Started out great! I loved the information about dog sledding, but the story became choppy. She could have done more with it. ( )

Rosalie MacKenzie is feeling trapped. She’s a high school dropout, married in haste to a quick-tempered man, and about to lose yet one more going-nowhere job. When she spots a neglected and mistreated Siberian husky she decides to rescue the dog, setting in motion a chain of events that changes the lives of both girl and animal. Juxtaposed against this modern story is that of the native peoples of Siberia, the Chukchi, their deep bond with the dogs they consider their Guardians, and how Stalin’s Red Army displaced them in 1929, virtually eradicating their way of life.

The novel moves back and forth between these two storylines. This is a difficult technique to do well, and I’m sorry to say that Thalasinos does not fully succeed. Yes, there is a connection, even some parallels, between the story of Rosalie and that of Jeaantaa and her descendants. However, the manner in which Thalasinos brings the stories together is awkward and feels forced.

I did enjoy a good portion of the book. I was happy to learn about the Chukchi people of Siberia (and in an interesting side note watched a report on Siberia’s native people as part of NBC’s coverage of the Winter Olympics). I wish Thalasinos had delved deeper into that story; this just whetted my appetite for more information about the Chukchi. I liked watching Rosalie slowly gain confidence and begin a journey to successful adulthood. She’s intelligent, a hard worker, and kind to people and animals. I applaud Thalasinos for not giving us a fairytale ending and leaving room for doubt, because people with Rosalie’s background don’t just magically become whole due to one relationship.

I think the major problem with the book is that Thalasinos was too ambitious with her debut. Either of these storylines would have made a fine novel. Putting them together in one book resulted in a novel that fails to do justice to either one. Rosalie’s troubled past leaves her with a significant inability to trust. But Thalasinos repeats the same scenarios over and over: Someone does or says something that Rosalie misinterprets, she clams up and draws conclusions, that person asks her what’s wrong, she stonewalls, she finally realizes she was mistaken, and things go back to “normal.” This happens in her relationship with her father, her girlfriend, her employers, the vet, and her boyfriend. There’s never any real discussion of what she’s feeling. There are significant plot twists towards the end that felt really forced to me, as if Thalasinos couldn’t figure out how to get from point A to point B so just threw in a major change.
( )

After leaving her abusive husband, Rosalie finds herself adopting an abused Siberian husky named Smokey. She soon falls into a new job, taking care of animals for a competitive dogsled racing team. Slowly she emerges from her shell and finds that life is worth living. In between Rosalie's story is the heartbreaking tale of the Chukchi people of Siberia. The Chukchi's were killed and lost their homes when the Red Army came to power in the late 1920's. Huskies, called Guardians, were the heart and soul of the Chukchi people.

I didn't really expect to like this book, but I found myself mesmerized by the two stories. I expected a fluff story about dog racing, without any real substance. Instead I found powerful and moving stories. Each chapter left me wanting more. I was particularly touched by the Chukchi's story, and their struggle to live and survive. Overall, I highly enjoyed this book. ( )