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Life on Svalbard: Finding Home on a Remote Island Near the North Pole
Join Cecilia Blomdahl in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, the world’s northernmost town.
Located in the Arctic Ocean near the North Pole, Svalbard is a unique archipelago that boasts stunning wintry landscapes, endangered Arctic animals, and awe-inspiring natural phenomena. Since 2015, Cecilia has called this beautiful and remote location home. Along with her partner, Christoffer, and her dog, Grim, she has adjusted to life at the top of the world—where polar bears roam free and northern lights shine bright.
With evocative text and spectacular photography, Cecilia shares the joys and challenges of adapting to an inhospitable climate. Her story begins in the darkness of polar night, and the allure of her remote location is revealed gradually as sunlight returns months later. Through personal stories and firsthand advice, Cecilia offers insight for anyone seeking to thrive in unusual living conditions.
Whatever your location, Life on Svalbard will give you a deeper understanding of why people choose to live in extreme environments and perhaps help you find the hidden magic of where you live too.
Located in the Arctic Ocean near the North Pole, Svalbard is a unique archipelago that boasts stunning wintry landscapes, endangered Arctic animals, and awe-inspiring natural phenomena. Since 2015, Cecilia has called this beautiful and remote location home. Along with her partner, Christoffer, and her dog, Grim, she has adjusted to life at the top of the world—where polar bears roam free and northern lights shine bright.
With evocative text and spectacular photography, Cecilia shares the joys and challenges of adapting to an inhospitable climate. Her story begins in the darkness of polar night, and the allure of her remote location is revealed gradually as sunlight returns months later. Through personal stories and firsthand advice, Cecilia offers insight for anyone seeking to thrive in unusual living conditions.
Whatever your location, Life on Svalbard will give you a deeper understanding of why people choose to live in extreme environments and perhaps help you find the hidden magic of where you live too.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published October 15, 2024
356 people are currently reading
7629 people want to read
About the author
Cecilia Blomdahl
2 books2,182 followersCecilia Blomdahl is originally from Sweden and moved to Svalbard in 2015. Her social media journey began when she started posting content online about living in an environment where polar bears rule the tundra and winter is spent in complete darkness. She has amassed more than 4 million followers across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Cecilia’s content focuses on daily life on Svalbard in a positive and educational way.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 468 reviews
May 16, 2025
So, where was I after reading this book? Probably booking my ticket to Svalbard — and then hastily remembering that that if I don’t simply freeze to death then I’ll likely be eaten by a polar bear or will shoot myself in the foot with the mandatory bear-repelling rifle I’d have to carry outside of the town there, or get flattened in a collapsing glacier cave — or at the very least end up a Nataliya-shaped icicle in an insane polar plunge.
(Just kidding, I’m getting frostbite just looking at that photo.)
For some reason cold polar places fascinate me. Just a few minutes ago I peeked at the webcam feed from McMurdo station in Antarctica, and I have secretly envied those who get to spend a cold and dark winter there (that is, until I remember that large quantities of snow quickly uncover how much of a wuss I actually am). I’ve spent a few hours not so long ago randomly researching Svalbard, and when I came across this book it practically leaped into my hands off the library shelf.
Cecilia Blomdahl, having moved to Svalbard eight years prior to writing this book, seems to want all of the readers of this book to become her neighbors because it’s almost impossible not to immediately start imagining life above the Arctic circle after looking at the gorgeous photos she took there. The majestic cold beauty of glaciers and endless snow and darkness at midday o for months at a time — and neverending midnight sun just a few short weeks later. The coziness of reading a book by a fireplace somewhere miles from tiny outposts of civilization (after you covered up the damage to the cabin done by a polar bear… oh wait, maybe that’s not as alluring as I initially thought).
What I found surprising is that Blomdahl actually finds polar winter easier to tolerate than polar summer. I would have thought that constant darkness would become oppressive, but she makes the case for difficulty coping with constant daylight.
Longyearbyen with its 2500-ish inhabitants is the northernmost town on our planet, and although you don’t need a visa to get there you are only allowed to stay if you can support yourself, and housing is not plentiful. Blomdahl and her partner ended up in a remote cabin initially without running water! You can’t be a cat person as those are banned, and you’d better not set out planning to hunt polar bears as they are protected (although you need a gun going outside of town in case they are trying to kill you - but then you’ll need to prove killing them was unavoidable). If you’re pregnant, you’ll be moved to the mainland within a few weeks of your due date.
But here’s what’s funny: it’s hard to get more remote than Svalbard, but even there people decide to get away from it all to far-away cabins in the wilderness. I suppose once you really want to get away, no away is away enough.
A downside, however, is that Blomdahl has that sort of oddly sincere and earnest blog-like writing style that can sometimes make you cringe a bit — until you see her photos and realize that her relentless optimistic positivity is probably exactly what one feels once you find a place that speaks to your soul while rocking breathtaking views. (She does include a very cheeky “Ok, BYEEEEE!” in the end that took a few years off my life expectancy, but then I flipped back to the lovely views and decided to tame down my sudden murderous rage and instead feel icy and snowy serenity). Her writing won’t win any awards, but with those stunning photos I can almost overlook it.
I wish there was a bit more on the everyday life on Svalbard though, because gorgeous views are indeed gorgeous, but so many practical questions kept coming to mind that I can’t help but feel a little dissatisfied with how much of a travel blog it felt like. Tell me more about the reality of being in a tiny isolated place, details of remote cabin life, the challenges that may come with making a home there, the shopping given that so much stuff must be shipped in from the mainland, the school, the work, the coexistence of different cultures. Something to ground the breathtaking surroundings a bit, I suppose, make it feel less like a charmingly inspirational travel book and a bit more of a look at an actual life in what seems like a very unique place.
