (actual person), who stowed away - with the knowledge of her husband, the expedition leader - on a ship, the Magna Dan, bound for Antarctica, resupplying staff and supplies to the Australian base there. Plot twist?It’s the early 60s, and gender roles are firmly entrenched. Nel and Phil have no children, a conscious choice due to the fact that he spends 6 months of every year doing this resupply run. Antarctica, and his work for it, is his passion, and his second home, and on paper, it seems like a good idea for Nel to see her husband in action, to meet his mistress, as it were.
However, as in life, things don’t match up to reality. The well described scenes of simmering , then overt, sexism and resentment make for a fascinating read, in a world where I can go and do whatever I’d like, Nel really had the fortitude, most of the time, to tolerate it. Personally, a leopard seal would leave no trace of anybody accidentally overboard, but that’s just me. Engaged as an artist to capture the icescape scenes, and the wildlife, she is treated as a bit of a joke, that’s not a real job like the Men have: the Antarctic is no place for a woman. As tempers fray, her marriage unravels and both husband and wife are forced to look at things in a new light.
But: first Australian woman on Antartica, so who’s the real winner?
This Girls’ Own Adventure is Nel Laws (actual person), who stowed away - with the knowledge of her husband, the expedition leader - on a ship, the Magna Dan, bound for Antarctica, resupplying staff and supplies to the Australian base there. Plot twist?It’s the early 60s, and gender roles are firmly entrenched. Nel and Phil have no children, a conscious choice due to the fact that he spends 6 months of every year doing this resupply run. Antarctica, and his work for it, is his passion, and his second home, and on paper, it seems like a good idea for Nel to see her husband in action, to meet his mistress, as it were.
However, as in life, things don’t match up to reality. The well described scenes of simmering , then overt, sexism and resentment make for a fascinating read, in a world where I can go and do whatever I’d like, Nel really had the fortitude, most of the time, to tolerate it. Personally, a leopard seal would leave no trace of anybody accidentally overboard, but that’s just me. Engaged as an artist to capture the icescape scenes, and the wildlife, she is treated as a bit of a joke, that’s not a real job like the Men have: the Antarctic is no place for a woman. As tempers fray, her marriage unravels and both husband and wife are forced to look at things in a new light.
But: first Australian woman on Antartica, so who’s the real winner?
October 28, 2023
This is a beautifully imagined novel based on the real life adventure of Nel Law, the first Australian woman to set foot on Antarctica.
I can only imagine how it was for Nel, being the only woman on a boat with almost seventy men, knowing how many of them viewed women's roles at the time. Women were meant to be homemakers, not adventurers, not artists and certainly not scientists.
I could easily visualise Antarctica while reading this book. I am becoming fascinated with this otherworldly continent at the bottom of the world.
Nel's character transformation is uplifting. She goes from being a dutiful housewife, being at her husband's side while he achieves and explores, to stowing away on his ship and standing up for herself and realising how capable she is.
I loved learning about this part of Australian history and the impact this voyage had on Nel.
I can only imagine how it was for Nel, being the only woman on a boat with almost seventy men, knowing how many of them viewed women's roles at the time. Women were meant to be homemakers, not adventurers, not artists and certainly not scientists.
I could easily visualise Antarctica while reading this book. I am becoming fascinated with this otherworldly continent at the bottom of the world.
Nel's character transformation is uplifting. She goes from being a dutiful housewife, being at her husband's side while he achieves and explores, to stowing away on his ship and standing up for herself and realising how capable she is.
I loved learning about this part of Australian history and the impact this voyage had on Nel.
February 5, 2024
Please take me to Antartica, I want to see all the penguins now. Particularly liked the book ends of this story, but found the ending of Phil and Nell’s story less believable.
June 27, 2023
Review originally posted on A Keyboard and an Open Mind 28 June 2023:
I’m not going to claim that I have distinct memories of Rachael Mead from her time researching this book at the National Library of Australia in 2019, but given the team I was working in at the NLA at the time, I probably met her at some point. Fast-forward to 2023, when Rachael got in touch with the NLA to ask a few questions prior to publication, and I was assigned her enquiry. It was connected to this book, and on reading her description, I was intrigued enough to hunt it out and request a review copy. I was not disappointed!
The Art of Breaking Ice is a reimagining of the life of Nel Ward, the first Australian woman to set foot on Antarctica. She was smuggled aboard the ice-breaker Mugga Dan by her husband, Philip Law, in 1961. As a talented artist, she kept a record of her time there, and also rediscovered herself in a land away from everything she’d ever known.
To be honest, the only thing that dragged this book down a bit for me was that I felt it lagged a bit in the middle. There were lots of observations of life on Mawson station, descriptions of the landscape and Nel’s feelings and experiences, but it didn’t feel like the plot was going anywhere for a while.
