The art is truly gorgeous, expansive and lonely and harsh. I wish a) it had been clearer that this was a fictional story and, thus, b) leaned harder into the horror aspect. ( )

A melancholy look at the echoes of British imperialism and colonialism, this book is set on an imagined island in the Arctic circle where a single British agent is assigned to sit in a solitary house removed from the indigenous population to maintain token sovereignty over a land that must surely have some value greater to that remote government than the people who actually live there.

The newest agent is Harrison Fleet, and he must deal with the dark legacy of his country as he copes with the equally dark legacy of his own father.

There are hints of supernatural elements, but mostly as a coping mechanisms to rationalize the nasty truth of what occurred on this little cold rock a century before.

I like the clever cover and interesting set-up, but the execution is marred with too many stumbles. There is a lot of atmospheric mood, and I was initially intrigued by where the story might be going, but the actual plot unfolds first too slowly and then too abruptly. Overall, more things were left intimated than actually shown to be really satisfying. ( )

British Ice is a fictionalized account of a commissioner's year on Reliance Island off the northern coast of Canada. At the time of Commissioner Harrison Fleet's visit, the island was part of the British Arctic Territory. British Ice is a graphic novel. It was published in January, 2020.

Since the plot revolves around the setting, it will need some explanation. The British Arctic Territory is an imagined territory that consists of one main island, Reliance, and a few smaller ones including rocks and underground formations. It was discovered in the early 1800s by Captain Netherton and the main island was named after Netherton's ship. It has remained British land since its discovery and has been constantly manned by a member of the British High Commission even though it is in a remote, freezing location. The artwork contributes to the setting. It has been colored entirely in an icy blue tome to match the setting. Drawings in comic strip panels complete the look of this book.

Upon his arrival on Reliance Island, Fleet immediately realizes he can't speak the native language. He soon meets Ana and Abel, the Community Engagement Officer, both whom treat him with plenty of distrust and sarcasm. After snowmobiling to Netheron's home, a townhome in the snow, Fleet settles in for what is supposed to be a four year post. Inside he finds a few items owned by the prior commissioner, who disappeared without a trace. The natives refuse to communicate with him so Fleet must rely on his pilot, Ana and Abel to determine why the indigenous people have always mistrusted the British.

I did not expect this book to be a mystery but love that it is a historical mystery. Fleet did an investigation into the background of the natives anger toward the British rule and was surprised at what he discovered. It wasn't just a reaction to being under colonial rule. I won't be a spoiler but the answer to that question points back to the first chapter. Fleet also asks plenty of questions about his predecessor. Why did he disappear? Fleet was able to figure this out after snowmobiling around the island looking for clues.

I was impressed with the author's creation of the setting. He went into great detail in the beginning of the book to tell the reader about the geography of the area, the person who discovered it and British colonialism. Then he began his story. Incredible! ( )