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White River Crossing
A breathtaking and cinematic novel about the lust for gold and its bloody consequences, set in the unforgiving landscape of the sub-Arctic Canadian wilderness, from the acclaimed author of The North Water
A ragged fur peddler arrives at a remote outpost of the Hudson Bay Company in the winter of 1766 with a lump of gold, claiming that there is plenty more like it further north at a place called Ox Lake. The outpost’s chief factor, Magnus Norton, dreams of instant riches and launches a secret and perilous expedition to find the treasure and bring it back.
Led by a family of native guides, the party of prospectors includes Norton’s brutish deputy, John Shaw, and Thomas Hearn, the insular and intellectual first mate from the factory’s whaling sloop. During their long journey north, Shaw’s callousness and arrogance lead him to commit an act of sexual violence whose disastrous consequences will only fully emerge once they reach their final destination. There, amidst the bleak beauty of the Barren Grounds, as Norton’s carefully crafted plans begin to fall apart and the brutal arctic winter starts to descend, Hearn is forced to make a choice that will define his character and determine his future forever.
Utterly captivating, White River Crossing transports us back to the furthest edges of the eighteenth-century British empire where two radically different worlds—indigenous and European—collide with calamitous and deadly results.
A ragged fur peddler arrives at a remote outpost of the Hudson Bay Company in the winter of 1766 with a lump of gold, claiming that there is plenty more like it further north at a place called Ox Lake. The outpost’s chief factor, Magnus Norton, dreams of instant riches and launches a secret and perilous expedition to find the treasure and bring it back.
Led by a family of native guides, the party of prospectors includes Norton’s brutish deputy, John Shaw, and Thomas Hearn, the insular and intellectual first mate from the factory’s whaling sloop. During their long journey north, Shaw’s callousness and arrogance lead him to commit an act of sexual violence whose disastrous consequences will only fully emerge once they reach their final destination. There, amidst the bleak beauty of the Barren Grounds, as Norton’s carefully crafted plans begin to fall apart and the brutal arctic winter starts to descend, Hearn is forced to make a choice that will define his character and determine his future forever.
Utterly captivating, White River Crossing transports us back to the furthest edges of the eighteenth-century British empire where two radically different worlds—indigenous and European—collide with calamitous and deadly results.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published February 24, 2026
47 people are currently reading
6227 people want to read
About the author
Ian McGuire
9 books944 followersIan McGuire is the author of White River Crossing which will be published in February 2026. His previous novels are The Abstainer published in September 2020 by Random House (USA) and Simon & Schuster (UK), The North Water published by in 2016 by Henry Holt (USA) and Simon & Schuster (UK), and Incredible Bodies published in 2007 by Bloomsbury. Ian lives in Manchester, England and teaches at The University of Manchester's Centre for New Writing. He is a winner of the Royal Society of Literature’s Encore Award and Historical Writers' Association Gold Crown Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
White River Crossing is a dark historical fiction that takes the reader back to 18th century northern Canada, where a hunt for gold leads to bloody consequences. It left me feeling despondent that there is no such thing as a good man.
When a peddler shows up at a Hudson Bay Company trading post with a stone interlaced with gold veins, the outpost’s leader gets ideas about becoming rich. He sends a small party of men, both English and Northern Indian, into the tundra, the land of the Esquimaux, to find the source. But the group is a mix of egos, ill tempers and greed, and it doesn’t take long for conflict to occur. And once the first issue gets out of hand, the dominoes just continue to fall.
McGuire’s writing is beautifully descriptive and it was easy to envision each scene. As you would expect, the story is dark. I appreciated that we heard from multiple characters, not just the English but the Indians and Esquimaux. In each case, they wonder at the lack of understanding by others at how the world works, convinced of their own beliefs.
But the pace is slow and I struggled to stay invested in the story. It’s a story totally lacking in hope.
My thanks to Netgalley and Crown Publishing for an advance copy of this book.
When a peddler shows up at a Hudson Bay Company trading post with a stone interlaced with gold veins, the outpost’s leader gets ideas about becoming rich. He sends a small party of men, both English and Northern Indian, into the tundra, the land of the Esquimaux, to find the source. But the group is a mix of egos, ill tempers and greed, and it doesn’t take long for conflict to occur. And once the first issue gets out of hand, the dominoes just continue to fall.
McGuire’s writing is beautifully descriptive and it was easy to envision each scene. As you would expect, the story is dark. I appreciated that we heard from multiple characters, not just the English but the Indians and Esquimaux. In each case, they wonder at the lack of understanding by others at how the world works, convinced of their own beliefs.
But the pace is slow and I struggled to stay invested in the story. It’s a story totally lacking in hope.
My thanks to Netgalley and Crown Publishing for an advance copy of this book.
July 12, 2025
This is a fascinating blend of fiction and history set in the winter of 1766. The story begins with a well-planned yet secret mission to obtain gold from the far north. Magnus Norton, the manager of a trading post in northern Canada, is shown a rock containing gold veins. He learns that there is an abundance of gold to be found in Ox Lake, further north, and becomes consumed by the prospect of great wealth.
Driven by his ambitions, Norton assembles a diverse group of men for the journey, including Shaw, a cruel and rough character, and Hearn, who is intelligent and honest but has no interest in the gold; he views the expedition as an adventure. Several Indigenous guides join the group, adding depth and authenticity to their journey.
As expected, the expedition is fraught with adversity and hardship, leading to disagreements among the men and even death. The story is a captivating exploration of resilience and ambition, featuring a cast of interesting and memorable characters.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.
Driven by his ambitions, Norton assembles a diverse group of men for the journey, including Shaw, a cruel and rough character, and Hearn, who is intelligent and honest but has no interest in the gold; he views the expedition as an adventure. Several Indigenous guides join the group, adding depth and authenticity to their journey.
As expected, the expedition is fraught with adversity and hardship, leading to disagreements among the men and even death. The story is a captivating exploration of resilience and ambition, featuring a cast of interesting and memorable characters.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.
September 4, 2025
This is an excellent novel! Not only the icy adventure in a white and infinite landscape has captured my attention, but the plot was brilliant in its originality and vividness: I definitely had no idea about what would happen, nor about the conclusion! The psychological development of the characters is fascinating and highly interesting... I also found very interesting to read about the Indians' customs which perfectly fit the conclusion... As to justice and fairness, it is all so subjective.... I loved it and highly recommend this novel.
I received an advance reader copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.
I received an advance reader copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
White River Crossing is a very good historical fiction read. It deals with Englishmen, Indians, Eskimos in the 1700s at a remote outpost of the Hudson Bay Company. This book does not pull any punches. It is a dark read that dives into themes of greed, toxic masculinity, prejudice, pride, and more. It is not a lighthearted read but I found myself entranced with the story. I thought the author did a great job of portraying what would be a very realistic situation during that time period. Very good book!
January 29, 2026
I would recommend this to anyone interested in trade of the 1700s Hudson Bay Company, as the book not only gives the perspective of the white men but also of the native men and women. This book is both a solid story and an interesting look into a historical period. Ian McGuire used a lot of historical sources to help build this story and you can feel the effort in the way the story is written, it feels genuine and engaging. This is not surprising considering McGuire's other chosen topics for novels, and it is nice to know he can walk the line between historical accuracy and captive storytelling.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book, I am leaving this review of my own choice.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book, I am leaving this review of my own choice.
January 28, 2026
This was a very well written dark historical piece. It brings to light the many perils and difficulties of the early times of North America. It follows a group of Englishmen from a fort in the Hudson Bay region of Canada and their interactions with several different native tribes as they search for gold. This story has many twists and turns and is very dark and full of horror. The characters are very well defined and very individualized and are seem to be very correct for the time period. It really makes you think about what life was like back then and what it most has been like to live during those times and what might be different today if we had treated the natives with a little more dignity and respect.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
White River Crossing by Ian McGuire is a historical novel set in the frozen northern wilderness of 18th-century Canada. At a remote trading post, rumours of gold drifting downriver ignites dangerous ambition within the outpost’s commander, Magnus Norton. Restless and hungry for fortune, he dispatches a small expedition into the vast, unmapped landscape to find and bring back the gold.
The expedition is made up of: John Shaw, Norton’s deputy and the expedition’s most dangerous presence. He is physically imposing, volatile, and deeply cruel; Thomas Hearn is a former sailor and reluctant participant in the expedition. He is observant, inward-looking, and more morally reflective than the others; Abel Walker, Norton's inexperienced and bookish nephew; and the Indigenous guides, Datsanthi, Pawpitch, Nebayah and Keasik, who possess the true knowledge of the land and understand it's dangers.