However, this wasn’t a huge issue. For the most part, I enjoyed watching Nel’s excitement, I cringed and shuddered when she experienced sexism or worse from the ship full of men, and cheered when she realised she could be a wife and still put herself and her art first. Smiled at the friendship that formed between Nel and an ornithologist called Harris, then felt her frustration and embarrassment when she thinks that maybe he used that friendship to his own advantage. And the shock of seeing a different side to the husband she thought she knew.
Given its unique setting, this book feels quite different to a lot of historical fiction, and I learned a lot from it. I definitely recommend for historical fiction fans who enjoy stories of unique and intrepid women.
Thank you to Affirm Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I’m not going to claim that I have distinct memories of Rachael Mead from her time researching this book at the National Library of Australia in 2019, but given the team I was working in at the NLA at the time, I probably met her at some point. Fast-forward to 2023, when Rachael got in touch with the NLA to ask a few questions prior to publication, and I was assigned her enquiry. It was connected to this book, and on reading her description, I was intrigued enough to hunt it out and request a review copy. I was not disappointed!
The Art of Breaking Ice is a reimagining of the life of Nel Ward, the first Australian woman to set foot on Antarctica. She was smuggled aboard the ice-breaker Mugga Dan by her husband, Philip Law, in 1961. As a talented artist, she kept a record of her time there, and also rediscovered herself in a land away from everything she’d ever known.
To be honest, the only thing that dragged this book down a bit for me was that I felt it lagged a bit in the middle. There were lots of observations of life on Mawson station, descriptions of the landscape and Nel’s feelings and experiences, but it didn’t feel like the plot was going anywhere for a while.
However, this wasn’t a huge issue. For the most part, I enjoyed watching Nel’s excitement, I cringed and shuddered when she experienced sexism or worse from the ship full of men, and cheered when she realised she could be a wife and still put herself and her art first. Smiled at the friendship that formed between Nel and an ornithologist called Harris, then felt her frustration and embarrassment when she thinks that maybe he used that friendship to his own advantage. And the shock of seeing a different side to the husband she thought she knew.
Given its unique setting, this book feels quite different to a lot of historical fiction, and I learned a lot from it. I definitely recommend for historical fiction fans who enjoy stories of unique and intrepid women.
Thank you to Affirm Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 4, 2023
For fans of other cold-climate books such as WHEN THE NIGHT COMES by Favel Parrett and COLD COAST by Robyn Mundy. THE ART OF BREAKING ICE takes us aboard the icebreaker Magga Dan in the 1960s, where Nel Law, wife of expedition leader Phillip Law, becomes the first Australian woman to set foot in Antarctica.
Wonderfully researched, I particularly enjoyed this historical fiction on audiobook, where Nel’s voice & experience really came alive.
Misogyny, sexism and firmly entrenched gender roles abound throughout this story, which always makes for a frustrating but eye-opening read. I had hoped for a little more from the conclusion of the tale, but I appreciate that this reimagining remained faithful to Nel’s story.
This was a great little escape & adventure into a different time & place. A beautiful tribute to a ground-breaking artist too. Aussie historical fiction fans with an interest in Antarctic exploration will especially enjoy the superb setting & descriptions.
My thanks to the publisher for a gifted copy of this book.
Wonderfully researched, I particularly enjoyed this historical fiction on audiobook, where Nel’s voice & experience really came alive.
Misogyny, sexism and firmly entrenched gender roles abound throughout this story, which always makes for a frustrating but eye-opening read. I had hoped for a little more from the conclusion of the tale, but I appreciate that this reimagining remained faithful to Nel’s story.
This was a great little escape & adventure into a different time & place. A beautiful tribute to a ground-breaking artist too. Aussie historical fiction fans with an interest in Antarctic exploration will especially enjoy the superb setting & descriptions.
My thanks to the publisher for a gifted copy of this book.
November 24, 2023
I read this book not long after finishing “Shackleton: a Biography ” (Ranulph Fiennes); for me, they complemented each other well.
The descriptions of the Antarctic landscapes and wildlife were a colourful background to the relationships of Nel Law with her husband and all the colleagues, whilst she focused her time painting and exploring areas of that frozen continent. A great insight into Nel’s changing view of herself, and of the attitudes towards women at that time. She conquered her fears and held herself high at all times.
A fascinating and very enjoyable book, I highly recommend this novel.
The descriptions of the Antarctic landscapes and wildlife were a colourful background to the relationships of Nel Law with her husband and all the colleagues, whilst she focused her time painting and exploring areas of that frozen continent. A great insight into Nel’s changing view of herself, and of the attitudes towards women at that time. She conquered her fears and held herself high at all times.
A fascinating and very enjoyable book, I highly recommend this novel.
November 3, 2023
Interesting novel about first Australian woman to set foot on Antarctica - learnt lots about ice, penguins and misogynistic men
September 5, 2023
Enjoyable to stow away with Nel on her adventure, and see and live the journey through her eyes.
