Antarctica Body

Kelly L. Green is a free-lance writer living in Ajax, Ontario.

Antarctica Body falls into a number of literary categories—at once
poetry, travel account, and feminist exploration of Antarctica as a
source of life and symbol of virginity, birth, and death.

At its best, Darroch-Lozowski’s prose is luminous and her poetry
moving, insightful, and capable of eliciting strong feelings. An
extremely erudite writer, her work is filled with meaningful references
to myth, poetry, philosophy, and history. These strengths do not,
however, altogether compensate for the somewhat leaden, inaccessible
quality of much of the work, especially in the first 50 pages.

The grainy black-and-white photographs sprinkled throughout the book
are superfluous and unilluminating, with a few notable exceptions. The
writer’s description of the decapitation of a sea worm by a physician
on a boat opposite hers, and the accompanying photos of the mutilated
creature, evoke a response not soon forgotten.

Antarctica Body requires several readings to be fully appreciated, but
it’s ultimately worth the effort. It is a unique addition to travel
writing and to feminist literature.