But even without these details I was still quite happy to have spent an hour reading this lovely book.
Plus, her dog is adorable - and did I mention aurora borealis yet?!
3.5 stars.
——————
Also posted on my blog.
(Just kidding, I’m getting frostbite just looking at that photo.)
For some reason cold polar places fascinate me. Just a few minutes ago I peeked at the webcam feed from McMurdo station in Antarctica, and I have secretly envied those who get to spend a cold and dark winter there (that is, until I remember that large quantities of snow quickly uncover how much of a wuss I actually am). I’ve spent a few hours not so long ago randomly researching Svalbard, and when I came across this book it practically leaped into my hands off the library shelf.
Cecilia Blomdahl, having moved to Svalbard eight years prior to writing this book, seems to want all of the readers of this book to become her neighbors because it’s almost impossible not to immediately start imagining life above the Arctic circle after looking at the gorgeous photos she took there. The majestic cold beauty of glaciers and endless snow and darkness at midday o for months at a time — and neverending midnight sun just a few short weeks later. The coziness of reading a book by a fireplace somewhere miles from tiny outposts of civilization (after you covered up the damage to the cabin done by a polar bear… oh wait, maybe that’s not as alluring as I initially thought).
What I found surprising is that Blomdahl actually finds polar winter easier to tolerate than polar summer. I would have thought that constant darkness would become oppressive, but she makes the case for difficulty coping with constant daylight.
Longyearbyen with its 2500-ish inhabitants is the northernmost town on our planet, and although you don’t need a visa to get there you are only allowed to stay if you can support yourself, and housing is not plentiful. Blomdahl and her partner ended up in a remote cabin initially without running water! You can’t be a cat person as those are banned, and you’d better not set out planning to hunt polar bears as they are protected (although you need a gun going outside of town in case they are trying to kill you - but then you’ll need to prove killing them was unavoidable). If you’re pregnant, you’ll be moved to the mainland within a few weeks of your due date.
But here’s what’s funny: it’s hard to get more remote than Svalbard, but even there people decide to get away from it all to far-away cabins in the wilderness. I suppose once you really want to get away, no away is away enough.
A downside, however, is that Blomdahl has that sort of oddly sincere and earnest blog-like writing style that can sometimes make you cringe a bit — until you see her photos and realize that her relentless optimistic positivity is probably exactly what one feels once you find a place that speaks to your soul while rocking breathtaking views. (She does include a very cheeky “Ok, BYEEEEE!” in the end that took a few years off my life expectancy, but then I flipped back to the lovely views and decided to tame down my sudden murderous rage and instead feel icy and snowy serenity). Her writing won’t win any awards, but with those stunning photos I can almost overlook it.
I wish there was a bit more on the everyday life on Svalbard though, because gorgeous views are indeed gorgeous, but so many practical questions kept coming to mind that I can’t help but feel a little dissatisfied with how much of a travel blog it felt like. Tell me more about the reality of being in a tiny isolated place, details of remote cabin life, the challenges that may come with making a home there, the shopping given that so much stuff must be shipped in from the mainland, the school, the work, the coexistence of different cultures. Something to ground the breathtaking surroundings a bit, I suppose, make it feel less like a charmingly inspirational travel book and a bit more of a look at an actual life in what seems like a very unique place.
But even without these details I was still quite happy to have spent an hour reading this lovely book.
Plus, her dog is adorable - and did I mention aurora borealis yet?!
3.5 stars.
——————
Also posted on my blog.
November 9, 2024
I’ve been following Cecilia Blomdahl for almost a year on her Instagram page and am addicted to her beautiful posts about life on Svalbard, an island close to the North Pole.
@sejsejlija hoped to spend three months in Longyearbyen when she arrived in 2015 … she’s still there! This book captures the beauty of the seasons and shows readers why Cecilia LOVES living on an archipelago in the far North.
Longyearbyen is the last town before the North Pole. It’s 580 miles north of Norway and 400 miles south of the North Pole. Approximately 2,400 people live in the town.
What amazed me:
❗She experiences polar night from mid-October to mid-February; 24/7 darkness for 84 days. Could you do it? 23% of her year is in complete darkness. Black. Stars at lunch.
❗Polar day is from mid-April to mid-August and she experiences 99 days of 24/7 daylight. I think this would be more difficult for me than polar night. 27% of her year is constant daylight.
❗Their home is close to the edge of a cliff with fantastic views of glaciers for as far as the eye can see. Polar bears and reindeer meander across her view as do pods of whales. It’s quiet. 60% of the island is covered in glaciers, BUT could you trade this for a home so isolated? She is not connected to sewer or water. You’ll learn about her independent cabin system. I would have loved to read about her internet availability, cell-phone possibility, and seen what it was like to get provisions.
Quirky things I discovered:
😲Cats are banned on the archipelago. You’ll have to read to find out why!
😲It’s also forbidden to pick flowers!
😲Residents must have an alcohol consumption ration card!
I was in awe of her lifestyle and created my own ‘let’s get hygge wid it’ to relax and enjoy this GORGEOUS book. It’s a perfect balance of photos and information and is published by DK (Dorling Kindersley), so you know it will have a fantastic layout. As impressed as I was about everything, I was most curious about their ‘hyttekulture’ - cabin culture. It intrigued me that as remote as their house was, they still felt the need to ‘get away from it all’ on the weekends and snowmobile for hours to a REALLY remote location.