June 29, 2023
I have anticipated the release of Mead’s second novel for the last six months.
As a lover of words, art and the natural world, knowing the closest I would get to Antarctica myself, was the Subantarctic Plant House in the Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, I have longed to experience that white harsh place with its creaking beauty and wild life.
What I have encountered is not just the most fascinating trip, but a historically significant story written with seamless tenderness for the characters and landscape. An extraordinary bringing together of fact and fiction. I loved the adventure and was drawn into the characters and story from the first chapter to the very end.
As a lover of words, art and the natural world, knowing the closest I would get to Antarctica myself, was the Subantarctic Plant House in the Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, I have longed to experience that white harsh place with its creaking beauty and wild life.
What I have encountered is not just the most fascinating trip, but a historically significant story written with seamless tenderness for the characters and landscape. An extraordinary bringing together of fact and fiction. I loved the adventure and was drawn into the characters and story from the first chapter to the very end.
September 22, 2023
When I picked this book up I didn't realise that this book was fiction, and I really wish it wasn't. The book was well written, and a lot of it is based on what the author found in the historical record. I feel like a big miss was not including some of Nell's paintings in the book, as sooooo much of the book is about her art. Also, there was so much about the 'boys club' arctic explorers and how the women who finally got a chance to get there had to be on their best behavior, but the men could be slimy and creepy and that was fine, typical of the era, it really angers you!
A lot of the last half of the book is about Nell and her friendship with another scientist, painting penguins, and the rumors that go around about her having an affair, and her husband believing them. So much builds up in her anxiety and everything she goes through and the betrayal she feels from her husband and you think finally bam they are going to have it out, but the build up goes to nothing, it just fizzles out and there is no actual conversation about how he made her feel by not believing her and what she went through on the voyage, hell even about how ignored she felt, he just gives her and art room and cats.
I also would have liked a better epilogue at the end, like just a sentence on each of the people in the book. This character was made up, Nell never went back, her husband went back 15 times, the paper got published, the next year more women went to Mawson station, anything. The book is all about Nell and her art and thats all that the epilogue talks about.
A lot of the last half of the book is about Nell and her friendship with another scientist, painting penguins, and the rumors that go around about her having an affair, and her husband believing them. So much builds up in her anxiety and everything she goes through and the betrayal she feels from her husband and you think finally bam they are going to have it out, but the build up goes to nothing, it just fizzles out and there is no actual conversation about how he made her feel by not believing her and what she went through on the voyage, hell even about how ignored she felt, he just gives her and art room and cats.
I also would have liked a better epilogue at the end, like just a sentence on each of the people in the book. This character was made up, Nell never went back, her husband went back 15 times, the paper got published, the next year more women went to Mawson station, anything. The book is all about Nell and her art and thats all that the epilogue talks about.
November 3, 2023
I was disappointed by this story, mainly because the character of Nel irritated me. She came across as naive and clueless.
A novel about the true-life Nel has the potential to become a powerful story but, sadly, this wasn’t it.
A novel about the true-life Nel has the potential to become a powerful story but, sadly, this wasn’t it.
June 28, 2024
Mead gives us a sweeping canvas of fact, fiction, information, and observation, brought together beautifully with her skilful, engrossing storytelling. Felt like I was there, skidding across the ice with Nel as she explored her inner and outer landscapes.
December 31, 2024
First book of 2024! I am going to be tougher this year in my book ratings. This book is everything I love, real history told through a wonderful story. The “love” story wrapped up a little too quickly and well in the end for my taste, otherwise it would have been a 5/5.
September 14, 2023
The Art of Breaking Ice, by poet and novelist Rachael Mead, is a fictionalised account of the life of Nel Law, the first Australian woman and female visual artist to set foot in Antarctica, at Mawson Station on February 8, 1961.
Prior to that, at the end of 1960, Law visited Macquarie Island, halfway between Tasmania and Antarctica. One of her oil paintings of the island's penguin colonies is now displayed at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery in Hobart.
Because Australia did not officially allow women to go to Antarctica until 1974, Law made both journeys as a stowaway, smuggled onto the ship by her husband Phillip, a prominent scientist and explorer who served as director of Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions from 1949 to 1966.
Indeed, history reveals very little about Law – mainly as the wife of the “Man of Antarctica” who was responsible for Australia's permanent presence on that continent. Even what is known today as her writing and art works, donated to various institutions after her death in 1990, resulted from her husband's careful curation and annotation.
Now we have a chance to imagine her own voice. In The Art of Breaking Ice, Nel – a fictional version of Law – is placed at the front and centre of the stage that is her husband's 13th voyage to Antarctica. During most of the journey, she is the only woman among 67 male scientists, researchers and crew onboard the ship.
