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The Pillagers' Guide to Arctic Pianos
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Expected 12 May 26Win a free print copy of this book!
11 days and 10:32:00
20 copies available
U.S. only
For readers of Karen Russell, Maggie Shipstead, and Eowyn Ivey, an exuberant, highly imaginative epic about a family that settles, against all odds, in the far reaches of the Arctic and the unexpected industry that keeps them afloat for generations.
In the far reaches of the Territory of the Arctic, the Spahr family lives on a fjord accessible only by kayak and float plane, in a landscape rapidly changing as glaciers melt and sea levels rise. Their home is Jubilation House, aptly they are a family of free spirit and full-hearted love, descendants of the homesteaders who came to this place in a reckless scheme to civilize the Glacial Front. They live off the grid in a converted fisherman's shack, selling pickled octopus and sea crops, barely scraping by. With every day, their livelihood seems ever more precarious.
Then one of their few neighbors dredges up a centuries-old piano, a vestige from the original homesteading expedition, when every family was required to haul a six-hundred-pound instrument as a sign of mannerly society—almost none made it to their final destination. Now, this intricately carved beauty has emerged, perfectly preserved from the frigid Arctic waters, and the antique treasure becomes a priceless collectors’ item. A new economic boom seizes the territory—piano hunting—and the Spahrs throw themselves into the quest with full-throated aplomb. But the costs of their possible salvation soon begin to mount.
The Pillagers' Guide to Arctic Pianos travels through generations, backward to the Spahrs’ homesteader origins and forward to their descendants, eccentrics and optimists all. In a voice as buoyant and vibrant as the characters themselves, Kendra Langford Shaw gives us an unforgettable and inventive ode to the abiding love of family and pull of home, even as the home we love becomes ever more challenging to inhabit.
In the far reaches of the Territory of the Arctic, the Spahr family lives on a fjord accessible only by kayak and float plane, in a landscape rapidly changing as glaciers melt and sea levels rise. Their home is Jubilation House, aptly they are a family of free spirit and full-hearted love, descendants of the homesteaders who came to this place in a reckless scheme to civilize the Glacial Front. They live off the grid in a converted fisherman's shack, selling pickled octopus and sea crops, barely scraping by. With every day, their livelihood seems ever more precarious.
Then one of their few neighbors dredges up a centuries-old piano, a vestige from the original homesteading expedition, when every family was required to haul a six-hundred-pound instrument as a sign of mannerly society—almost none made it to their final destination. Now, this intricately carved beauty has emerged, perfectly preserved from the frigid Arctic waters, and the antique treasure becomes a priceless collectors’ item. A new economic boom seizes the territory—piano hunting—and the Spahrs throw themselves into the quest with full-throated aplomb. But the costs of their possible salvation soon begin to mount.
The Pillagers' Guide to Arctic Pianos travels through generations, backward to the Spahrs’ homesteader origins and forward to their descendants, eccentrics and optimists all. In a voice as buoyant and vibrant as the characters themselves, Kendra Langford Shaw gives us an unforgettable and inventive ode to the abiding love of family and pull of home, even as the home we love becomes ever more challenging to inhabit.
- GenresFictionLiterary Fiction
304 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication May 12, 2026
5816 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 9, 2025
ambitny pomysł – arktyczna saga o rodzinie, zatopionych fortepianach i topniejącym świecie, gdzie przeszłość dosłownie wynurza się spod lodu
momentami to działa: klimat, język, wszystkie szczegóły tej osobliwej codzienności. tylko że im dalej, tym bardziej wszystko się rozpada – fabuła tonie w melodramacie (zaczęło mocno zajeżdżać kristin hannah), logika w chaosie (to przyszłość? alternatywna rzeczywistość? czy prawa fizyki istnieją?), a świat w jakiejś dziwnej kolonialnej amnezji (kompletny brak świadomości, że „native settlers” to oksymoron, zwłaszcza w amerykańskim kontekście)
potencjał ogromny, ale potrzebny byłby konkretny i nieustraszony redaktor
momentami to działa: klimat, język, wszystkie szczegóły tej osobliwej codzienności. tylko że im dalej, tym bardziej wszystko się rozpada – fabuła tonie w melodramacie (zaczęło mocno zajeżdżać kristin hannah), logika w chaosie (to przyszłość? alternatywna rzeczywistość? czy prawa fizyki istnieją?), a świat w jakiejś dziwnej kolonialnej amnezji (kompletny brak świadomości, że „native settlers” to oksymoron, zwłaszcza w amerykańskim kontekście)
potencjał ogromny, ale potrzebny byłby konkretny i nieustraszony redaktor
October 12, 2025
I was drawn to this book because of the quirky concept of hunting pianos in the arctic. Usually I stray away from multi-generational novels but this one was an absolute delicacy. I loved the build-up of Arctic culture, as it reminded me a lot of Little House on the Prairie meets Hillbilly Elegy meets—obviously—the Arctic. Farming sea crops and raising octopus as livestock was an immersive experience. And of course, every character having semi-aquatic lifestyles was beautifully rendered across the page. Each character was created with such care, it was hard to let them go, especially when tragedy struck. I loved the pianofortes as a through line throughout each generation—from the founders who brought them to the descendants who hunted, restored, and sold them. I will be keeping an eye out for more from this author.