As the group journey north, tensions start to fray, and Shaw's arrogance and, colonial entitlement, leads to him carrying out an act of s3xual violence that has disastrous, far-reaching consequences.
This was a really interesting read and my first by this author. I initially wasn't sure as the pacing seemed a bit off and the story rushed, but I was totally invested from about halfway through. McGuire's ability to bring the vast, brutal, Canadian wilderness to life, was expertly done and I felt I was right there seeing it all.
The collection of character's represents a variety of social-political stances; Shaw is vile, and he embodies all the horrific traits of colonialism, racism and classism - he sees the land, and the indigenous people, as expendable and something to dominate. Contrasted with Datsanthi and his family, their presence highlights the imbalance of power and the arrogance of the expedition. Hearn, meanwhile, often finds himself caught between obedience and conscience, and frequently unsure of whether to intervene in Shaw's behaviour. I will say though that Shaw's character was so overtly horrible and two-dimensional, that he seemed almost like a caricature baddy, which at times made him more ridiculous than horrifying. I think it's a delicate balance to get that level of baddy right, and that was slightly off at times so perhaps wasn't quite as effective as it could have been. I also felt like more could have been made of Hearn's character.
The book touches on themes of obsession, colonialism, man vs nature, moral disintegration, isolation, and violence against minorities to name a few. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read with mostly complex characters and the story was at times shocking, sad, and inevitable. At its heart, it explores the thin line between order and chaos set against a wilderness that is vast, brutal, and unforgiving.
The expedition is made up of: John Shaw, Norton’s deputy and the expedition’s most dangerous presence. He is physically imposing, volatile, and deeply cruel; Thomas Hearn is a former sailor and reluctant participant in the expedition. He is observant, inward-looking, and more morally reflective than the others; Abel Walker, Norton's inexperienced and bookish nephew; and the Indigenous guides, Datsanthi, Pawpitch, Nebayah and Keasik, who possess the true knowledge of the land and understand it's dangers.
As the group journey north, tensions start to fray, and Shaw's arrogance and, colonial entitlement, leads to him carrying out an act of s3xual violence that has disastrous, far-reaching consequences.
This was a really interesting read and my first by this author. I initially wasn't sure as the pacing seemed a bit off and the story rushed, but I was totally invested from about halfway through. McGuire's ability to bring the vast, brutal, Canadian wilderness to life, was expertly done and I felt I was right there seeing it all.
The collection of character's represents a variety of social-political stances; Shaw is vile, and he embodies all the horrific traits of colonialism, racism and classism - he sees the land, and the indigenous people, as expendable and something to dominate. Contrasted with Datsanthi and his family, their presence highlights the imbalance of power and the arrogance of the expedition. Hearn, meanwhile, often finds himself caught between obedience and conscience, and frequently unsure of whether to intervene in Shaw's behaviour. I will say though that Shaw's character was so overtly horrible and two-dimensional, that he seemed almost like a caricature baddy, which at times made him more ridiculous than horrifying. I think it's a delicate balance to get that level of baddy right, and that was slightly off at times so perhaps wasn't quite as effective as it could have been. I also felt like more could have been made of Hearn's character.
The book touches on themes of obsession, colonialism, man vs nature, moral disintegration, isolation, and violence against minorities to name a few. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read with mostly complex characters and the story was at times shocking, sad, and inevitable. At its heart, it explores the thin line between order and chaos set against a wilderness that is vast, brutal, and unforgiving.
February 26, 2026
A fur trader arrives at an outpost of the Hudson Bay Company, and shows the Chief Factor, Magnus Norton, a lump of gold. There is plenty more, he says, at a place called Ox Lake, many miles further north. Seduced by visions of returning to England a wealthy man, Norton decides not to tell the company hierarchy, but instead to send a small expedition, under the leadership of his right-hand man, John Shaw, to check if there is truth to the story, and if so, to bring back as much gold as they can. Accompanied by Norton’s young nephew, Abel Walker, and Tom Hearn, a seaman who is kicking his heels while waiting for spring to allow ships to put to sea, Shaw sets off, guided by four Native Americans.
Primarily a wilderness adventure story, McGuire also looks at the corrupting power of colonialism – following the lead of writers such as Conrad, he suggests that that corruption affects the coloniser as much as the colonised, though in different ways. The three white men are a mixed bunch when they start out: Shaw, an arrogant man with questionable morals and a firm belief in white superiority; Abel Walker, still young and inexperienced, and driven to try to impress Shaw and, through, him, his uncle; and Hearn, once a devout believer who has come to doubt his faith, and is struggling to come to terms with himself. During the journey, an act of sexual violence will fracture the group and bring each of them to question their own and their companions’ morality, and consider where loyalty lies when power is misused.
On the whole, I enjoyed this, but I had one major reservation throughout, and that is in the depiction of the “Indians” and the Esquimaux. Let me start by saying that I felt strongly that McGuire intended to be respectful to his indigenous characters. But I felt that the culture he portrays was a construct created to support the plot, rather than the plot arising out of a genuine culture. Their belief system becomes superstition, while Hearn’s struggles with his Christian faith are given much more depth. Their lifestyle has hints of pastoral idyll, until corrupted by the white man. The elders are unambitious and fatalistic, accepting their victimhood at the hands of the white people – a rather romanticised depiction of stoicism in the face of the invader.
There were episodes where I simply didn’t believe the indigenous people behaved as they would have in real life. For example, at one point male indigenous characters wrestle for sexual possession of an already married woman. It’s central to the plot, but I found myself checking if this would have happened, and came away feeling McGuire had taken a traditional courtship ritual and turned it into something quite different and more ‘savage’, in the sense that older adventure stories often showed indigenous cultures as having inferior, rather than different, cultural practices to our own, especially relating to sex.
In his introduction, McGuire talks of the sources he used in his research, but then says: “In White River Crossing, I have absorbed and learned from the historical record but also knowingly gone beyond it: the characters and situations are compatible with the existing evidence, but since the existing evidence is partial and tells us very little about the inner lives of the people involved, I have also taken some liberties.” A hundred years ago, even fifty, this would have been considered acceptable. But is it still today? These are not extinct cultures – they have extensive oral histories and spiritual traditions that are still remembered and practised. It should be possible, I feel, to understand the ‘inner lives’ of these indigenous characters as much as those of white men of that time.
In contrast, I found the three main white characters interesting and believable. Shaw has chosen Hearn partly because he is a rather grim, solitary man, therefore unlikely to reveal the truth of their mission to the other men in the outpost. But his grimness arises out of his internal struggles with a faith he has lost but still yearns for, and this means that he has a much stricter moral code than the greed and lust-driven Shaw, which inevitably leads to tension. The younger man, Abel, is caught between them, seeing things to admire in both the older men and not mature or confident enough to stand up to either of them.
McGuire’s depiction of the trading post and those who people it is interesting and feels authentic. He writes very well, creating a real sense of tension as the expedition runs into trouble. It is a bleak story, with no humour or lightness to lift the tone, and there’s a sense of impending tragedy throughout. I was a little surprised that the depiction of the Arctic wilderness wasn’t as strong as I’d anticipated, based on the reviews of his earlier book, The North Water. This story is entirely about man against man, rather than man against nature. And ultimately it is about the white men – the indigenous characters serve to move the plot along, but it is the fate of the white men that is central. I enjoyed it as an adventure story, but I came away feeling that, with the welcome growth in ‘own voices’, perhaps we should give the ‘white view’ of indigenous cultures a rest for a while.
NB: This book was provided for review by the publisher, Simon & Schuster via NetGalley.
Primarily a wilderness adventure story, McGuire also looks at the corrupting power of colonialism – following the lead of writers such as Conrad, he suggests that that corruption affects the coloniser as much as the colonised, though in different ways. The three white men are a mixed bunch when they start out: Shaw, an arrogant man with questionable morals and a firm belief in white superiority; Abel Walker, still young and inexperienced, and driven to try to impress Shaw and, through, him, his uncle; and Hearn, once a devout believer who has come to doubt his faith, and is struggling to come to terms with himself. During the journey, an act of sexual violence will fracture the group and bring each of them to question their own and their companions’ morality, and consider where loyalty lies when power is misused.