Dog lovers - Cecila's dog, Grim, features in this book! 🐕
I borrowed this beautiful book from my local library, but I’m considering buying a coffee table copy for myself…it’s THAT wonderful. Check out her website, too. Foodies and camera buffs alike will be interested.
@sejsejlija hoped to spend three months in Longyearbyen when she arrived in 2015 … she’s still there! This book captures the beauty of the seasons and shows readers why Cecilia LOVES living on an archipelago in the far North.
Longyearbyen is the last town before the North Pole. It’s 580 miles north of Norway and 400 miles south of the North Pole. Approximately 2,400 people live in the town.
What amazed me:
❗She experiences polar night from mid-October to mid-February; 24/7 darkness for 84 days. Could you do it? 23% of her year is in complete darkness. Black. Stars at lunch.
❗Polar day is from mid-April to mid-August and she experiences 99 days of 24/7 daylight. I think this would be more difficult for me than polar night. 27% of her year is constant daylight.
❗Their home is close to the edge of a cliff with fantastic views of glaciers for as far as the eye can see. Polar bears and reindeer meander across her view as do pods of whales. It’s quiet. 60% of the island is covered in glaciers, BUT could you trade this for a home so isolated? She is not connected to sewer or water. You’ll learn about her independent cabin system. I would have loved to read about her internet availability, cell-phone possibility, and seen what it was like to get provisions.
Quirky things I discovered:
😲Cats are banned on the archipelago. You’ll have to read to find out why!
😲It’s also forbidden to pick flowers!
😲Residents must have an alcohol consumption ration card!
I was in awe of her lifestyle and created my own ‘let’s get hygge wid it’ to relax and enjoy this GORGEOUS book. It’s a perfect balance of photos and information and is published by DK (Dorling Kindersley), so you know it will have a fantastic layout. As impressed as I was about everything, I was most curious about their ‘hyttekulture’ - cabin culture. It intrigued me that as remote as their house was, they still felt the need to ‘get away from it all’ on the weekends and snowmobile for hours to a REALLY remote location.
Dog lovers - Cecila's dog, Grim, features in this book! 🐕
I borrowed this beautiful book from my local library, but I’m considering buying a coffee table copy for myself…it’s THAT wonderful. Check out her website, too. Foodies and camera buffs alike will be interested.
May 12, 2025
This book was loaned to me by one of my real life reading buddies, and I thank her for the introduction.
Living on Svalbard is not for everybody. Not because of the weather: as a common Norwegian saying has it, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.” No, I’m referring to oddities such as the total ban on cats. At the same time, living here without a big fluffy dog seems almost unimaginable. For some people, this just isn’t going to work.
Or the fact that “you aren’t allowed to give birth here.” That one seems a bit difficult to enforce, once events are set in motion. In practice, this means expectant mothers are sent away about seven months into their pregnancies, due to the lack of available medical care.
She mentions that the four months of darkness, November through March, are actually preferable to the four months of unremitting sunlight, April through August. This is reasonable, if you’ve ever been up that far – she doesn’t mention it, but the problem is the sun, while never setting, never gets very high up in the sky, either, more or less rolling around the horizon, meaning the sun is always directly in your eyes, it seems. It drives you nuts, after a while.
Cecelia Blomdahl is one of those people we’re warned away from in Vincenzo Latronico’s Perfection, one of those bloggers/instagrammers who makes life elsewhere look so seductive. There’s a couple of pictures in here of her sitting inside a cabin in red flannel pajamas, raw wooden beams everywhere, fireplace aglow and coffee and book in hand with her big fluffy dog at her feet….this is a fantasy I could get behind. She finds plenty of interesting things to write about – wildlife, local customs, how to cope with the weather -- and writes clearly, if not spectacularly. Of course, she’s writing in English, which isn’t her native language, so my respect to her.
In contrast to that coziness, there’s also pictures of her swimming in icy ponds, which apparently isn’t considered insane in her adopted hometown of Longyearbyen. I have, of necessity, bathed in glacial meltwater a few times by crouching next to the stream and splashing cold water on myself, accompanied by unrestrained and unmanly screaming and swearing. This is a Nordic tradition that I’m happy to let live on without me.
My inner nerd compels me to attach this final image. IYKYK:
This is a fantasy book rather than a guide to learning about Svalbard, but it’s very well done. I’ve camped out in Alaska during eight different months of the year, including December and February, so I am not unfamiliar with the lure of the Arctic. This was generally in the company of my crazy friend Patrick, who lives up there. This book brought back everything I love about that part of the world, without tempting me in the slightest to make it my permanent residence.
Living on Svalbard is not for everybody. Not because of the weather: as a common Norwegian saying has it, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.” No, I’m referring to oddities such as the total ban on cats. At the same time, living here without a big fluffy dog seems almost unimaginable. For some people, this just isn’t going to work.
Or the fact that “you aren’t allowed to give birth here.” That one seems a bit difficult to enforce, once events are set in motion. In practice, this means expectant mothers are sent away about seven months into their pregnancies, due to the lack of available medical care.
She mentions that the four months of darkness, November through March, are actually preferable to the four months of unremitting sunlight, April through August. This is reasonable, if you’ve ever been up that far – she doesn’t mention it, but the problem is the sun, while never setting, never gets very high up in the sky, either, more or less rolling around the horizon, meaning the sun is always directly in your eyes, it seems. It drives you nuts, after a while.