Nel finds herself surrounded by “misogynist mutterings, sexual rumours, condescending takedowns and blatant intimidations” – a male-dominated workplace where she is seen as baggage and appendage of worthy, capable, intelligent and highly-distinguished men, who demand that she be always easygoing, non-threatening, taking every mockery as a joke.
In her words: “It is so wearing. Being watched, all the time. Not just how I looked, but what I was doing, who I spoke to, and how I spoke. It was exhausting... My face ached from constantly smiling, yet I still found myself the butt of gossip.”
Unable and unwilling to rely on her husband, who refuses to see her sketches and paintings as work, Nel is determined to turn her predicament into an opportunity to explore and empower herself as an artist. Against the backdrop of a harsh Antarctic landscape, her journey of self-making is astounding and awe-inspiring.
Readers should keep in mind that The Art of Breaking Ice is a novel inspired by real events. It is neither a biography nor a feminist work. Rather, as the author describes it, it is a story about love, about long-term relationships and living in a spouse's shadow, about mid-twentieth-century gender roles, and about the art-science binary.
In Mead's words: “It is my hope that [Nel] inspires others as she has inspired me. To seize the moment. To not allow fear to hold us back. And to refuse to let the long shadows cast by history and tradition make us doubt ourselves our limit the scope of our dreams.”
Note: This book review was originally published under the title "First Australian woman in Antarctica book reviewed" by Ranges Trader Star Mail, September 12, 2023, P.19.
Prior to that, at the end of 1960, Law visited Macquarie Island, halfway between Tasmania and Antarctica. One of her oil paintings of the island's penguin colonies is now displayed at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery in Hobart.
Because Australia did not officially allow women to go to Antarctica until 1974, Law made both journeys as a stowaway, smuggled onto the ship by her husband Phillip, a prominent scientist and explorer who served as director of Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions from 1949 to 1966.
Indeed, history reveals very little about Law – mainly as the wife of the “Man of Antarctica” who was responsible for Australia's permanent presence on that continent. Even what is known today as her writing and art works, donated to various institutions after her death in 1990, resulted from her husband's careful curation and annotation.
Now we have a chance to imagine her own voice. In The Art of Breaking Ice, Nel – a fictional version of Law – is placed at the front and centre of the stage that is her husband's 13th voyage to Antarctica. During most of the journey, she is the only woman among 67 male scientists, researchers and crew onboard the ship.
Nel finds herself surrounded by “misogynist mutterings, sexual rumours, condescending takedowns and blatant intimidations” – a male-dominated workplace where she is seen as baggage and appendage of worthy, capable, intelligent and highly-distinguished men, who demand that she be always easygoing, non-threatening, taking every mockery as a joke.
In her words: “It is so wearing. Being watched, all the time. Not just how I looked, but what I was doing, who I spoke to, and how I spoke. It was exhausting... My face ached from constantly smiling, yet I still found myself the butt of gossip.”
Unable and unwilling to rely on her husband, who refuses to see her sketches and paintings as work, Nel is determined to turn her predicament into an opportunity to explore and empower herself as an artist. Against the backdrop of a harsh Antarctic landscape, her journey of self-making is astounding and awe-inspiring.
Readers should keep in mind that The Art of Breaking Ice is a novel inspired by real events. It is neither a biography nor a feminist work. Rather, as the author describes it, it is a story about love, about long-term relationships and living in a spouse's shadow, about mid-twentieth-century gender roles, and about the art-science binary.
In Mead's words: “It is my hope that [Nel] inspires others as she has inspired me. To seize the moment. To not allow fear to hold us back. And to refuse to let the long shadows cast by history and tradition make us doubt ourselves our limit the scope of our dreams.”
Note: This book review was originally published under the title "First Australian woman in Antarctica book reviewed" by Ranges Trader Star Mail, September 12, 2023, P.19.
March 11, 2025
A good read woven around the real-life story of Nel Law, the first Australian woman to set foot in Antarctica when she stowed away on the official summer research voyage led by her husband. Nel was an artist and later exhibited her work set in Antarctica.
A great deal of research underpins this story, which explores the 'misogynistic adventurer' staple that surrounds the explorers, researchers and scientists who travel to remote regions. It's set in the 1960s, so there is quite a bit of very old-school misogyny on show, some of it rather performative. It's also excused on many instances because of factors like 'oh but he's just lost his wife' or 'he's just biased against non-scientists' or 'he hates modern art' or 'he's just really busy working'. Huh. Anyway, an old gripe.
I found myself wishing that this was a completely fictional story, just based on Nel and Philip Law, because the mix of real and imaginary characters, and the stretching of the real ones into narrative shape, felt a bit awkward. For example I wasn't convinced about 'home/husband Phil' versus 'work/authoritarian Phil'. There was a huge shift, and I'm sure that happens sometimes - but when your home person is at your work? Not so sure. I understand it's necessary if you're going to write fiction about real people - you have to invent their emotions and dialogue and reactions, and create scenes to display or explore the personality you've given the real character.