October 3, 2025
"Piano keys. The ivory spine of the Arctic."
Because I read so many Arctic expedition books, I'm uniquely interested in any book that references this area of the world. So imagine my surprise when I was halfheartedly browsing NetGalley and found a fiction book about a homesteading family in the Arctic making a living by selling piano parts, a quirky concept right my my wheelhouse. I wasn't quite sure what I was getting into, especially since generational family dramas aren't usually my cup of tea, but I came away from this book incredibly impressed with what I read.
The Spahr family has been homesteading off the grid in the Arctic since their ancestor, Moose, was dragged there reluctantly by his father wanting a better (read: more independent) life for them. At the time, cheap, productive land was promised to anyone willing to make the journey to claim it--provided you're willing to lug an upright piano along. The thinking was a piano meant civility, creativity, a mark of worth, so any family wanting to make this journey to create what was envisioned as an artistic community of like-minded people needed to purchase one and bring it along. So part of this book covers Moose, his family, and the others in their caravan north, and his trials along the way. The other part of this book centers around Milda, Finlay, Temperance, and their parents, descendants of Moose, scratching out a living from Jubilation House, their shelter in the Arctic. While they make a meagre living from what they harvest (octopus, kelp, various plants), What really sets their family on its fateful trajectory is the discovery of a discarded piano. The bulk of this book covers the various family members and how they approach this new industry of the Arctic, the reclamation of piano parts.
I'm gonna save you a Google, because the concept of the book was just plausible enough to make me wonder if the lugging of a piano to the Arctic was an actual thing in history. It is not, as best I can tell.
I don't normally get fully into generational dramas, but something about the Spahr family really had me interested to see how the family ended up. This story is told through chapters involving Moose (the Spahrs' ancestor), and then chapters involving various POVs from the Spahrs and (later) other families that survived. Moose's story is told fragmentally, so you don't get his conclusion until the end of the book, but I appreciated seeing various "clues" along the way from later on.
I got really invested in Milda and Finlay specifically, because (mild character motivations here) . I liked Moose's POV as well, as we get to know the various families that play a part later in the book. I felt really bad for him, swept up as he was by a father who thought he knew best. I wasn't quite as in love with the later POVs, they felt not quite as established as the Spahrs, but I appreciated that they carried the story along to its end and had a purpose.
Really enjoyed this book. Tugs at the heartstrings something terrible as it goes along (MAJOR PLOT SPOILER: ), well written, just a unique story I wasn't sure what to expect going in.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a free eBook in exchange for an honest review.
Because I read so many Arctic expedition books, I'm uniquely interested in any book that references this area of the world. So imagine my surprise when I was halfheartedly browsing NetGalley and found a fiction book about a homesteading family in the Arctic making a living by selling piano parts, a quirky concept right my my wheelhouse. I wasn't quite sure what I was getting into, especially since generational family dramas aren't usually my cup of tea, but I came away from this book incredibly impressed with what I read.