Cecelia Blomdahl is one of those people we’re warned away from in Vincenzo Latronico’s Perfection, one of those bloggers/instagrammers who makes life elsewhere look so seductive. There’s a couple of pictures in here of her sitting inside a cabin in red flannel pajamas, raw wooden beams everywhere, fireplace aglow and coffee and book in hand with her big fluffy dog at her feet….this is a fantasy I could get behind. She finds plenty of interesting things to write about – wildlife, local customs, how to cope with the weather -- and writes clearly, if not spectacularly. Of course, she’s writing in English, which isn’t her native language, so my respect to her.
In contrast to that coziness, there’s also pictures of her swimming in icy ponds, which apparently isn’t considered insane in her adopted hometown of Longyearbyen. I have, of necessity, bathed in glacial meltwater a few times by crouching next to the stream and splashing cold water on myself, accompanied by unrestrained and unmanly screaming and swearing. This is a Nordic tradition that I’m happy to let live on without me.
My inner nerd compels me to attach this final image. IYKYK:
This is a fantasy book rather than a guide to learning about Svalbard, but it’s very well done. I’ve camped out in Alaska during eight different months of the year, including December and February, so I am not unfamiliar with the lure of the Arctic. This was generally in the company of my crazy friend Patrick, who lives up there. This book brought back everything I love about that part of the world, without tempting me in the slightest to make it my permanent residence.
January 8, 2025
Cecilia Blomdahl is a Swedish woman who's made her home in the Arctic circle, specifically on the sparsely populated (~2500 people) Norwegian archipelago Svalbard in the town of Longyearbyen, for about a decade. She's enjoyed social media success on various platforms including Youtube sharing stunning photos and stories about her life in the Arctic, which likely led to this book.
Life on Svalbard is a short and very enjoyable read on Blomdahl's life on Svalbard with plenty of information and figures about the archipelago's history, geology, weather patterns, and culture sprinkled throughout. The book is organized into 5 seasonal parts -- polar night (late October-mid-February), pastel winter (mid-February-early March), sunny winter (early March-mid-April), polar day (mid-April-late August), and golden autumn (late August-late October) -- with many beautiful photographs of each season. Svalbard is far enough north that polar night (a period where the sun never rises) lasts for around 4 months, and that polar day (a period where the sun never sets) lasts for another 4 months, with transitional seasons in between that feature very long nights and very long days, respectively. Thus life and lifestyles on the archipelago are very much dictated by season much moreso than most other parts of the world, which was fascinating to learn about.
I hardly ever use this term in my reviews (though Blomdahl uses it a lot in this book) -- I would say this was a very cozy winter read for me.
My statistics:
Book 8 for 2025
Book 1934 cumulatively
Life on Svalbard is a short and very enjoyable read on Blomdahl's life on Svalbard with plenty of information and figures about the archipelago's history, geology, weather patterns, and culture sprinkled throughout. The book is organized into 5 seasonal parts -- polar night (late October-mid-February), pastel winter (mid-February-early March), sunny winter (early March-mid-April), polar day (mid-April-late August), and golden autumn (late August-late October) -- with many beautiful photographs of each season. Svalbard is far enough north that polar night (a period where the sun never rises) lasts for around 4 months, and that polar day (a period where the sun never sets) lasts for another 4 months, with transitional seasons in between that feature very long nights and very long days, respectively. Thus life and lifestyles on the archipelago are very much dictated by season much moreso than most other parts of the world, which was fascinating to learn about.
I hardly ever use this term in my reviews (though Blomdahl uses it a lot in this book) -- I would say this was a very cozy winter read for me.
My statistics:
Book 8 for 2025
Book 1934 cumulatively
Want to read
July 17, 2024SO excited to have this in my hands in October!!
December 4, 2024
OMG OMG OMG! This book was so cute with beautiful photography of landscapes, wildlife, and most importantly Grim!! I learned a bunch about different seasons/phases of the year in the arctic, as well as life on Svalbard and numerous adventures. Definitely makes you think about all the things you might have at your fingertips such as sunshine or sunsets, but also about the things you cherish most. My favorite part while reading it was hearing Cecilia Blomdahl’s voice from her videos in my head narrating along. Iconic. 🩵🩵
August 12, 2025
All the stars! Life on Svalbard: Finding Home on a Remote Island Near the North Pole is perfection. Absolutely my favorite book of 2025, and possibly ever. Thank you, Cecilia, for giving us exactly the hopeful simplicity we all needed. Your outlook on life, even in the frigid polar night of Svalbard, warmed my heart.
Why was this such an inspiring read for me? With all the upheaval in the US, I've been voraciously consuming WWII history and current journalism, trying to balance myself between being informed and staying sane. I have not fared well, as everything I read only seems to make me more uncomfortable with current events.
And then comes this absolute gem of a book. I'd been having so much fun following Cecilia Blomdahl on TikTok for a long time, so I was dancing-around-the-room delighted when my niece gave me the hardcover for Christmas. I put myself on the hold list at my library for the audiobook, because I wanted it read to me in Cecilia's voice. That gave me a chance to linger over Cecilia's brilliant photography throughout.
What a breath of fresh, Arctic air this is. No politics, no grievances, no foreshadowing of impending nonsense. Life on Svalbard: Finding Home on a Remote Island Near the North Pole is about living within nature and embracing the basics of life, liberty, and the pursuit of great views. We all need to take Cecilia's advice and appreciate our world in all its natural glory.
I will re-read and leaf through this often, when I haven't loaned it out to every single person who'll listen when I tell them THIS IS THE BOOK YOU NEED TO READ NEXT.
