Zero Kelvin

The events unfold in the interwar 1920s, centering on a year-long Arctic expedition and the return to Oslo. The period highlights a clash between literary aspirations and brutal practicality, set against cold, harsh conditions and the era’s frontier spirit.

The story begins in Oslo, a bustling 1920s city that frames Larsen's artistic ambitions and personal ties. It then shifts to a remote Greenland Arctic station, a snowbound outpost where a winter hut, a station master, and a scientist become the crucible of tension. The harsh, sparsely supplied setting emphasizes isolation and the constant struggle to survive, with the fjord, the wrecked ship and the dogs shaping daily life.

❄️ Survival

Survival drives every choice, turning shelter, food, and warmth into precious currency. The Arctic environment strips away vanity and tests loyalties, revealing who will endure. Relationships fracture under the pressure of scarcity, while small acts of cooperation become lifelines.

🧭 Power Dynamics

A struggle for dominance unfolds between Larsen, Randbæk, and Holm, with control over resources and approval shaping their actions. Randbæk's taunts and cruelty escalate the conflict, while Holm's rational detachment exposes the limits of authority in extremis. The fight for leadership undercut by fear and mistrust governs much of the narrative.

💔 Love and Betrayal

Gertrude's rejection sparks Larsen's departure and drives the emotional arc of the story. The bond between Larsen and Gertrude is tested by distance, miscommunication, and longing, culminating in a tense reconciliation that complicates the characters' fates. The pursuit of love becomes inseparable from survival and moral compromise.