But Nel's capitulation over the penguin art was very disappointing. She's busily trying to say that her work is important - and then throws her work overboard in order to make the point that she's not in love with the (actually turns out to be gay) scientist who commissioned her the create it. THREW HER WORK OVERBOARD! Now that's a price to pay to keep your hubby happy!
I was a child in the 60s with a (mostly) stay-at-home mum, who was a brilliant homemaker and a great conversationalist, a big reader and a very opinionated person, talented at craft and full of energy... and she wouldn't have put up with what Nel submitted to in terms of misogynistic behaviour. And I feel that a fictional woman only loosely based on Nel could have done more, though of course we have to accept that she was the sole woman surrounded by burly blokes, which must have made it more difficult to manage. Mind you, we don't really know how she reacted - it's the fiction-vs-fictionalised-vs-real person that's hard to get your head around.
Still, saying that this book isn't the one I'd like to read about women in Antarctica doesn't really diminish it. It's a good solid read, and after a slowish start, will give book clubs lots and lots to talk about.
A great deal of research underpins this story, which explores the 'misogynistic adventurer' staple that surrounds the explorers, researchers and scientists who travel to remote regions. It's set in the 1960s, so there is quite a bit of very old-school misogyny on show, some of it rather performative. It's also excused on many instances because of factors like 'oh but he's just lost his wife' or 'he's just biased against non-scientists' or 'he hates modern art' or 'he's just really busy working'. Huh. Anyway, an old gripe.
I found myself wishing that this was a completely fictional story, just based on Nel and Philip Law, because the mix of real and imaginary characters, and the stretching of the real ones into narrative shape, felt a bit awkward. For example I wasn't convinced about 'home/husband Phil' versus 'work/authoritarian Phil'. There was a huge shift, and I'm sure that happens sometimes - but when your home person is at your work? Not so sure. I understand it's necessary if you're going to write fiction about real people - you have to invent their emotions and dialogue and reactions, and create scenes to display or explore the personality you've given the real character.
But Nel's capitulation over the penguin art was very disappointing. She's busily trying to say that her work is important - and then throws her work overboard in order to make the point that she's not in love with the (actually turns out to be gay) scientist who commissioned her the create it. THREW HER WORK OVERBOARD! Now that's a price to pay to keep your hubby happy!
I was a child in the 60s with a (mostly) stay-at-home mum, who was a brilliant homemaker and a great conversationalist, a big reader and a very opinionated person, talented at craft and full of energy... and she wouldn't have put up with what Nel submitted to in terms of misogynistic behaviour. And I feel that a fictional woman only loosely based on Nel could have done more, though of course we have to accept that she was the sole woman surrounded by burly blokes, which must have made it more difficult to manage. Mind you, we don't really know how she reacted - it's the fiction-vs-fictionalised-vs-real person that's hard to get your head around.
Still, saying that this book isn't the one I'd like to read about women in Antarctica doesn't really diminish it. It's a good solid read, and after a slowish start, will give book clubs lots and lots to talk about.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2023
Rachael Mead's previous book "The Application of Pressure" was an entertaining and enlightening series of linked stories, about the lives and experiences of two Adelaide para-medics. This time, she's produced a cracking piece of historical fiction, based on the life of Nel Law, the first woman to set foot in Antarctica.
Mead opens by making it clear that Nel Law, even in death, is recorded historically as an appendage to her famous Antarctic explorer husband, Phil Law. Law is living a comfortable middle-class life in claustrophobic 1950s Melbourne. She is a housewife and support for her husband. But as she approaches middle age, she becomes increasingly disenchanted her the role. She is a talented artist, but has little time to explore her creative talents. She is childless, mainly because she and her husband have decided that his career is more important than having a family. She is also grieving the death of her cat.
Somehow, she persuades her husband to smuggle her on board the Antarctic expedition of 1960, aboard the ship Magga Dan. Mead has compacted Nel Law's Antarctic experiences into one fictional expedition, in which Law struggles against not just the extreme weather of Antarctica but more so the extreme chauvinism, suspicions and resentments of her male fellow expeditioners.
Her husband is amongst the worst offenders. Even though he has brought her along on the expedition, he continues to see her as a frivolous person, only there to observe his greatness and keep out of the way whilst he does the serious stuff. He has no appreciation for her talent as an artist and is solely focussed on the success of the expedition, driving his men to their limit and creating resentment on all sides.
This is not just the story of an extraordinary woman in extreme physical and emotional situations, but a vivid picture of the challenges faced by women in carving out anything like an independent identity in a male dominated society. If this sounds ‘heavy’, it is, but Mead makes Law’s story engrossing and highly readable.