Why was this such an inspiring read for me? With all the upheaval in the US, I've been voraciously consuming WWII history and current journalism, trying to balance myself between being informed and staying sane. I have not fared well, as everything I read only seems to make me more uncomfortable with current events.
And then comes this absolute gem of a book. I'd been having so much fun following Cecilia Blomdahl on TikTok for a long time, so I was dancing-around-the-room delighted when my niece gave me the hardcover for Christmas. I put myself on the hold list at my library for the audiobook, because I wanted it read to me in Cecilia's voice. That gave me a chance to linger over Cecilia's brilliant photography throughout.
What a breath of fresh, Arctic air this is. No politics, no grievances, no foreshadowing of impending nonsense. Life on Svalbard: Finding Home on a Remote Island Near the North Pole is about living within nature and embracing the basics of life, liberty, and the pursuit of great views. We all need to take Cecilia's advice and appreciate our world in all its natural glory.
I will re-read and leaf through this often, when I haven't loaned it out to every single person who'll listen when I tell them THIS IS THE BOOK YOU NEED TO READ NEXT.
October 11, 2024
So good. I've been following Cecilia for quite a while. My favorite chapters were the ones about Polar Night and Grim of course!
April 27, 2025
Come for the gorgeous photos, stay for the geography and natural history lessons.
I didn't really know anything about Svalbard other than that's where Lyra Belacqua's armored bears came from; and only knew that Spitsbergen played a role in both WWII and several early polar expeditions. In fact, I was so ignorant that I didn't know they were one and the same place — or at least they used to be; the entire archipelago was originally called "Spitsbergen," but when the Norwegians annexed the whole place they renamed the main island (formerly also Spitsbergen) "Svalbard."
So — obviously a lot to learn here, and Blomdahl is a great teacher (if largely workmanlike writer). We learn the difference between the three types of twilight (civil, nautical and astronomical); and we're told about the three types of glaciers (ice caps, Spitsbergen-type, and valley/cirque), although she doesn't explain the difference; I had to go to Google for that. We also learn (although in just one picture/one paragraph) that Svalbard is home to the world's largest seed bank; and — most fun of all — we learn that the name of Svalbard's main village, Longyearbyen, isn't based on the long polar night (84 days) or even longer midnight sun (99 days), but after its founder, John Munro Longyear — one of those great surnames like Younghusband or Elphinstone that you just don't hear anymore.
Really a charming book, although I'm not tempted to follow Blomdahl on YouTube, and am even less interested in ever visiting the place…I had enough of the cold with just four years in Rochester.
I didn't really know anything about Svalbard other than that's where Lyra Belacqua's armored bears came from; and only knew that Spitsbergen played a role in both WWII and several early polar expeditions. In fact, I was so ignorant that I didn't know they were one and the same place — or at least they used to be; the entire archipelago was originally called "Spitsbergen," but when the Norwegians annexed the whole place they renamed the main island (formerly also Spitsbergen) "Svalbard."
So — obviously a lot to learn here, and Blomdahl is a great teacher (if largely workmanlike writer). We learn the difference between the three types of twilight (civil, nautical and astronomical); and we're told about the three types of glaciers (ice caps, Spitsbergen-type, and valley/cirque), although she doesn't explain the difference; I had to go to Google for that. We also learn (although in just one picture/one paragraph) that Svalbard is home to the world's largest seed bank; and — most fun of all — we learn that the name of Svalbard's main village, Longyearbyen, isn't based on the long polar night (84 days) or even longer midnight sun (99 days), but after its founder, John Munro Longyear — one of those great surnames like Younghusband or Elphinstone that you just don't hear anymore.
Really a charming book, although I'm not tempted to follow Blomdahl on YouTube, and am even less interested in ever visiting the place…I had enough of the cold with just four years in Rochester.
January 4, 2025
If you are looking for a book that gives a detailed account of life in this foreboding environment by an established resident, look elsewhere. This book presented a very amateur attempt to intimately draw readers into this fearsome land.
Polar night images by this self-taught photographer are lovely, but the many day photos of her dog are annoyingly gratuitous. A two-page spread of demographic info looks like something from a middle- schoolers' power-point presentation, and printing size 6 font in black on a dark gray page are painful to read. Moreover, the nitty-gritty details of living this life are missing. I don't need repetitive statements that the author abandoned climbing the corporate ladder or that she's obliged to tote a firearm when venturing outdoors due to polar bears. Explain the area's infrastructure and how mundane aspects of life in this land offer unique challenges. Overall, a disappointment.
Polar night images by this self-taught photographer are lovely, but the many day photos of her dog are annoyingly gratuitous. A two-page spread of demographic info looks like something from a middle- schoolers' power-point presentation, and printing size 6 font in black on a dark gray page are painful to read. Moreover, the nitty-gritty details of living this life are missing. I don't need repetitive statements that the author abandoned climbing the corporate ladder or that she's obliged to tote a firearm when venturing outdoors due to polar bears. Explain the area's infrastructure and how mundane aspects of life in this land offer unique challenges. Overall, a disappointment.
January 30, 2025
A great Winter read. I was fascinated by a life lived so close to the North Pole, and how different it was from my own. I remember seeing the Northern lights as a kid in Alaska, being in awe, and loved hearing her thoughts and insight on them. The author has a great Instagram account too that I am now following.
Highly recommend!
Highly recommend!
October 10, 2024
This is such a lovely read!
November 10, 2024
I LOVED reading this! Who wants to come live in Svalbard with me for a year??
January 9, 2025
Muito feliz de ter conseguido comprar e ler esse livro!! Tive que comprar por compra internacional na amazon, demorou uma cara pra chegar.