On the whole, I enjoyed this, but I had one major reservation throughout, and that is in the depiction of the “Indians” and the Esquimaux. Let me start by saying that I felt strongly that McGuire intended to be respectful to his indigenous characters. But I felt that the culture he portrays was a construct created to support the plot, rather than the plot arising out of a genuine culture. Their belief system becomes superstition, while Hearn’s struggles with his Christian faith are given much more depth. Their lifestyle has hints of pastoral idyll, until corrupted by the white man. The elders are unambitious and fatalistic, accepting their victimhood at the hands of the white people – a rather romanticised depiction of stoicism in the face of the invader.
There were episodes where I simply didn’t believe the indigenous people behaved as they would have in real life. For example, at one point male indigenous characters wrestle for sexual possession of an already married woman. It’s central to the plot, but I found myself checking if this would have happened, and came away feeling McGuire had taken a traditional courtship ritual and turned it into something quite different and more ‘savage’, in the sense that older adventure stories often showed indigenous cultures as having inferior, rather than different, cultural practices to our own, especially relating to sex.
In his introduction, McGuire talks of the sources he used in his research, but then says: “In White River Crossing, I have absorbed and learned from the historical record but also knowingly gone beyond it: the characters and situations are compatible with the existing evidence, but since the existing evidence is partial and tells us very little about the inner lives of the people involved, I have also taken some liberties.” A hundred years ago, even fifty, this would have been considered acceptable. But is it still today? These are not extinct cultures – they have extensive oral histories and spiritual traditions that are still remembered and practised. It should be possible, I feel, to understand the ‘inner lives’ of these indigenous characters as much as those of white men of that time.
In contrast, I found the three main white characters interesting and believable. Shaw has chosen Hearn partly because he is a rather grim, solitary man, therefore unlikely to reveal the truth of their mission to the other men in the outpost. But his grimness arises out of his internal struggles with a faith he has lost but still yearns for, and this means that he has a much stricter moral code than the greed and lust-driven Shaw, which inevitably leads to tension. The younger man, Abel, is caught between them, seeing things to admire in both the older men and not mature or confident enough to stand up to either of them.
McGuire’s depiction of the trading post and those who people it is interesting and feels authentic. He writes very well, creating a real sense of tension as the expedition runs into trouble. It is a bleak story, with no humour or lightness to lift the tone, and there’s a sense of impending tragedy throughout. I was a little surprised that the depiction of the Arctic wilderness wasn’t as strong as I’d anticipated, based on the reviews of his earlier book, The North Water. This story is entirely about man against man, rather than man against nature. And ultimately it is about the white men – the indigenous characters serve to move the plot along, but it is the fate of the white men that is central. I enjoyed it as an adventure story, but I came away feeling that, with the welcome growth in ‘own voices’, perhaps we should give the ‘white view’ of indigenous cultures a rest for a while.
NB: This book was provided for review by the publisher, Simon & Schuster via NetGalley.
November 23, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
3.5
White River Crossing is set in northern Manitoba in the mid-1700s. When Magnus Norton, the chief factor of a Hudson Bay Company, outpost hears of gold to the north, he sends a group in search of it. This comprises of John Shaw, his cruel and arrogant deputy, Abel Walker, his nephew, and Thomas Hearn, a reserved and solitary mariner. They are guided by Datsanthi, a native trader, who brings along his wife Pawpitch, his adopted son Nabaya and Nabaya’s wife Keasik. The hardships of their journey go beyond simply their physical environment, and, as the promise of gold grows closer, the group must ask themselves what they are willing to sacrifice to find it.
I would recommend this novel to anyone that enjoys meticulously-researched historical fiction about people searching for their fortune against punishing landscapes. While not a gold rush text per se, this novel is similarly a cautionary tale about greed and the hierarchies of power. In terms of the setting, the first comparison that came to mind is Annie Proulx’s Barkskins: the novels share a rugged but beautiful representation of northern Canada facing colonisation. Ian McGuire’s strengths certainly laid in his prose, which captured the setting wonderfully, and was engaging throughout.
Hearn, as I think was intended, was the most interesting character. All of the white protagonists come from English colonial origin, but his background is the most unconventional, and is explored in the most detail. He also changes the most as a character throughout the novel, shaped irreversibly by the expedition. He is one of few to learn native languages, which proves successful in relations and trade, but we see this effort overshadowed by the insatiable greed and imperial violence of many others. It is impossible for him to avoid complicity in these things also, and I felt that McGuire represented that with great nuance. Some of the novel’s ‘bad’ characters, though, occasionally slip a bit too far into cartoon villainy.
My main sticking point came with Keasik, the only major female character. It isn’t inherently problematic that the text is male dominated: it is, of course, historically accurate, with women only brought on the journey for domestic tasks. However, I felt a lot of potential was missed with Keasik. It is hard to discuss without giving a lot of the plot away, but multiple life-altering things happen to her in the novel, and I couldn’t help but feel that we saw other’s perspective on it more than we saw hers. When there was a glimpse at her feelings, it was usually her worries about those around her than much consideration for herself. Perhaps the author approached her experience with caution, as a male author writing about sexual violence against a woman—I appreciate this, but I think more bravery is expected when approaching a topic like that at all. I also found her too often ‘saved’ by other characters, and wished she’d had the opportunity to liberate herself.
Ultimately, this novel was well-constructed, but didn’t excel in every area. I’ve not read McGuire’s other novels, so I can’t compare it to those, but I certainly see the talent of an established writer of historical fiction. I’d certainly try another of his.
3.5
White River Crossing is set in northern Manitoba in the mid-1700s. When Magnus Norton, the chief factor of a Hudson Bay Company, outpost hears of gold to the north, he sends a group in search of it. This comprises of John Shaw, his cruel and arrogant deputy, Abel Walker, his nephew, and Thomas Hearn, a reserved and solitary mariner. They are guided by Datsanthi, a native trader, who brings along his wife Pawpitch, his adopted son Nabaya and Nabaya’s wife Keasik. The hardships of their journey go beyond simply their physical environment, and, as the promise of gold grows closer, the group must ask themselves what they are willing to sacrifice to find it.
I would recommend this novel to anyone that enjoys meticulously-researched historical fiction about people searching for their fortune against punishing landscapes. While not a gold rush text per se, this novel is similarly a cautionary tale about greed and the hierarchies of power. In terms of the setting, the first comparison that came to mind is Annie Proulx’s Barkskins: the novels share a rugged but beautiful representation of northern Canada facing colonisation. Ian McGuire’s strengths certainly laid in his prose, which captured the setting wonderfully, and was engaging throughout.
Hearn, as I think was intended, was the most interesting character. All of the white protagonists come from English colonial origin, but his background is the most unconventional, and is explored in the most detail. He also changes the most as a character throughout the novel, shaped irreversibly by the expedition. He is one of few to learn native languages, which proves successful in relations and trade, but we see this effort overshadowed by the insatiable greed and imperial violence of many others. It is impossible for him to avoid complicity in these things also, and I felt that McGuire represented that with great nuance. Some of the novel’s ‘bad’ characters, though, occasionally slip a bit too far into cartoon villainy.
My main sticking point came with Keasik, the only major female character. It isn’t inherently problematic that the text is male dominated: it is, of course, historically accurate, with women only brought on the journey for domestic tasks. However, I felt a lot of potential was missed with Keasik. It is hard to discuss without giving a lot of the plot away, but multiple life-altering things happen to her in the novel, and I couldn’t help but feel that we saw other’s perspective on it more than we saw hers. When there was a glimpse at her feelings, it was usually her worries about those around her than much consideration for herself. Perhaps the author approached her experience with caution, as a male author writing about sexual violence against a woman—I appreciate this, but I think more bravery is expected when approaching a topic like that at all. I also found her too often ‘saved’ by other characters, and wished she’d had the opportunity to liberate herself.
Ultimately, this novel was well-constructed, but didn’t excel in every area. I’ve not read McGuire’s other novels, so I can’t compare it to those, but I certainly see the talent of an established writer of historical fiction. I’d certainly try another of his.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
McGuire writes vibrant stories set in the past. He tells of tough men dealing with difficult situations. Failure can cost them their lives. In The North Water we followed harpooner Henry Drax as he set off on a whaling ship in the 1850’s; in The Abstainer we were introduced to James O’Connor, a police officer doing battle with a gang of Fenians in mid-nineteenth century Manchester. In this latest novel we go back further in time, it’s 1766 and the place is Northern Manitoba, a remote Canadian province known as a gateway to the Arctic. We’re to follow a group of people as they set off on their own adventure, one that will surely have deadly consequences.
