Hearts in the Ice

by Sunniva Sorby

Hearts in the Ice is a story of adventure and action, courage and connection, sustainability and survival. Hilde and Sunniva will take you inside their personal accounts of a year of surviving and thriving in a rustic trappers cabin 140 km away from the nearest town-a pivotal moment in Svalbard history; a quick peek at the female explorers who came before them and a testament to the power of community and collaboration.

226 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2021

Reviews

[Carol Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would you like to learn about the first two women to overwinter in an arctic cabin in the North of Svalbard, Norway, where they were closer to the Northern Lights than to the nearest town? Sunniva Sorby and Hilde Falun Strom went there as citizen scientists who studied the Northern Lights, learned what was causing the deaths of seabirds, and drilled through the ice to examine microorganisms that are a crucial part of the arctic food chain. They took no showers for nine months because they had no running water. They had to watch for polar bears every time they left their cabin. They tried to clean up tons of plastic debris that oceans bring to arctic shores.

Then they spent another year in the cabin because the pandemic broke out and the ship that was going to take them out was grounded. But they didn't consider themselves stuck. They were able to see more and learn more about the arctic.

Not everyone could do this. But both women already had spent a quarter of a century in polar regions before undertaking this adventure. They were anxious to learn how climate change is hitting the arctic.

The women suggest that the things they learned about coping with little could help the rest of us. They urge others to become involved in trying to save the planet.

[Kym Hamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't even imagine total blackness for months on end or how big a polar bear actually is but Hilde and Sunniva really brought this to life in this thoroughly enjoyable and insightful read about passion, commitment and the small, everyday decisions that make a much bigger impact than we ever think is possible. 4 stars

[Monique · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a story of courage and friendship. I learned so much from these incredible women and thoroughly enjoyed reading about their adventure and commitment to climate action. This book brings the arctic experience to life…in its beauty, wonder and danger. Bravo! Everyone should read this book.