Mead opens by making it clear that Nel Law, even in death, is recorded historically as an appendage to her famous Antarctic explorer husband, Phil Law. Law is living a comfortable middle-class life in claustrophobic 1950s Melbourne. She is a housewife and support for her husband. But as she approaches middle age, she becomes increasingly disenchanted her the role. She is a talented artist, but has little time to explore her creative talents. She is childless, mainly because she and her husband have decided that his career is more important than having a family. She is also grieving the death of her cat.
Somehow, she persuades her husband to smuggle her on board the Antarctic expedition of 1960, aboard the ship Magga Dan. Mead has compacted Nel Law's Antarctic experiences into one fictional expedition, in which Law struggles against not just the extreme weather of Antarctica but more so the extreme chauvinism, suspicions and resentments of her male fellow expeditioners.
Her husband is amongst the worst offenders. Even though he has brought her along on the expedition, he continues to see her as a frivolous person, only there to observe his greatness and keep out of the way whilst he does the serious stuff. He has no appreciation for her talent as an artist and is solely focussed on the success of the expedition, driving his men to their limit and creating resentment on all sides.
This is not just the story of an extraordinary woman in extreme physical and emotional situations, but a vivid picture of the challenges faced by women in carving out anything like an independent identity in a male dominated society. If this sounds ‘heavy’, it is, but Mead makes Law’s story engrossing and highly readable.
October 20, 2023
I came to this book as my book club's choice for the month. I don't think I would have casually picked it up to read for 2 reasons a) it was really hard to find a copy and b) it's not the sort of book I would pick for my own choice: but nevertheless as you can see by my giving it 4 stars, I did enjoy reading it. Landed up having to buy the Kindle edition and the Audiobook to supplement my reading.
The premise of Nel Low being a stowaway even though a select few knew she was on board I found a bit unbelievable. The misogyny of the crew on board the ice bound ship was beyond my understanding. Did they really feel threatened by one woman or was it superstition that often becomes prevalent when a group of people be it male or female feel threatened? Nel's fabulous talent is put to good use and the men still resent her presence and dislike her. I did enjoy reading about her struggles against this group of so called educated males and how she felt so intimidated by them many times and with her husband really of no help or support at all. I felt that he let her down so badly that I was surprised at how it all ended and I urge readers to forgive her as in those days when women were expected to stay at home and be the 'housekeeper' what she did was so out of the ordinary that she deserves more than a medal for her bravery in the midst of the feelings of contempt for her from these men and how she coped with it all. An imagining of the situation by Rachael Mead so I personally think it may have been exaggerated but I guess it could be believable given the times. Well written and an enjoyable read.
The premise of Nel Low being a stowaway even though a select few knew she was on board I found a bit unbelievable. The misogyny of the crew on board the ice bound ship was beyond my understanding. Did they really feel threatened by one woman or was it superstition that often becomes prevalent when a group of people be it male or female feel threatened? Nel's fabulous talent is put to good use and the men still resent her presence and dislike her. I did enjoy reading about her struggles against this group of so called educated males and how she felt so intimidated by them many times and with her husband really of no help or support at all. I felt that he let her down so badly that I was surprised at how it all ended and I urge readers to forgive her as in those days when women were expected to stay at home and be the 'housekeeper' what she did was so out of the ordinary that she deserves more than a medal for her bravery in the midst of the feelings of contempt for her from these men and how she coped with it all. An imagining of the situation by Rachael Mead so I personally think it may have been exaggerated but I guess it could be believable given the times. Well written and an enjoyable read.
September 20, 2023
I loved this story, but maybe I am biased, because I am fascinated by all things Antarctic. So much so that we had the privilege of sailing on a Russian research vessel out of New Zealand down to Macquarie Island in 2010, part of a very elite group of the public, at this time, to do so.
This is a novel based on the true story of Nel Law, who was the first Australian women to set foot on the continent of Antarctica (and the fourth woman world- wide). Her husband, the director of ANARE and expedition leader, Dr Phillip Law, smuggled her aboard the Magga Dan in 1960. She was a talented artist, recording the various stations, landscapes and wildlife in her work but her valuable contribution has been overshadowed by her famous husband.
She met with misogyny, loneliness, and jealousy, and had to reevaluate her marital relationship, and the treatment of women, along the way. Her work was unable to be recognised at the time for various reasons, and it is only through Phillip Law’s journals and Nel’s diaries that Mead has been able to bring her amazing journey to life.
This is a novel based on the true story of Nel Law, who was the first Australian women to set foot on the continent of Antarctica (and the fourth woman world- wide). Her husband, the director of ANARE and expedition leader, Dr Phillip Law, smuggled her aboard the Magga Dan in 1960. She was a talented artist, recording the various stations, landscapes and wildlife in her work but her valuable contribution has been overshadowed by her famous husband.
She met with misogyny, loneliness, and jealousy, and had to reevaluate her marital relationship, and the treatment of women, along the way. Her work was unable to be recognised at the time for various reasons, and it is only through Phillip Law’s journals and Nel’s diaries that Mead has been able to bring her amazing journey to life.