John Thaw is the Chief Factor of the Hudson’s Bay Company trading post. He’s closing in on what should naturally be his retirement, but he enjoys the power and greedy. However, when an opportunity falls into his lap, he spies the chance to end his time here and return to England a rich man. A passing peddler has shown him a piece of rock embedded with a vein of gold. He quickly pulls a small team together to go in search of the motherlode. The challenge is that he wants to keep this a secret from his employers, so the team is small and sworn to secrecy. Thaw’s deputy, the bombastic and bullying Magnus Norton, will lead. He’ll be supported by First Mate Tom Hearn, a quiet introspective man. They’ll be joined by Thaw’s nephew - a young bookish man – and a small support crew drawn from the indigenous population.
The catch of gold is purportedly situated some distance north, deep in an area known as the Barrens, a vast area of treeless tundra. To reach the spot the group will need to cross the White River en route. The journey alone will be a significant undertaking and it will be weeks or possibly months before they will reach the designated area. Once there they will have to not only identify the spot in which the gold is situated and undertake a highly manual process to collect and bag it, but danger will lurk in the form of the Esquimaux population, whose tolerance of Norton and his group cannot be taken for granted.
Once again, the author manages to suck me in to a tale of adventure set in a time and place totally unfamiliar to me. Theres a lot going on here: suspicion, deception, conflict, and an ongoing battle with the elements. But it’s all brought together in a masterly fashion by a writer at the top of his game. By the time I reached the end point I felt like I’d been on this desperately difficult quest along with the group. It’s a breathless, twisty tale that informed me, entertained me and left me thankful for the relatively easy existence many of us are lucky enough to experience in the modern world. I loved it.
My thanks to Simon and Schuster UK for supplying a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
John Thaw is the Chief Factor of the Hudson’s Bay Company trading post. He’s closing in on what should naturally be his retirement, but he enjoys the power and greedy. However, when an opportunity falls into his lap, he spies the chance to end his time here and return to England a rich man. A passing peddler has shown him a piece of rock embedded with a vein of gold. He quickly pulls a small team together to go in search of the motherlode. The challenge is that he wants to keep this a secret from his employers, so the team is small and sworn to secrecy. Thaw’s deputy, the bombastic and bullying Magnus Norton, will lead. He’ll be supported by First Mate Tom Hearn, a quiet introspective man. They’ll be joined by Thaw’s nephew - a young bookish man – and a small support crew drawn from the indigenous population.
The catch of gold is purportedly situated some distance north, deep in an area known as the Barrens, a vast area of treeless tundra. To reach the spot the group will need to cross the White River en route. The journey alone will be a significant undertaking and it will be weeks or possibly months before they will reach the designated area. Once there they will have to not only identify the spot in which the gold is situated and undertake a highly manual process to collect and bag it, but danger will lurk in the form of the Esquimaux population, whose tolerance of Norton and his group cannot be taken for granted.
Once again, the author manages to suck me in to a tale of adventure set in a time and place totally unfamiliar to me. Theres a lot going on here: suspicion, deception, conflict, and an ongoing battle with the elements. But it’s all brought together in a masterly fashion by a writer at the top of his game. By the time I reached the end point I felt like I’d been on this desperately difficult quest along with the group. It’s a breathless, twisty tale that informed me, entertained me and left me thankful for the relatively easy existence many of us are lucky enough to experience in the modern world. I loved it.
My thanks to Simon and Schuster UK for supplying a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 7, 2025
4.5 stars raised to 5. Many thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishers for this much-appreciated ARC.
White River Crossing is a gripping, fictional historical adventure set in the wilderness around Hudson Bay. Trading Posts had been established in the sub-Arctic Canadian area to obtain furs by trading with the northern Indian tribes and the Inuit (Eskimos). The book evokes the language and attitudes of the time, and their names for the indigenous people are now considered politically incorrect. At the time, the British considered the native people to be inferior, primitive, pagan and treacherous. Britain was involved in expanding its empire by seizing indigenous ancestral land by treaty, deceit and force.
Magnus Norton is the manager of the trading post in the story. When a peddler shows them a rock containing valuable gold and tells them that much more is to be found further north at Ox Lake, Norton is overcome by thoughts of wealth.
He organizes a small group from the trading station to retrieve the gold. Three Englishmen are selected as prospectors. These include Shaw, a harsh and brutal man, Norton's nephew, and Hearn, a quiet intellectual who is level-headed and honest. He has no interest in the gold, but regards the journey as an adventure. There are Indian guides who act as servants. The trek to Ox Lake will be a strenuous one.
One of the native guides challenges a second to wrestle to win that man's wife. Shaw also gets involved in the combat and wins her for the night. This results in much resentment among the native men and dismay and anxiety for the girl. The English are unwelcome by the Indian and Eskimo groups they meet along the way. The tribes resent their superior attitude and power, considering them untrustworthy. They retrieve the gold after much hard physical work. Norton's nephew is killed, and Shaw is injured and loses an arm. The return trek is cold and exhausting. Winter is settling in. Shaw has not recovered from his injury and struggles to keep up.
Hearn has undergone a character transformation. Shaw dies, and Hearn returns alone to the trading post. Norton is dying. Hearn lies to him about recovering the gold, details about the expedition, and how Shaw died.
Norton appoints Hearn as the new chief of the post. Hearn was never ambitious, and his promotion is resented by most of the workers. Two native men who know secrets that Hearn is hiding set up camp near the trading post and refuse to leave. Hearn has ambitions to return to England and live in style. He orders the native men to leave, and chaos ensues.
The story transports the reader to the time and place. The characters are intriguing. Highly recommended for readers who like a compelling adventure story, even one that goes wrong. Vivid descriptions about the Canadian north and believable characters add to a captivating storyline.
White River Crossing is a gripping, fictional historical adventure set in the wilderness around Hudson Bay. Trading Posts had been established in the sub-Arctic Canadian area to obtain furs by trading with the northern Indian tribes and the Inuit (Eskimos). The book evokes the language and attitudes of the time, and their names for the indigenous people are now considered politically incorrect. At the time, the British considered the native people to be inferior, primitive, pagan and treacherous. Britain was involved in expanding its empire by seizing indigenous ancestral land by treaty, deceit and force.
Magnus Norton is the manager of the trading post in the story. When a peddler shows them a rock containing valuable gold and tells them that much more is to be found further north at Ox Lake, Norton is overcome by thoughts of wealth.
He organizes a small group from the trading station to retrieve the gold. Three Englishmen are selected as prospectors. These include Shaw, a harsh and brutal man, Norton's nephew, and Hearn, a quiet intellectual who is level-headed and honest. He has no interest in the gold, but regards the journey as an adventure. There are Indian guides who act as servants. The trek to Ox Lake will be a strenuous one.
One of the native guides challenges a second to wrestle to win that man's wife. Shaw also gets involved in the combat and wins her for the night. This results in much resentment among the native men and dismay and anxiety for the girl. The English are unwelcome by the Indian and Eskimo groups they meet along the way. The tribes resent their superior attitude and power, considering them untrustworthy. They retrieve the gold after much hard physical work. Norton's nephew is killed, and Shaw is injured and loses an arm. The return trek is cold and exhausting. Winter is settling in. Shaw has not recovered from his injury and struggles to keep up.
Hearn has undergone a character transformation. Shaw dies, and Hearn returns alone to the trading post. Norton is dying. Hearn lies to him about recovering the gold, details about the expedition, and how Shaw died.
Norton appoints Hearn as the new chief of the post. Hearn was never ambitious, and his promotion is resented by most of the workers. Two native men who know secrets that Hearn is hiding set up camp near the trading post and refuse to leave. Hearn has ambitions to return to England and live in style. He orders the native men to leave, and chaos ensues.
The story transports the reader to the time and place. The characters are intriguing. Highly recommended for readers who like a compelling adventure story, even one that goes wrong. Vivid descriptions about the Canadian north and believable characters add to a captivating storyline.
December 5, 2025
Ian McGuire’s White River Crossing is a bleak, absorbing historical novel set in 1766 at a remote Hudson Bay Company outpost in the sub-Arctic north. The story begins when a destitute fur peddler arrives at the post carrying a rock veined with gold. His claim that more lies further north at a place called Ox Lake sparks an illicit expedition led by the post’s chief factor, Magnus Norton, who sees a chance for quick glory and profit. Among the party are the violent and ambitious John Shaw, the quieter and more reflective Thomas Hearn, and several Indigenous guides whose experience and knowledge make the journey possible.