Viajei pra Svalbard em 2023 e ate hoje, inicio de 2025, penso diariamente sobre esse lugar. Me apaixonei demais pela cidade e tenho mUITA vontade de voltar pra la. Fui durante a noite polar, um periodo que nao tem dia, sao 24h de noite. Foi uma experiencia surreal.
E ler esse livro me trouxe de volta a sensaçao de aconchego que eu senti nos dias que fiquei em Svalbard.
A Cecilia escreve os capitulos com base nas estaçoes de Svalbard, que muitas vezes sao extremas com frio, periodos sem dia e periodos sem noite também. Ela dá um background muito legal sobre alguns fatos cientificos sobre Svalbard e pincela alguns fatos historicos tambem. Tudo isso contando suas proprias experiencias vivendo la. É uma realidade 200% diferente da nossa aqui no Brasil, Svalbard tem estaçoes extremas, e Longyearbyen (a cidade central de Svalbard) tem tipo 3 mil habitantes so. É um lugar muito surreal, envolto de montanhas e fjords, ursos polares e renas. Eu fiquei um periodo curto de ferias la, no pico do inverno e da noite polar, mas no livro a Cecilia mostra varias atividades possiveis de se fazer la dependendo da estaçao. E nao tem como nao pensar como esse pessoal dos paises nordicos simplesmentes sao feitos diferentes ne KKKK Ela sai pra pescar, sabe dirigir barco, andar de snowmobile, e ir pra lugares mais isolados ainda de snowmobile, entra em geleiras, faz escaladas... Eu fiz UMA misera escalada la e ja sai morrendo. Tenho mt essa impressao que eles vivem de uma forma mt diferente da nossa aqui no Brasil, com mt mais contato com a natureza e mts vezes uma natureza mt extrema. É doido ler o livro e pensar... e a gente aqui no Brasil com climinha ameno o ano todo, praia, litoral, cervejinha kkkkkkk...
Ctz vai ser uma das minhas leituras favoritas DO ANO (e olha que é a minha primeira leitura finalizada em 2025 kkkkk) E o livro também é LINDO, é enorme e bem pesado, cheio de fotos INCRIVEIS de Svalbard tiradas de cima, pegando a aurora boreal, fotos de ursos polares, dos fjords, das montanhas... Lindo demais!
E fica ai a curiosidade pra quem estiver lendo essa review ksksks Acho que Svalbard é um lugar pouquissimo conhecido aqui no Brasil, é o ultimo lugar habitado antes do Polo norte, entao é mt longe da gente. Mas fica a dica: se ficar curioso entra no instagram ou no tiktok da Cecilia, ela posta videos do dia a dia dela em Svalbard. Ou pesquise o site ou instagram do Visit Svalbard, que é um site (e um perfil no insta) que explica varias coisas sobre Svalbard, tem informaçoes turisticas e dicas de segurança pra quem for visitar.
Viajei pra Svalbard em 2023 e ate hoje, inicio de 2025, penso diariamente sobre esse lugar. Me apaixonei demais pela cidade e tenho mUITA vontade de voltar pra la. Fui durante a noite polar, um periodo que nao tem dia, sao 24h de noite. Foi uma experiencia surreal.
E ler esse livro me trouxe de volta a sensaçao de aconchego que eu senti nos dias que fiquei em Svalbard.
A Cecilia escreve os capitulos com base nas estaçoes de Svalbard, que muitas vezes sao extremas com frio, periodos sem dia e periodos sem noite também. Ela dá um background muito legal sobre alguns fatos cientificos sobre Svalbard e pincela alguns fatos historicos tambem. Tudo isso contando suas proprias experiencias vivendo la. É uma realidade 200% diferente da nossa aqui no Brasil, Svalbard tem estaçoes extremas, e Longyearbyen (a cidade central de Svalbard) tem tipo 3 mil habitantes so. É um lugar muito surreal, envolto de montanhas e fjords, ursos polares e renas. Eu fiquei um periodo curto de ferias la, no pico do inverno e da noite polar, mas no livro a Cecilia mostra varias atividades possiveis de se fazer la dependendo da estaçao. E nao tem como nao pensar como esse pessoal dos paises nordicos simplesmentes sao feitos diferentes ne KKKK Ela sai pra pescar, sabe dirigir barco, andar de snowmobile, e ir pra lugares mais isolados ainda de snowmobile, entra em geleiras, faz escaladas... Eu fiz UMA misera escalada la e ja sai morrendo. Tenho mt essa impressao que eles vivem de uma forma mt diferente da nossa aqui no Brasil, com mt mais contato com a natureza e mts vezes uma natureza mt extrema. É doido ler o livro e pensar... e a gente aqui no Brasil com climinha ameno o ano todo, praia, litoral, cervejinha kkkkkkk...
Ctz vai ser uma das minhas leituras favoritas DO ANO (e olha que é a minha primeira leitura finalizada em 2025 kkkkk) E o livro também é LINDO, é enorme e bem pesado, cheio de fotos INCRIVEIS de Svalbard tiradas de cima, pegando a aurora boreal, fotos de ursos polares, dos fjords, das montanhas... Lindo demais!
E fica ai a curiosidade pra quem estiver lendo essa review ksksks Acho que Svalbard é um lugar pouquissimo conhecido aqui no Brasil, é o ultimo lugar habitado antes do Polo norte, entao é mt longe da gente. Mas fica a dica: se ficar curioso entra no instagram ou no tiktok da Cecilia, ela posta videos do dia a dia dela em Svalbard. Ou pesquise o site ou instagram do Visit Svalbard, que é um site (e um perfil no insta) que explica varias coisas sobre Svalbard, tem informaçoes turisticas e dicas de segurança pra quem for visitar.