The Spahr family has been homesteading off the grid in the Arctic since their ancestor, Moose, was dragged there reluctantly by his father wanting a better (read: more independent) life for them. At the time, cheap, productive land was promised to anyone willing to make the journey to claim it--provided you're willing to lug an upright piano along. The thinking was a piano meant civility, creativity, a mark of worth, so any family wanting to make this journey to create what was envisioned as an artistic community of like-minded people needed to purchase one and bring it along. So part of this book covers Moose, his family, and the others in their caravan north, and his trials along the way. The other part of this book centers around Milda, Finlay, Temperance, and their parents, descendants of Moose, scratching out a living from Jubilation House, their shelter in the Arctic. While they make a meagre living from what they harvest (octopus, kelp, various plants), What really sets their family on its fateful trajectory is the discovery of a discarded piano. The bulk of this book covers the various family members and how they approach this new industry of the Arctic, the reclamation of piano parts.
I'm gonna save you a Google, because the concept of the book was just plausible enough to make me wonder if the lugging of a piano to the Arctic was an actual thing in history. It is not, as best I can tell.
I don't normally get fully into generational dramas, but something about the Spahr family really had me interested to see how the family ended up. This story is told through chapters involving Moose (the Spahrs' ancestor), and then chapters involving various POVs from the Spahrs and (later) other families that survived. Moose's story is told fragmentally, so you don't get his conclusion until the end of the book, but I appreciated seeing various "clues" along the way from later on.
I got really invested in Milda and Finlay specifically, because (mild character motivations here) . I liked Moose's POV as well, as we get to know the various families that play a part later in the book. I felt really bad for him, swept up as he was by a father who thought he knew best. I wasn't quite as in love with the later POVs, they felt not quite as established as the Spahrs, but I appreciated that they carried the story along to its end and had a purpose.
Really enjoyed this book. Tugs at the heartstrings something terrible as it goes along (MAJOR PLOT SPOILER: ), well written, just a unique story I wasn't sure what to expect going in.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a free eBook in exchange for an honest review.
January 6, 2026
my imagination feels stretched like a big balloon (complimentary)
the sheer inundation of characters and timelines dilutes the story a tad, but it’s beautiful
the sheer inundation of characters and timelines dilutes the story a tad, but it’s beautiful
November 30, 2025
The publisher’s description of this book states that it is for fans of Karen Russell. Since I have read and enjoyed two of Russell’s books, I decided to give it a try. Kendra Langford Shaw does indeed treat the human condition similarly to the way Russel does. The storyline and preposterous situations also remind me of Russel. The novel begins with the introduction of a contemporary family living off the grid in the remote Territory of the Arctic. Finley, nine-year-old son of Viola and Frye Spahr, almost drowns while trying to retrieve a piano from Disillusionment Bay. Early in the novel, Viola, the pilot of the floatplane that provides income for the family, dies and leaves her husband and three children, Finley, Milda, and Temperance, to care for each other as well as their sinking home and their octopuses, sea lions, and other local resources used for food and trade.
Little makes sense until we learn that the first settlers of the area, who came with promises of land guaranteed by the Homestead Act, traveled with their valuable pianos. The piano represents the cultural refinement that homesteaders had hoped to bring to their new homes. Pianos can also represent the range of human emotions: joy, sorrow, hope, and more, with a variety of dynamics, tempos, pitches, and intensities. The pianos also served as storage areas and beds, and they survived for years in the frigid waters of the Arctic. Shaw is great at combining historical events, such as the Homestead Act, with creative situations, like transporting pianos as they blaze paths across arctic lands. Her story covers multiple generations of families who have hopes and aspirations for a better life while navigating changing landscapes, past, present, and future.
Besides the prominent storylines, which include the perspectives of the early settlers, Shaw masterfully invites the reader to examine human nature and the motivations behind the basic hunter-gatherer disposition, possibly the very fabric of humanity. There is a line in the book that supposes that Old Testament scribes were perhaps the earliest homesteaders. One storyline focuses more on the first settlers and their primal search for the promised land. The reader can sympathize with the pain of a boy named Moose as he trudges along, trying to meet the expectations of the men on the journey, as they face increasingly treacherous terrain. There are plenty of religious allusions, and a significant element of the narrative centers on a family building a church, preaching, and then welcoming back a prodigal brother. And of course, the contemporary family and its descendants are choosing to hunt abalone, kelp, and octopuses for nourishment.