As they push into deeper and harsher terrain, the expedition deteriorates. Greed frays all bonds, cultural tensions sharpen, and the brutal behaviour of some members causes irrevocable harm. The landscape becomes both setting and metaphor – vast, cold and unforgiving – and McGuire charts how each traveller is changed by violence, guilt and the long shadow of colonial ambition. By the time they struggle back toward the post, gold is the least important element of what they have uncovered.
McGuire’s writing is the great strength of the novel. His evocation of the far-northern wilderness is exceptionally vivid; you feel the bite of the wind, the pall of the sky, the weight of isolation. The sense of place is unwavering, and his prose – spare but lyrical, rhythmic without being showy – gives the novel a depth that lifts it well beyond adventure fiction.
He also stays true to what Hilary Mantel articulated in the 2017 Reith Lectures: “when you choose a novel to tell you about the past, you’re putting in brackets their historical accounts, which may or may not agree with each other and actively requesting a subjective interpretation, you’re not buying a replica or even a faithful photographic reproduction you’re buying a painting with brushstrokes left in.” McGuire’s brushstrokes are indeed left in. The novel offers a subjective, textured interpretation of colonial encounters rather than a tidy reconstruction, and it gains much of its power from that.
At the same time, the book is dark, often relentless, and the violence – physical, psychological and sexual – may be too much for some readers. For me, the novel’s strengths sit alongside its harshness, and while I admired the craft and the atmosphere, I didn’t fully connect with it on an emotional level.
A strong piece of historical fiction, beautifully written and fully grounded in its landscape.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
As they push into deeper and harsher terrain, the expedition deteriorates. Greed frays all bonds, cultural tensions sharpen, and the brutal behaviour of some members causes irrevocable harm. The landscape becomes both setting and metaphor – vast, cold and unforgiving – and McGuire charts how each traveller is changed by violence, guilt and the long shadow of colonial ambition. By the time they struggle back toward the post, gold is the least important element of what they have uncovered.
McGuire’s writing is the great strength of the novel. His evocation of the far-northern wilderness is exceptionally vivid; you feel the bite of the wind, the pall of the sky, the weight of isolation. The sense of place is unwavering, and his prose – spare but lyrical, rhythmic without being showy – gives the novel a depth that lifts it well beyond adventure fiction.
He also stays true to what Hilary Mantel articulated in the 2017 Reith Lectures: “when you choose a novel to tell you about the past, you’re putting in brackets their historical accounts, which may or may not agree with each other and actively requesting a subjective interpretation, you’re not buying a replica or even a faithful photographic reproduction you’re buying a painting with brushstrokes left in.” McGuire’s brushstrokes are indeed left in. The novel offers a subjective, textured interpretation of colonial encounters rather than a tidy reconstruction, and it gains much of its power from that.
At the same time, the book is dark, often relentless, and the violence – physical, psychological and sexual – may be too much for some readers. For me, the novel’s strengths sit alongside its harshness, and while I admired the craft and the atmosphere, I didn’t fully connect with it on an emotional level.
A strong piece of historical fiction, beautifully written and fully grounded in its landscape.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In White River Crossing, our story begins in 1766, at Prince of Wales’ Fort, a Hudson’s Bay Company Factory (in what is now northern Manitoba). A rumor that gold can be found 500 miles away reaches the ears of the boss, Magnus Norton. Norton quickly assembles a team of unlikely explorers, along with a few indigenous people, with the intention of finding exactly where this gold is, mining as much as possible, and keeping it for themselves. Not surprisingly, things don’t go as planned…
McGuire excels at characterization – each person is memorable, the dialogue feels realistic and indeed, the plot feels very realistic, although it is fiction. Since there are no contemporaneous written records from indigenous peoples, we will never know exactly how accurate the thoughts and actions of these characters are, but thanks to the great amount of research McGuire did, he succeeded in capturing the essence of how their lives could have been during this time. My favorite parts were from their points of view.
McGuire’s writing is so evocative that I felt like I was on this journey, the dread and fear increasing as more and more things went wrong. The “civilized” white men’s savagery was distressing, and magnified by their lust for gold. I did not predict where the plot would take us, and that is always a welcome surprise. A story of survival, clashing cultures, revenge, and the evil of men.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing, for letting me read this in exchange for an honest review.
McGuire excels at characterization – each person is memorable, the dialogue feels realistic and indeed, the plot feels very realistic, although it is fiction. Since there are no contemporaneous written records from indigenous peoples, we will never know exactly how accurate the thoughts and actions of these characters are, but thanks to the great amount of research McGuire did, he succeeded in capturing the essence of how their lives could have been during this time. My favorite parts were from their points of view.
McGuire’s writing is so evocative that I felt like I was on this journey, the dread and fear increasing as more and more things went wrong. The “civilized” white men’s savagery was distressing, and magnified by their lust for gold. I did not predict where the plot would take us, and that is always a welcome surprise. A story of survival, clashing cultures, revenge, and the evil of men.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing, for letting me read this in exchange for an honest review.
December 23, 2025
White River Crossing by Ian McGuire is a historical novel set in the mid-eighteenth century that follows an expedition into the northern wilderness after the discovery of gold. The story is told through shifting points of view among white men, Northern Indians, and Eskimos, allowing the novel to explore cultural conflict, ambition, and survival from multiple angles. The structure moves from careful character introductions into a steadily escalating journey shaped by environmental danger and human tension.
The novel’s pacing is deliberate, with early chapters focused on establishing relationships and power dynamics before the story broadens into movement across the land. McGuire uses detailed descriptions of landscape and weather to emphasize isolation and vulnerability, while the shifting perspectives highlight how misunderstanding and greed affect each group differently.
Once the story settled into its rhythm, I found it deeply engaging. What first felt slow became essential, as the layered viewpoints helped clarify the emotional stakes and the consequences of ambition. I appreciated that no group is portrayed as morally superior; greed, fear, and cruelty emerge across cultures, giving the novel a sense of realism and balance.
The writing is vivid and controlled, bringing both the harsh environment and the strained relationships to life. The book reminded me of The Call of the Wild or White Fang, but with a stronger focus on human conflict and interpersonal dynamics rather than survival alone. Overall, White River Crossing is a challenging and rewarding novel that examines greed, power, and cultural collision with care and depth.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crown for providing an advance copy
The novel’s pacing is deliberate, with early chapters focused on establishing relationships and power dynamics before the story broadens into movement across the land. McGuire uses detailed descriptions of landscape and weather to emphasize isolation and vulnerability, while the shifting perspectives highlight how misunderstanding and greed affect each group differently.
Once the story settled into its rhythm, I found it deeply engaging. What first felt slow became essential, as the layered viewpoints helped clarify the emotional stakes and the consequences of ambition. I appreciated that no group is portrayed as morally superior; greed, fear, and cruelty emerge across cultures, giving the novel a sense of realism and balance.
The writing is vivid and controlled, bringing both the harsh environment and the strained relationships to life. The book reminded me of The Call of the Wild or White Fang, but with a stronger focus on human conflict and interpersonal dynamics rather than survival alone. Overall, White River Crossing is a challenging and rewarding novel that examines greed, power, and cultural collision with care and depth.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crown for providing an advance copy
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGally for providing a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Ian McGuire's historical novel "White River Crossing" is a bleak story about greed and pride. Beginning at an outpost of the Hudson Bay Company in the winter of 1766, the novel follows a doomed gold hunting expedition that aims to bring back a golden treasure hidden in the barely survivable Canadian North. Led by greedy Magnus Norton, the prospectors include John Shaw, a violent man with few morals, and Thomas Hearn, a former intellectual still grappling with the loss of his family and his faith. The expedition is aided by an Indigenous family, including Dene guide Datsanthi, his peace-keeping wife Pawpitch, his volatile adopted son Nabayah, and Nabayah'syoung innocent wife Keasik. Dreams of instant riches and regained honor turn into ever worsening nightmares as the brutal arctic winter descends. Clashes between Indigenous tribes and the English colonists turn deadly, forcing former aspiring man of the cloth Thomas Hearn to make choices that can enrich him momentarily, but haunt him for the rest of his life.
The novel is fast paced and very easy to read. The tone is bleak, and starvation, death and sexual assault are common events. The characters' pride becomes biblical at times, which only makes their subsequent downfall more satisfying. However I felt the novel rushed too much from event to event, especially in the first third of the novel. To do so, there was an over-reliance on telling, and a lot of backstory was inserted rather abruptly in the narrative where it took away from the severity of the events. Had the novel taken more time to breathe, and had we followed fewer characters, I believe we may have had an even stronger novel. 3.5 stars.