February 20, 2025
So interesting!
November 9, 2024
This book was a whole experience! I did a reel review @lauralivingfree so check that out if you’re interested. Loved it!!
May 12, 2025
Life on Svalbard: Finding Home on a Remote Island Near the North Pole by Cecilia Blomdahl was a stunning collection of photos and stories about the author’s life in Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago high above the Arctic Circle. Within its 258 pages Blomdahl tracks the sun through the calendar and orders her chapters accordingly. We start off with Polar Night, then move on to Pastel Winter, then Sunny Winter, then we have the midnight sun during Polar Day, and then the return of the setting sun ends the book with Golden Autumn. Whole text does not fill the pages with the exception of reproductions of Blomdahl’s diary entries. For the most part, the photos take precedence and the text is relegated to half a page. The pages were very thick and I always had to ensure I was not turning more than one page at a time. I was glad that the book was printed on matte paper as glossy pages would catch the glare of the light. I need to have a light shining down on each page as I read and would have had to constantly move the rather large book around to take in the beauty of the photos while avoiding the lamp’s glare.
Blomdahl’s photos of the glaciers and of her walks within them left me in awe. Sometimes openings in the ice enabled a person to walk underneath the enormous hulky cover to see what it looked like from the inside of a glacier. It looked organic, like exploring the body during an operation, yet not in red fleshy tones. While living on Svalbard she had numerous stories to tell of hearing mysterious rumbling sounds, and realized that it was caused by the thundering glaciers, sometimes heard when two were pushing against one another. Imagine the sounds of glaciers as they were moving across the North American continent millennia ago. I wonder how loud they would be as they advanced and retreated. While sitting across from the Nansen Glacier, Blomdahl wrote:
“There was a stillness that spread out across the bay, interrupted only by the eerie creaks and cracks of the thousand-year-old glacier ice. It stands as one of nature’s most breathtaking landscapes.”
I spent two days with this beautiful book, which I wouldn’t mind having on my own bookshelves. I know I could have finished it in a single sitting but with such gorgeous photos of the Svalbard landscape, the northern lights, glaciers and her dog Grim, I took my time with it. In spite of my praise I did notice a couple errors. For one, the map Blomdahl provides at the beginning of the book shows the Arctic Circle passing through Iceland and Southampton Island. It does not pass through either island, and is located to the north of each. She also misspelled Philippines as Phillipines. As a reader with a degree of low vision I could not read the text when it was white on yellow, yellow on white, or white on light blue without a viewing aid.
Blomdahl is an avid adventurer and a skilled photographer whose respect for nature will ensure that the Svalbard environment remains pristine. As she explored the archipelago she stressed the need to leave things as they were and to pick up after oneself.
August 8, 2025
❄️ Informative, fascinating… and absolutely not for me (I like my weather HOT, thank you very much). But wow—what a life.
Cecilia Blomdahl takes us to the edge of the world—literally. Life on Svalbard is a beautifully photographed, personal look at what it’s like living in Longyearbyen, where the polar night lasts months, polar bears outnumber people, and you don’t leave home without a rifle (you know, just in case).
I’m not heading to the Arctic anytime soon (unless it’s by mistake), but I found this an intriguing peek into a life that’s as wild as the landscape.
Highlights for me:
– Cross-country skiing under northern lights
– Daily dog walks... with a rifle
– 90mph snowstorms (are you KIDDING?)
– Exploring remote areas of the island and remote cabins
– Walrus sightings
– Polar plunges (!!)
Cecilia's voice is calm, warm, and honest—sharing the beauty and brutality of life at the top of the world. Not a thrilling page-turner, but more like a slow walk through snow: quiet, steady, and full of awe.
Recommended for: fans of memoirs, nature lovers, photography nerds, and anyone who wants to travel without actually freezing to death 🐻❄️🧣
Cecilia Blomdahl takes us to the edge of the world—literally. Life on Svalbard is a beautifully photographed, personal look at what it’s like living in Longyearbyen, where the polar night lasts months, polar bears outnumber people, and you don’t leave home without a rifle (you know, just in case).
I’m not heading to the Arctic anytime soon (unless it’s by mistake), but I found this an intriguing peek into a life that’s as wild as the landscape.
Highlights for me:
– Cross-country skiing under northern lights
– Daily dog walks... with a rifle
– 90mph snowstorms (are you KIDDING?)
– Exploring remote areas of the island and remote cabins
– Walrus sightings
– Polar plunges (!!)
Cecilia's voice is calm, warm, and honest—sharing the beauty and brutality of life at the top of the world. Not a thrilling page-turner, but more like a slow walk through snow: quiet, steady, and full of awe.
Recommended for: fans of memoirs, nature lovers, photography nerds, and anyone who wants to travel without actually freezing to death 🐻❄️🧣
January 27, 2025
When can I move here.
Read
July 25, 2025If the purpose of this book was to promote Svalbard tourism, it was truly successful. The photos were gorgeous - really stunning!
But I wanted to know more about everyday life Svalbard - all the details, big and small, about what it’s like to live in such an extreme environment.
And this was largely missing from Life on Svalbard.
In the end, this was a fun and brief read from the library, but it didn’t really satisfy.
But I wanted to know more about everyday life Svalbard - all the details, big and small, about what it’s like to live in such an extreme environment.
And this was largely missing from Life on Svalbard.
