Something about Alaska

by J a Cooper

'It's a wicked cold, the Alaska winter, and can kill a man in a second...'

Nearing 15, Zac Greene travels to Alaska to re-connect with the father he's only ever known from a distance. But Zac's dad is a lone wolf - a wounded soul who'd rather drown his regrets in a bottle of bourbon than confront the mistakes of his past. As Zac struggles to earn his father's approval, things spiral out of control forcing Zac to take his chances with the Alaskan winter.

Whatever hope remains for father and son quickly fades, as Zac is forced to hitchhike to escape the hostile weather and soon finds himself sharing a remote cabin with a total stranger... and his gun.

'They say you don't know your enemies from your friends until the ice breaks beneath your feet...'

Paperback

Published September 1, 2022

Reviews

[Scarlett · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.25 stars
Wow that was my living nightmare, the only good thing about this book was the setting, my favourite character was the fucking mountain, THAT SHOULD SAY A-LOT!!! Anyway the epilogue made me mad ahhhhh! But overall it was just meh and slightly enraging 😡 the writing was mediocre and the plot felt written by a fourteen year old boys diary.

[Zeena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a good first novel for Cooper. And I feel personally touched with this novel. I was an alcoholic myself and I had a friend. I had never known how bad I truly was until reading this book and realising I was violent and terrible. It put it all in perspective for me and I'm glad I got this opportunity to see how it can affect people; even if this is a lightly described example in fiction. I loved every aspect of this book and if I could, I would sell my soul to read this again for the first time.

[Ann Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fifteen year old Zac returns to Alaska for the first time since he was very young to spend Christmas with his father. But the trip doesn’t work out &, as his relationship with his father deteriorates, he tries to return to Anchorage to fly home to California. Rescued by a Native Alaskan during a blizzard, Zac learns to appreciate how hard it is to live in this unforgiving environment & how hard it is to be alone. Over time, he learns to forgive his father & hopefully, will try to mend what is broken.

Beautifully written, full of emotions as big and wild as the harsh winter of Alaska, this is a true coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of Denali.

[Trevor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable, page-turning, coming of age novel set in a part of the world few of us have experienced. Readers will keep on cheering for Zac as he battles the anger of his abusive father, the uncertainty of a mostly absent mother, and the demanding skills needed to handle a dog sled team. And then throw in battling the often deadly challenges of the environment - especially the weather - and you have a very entertaining read.

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a cold read but a richly-told story of father/son struggles in the Alaskan winter. Plenty of "stop, don't" moments but with a human and humane conclusion. The chapter on the northern lights will stay with me, and was a hopeful moment in a series of challenges for the main character.

I'd recommend this for any young adult (closer to the adult end), with a warning about violence and mild course language.

[Paula Vince · Rating 5 out of 5]

I looked forward to this one. J. A. Cooper is the director of the Writing and Communication Masters course I'm doing at Tabor College, and therefore one of my teachers. This YA novel is his debut novel. I started it during my summer holidays when it was scorching hot in Adelaide and decided to save it until the winter break. I'm becoming more of a seasonal reader. It seems to enhance the atmosphere when we do our best to match seasons, although admittedly South Australia is nowhere near as cold as Alaska. (Not even close!)

Zac Greene goes to spend Christmas with his estranged dad in Alaska. The intervening years have become an issue though. There's a wedge of awkwardness now he's 14 that wasn't there when he was 10. And Dad seems grouchy and misogynistic from the get-go. Was he always such a know-it-all with a huge chip on his shoulder? It's shaping up to be one of Zac's worst Christmases.

I'll tread carefully from here, so as not to give away too much. Suffice to say Zac's reactive decision to get away involves an encounter with a charismatic local named Stanley, who reveals some of the genuine survival skills necessary for Alaska, which is said to be a magnet for 'wackos' who dare to hope they may tame the elements.

I was behind Zac all the way, having come across guys like his father, Jim, who create chaos despite their best intentions. Yet I wondered whether another type of reader may consider Zac's behaviour too reckless and hasty? In other words, could there be scope for dissension in reading groups? Would we all equally enjoy where the story takes us? With that question in mind, I believe the ending seems inevitable and may elicit nods from the majority of readers that it had to be that way. I would love to see what other readers have to say though.

The descriptions of the fierce, icy setting of Alaska are beautifully crafted and evocative. I paused several times to re-read sentences and take it all in. We are invited to reflect whether Alaska is a cauldron that refines seekers rather than the haven they expect.

Overall, it's a great winter read with a beautiful cover.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a great read when it was first published, and returning to it has confirmed that impression. The internal and external dramas are skilfully woven together, and the tension holds taut as everything builds to the final climax.
We are the mind of fourteen year old Zac in remote midwinter Alaska, as a reunion with his father goes horribly wrong.
The generous, fun-loving dad who spoiled Zac when he was ten, is now an angry bully with secrets and a drinking problem.
But he does teach Zac how to handle a sled dog team – to feed, harness and mush the dogs. Zac falls in love with dog sledding – the thrilling speed as he rides the sled, the skills, the risks, the wild but deadly beauty of Alaska in winter.
Then his drunken dad punches Zac in the face for nearly losing a sled and a team, and Zac flees their remote cabin, into an approaching blizzard.
A yellow Dodge pickup emerges out of the swirling snow on the highway. Will the scar-faced driver who gives Zac a ride save his life, or end it? Zac and the reader both eye with alarm the rifle slung against the rear windscreen. Then the blizzard descends in full fury, the highway to Anchorage is closed, and again Zac is trapped with someone he fears.
This is a book to return to, to re-live the struggle to survive in the killing cold, the internal struggles of growing up fast from a child to a young man, the love for Alaska that is the one thing the characters share.
So, harness the dog team. Pull up the anchor. Hit the quick release. Ping!
Instant acceleration. Lean into the corners, and don’t let go!

[heyitstay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall not a bad book.
I made the mistake of reading this while on a reading slump, which probably made it worse. I had to force myself to finish this and was just skipping pages by the end, which I was kinda sad about it because I feel like I could’ve been really touched by the story. But unfortunately I just wasn’t in the mood for it. 🤷🏻‍♀️ the story isn’t as exciting as I thought it would be, no big plot twists not a huge character development, it was just ok.

[Ian Boyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story. I loved the boyish, adventurous nature of it all.

[Greta · Rating 1 out of 5]

awful.

[Charlotte Tepe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, deeply emotional book but outside of my usual genre and very slow paced.