Icebreaker

<p>'We are celebrating a hundred years since independence this year: how would you like to travel on a government icebreaker?' </p><p>A message from the Finnish embassy launches Horatio Clare on a voyage around an extraordinary country and an unearthly place, the frozen Bay of Bothnia, just short of the Arctic circle. Travelling with the crew of Icebreaker <i>Otso</i>, Horatio, whose last adventure saw him embedded on Maersk container vessels for the bestseller <i>Down to the Sea in Ships</i>, discovers stories of Finland, of her mariners and of ice.</p><p>Finland is an enigmatic place, famous for its educational miracle, healthcare and gender equality &#8211; as well as Nokia, Angry Birds, saunas, questionable cuisine and deep taciturnity. Aboard <i>Otso</i> Horatio gets to know the men who make up her crew, and explores Finland's history and character. Surrounded by the extraordinary colours and conditions of a frozen sea, he also comes to understand something of the complexity...