In the end, this was a fun and brief read from the library, but it didn’t really satisfy.
October 22, 2024
i have been following cecilia on social media for years and have loved seeing her journey and adventures in such a remote place. her online presence has become a place of comfort for me. naturally i was very excited to find out she was coming out with a book and had to get my hands on it immediately!
i enjoyed every second of this book. it was not only informational, but incredibly aesthetically pleasing. between cecilia's writing and her beautiful photographs, you really get an immersive idea of what svalbard is like. i am fascinated with their way of living. no matter the season their community really cherishes every aspect of life. it's inspiring and it's reminded me to slow down and not take anything for granted.
i enjoyed every second of this book. it was not only informational, but incredibly aesthetically pleasing. between cecilia's writing and her beautiful photographs, you really get an immersive idea of what svalbard is like. i am fascinated with their way of living. no matter the season their community really cherishes every aspect of life. it's inspiring and it's reminded me to slow down and not take anything for granted.
November 24, 2025
After following Cecilia on Instagram for a couple of years and developing a bit of an obsession with Svalbard, I was so excited to get this book. I got it immediately upon publication but wanted to save it for January when Svalbard would be in the depths of polar night. Living in MN we definitely have shorter days in the winter but nothing like polar night. There is just something so endlessly fascinating to me about life on Svalbard. I completely devoured this book in one sitting. Maybe someday I will get to venture to Svalbard myself but for now I will be content with having this book and Cecilia's Instagram and YouTube content.
January 12, 2025
Lovely images, but I was looking for a bit more of what I saw while visiting Svalbard, examples being the huge cliff of nesting birds, more about the research colony, especially the explorer air flights. Weird that there was no mention of summer tourists and how they affect the area, as well as the North Pole-bound cruise ships. And, dumb question, but with no trees, where do they get the wood needed for the wood-burning stoves in the cabins? Flown in from Norway, I guess, along with all other supplies.
December 28, 2025
Not much to say about this one other than admiration for the type of people who seek out this kind of life. It couldn’t be me, but it might be nice to visit once.
Cecilia’s writing is clear and lovely but no-nonsense. She’s just giving the day to day of live throughout the year, as well as a bit of history and culture. I enjoyed it.
Vicariously. ;)
Cecilia’s writing is clear and lovely but no-nonsense. She’s just giving the day to day of live throughout the year, as well as a bit of history and culture. I enjoyed it.
Vicariously. ;)
December 6, 2025
Cécilia thank you for bringing us along on your incredible adventure.
October 17, 2024
I have followed Cecilia on Instagram for a long time now and I am always in awe of her photography and story telling.
“Life in Svalbard” is an extraordinary journey into one of the world’s most remote and captivating regions. This book far exceeded my expectations, not only because of its stunning photography but also due to its deep insight into life in the Arctic wilderness. Cecilia’s writing is as compelling as the landscapes she describes, providing a rare, authentic look at life on the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard.
The book is beautifully written, blending her personal experiences with rich historical and scientific information about Svalbard’s harsh but breathtaking environment. Cecilia’s narrative flows effortlessly, making the extreme isolation and stark beauty of the Arctic come alive on the page. You can feel the cold air, the biting winds, and the awe of nature’s untamed power through her words and images that capture the eerie tranquility of the Polar Night, the rugged mountains, and the haunting beauty of the frozen landscapes and Grim! Let’s not forget about the handsomest pup living his best life. The photos alone are worth the purchase, but combined with Cecilia’s vivid storytelling, they elevate the book into something truly special.
Overall, “Life in Svalbard” is not just a travel memoir; it is an immersive experience that provides readers with a true sense of what life in the Arctic is like. The balance of storytelling, fascinating information, and stunning visuals makes this book a standout. Highly recommended for anyone interested in adventure, nature, or simply beautiful writing.
“Life in Svalbard” is an extraordinary journey into one of the world’s most remote and captivating regions. This book far exceeded my expectations, not only because of its stunning photography but also due to its deep insight into life in the Arctic wilderness. Cecilia’s writing is as compelling as the landscapes she describes, providing a rare, authentic look at life on the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard.
The book is beautifully written, blending her personal experiences with rich historical and scientific information about Svalbard’s harsh but breathtaking environment. Cecilia’s narrative flows effortlessly, making the extreme isolation and stark beauty of the Arctic come alive on the page. You can feel the cold air, the biting winds, and the awe of nature’s untamed power through her words and images that capture the eerie tranquility of the Polar Night, the rugged mountains, and the haunting beauty of the frozen landscapes and Grim! Let’s not forget about the handsomest pup living his best life. The photos alone are worth the purchase, but combined with Cecilia’s vivid storytelling, they elevate the book into something truly special.
Overall, “Life in Svalbard” is not just a travel memoir; it is an immersive experience that provides readers with a true sense of what life in the Arctic is like. The balance of storytelling, fascinating information, and stunning visuals makes this book a standout. Highly recommended for anyone interested in adventure, nature, or simply beautiful writing.
October 21, 2024
I listened to the audio book narrated by the author, Cecilia, I follow her on TikTok and was so excited to check out this book. Listening to her stories on the audio book felt like listening to her narrate her videos online for a prolonged period of time. It was calming, fascinating, and made me excited for winter and finding the joy in all the seasons as the year passes along and I’m ready to go on a hike. I really lovely experience
December 12, 2024
I found Cecilia through social media and really enjoyed learning about her way of life. Svalbard is definitely somewhere I've always been intrigued by and this has helped satiate some curiosity I had.
November 22, 2024
2.5 🌟 short read but pretty repetitive.
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