Shaw employs much symbolism in the names she gives to the characters, the land, and, of course, the pianos. Two of the fortepianos (pianos made before 1830) were named Napoleon and Ahab—names after two extraordinarily ambitious characters, one real and one fictional, whose hubris leads to tragedy. There is a Mayflower family choir in the religious storyline, as well as the Resurrection Mountains and Jubilation House. The music metaphors are also sprinkled throughout the text. Music would elevate the land to a homeland worth having, and there was a melody of routine and a symphony of life. Of course, all of this aligns with the overarching message of climate change, rising tides, and rapid environmental change. The multiple generations of family members are painfully aware that the earth is changing before their eyes, and they react differently to the values of nature, family, and subsistence.
See my reviews at
https://quipsandquotes.net/2025/11/29...
Little makes sense until we learn that the first settlers of the area, who came with promises of land guaranteed by the Homestead Act, traveled with their valuable pianos. The piano represents the cultural refinement that homesteaders had hoped to bring to their new homes. Pianos can also represent the range of human emotions: joy, sorrow, hope, and more, with a variety of dynamics, tempos, pitches, and intensities. The pianos also served as storage areas and beds, and they survived for years in the frigid waters of the Arctic. Shaw is great at combining historical events, such as the Homestead Act, with creative situations, like transporting pianos as they blaze paths across arctic lands. Her story covers multiple generations of families who have hopes and aspirations for a better life while navigating changing landscapes, past, present, and future.
Besides the prominent storylines, which include the perspectives of the early settlers, Shaw masterfully invites the reader to examine human nature and the motivations behind the basic hunter-gatherer disposition, possibly the very fabric of humanity. There is a line in the book that supposes that Old Testament scribes were perhaps the earliest homesteaders. One storyline focuses more on the first settlers and their primal search for the promised land. The reader can sympathize with the pain of a boy named Moose as he trudges along, trying to meet the expectations of the men on the journey, as they face increasingly treacherous terrain. There are plenty of religious allusions, and a significant element of the narrative centers on a family building a church, preaching, and then welcoming back a prodigal brother. And of course, the contemporary family and its descendants are choosing to hunt abalone, kelp, and octopuses for nourishment.
Shaw employs much symbolism in the names she gives to the characters, the land, and, of course, the pianos. Two of the fortepianos (pianos made before 1830) were named Napoleon and Ahab—names after two extraordinarily ambitious characters, one real and one fictional, whose hubris leads to tragedy. There is a Mayflower family choir in the religious storyline, as well as the Resurrection Mountains and Jubilation House. The music metaphors are also sprinkled throughout the text. Music would elevate the land to a homeland worth having, and there was a melody of routine and a symphony of life. Of course, all of this aligns with the overarching message of climate change, rising tides, and rapid environmental change. The multiple generations of family members are painfully aware that the earth is changing before their eyes, and they react differently to the values of nature, family, and subsistence.
See my reviews at
https://quipsandquotes.net/2025/11/29...
September 28, 2025
ARC - will review later
Thank you NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for the advanced readers copy of The Pillagers' Guide to Arctic Pianos.
The Pillagers' Guide to Arctic Pianos spans generations, weaving together past and future in a richly imagined Arctic setting where love, loss, and legacy collide in unexpected ways. This exuberant and imaginative debut novel is a multi-generational epic centered on the Spahr family, who live off the grid in the remote Arctic at a place called Jubilation House. Their quirky, resilient lifestyle—selling pickled octopus and sea crops—faces growing uncertainty as climate change reshapes their world. The story takes a whimsical turn when a neighbor dredges up a centuries-old piano from the icy waters—a relic from a failed homesteading scheme where settlers were required to haul pianos as symbols of civilization. This discovery sparks a bizarre economic boom: piano hunting. The Spahrs dive into this new industry with gusto, hoping it will save them from financial ruin.
I asked to read this copy because the title captured my attention and the story seemed quirky. So quirky, I found myself googling if this was really something that happened! I'll let the reader google for themselves to find that answer.
For someone else, this will be a 5-star read. For me, it dipped too far into unbelievable for me to truly enjoy it. I found myself googling words throughout the book, (to see if they were real words) and some of the physics of the book didn't sit with me.
What I liked were the characters and strong familial bonds that kept the family together even though times were often tough. I also found the writing style easy to read, easy to follow and all the minor characters mostly likeable as well. I was invested in the story and the characters to finish the book.