Ian McGuire's historical novel "White River Crossing" is a bleak story about greed and pride. Beginning at an outpost of the Hudson Bay Company in the winter of 1766, the novel follows a doomed gold hunting expedition that aims to bring back a golden treasure hidden in the barely survivable Canadian North. Led by greedy Magnus Norton, the prospectors include John Shaw, a violent man with few morals, and Thomas Hearn, a former intellectual still grappling with the loss of his family and his faith. The expedition is aided by an Indigenous family, including Dene guide Datsanthi, his peace-keeping wife Pawpitch, his volatile adopted son Nabayah, and Nabayah'syoung innocent wife Keasik. Dreams of instant riches and regained honor turn into ever worsening nightmares as the brutal arctic winter descends. Clashes between Indigenous tribes and the English colonists turn deadly, forcing former aspiring man of the cloth Thomas Hearn to make choices that can enrich him momentarily, but haunt him for the rest of his life.
The novel is fast paced and very easy to read. The tone is bleak, and starvation, death and sexual assault are common events. The characters' pride becomes biblical at times, which only makes their subsequent downfall more satisfying. However I felt the novel rushed too much from event to event, especially in the first third of the novel. To do so, there was an over-reliance on telling, and a lot of backstory was inserted rather abruptly in the narrative where it took away from the severity of the events. Had the novel taken more time to breathe, and had we followed fewer characters, I believe we may have had an even stronger novel. 3.5 stars.
December 8, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book!
When a traveler shows up at an outpost on the edge of the Canadian wilderness with tales of hidden gold, three men and their native guides start a journey that will change all of their lives. They must face down opposing tribes, harsh weather conditions, and even, on occasion, each other, all to bring the gold back home and become rich beyond their wildest dreams.
Reading this was like watching a slow car crash, but in a good way. Even when things were slowly but steadily heading downhill, I wanted to keep coming back to see how the characters got out of situations or, in some cases, to see how bad things could get. I don’t know much about this period of time in Canada, but I did love playing Oregon Trail growing up, and I think this scratched a similar itch for me. The writing is strong and the story never seemed to drag; I don’t think there was a single scene that felt unnecessary or out of place. And some of the details are just starkly beautiful. I found myself stopping every so often to appreciate a description or to think deeper about something I had just read.
More than anything, this book made me think repeatedly of that Dostoevsky quote: “Your worst sin is that you have destroyed and betrayed yourself for nothing.” The characters are complicated and layered—sometimes sympathetic, sometimes not—and most of them, faced with the allure of gold, forget their better instincts and become more and more like the wilderness around them, harsh and cold.
When a traveler shows up at an outpost on the edge of the Canadian wilderness with tales of hidden gold, three men and their native guides start a journey that will change all of their lives. They must face down opposing tribes, harsh weather conditions, and even, on occasion, each other, all to bring the gold back home and become rich beyond their wildest dreams.
Reading this was like watching a slow car crash, but in a good way. Even when things were slowly but steadily heading downhill, I wanted to keep coming back to see how the characters got out of situations or, in some cases, to see how bad things could get. I don’t know much about this period of time in Canada, but I did love playing Oregon Trail growing up, and I think this scratched a similar itch for me. The writing is strong and the story never seemed to drag; I don’t think there was a single scene that felt unnecessary or out of place. And some of the details are just starkly beautiful. I found myself stopping every so often to appreciate a description or to think deeper about something I had just read.
More than anything, this book made me think repeatedly of that Dostoevsky quote: “Your worst sin is that you have destroyed and betrayed yourself for nothing.” The characters are complicated and layered—sometimes sympathetic, sometimes not—and most of them, faced with the allure of gold, forget their better instincts and become more and more like the wilderness around them, harsh and cold.
November 13, 2025
This was a hauntingly beautiful tale of survival and dare I say ambition gone wrong. A tale set in the 1700's at a remote outpost of the Hudson Bay Company already brings to mind pictures of struggling to survive in harsh conditions add in the hostility with the indigenous people and you are set for what was truly an amazing story. A troop of 6 set off to go find gold in an even more desolate area than where they live. The trek there comes with many challenges along the way. I loved how each member in the parties characters developed and you really get to know them. Ian McGuire paints a vivid picture not just about the landscape but the people as well. It struck me many times through this novel how difficult live was back then and how thankful we have to be each day to have technology and infrastructure like we do. Ultimately this was a tale that emphasised what greed will do to a person and what some people will do to obtain what they believe is precious.
This book will go down well with any avid historical fiction fan. It left me pondering many things afterwards and even a consideration to go see Hudson Bay.
This Paperback was sent to me by @simonschusteruk and I would like to thank them for this Advanced copy and many thanks to Ian McGuire for such a beautiful tale.
This will be released in February 2026 - keep your eyes peeled for this one - it's truly unforgettable.
This book will go down well with any avid historical fiction fan. It left me pondering many things afterwards and even a consideration to go see Hudson Bay.
This Paperback was sent to me by @simonschusteruk and I would like to thank them for this Advanced copy and many thanks to Ian McGuire for such a beautiful tale.
This will be released in February 2026 - keep your eyes peeled for this one - it's truly unforgettable.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It took me a while to be drawn into this novel that blends fact and fiction and is set in mid-eighteenth century northern Canada, but once I was invested, the story was a page turner. It is a dark tale full of scoundrels and opportunists, both among the English traders and sailors and some of the indigenous peoples they encounter.
Magnus Norton, who runs the Hudson Bay Company’s trading post, is a greedy man who learns there may be gold hundreds of miles to the north and west at Ox Lake and puts together a party to send there. The party consists of his friend Shaw, a crude, brutal man; Norton’s nephew, Walker; Hearn, a sailor, intellectual, and one-time candidate for the clergy, who keeps to himself; and an indigenous man, his son, and their wives, who are hired as guides and act as servants, hunting for food and hauling the sleds with their supplies. In the end, it is greed that undoes most of the characters.
Stellar character development even though I disliked most of the characters, but quite violent and dark, so I did not really connect with any of the characters but Hearn, who in the end was as disappointing a person as the rest.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishers for making the ARC of this historical novel available for my reading pleasure and review. It is scheduled for publication on February 24, 2026.
Magnus Norton, who runs the Hudson Bay Company’s trading post, is a greedy man who learns there may be gold hundreds of miles to the north and west at Ox Lake and puts together a party to send there. The party consists of his friend Shaw, a crude, brutal man; Norton’s nephew, Walker; Hearn, a sailor, intellectual, and one-time candidate for the clergy, who keeps to himself; and an indigenous man, his son, and their wives, who are hired as guides and act as servants, hunting for food and hauling the sleds with their supplies. In the end, it is greed that undoes most of the characters.
Stellar character development even though I disliked most of the characters, but quite violent and dark, so I did not really connect with any of the characters but Hearn, who in the end was as disappointing a person as the rest.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishers for making the ARC of this historical novel available for my reading pleasure and review. It is scheduled for publication on February 24, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
White River Crossing is the newest book by The North Water author, Ian McGuire. I actually finally got around to my long-neglected copy of the North Water (which is excellent) recently and so was thrilled to win an ARC of White River Crossing. Thank you to Crown Publishing for hosting the giveaway.
Returning to the northern wilds of the subArctic, this time the Hudson Bay Company in 1799. Whispers of the possibility of gold sets off a series of increasingly catastrophic events, from which heartbreak and destruction follow.
To start, McGuire’s historical writing is excellent and if you like his style, you will also like this. I find his ability to create realistic characters and complex, intertwining relationships to be the strongest aspect of his writing. The story and characters follow many of the story beats of North Water, but in a much less claustrophobic environment (likely due to take place in open spaces vs a ship), which I think steps the overall tension back half a step. To be clear: this is an excellent book on its own, but it’s also hard to not compare. I highly recommend this for fans of McGuire’s work, historical fiction (especially darker historical fiction), and people who enjoy complex character work.
Returning to the northern wilds of the subArctic, this time the Hudson Bay Company in 1799. Whispers of the possibility of gold sets off a series of increasingly catastrophic events, from which heartbreak and destruction follow.
To start, McGuire’s historical writing is excellent and if you like his style, you will also like this. I find his ability to create realistic characters and complex, intertwining relationships to be the strongest aspect of his writing. The story and characters follow many of the story beats of North Water, but in a much less claustrophobic environment (likely due to take place in open spaces vs a ship), which I think steps the overall tension back half a step. To be clear: this is an excellent book on its own, but it’s also hard to not compare. I highly recommend this for fans of McGuire’s work, historical fiction (especially darker historical fiction), and people who enjoy complex character work.
October 9, 2025
A haunting historical fiction novel that probes the depths of humanity and consequence.
White River Crossing is an 18th century story of English fur traders in North America and their relationship with Native Americans, as well as each other. When a tale of gold in the land across the White River reaches the table of Magnus Norton, the head of the trading company post, an unlikely team is formed and sent to locate and retrieve the precious metal. What follows is a story of survival, discourse and revenge.
The book truly shines when it comes to the actions and interactions of the characters and differing cultures along the way. And especially through the eyes and development of the introspective and enlightened central character, Tom Hearn. The intense journey takes its toll in many ways.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to anyone that is a fan of survival/historical fiction set in the times of early European settlement of the Americas. It’s been many years since I’ve read The Revenant, but it’s difficult to not draw the comparison. Not a bad one to be mentioned alongside by any means.
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- @hathmortal
White River Crossing is an 18th century story of English fur traders in North America and their relationship with Native Americans, as well as each other. When a tale of gold in the land across the White River reaches the table of Magnus Norton, the head of the trading company post, an unlikely team is formed and sent to locate and retrieve the precious metal. What follows is a story of survival, discourse and revenge.
The book truly shines when it comes to the actions and interactions of the characters and differing cultures along the way. And especially through the eyes and development of the introspective and enlightened central character, Tom Hearn. The intense journey takes its toll in many ways.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to anyone that is a fan of survival/historical fiction set in the times of early European settlement of the Americas. It’s been many years since I’ve read The Revenant, but it’s difficult to not draw the comparison. Not a bad one to be mentioned alongside by any means.
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- @hathmortal
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
Not my favorite McGuire. Its an interesting historical fiction setting but I'm left wanting on a lot of elements.
This lacks the suspense/thriller elements of The North Water and The Abstainer. Part One is the strongest part of this new novel, but unfortunately after Part One is when McGuire started to lose me. Unlike his previous works, there isn't as central of a protagonist. I figured he would land on Hearn but the more I read the less I liked Hearn's setup; he's probably the least interesting personality overall. I found myself wayyy more enticed by characters like Abel Walker and the Natives/Esquimaux. McGuire rarely delves too much into female POVs but I loved the dynamics between Keasik and Nabayah, and Nabayah felt more like a typical McGuire protagonist, not the Englishmen. In a lot of ways, I wish McGuire had committed to making the Native American POVs the focus of this work; it makes sense for the setting and it would've been an interesting deviation from how he incorporated Natives in The North Water.
My minor grievances aside, it's not a bad read and I'm definitely interested in seeing more from this author.
Not my favorite McGuire. Its an interesting historical fiction setting but I'm left wanting on a lot of elements.
This lacks the suspense/thriller elements of The North Water and The Abstainer. Part One is the strongest part of this new novel, but unfortunately after Part One is when McGuire started to lose me. Unlike his previous works, there isn't as central of a protagonist. I figured he would land on Hearn but the more I read the less I liked Hearn's setup; he's probably the least interesting personality overall. I found myself wayyy more enticed by characters like Abel Walker and the Natives/Esquimaux. McGuire rarely delves too much into female POVs but I loved the dynamics between Keasik and Nabayah, and Nabayah felt more like a typical McGuire protagonist, not the Englishmen. In a lot of ways, I wish McGuire had committed to making the Native American POVs the focus of this work; it makes sense for the setting and it would've been an interesting deviation from how he incorporated Natives in The North Water.
My minor grievances aside, it's not a bad read and I'm definitely interested in seeing more from this author.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
In White River Crossing, Ian McGuire uses a quest for treasure as a symbol of colonialist expansion and exploitation in 1766 Canada and portrays how the selfish pursuit of wealth can lead to irrational behaviour, corruption and violent self-preservation.
When a fur pedlar turns up at a Hudson’s Bay Company outpost with a tantalising gold-seamed rock sample, Chief Factor Norton seizes the opportunity to indulge in some off the book trading. He assembles a small group who can be trusted to keep quiet about the true nature of their expedition heading 600 miles north to the Barren Grounds in the Arctic tundra. Norton’s flinty and callous deputy John Shaw, the epitome of colonialist arrogance and sense of entitlement, is accompanied by the introspective Thomas Hearn and Norton’s nephew, Abel Walker, a callow young man. A family of Northern Indians is inveigled to act as the team’s guides.
The story recounts the party’s interactions with communities of Indians and esquimaux they happen across on their journey, and the sometimes-disastrous consequences the white men’s decisions and actions have on each other, their guides and the local people they encounter.
The narrative takes the reader on an adventure into the harshest of terrains where the stark beauty of the landscape is described in cinematic prose. Most of the story is told from the Britons’ perspective. We are given significant insight into Hearn’s backstory but have to take Shaw and Walker much as we find them. One passage in which McGuire describes an esquimaux shaman exorcizing a malevolent spirit from a boy is particularly vivid and memorable, and I would have happily traded some of the pacy cut and thrust action for more considered exploration of the indigenous peoples’ motivations.
White River Crossing is a propulsive historical fiction of settlers and frontiersmen which examines the fallout from their supercilious disregard for the cultural differences with the people from whose land they sought to plunder great riches. It is also a cautionary tale of how the fusion of greed and the survival instinct can distort reality and decimate decency.
My thanks to Scribner UK for a gifted copy.
When a fur pedlar turns up at a Hudson’s Bay Company outpost with a tantalising gold-seamed rock sample, Chief Factor Norton seizes the opportunity to indulge in some off the book trading. He assembles a small group who can be trusted to keep quiet about the true nature of their expedition heading 600 miles north to the Barren Grounds in the Arctic tundra. Norton’s flinty and callous deputy John Shaw, the epitome of colonialist arrogance and sense of entitlement, is accompanied by the introspective Thomas Hearn and Norton’s nephew, Abel Walker, a callow young man. A family of Northern Indians is inveigled to act as the team’s guides.
The story recounts the party’s interactions with communities of Indians and esquimaux they happen across on their journey, and the sometimes-disastrous consequences the white men’s decisions and actions have on each other, their guides and the local people they encounter.
The narrative takes the reader on an adventure into the harshest of terrains where the stark beauty of the landscape is described in cinematic prose. Most of the story is told from the Britons’ perspective. We are given significant insight into Hearn’s backstory but have to take Shaw and Walker much as we find them. One passage in which McGuire describes an esquimaux shaman exorcizing a malevolent spirit from a boy is particularly vivid and memorable, and I would have happily traded some of the pacy cut and thrust action for more considered exploration of the indigenous peoples’ motivations.
White River Crossing is a propulsive historical fiction of settlers and frontiersmen which examines the fallout from their supercilious disregard for the cultural differences with the people from whose land they sought to plunder great riches. It is also a cautionary tale of how the fusion of greed and the survival instinct can distort reality and decimate decency.
My thanks to Scribner UK for a gifted copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a dark and gritty historical fiction novel that puts you in the middle of the desperation of man.
When a rock containing gold veins is placed in front of Hudson Bay Companies Canadian trading post manager, Magnus Norton, he starts plotting his way to wealth. Alongside several workers and indigenous peoples they are off on a mission to find gold in the brutal Canadian north where the true colors of man will show.
This book is well researched. McGuire used historical documents to put the storyline together and I appreciate the facts. I also really enjoyed the fact that this wasn't just told by the white men, the indigenous and women were voiced as well (though I felt the woman. Keasik's, voice was still too stifled.)
McGuire's writing is phenomenal and you are transported into the story. It is gruesome, though. The violence is real and brutal in description. So sensitive readers beware.
White River Crossing is a cautionary tale of greed, power, and prejudices. I definitely recommend to all Historical Fiction lovers.
Thank you NetGalley and publishers for an ARC of this novel.
When a rock containing gold veins is placed in front of Hudson Bay Companies Canadian trading post manager, Magnus Norton, he starts plotting his way to wealth. Alongside several workers and indigenous peoples they are off on a mission to find gold in the brutal Canadian north where the true colors of man will show.
This book is well researched. McGuire used historical documents to put the storyline together and I appreciate the facts. I also really enjoyed the fact that this wasn't just told by the white men, the indigenous and women were voiced as well (though I felt the woman. Keasik's, voice was still too stifled.)
McGuire's writing is phenomenal and you are transported into the story. It is gruesome, though. The violence is real and brutal in description. So sensitive readers beware.
White River Crossing is a cautionary tale of greed, power, and prejudices. I definitely recommend to all Historical Fiction lovers.
Thank you NetGalley and publishers for an ARC of this novel.
November 12, 2025
Wanted to state up front that I got access to an advanced reader copy through NetGalley. Appreciate the chance to read this early and can firmly attest that the opinions here are entirely my own.
That said, this was a bit of a disappointment for me. I was a huge fan of McGuire's past novels and re-read both of them in anticipation of White River Crossing coming out. Maybe that played a role in this feeling like a step back, though?
To put it simply, this doesn't measure up to the incredible atmosphere and characterization that McGuire was able to conjure up in The North Water and The Abstainer. I kept being surprised by how little description we got of the setting, when that was something McGuire did amazing work with in his prior novels, and kept thinking the characters were too thinly drawn to be compelling. The final denouement is good, but it doesn't land with the gravity that I think was intended because the previous 250 pages didn't build effectively.
That said, this was a bit of a disappointment for me. I was a huge fan of McGuire's past novels and re-read both of them in anticipation of White River Crossing coming out. Maybe that played a role in this feeling like a step back, though?
To put it simply, this doesn't measure up to the incredible atmosphere and characterization that McGuire was able to conjure up in The North Water and The Abstainer. I kept being surprised by how little description we got of the setting, when that was something McGuire did amazing work with in his prior novels, and kept thinking the characters were too thinly drawn to be compelling. The final denouement is good, but it doesn't land with the gravity that I think was intended because the previous 250 pages didn't build effectively.
July 5, 2025
Oh, this is a perfect example of best laid plans gone astray, what goes around comes around and what lies, and cheating will get you.
This is a great read, you take an adventure with a group of 6 to go north to find gold but you want the mission to stay quiet. The writing is great, poetic in fact and the descriptions make you feel as if you are with them on the voyage.
We meet several memorable characters, Hearn and Shaw are the men chosen to lead the team. Both are a bit odd, and then several Indians are hired to lead the way. Each has a story to tell, and the author does not disappoint. The Indian superstitions are a great part of the tale too which adds depth.
I found this to be a high 5 star read and I truly enjoyed the story.
This is my own opinion expressed in this review. Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing.
This is a great read, you take an adventure with a group of 6 to go north to find gold but you want the mission to stay quiet. The writing is great, poetic in fact and the descriptions make you feel as if you are with them on the voyage.
We meet several memorable characters, Hearn and Shaw are the men chosen to lead the team. Both are a bit odd, and then several Indians are hired to lead the way. Each has a story to tell, and the author does not disappoint. The Indian superstitions are a great part of the tale too which adds depth.
I found this to be a high 5 star read and I truly enjoyed the story.
This is my own opinion expressed in this review. Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing.
October 10, 2025
This is a review of white river crossing by Ian McGuire. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Shuster UK for ARC.
This is a book of historical fiction set in 1776 around the Hudson Bay Area of Canada. depicting the expedition to search for an alleged source of gold in the far northern “Barren Grounds”. The author bases the tale in real life accounts: however notes that written sources are inevitably made by white men, with no recorded history by the 3 local groups of native Americans available to consult. Therefore this should be regarded as a work of fiction rather than history.
The main protagonists are a small party of native Americans and incomers, namely John Shaw ( a fur trader), Tom Hearn (a whaler), Abel Walker ( fur trader), Datsanthi ( a Northern Indian the men trade with) his wife Pawpitch, his adopted son Nabayah and Nabayah’s wife Keasik.
The group set off in February aiming to reach the northern lands by the summer. The trip is somewhat doomed and the retelling forms the bulk of the book. What follows is fascinating in terms of cultural history and compelling in terms of well developed characters. Moving along at pace, whilst allowing the isolation of the party and the dangers that face them real depth.
I loved this as much as Ian McGuire’s previous writing and would highly recommend it.
This is a book of historical fiction set in 1776 around the Hudson Bay Area of Canada. depicting the expedition to search for an alleged source of gold in the far northern “Barren Grounds”. The author bases the tale in real life accounts: however notes that written sources are inevitably made by white men, with no recorded history by the 3 local groups of native Americans available to consult. Therefore this should be regarded as a work of fiction rather than history.
The main protagonists are a small party of native Americans and incomers, namely John Shaw ( a fur trader), Tom Hearn (a whaler), Abel Walker ( fur trader), Datsanthi ( a Northern Indian the men trade with) his wife Pawpitch, his adopted son Nabayah and Nabayah’s wife Keasik.
The group set off in February aiming to reach the northern lands by the summer. The trip is somewhat doomed and the retelling forms the bulk of the book. What follows is fascinating in terms of cultural history and compelling in terms of well developed characters. Moving along at pace, whilst allowing the isolation of the party and the dangers that face them real depth.
I loved this as much as Ian McGuire’s previous writing and would highly recommend it.
September 24, 2025
(Note: I received an advanced reader copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley)
McQuire’s writing possesses a straightforward bluntness that has little time with frivolities and unapologetically no hesitation for exploring the darker side of humanity. Right from the start of the book, long before the core characters left on their fateful expedition journal, he establishes a baseline tense, unsettling mood that never lets up.
I feel like on paper, White River Crossing should not be my kind of book. However, the aforementioned ended up leading to a surprisingly gripping, atmospheric historical fiction read that was genuinely hard to put aside for long before I had to pick it up again.
McQuire’s writing possesses a straightforward bluntness that has little time with frivolities and unapologetically no hesitation for exploring the darker side of humanity. Right from the start of the book, long before the core characters left on their fateful expedition journal, he establishes a baseline tense, unsettling mood that never lets up.
I feel like on paper, White River Crossing should not be my kind of book. However, the aforementioned ended up leading to a surprisingly gripping, atmospheric historical fiction read that was genuinely hard to put aside for long before I had to pick it up again.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
1766
A journey begins into the wilderness by the Hudson Bay Company fueled by greed and the promise of untapped gold. A vein of gold found in a hunk of quartz whose location is known by the native people is all it takes for this group to come into far North Canada with the promise of fair trade with the natives. Of course greed from both parties wins over fairness and the seeds of distrust are planted. Violence mixed with moments of calm this is a look at power struggles, gold fever, revenge and the unfair treatment of those deemed inferior especially women. Readers of THE COMPANY by Stephen R. Bown, Ian McGuire's first book and HOW MUCH THESE HILLS ARE GOLD will enjoy. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
A journey begins into the wilderness by the Hudson Bay Company fueled by greed and the promise of untapped gold. A vein of gold found in a hunk of quartz whose location is known by the native people is all it takes for this group to come into far North Canada with the promise of fair trade with the natives. Of course greed from both parties wins over fairness and the seeds of distrust are planted. Violence mixed with moments of calm this is a look at power struggles, gold fever, revenge and the unfair treatment of those deemed inferior especially women. Readers of THE COMPANY by Stephen R. Bown, Ian McGuire's first book and HOW MUCH THESE HILLS ARE GOLD will enjoy. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I really didn’t expect this book to get under my skin as much as it did.
White River Crossing is set in the Canadian sub-Arctic and follows an 18th-century expedition chasing rumours of gold and from very early on, you can feel that things are not going to end well.
Ian McGuire has such a sharp, immersive writing style. The landscape feels harsh and unforgiving, and the tension just keeps building as ambition and greed start to take over. It’s bleak, intense and often uncomfortable, but completely gripping.
If you enjoyed The North Water, this definitely has that same cold, visceral atmosphere, the kind of book that makes you feel chilled even when you’re reading indoors.
Thanks to S&S UK for the advanced copy.
White River Crossing is set in the Canadian sub-Arctic and follows an 18th-century expedition chasing rumours of gold and from very early on, you can feel that things are not going to end well.
Ian McGuire has such a sharp, immersive writing style. The landscape feels harsh and unforgiving, and the tension just keeps building as ambition and greed start to take over. It’s bleak, intense and often uncomfortable, but completely gripping.
If you enjoyed The North Water, this definitely has that same cold, visceral atmosphere, the kind of book that makes you feel chilled even when you’re reading indoors.
Thanks to S&S UK for the advanced copy.
July 12, 2025
Whoa. This was a gritty, intense novel filled with violence, raw ambition, and the harsh realities of racism and sexism inter and intra-culturally among the Indians and English alike.. McGuire writes unapologetically, exploring the extreme lengths men would go to in pursuit of wealth. Throughout the book, I felt a constant undercurrent of masculinity—his characters and their actions felt strikingly real and tangible. While the novel touches on a deeper philosophical question—are our lives driven by destiny or shaped by free will—it primarily tells a brutal story of the Indian-English trade, the extreme conditions of the time, and the ruthless will to survive.
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