September 20, 2023
It was easy to be immersed in the world of the Magga Dan voyage to Antarctica.
I identified with Nel Law, despite coming from a different era. I too was entranced by the penguins and sea birds. I resisted the lure of looking up info on these real-life people until after I finished the book. Having just been to an art exhibition at the National Gallery in Canberra entitled 'Know my Name' on women artists of the 20th century, I now feel we can add Nel Law to the list.
Like another reviewer I found the ending a bit of a letdown, but in reality, this is what happened.
Women had to live within the confines of domestic relationships, they were and still are the primary caregivers.
Far from whetting my appetite to go to Antarctica I feel it is just too isolated and risky, works of biography and fiction will have to suffice. However, I am keen to go the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery and see some of Nel Law's artworks.
Thanks go to author Rachael Mead for uncovering this story and artist.
I identified with Nel Law, despite coming from a different era. I too was entranced by the penguins and sea birds. I resisted the lure of looking up info on these real-life people until after I finished the book. Having just been to an art exhibition at the National Gallery in Canberra entitled 'Know my Name' on women artists of the 20th century, I now feel we can add Nel Law to the list.
Like another reviewer I found the ending a bit of a letdown, but in reality, this is what happened.
Women had to live within the confines of domestic relationships, they were and still are the primary caregivers.
Far from whetting my appetite to go to Antarctica I feel it is just too isolated and risky, works of biography and fiction will have to suffice. However, I am keen to go the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery and see some of Nel Law's artworks.
Thanks go to author Rachael Mead for uncovering this story and artist.
July 19, 2024
Set in a period of time women were in the early stages of standing up for their rights and men still ruled the world. Women's achievements were treated as lesser than men's and their conviction doubted.
At the start, Phillip Law is widely acknowledged for his contribution to establishing stations for Australia in Antarctica in a memorial when his and his wife, Nel's, ashes are interred near Mawson station. She is mentioned like an afterthought for being the 1st Australian woman to set foot in Antarctica.
But was she more than his helpmeet? This is an historical fiction re-creation of what it might have felt like for her before, during, and after. About how the expedition changes her and her relationship with her husband. How it was as a woman surrounded by a male crew and Phil's ANARE colleagues.
The chapters are named by distinctive colour names and I did not dwell much on how each chapter related to it. Nel does make the reader aware of the multitude of colours in what one assumes is a vast whiteness. It reminds me of the saying that the Sami have over 180 words for snow and ice. The author's notes at the end are good to give some perspective.
It doesn't say when she was acclaimed for her art. I did find this article that I hope is ok to post here. https://www.naa.gov.au/blog/smuggled-...
At the start, Phillip Law is widely acknowledged for his contribution to establishing stations for Australia in Antarctica in a memorial when his and his wife, Nel's, ashes are interred near Mawson station. She is mentioned like an afterthought for being the 1st Australian woman to set foot in Antarctica.
But was she more than his helpmeet? This is an historical fiction re-creation of what it might have felt like for her before, during, and after. About how the expedition changes her and her relationship with her husband. How it was as a woman surrounded by a male crew and Phil's ANARE colleagues.
The chapters are named by distinctive colour names and I did not dwell much on how each chapter related to it. Nel does make the reader aware of the multitude of colours in what one assumes is a vast whiteness. It reminds me of the saying that the Sami have over 180 words for snow and ice. The author's notes at the end are good to give some perspective.
It doesn't say when she was acclaimed for her art. I did find this article that I hope is ok to post here. https://www.naa.gov.au/blog/smuggled-...
September 28, 2023
This is a nice, easy read, let down a little by an overwrought epilogue that I think is meant to be a mic-drop 'Oh wow!' kind of moment but falls flat.
This is the kind of book that your mum would read with her book club and enjoy - there's nothing wrong with it, but I do wish there was a bit more oomph to the whole thing. Nel is a fascinating historical figure, but her interior life is so stifled by the 50's housewife mindset of the time that Nel as a character is a bit bland and one-dimensional. She spends a lot of time being shocked that men are misogynistic in the 60s, but then also being angry at them for dismissing her based on gender.
Overall, this is a pleasant read, but not one I would come back to.
This is the kind of book that your mum would read with her book club and enjoy - there's nothing wrong with it, but I do wish there was a bit more oomph to the whole thing. Nel is a fascinating historical figure, but her interior life is so stifled by the 50's housewife mindset of the time that Nel as a character is a bit bland and one-dimensional. She spends a lot of time being shocked that men are misogynistic in the 60s, but then also being angry at them for dismissing her based on gender.
Overall, this is a pleasant read, but not one I would come back to.