While this wasn't for me, others will love it!
Thank you NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for the advanced readers copy of The Pillagers' Guide to Arctic Pianos.
The Pillagers' Guide to Arctic Pianos spans generations, weaving together past and future in a richly imagined Arctic setting where love, loss, and legacy collide in unexpected ways. This exuberant and imaginative debut novel is a multi-generational epic centered on the Spahr family, who live off the grid in the remote Arctic at a place called Jubilation House. Their quirky, resilient lifestyle—selling pickled octopus and sea crops—faces growing uncertainty as climate change reshapes their world. The story takes a whimsical turn when a neighbor dredges up a centuries-old piano from the icy waters—a relic from a failed homesteading scheme where settlers were required to haul pianos as symbols of civilization. This discovery sparks a bizarre economic boom: piano hunting. The Spahrs dive into this new industry with gusto, hoping it will save them from financial ruin.
I asked to read this copy because the title captured my attention and the story seemed quirky. So quirky, I found myself googling if this was really something that happened! I'll let the reader google for themselves to find that answer.
For someone else, this will be a 5-star read. For me, it dipped too far into unbelievable for me to truly enjoy it. I found myself googling words throughout the book, (to see if they were real words) and some of the physics of the book didn't sit with me.
What I liked were the characters and strong familial bonds that kept the family together even though times were often tough. I also found the writing style easy to read, easy to follow and all the minor characters mostly likeable as well. I was invested in the story and the characters to finish the book.
While this wasn't for me, others will love it!
December 7, 2025
Quirky, imaginative, and way more heartfelt than I expected. This story feels like stepping into someone’s family history and watching generation after generation fight for the same wild little corner of the world. I loved the Arctic setting and the way the author blended nature writing with this offbeat concept of piano hunting. It sounds absurd on paper, but somehow it works, and it becomes this really tender look at survival, legacy, and the weight of the choices families make over time.
Some moments hit harder than I expected, especially when the story shifts between past and present and you start to see how each decision ripples across the years. Certain plot threads felt a little slow, but the emotional payoff made up for it. I ended up more invested in this family than I thought I would, rooting for them through every setback, every strange new turn, every piece of history that refuses to stay buried.
A beautifully odd story with a big heart, and I’m really glad I picked it up.
Some moments hit harder than I expected, especially when the story shifts between past and present and you start to see how each decision ripples across the years. Certain plot threads felt a little slow, but the emotional payoff made up for it. I ended up more invested in this family than I thought I would, rooting for them through every setback, every strange new turn, every piece of history that refuses to stay buried.
A beautifully odd story with a big heart, and I’m really glad I picked it up.
November 2, 2025
What an incredible debut! I loved this book, particularly the first half of it focused on the Spahr family. The world-building was so rich; I really felt like I was living the adventures alongside the characters. I don't even know how to classify this book - a bit cli-fi, a bit nautical, a bit steam-punk... The whole premise was so unique.
It's not perfect; the second half didn't not quite live up to the first. and I would have preferred to stay with the Spahr family for more time with much smaller segments of the past and future. There was a total lack of mention of native peoples, even though the book was about colonization of their land... B
ut what it did well - the rich descriptions of landscapes and arctic animals, the family dynamics, the steam-punk-iness of searching for pianofortes -- was so clever and stunning that I still give it five stars and highly recommend.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.
It's not perfect; the second half didn't not quite live up to the first. and I would have preferred to stay with the Spahr family for more time with much smaller segments of the past and future. There was a total lack of mention of native peoples, even though the book was about colonization of their land... B
ut what it did well - the rich descriptions of landscapes and arctic animals, the family dynamics, the steam-punk-iness of searching for pianofortes -- was so clever and stunning that I still give it five stars and highly recommend.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.
October 3, 2025
I loved the nature writing in this, and the family relationships were endearing. Unfortunately, that is about all the nice things I can say for this book. I picked it up initially because the premise sounded unique and quirky and fun, and it was, but it may have gone overboard on that front for me. I think this could really land for some people. It just didn’t land for me.
*thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the eARC in exchange for my honest review*
*thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the eARC in exchange for my honest review*
November 2, 2025
a good read book but odd about finding pianos in the arctic
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
incredibly wild concept that somehow turned into a moving and incredible book. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews