Brother in Ice

'She thought that it was precisely when things get uncomfortable or can't be shown that something interesting comes to light. That is the point of no return, the point that must be reached, the point you reach after crossing the border of what has already been said, what has already been seen. It's cold out there.' This hybrid novel-part research notes, part fictionalised diary, and part travelogue-uses the stories of polar exploration to make sense of the protagonist's own concerns as she comes of age as an artist, a daughter, and a sister to an autistic brother. Conceptual and emotionally compelling, it advances fearlessly into the frozen emotional lacunae of difficult family relationships. Deserving winner of multiple awards upon its Catalan and Spanish publication, Brother in Ice is a richly rewarding journey into the unknown.

Alicia Kopf (b. 1982) is a writer and artist based in Barcelona. Brother in Ice is the culmination of an artistic cycle of exhibitions entitled Àrticantàrtic, The original Catalan manuscript of Brother in Ice won the 2015 Premi Documenta, a prestigious prize for an unpublished Catalan-language work of literature, and upon publication was awarded the 2016 Premi Llibreter by Catalan booksellers. The Spanish edition received further prizes, including the Premio El Ojo Crítico, awarded by Spanish National Radio.