August 18, 2025
TuesdayBook Club selection. I enjoyed the book about a subject I knew nothing about. It presents as rather a sociological study of the role of women in Australia in the early 1960s. Recognisable but a bit distorted. Also the whole book, though a true story, was pretty much an invention as very little was written by Nel apart from the bare facts. This is acknowledged by the author but made it a novel rather than a biography. Which is fine if course.
January 18, 2024
A fabulous blend of history and fiction! An insight into the reality of Antartica exploration in the 1960’s and the reality of “breaking the ice” of patriarchy in this context. I’ll read more by this author!
February 18, 2025
I really enjoyed what I listened to. However, I found it boring after the first few hours, so fast forwarded to about and hour from the end.
Missed "the secret" reveal, but glad to know this amazing woman and the acknowledgements are so interesting.
Missed "the secret" reveal, but glad to know this amazing woman and the acknowledgements are so interesting.
September 13, 2023
Having gone in blind not knowing what the story was. I found it really interesting how the men reacted to a woman daring to enter, what was predominantly a male domain. The husband frustrated me.
October 21, 2023
What an amazing story - beautifully nuanced between fact and fiction. Visually potent descriptions of the ice terrain as well as the act of drawing and water-colouring. Thoroughly enjoyable.
November 1, 2023
An engaging read, based on real events but never the less, a fictional account of a relationship and social change.
November 19, 2023
I loved The Application of Pressure and this book does not disappoint. Rachael has written a lovely story of Nel Law's trip to Antarctica. This was a great book. Highly recommended.
July 13, 2024
Nel Law, first Australian woman to Antartica, artist, only woman on a ship of 65 men, in the very discriminatory 1960s. It grew on me. Atmospheric, the ship, the ice, the scrutiny and judgement.
December 2, 2023
- thanks to @affirmpress for my #gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Admittedly, I have not read many books about Antarctica nor know much about Antarctic explorations, so I decided to remedy that as soon as I heard about The Art of Breaking Ice. To my surprise (and because I avoid blurbs like the plague), this novel is a fictionalised account of Isabel and Phillip Law's exploration of the ice continent in 1961. Isabel (also known as Nel) was an Australian artist, poet, diarist, and the first Australian woman to set foot in Antarctica.
The historical research and the noble intentions of representing what would become a critical moment in the second wave of feminism in the Western world are undeniable. I enjoyed and appreciated the setting and descriptive quality of the narration, which had me shivering a few times despite the hot weather. I always extend my most profound admiration to all writers who invest countless hours of research because ... it shows. Knowledge speaks for itself.
Unfortunately, the last quarter of the book and the epilogue made me change my mind and negatively affected my whole reading experience. Both the ending and the epilogue felt anti-climatic, undoing all the hard work of portraying the misogynism and sexism of the time. I was more than willing to let pass the feminist lens applied without significant subtlety and mostly without much nuance —lots of telling and little showing— but I could not ignore the missed opportunity to create impact and a satisfactory unravelling. I know this might sound vague, but this is as far as I can go without getting into spoilers territory.
Nevertheless, Mead depicts something I assume is pretty easy to comprehend: the struggles of a woman wanting to do more, learn more, exist more, and having her potential outright denied thanks to the men dictating her life.
Overall, The Art of Breaking the Ice is an informative Historical Fiction novel that offers much to learn and gifts the opportunity to imagine the life of a remarkable woman forgotten by history.
Admittedly, I have not read many books about Antarctica nor know much about Antarctic explorations, so I decided to remedy that as soon as I heard about The Art of Breaking Ice. To my surprise (and because I avoid blurbs like the plague), this novel is a fictionalised account of Isabel and Phillip Law's exploration of the ice continent in 1961. Isabel (also known as Nel) was an Australian artist, poet, diarist, and the first Australian woman to set foot in Antarctica.
The historical research and the noble intentions of representing what would become a critical moment in the second wave of feminism in the Western world are undeniable. I enjoyed and appreciated the setting and descriptive quality of the narration, which had me shivering a few times despite the hot weather. I always extend my most profound admiration to all writers who invest countless hours of research because ... it shows. Knowledge speaks for itself.
Unfortunately, the last quarter of the book and the epilogue made me change my mind and negatively affected my whole reading experience. Both the ending and the epilogue felt anti-climatic, undoing all the hard work of portraying the misogynism and sexism of the time. I was more than willing to let pass the feminist lens applied without significant subtlety and mostly without much nuance —lots of telling and little showing— but I could not ignore the missed opportunity to create impact and a satisfactory unravelling. I know this might sound vague, but this is as far as I can go without getting into spoilers territory.
Nevertheless, Mead depicts something I assume is pretty easy to comprehend: the struggles of a woman wanting to do more, learn more, exist more, and having her potential outright denied thanks to the men dictating her life.
Overall, The Art of Breaking the Ice is an informative Historical Fiction novel that offers much to learn and gifts the opportunity to imagine the life of a remarkable woman forgotten by history.
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