What an incredible book this is! The meticulous research by the author is evident and and the story brought to life through vivid storytelling. The writing is both haunting and captivating, transporting me to the heart of the Antarctic wilderness and showing me the chilling reality of life aboard the Belgica. From the almost cinematic, breathtaking, imagery of towering icebergs to the relentless onslaught of Arctic storms, the book painted a vivid portrait of the dangers and beauty of the polar landscape.

Equally impressive is the way the author delves into the human side of the story, exploring the complex dynamics and personalities of the crew members. From the determined leadership of de Gerlache to the unorthodox methods of American doctor Frederick Cook, each character added depth and nuance to the narrative, making their struggles and sacrifices all the more poignant. Their experience serves as a sobering reminder of the perils faced by early explorers and the enduring legacy of their endeavours.

Overall, with its compelling narrative and rich detail, this book stands as a testament to the indomitable spirit of the human quest for discovery amidst the harshest of conditions.

Interesting boys own adventure type read for all those interested in history and dangerous exploration.

This was somewhat of a dense read for me. Bizzarly I think I would have enjoyed this book more if it was fiction. It was interesting but unfortunately didn’t hold my attention as much as I wanted it to, ultimately leaving me disappointed.

3.5 stars. For an explorer lit lover like myself, this was a wonderful read (or listen). My one niggle was how much backstory there was, and that it took a whole until the book figured out where it was heading. Still, fascinating stuff! Perfect for lovers of travel nonfiction, adventures, history and polar exploration.

The audio narrator was wonderful!

I know very little about polar expedition especially in the early years. This book is about the Belgicas journey in 1897. Which i knew nothing about.

The book was a little show at the start and hard to get into (for me). But once into the book it was interesting especially the journey that didn't go to plan with various set backs, and once in the artic there was more with the ship being trapped in the ice and it became a fight for survival.

Its a miracle any crew members survived but thats what allows the story to be told/heard. It is enjoyable, educational, fascinating read. Highly recommend for people want to know more about exploration.

At the end you have the authors note stating where he go his information from various crew members journals, the ships logbook, and also went to the artic himself to have a idea of what the journey was part like.

I listened to this book and the narration made it easy to follow and made the adventure a little bit more interesting.

Thank you to netgallery and the publishers for allowing me to listen to the audiobook for an honest review.

Madhouse at the End of the Earth was really good. It was a fascinating recollection of the Belgica tale.
I found it really interesting and compelling listening. The narrator successfully conveyed the drama of this expedition.
Recommended.

An interesting enough account of the Belgian Antarctic Expedition of 1897–99, albeit one that struggles to generate the claustrophobia, paranoia and dread its title promises. It might be that the two things are working against each other, for while the level of detail meant I learnt a lot about the expedition, the challenges it faced, and its place in both the history of antarctic exploration and indeed the world, it works against any deeper emotional feelings. A good history, but a less striking story.

In this book, we are discovering the true story of the Belgica, an early polar expedition that became trapped in the ice for the entire Antarctic winter.

For me, this was a book of two halves. I was absolutely fascinated by the stories of the crew during the time that they spent trapped in the ice. From how it affected their health and sanity, to the expeditions away from the ship, and all that they did to survive. The way that Julian Sancton used the records and diary entries to capture this story was excellent and helped you to understand how the different people were dealing with this situation.

However, I found the rest of the book, both leading up to this and much of what happened afterwards, to be much harder to read. Perhaps if I had greater understanding of scientific expeditions I would have been more interested, but I found it quite slow and difficult to keep track of.

I do like adventure stories but I never expected to enjoy this book as much as I did.

The author provides a page-turning and thrilling account of one of the first polar expeditions to Antarctica that went terribly wrong. Piecing together the diaries and logs of the crew, this book is one of the most readable non fiction historical books I have ever come across.

Clearly thoroughly researched but also coupled with superb storytelling.

Unfortunately I did not like the narrator of this book and couldn’t complete it. I enjoyed the story for as far as I could listen (hence the star rating) and will seek out the book on kindle when it’s released. I will then change my star rating up or down once I’ve read the book to the end. Such a shame as it’s such an interesting plot.