Tony O Neill

Tony O Neill asked Ian McGuire:

Hi Ian just started your book couple of days ago, now that is what I call a story to grip, and drag you into that whaler. Congratulations on a great novel, how much background work would you research before starting the book? Would you visit Lerwick for instance? is it a detailed spread sheet to start creating the characters and the situations encountered in the book?

Ian McGuire Hi Tony: Glad you are liking it. My research mainly involved reading (a lot) and looking at contemporary photographs (when available). I didn't go to Lerwick, no. I didn't go to Greenland either -- partly because with climate change the ice conditions would have been very different, and partly becuase the places mentioned in the book are very remote and hard to get to.

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Joe

Joe asked Ian McGuire:

I am currently reading "The North Sea" and am enjoying it thoroughly. The parallels between the type of story you tell and the writing of Cormac McCarthy are abundant, particularly "Blood Meridian." Was "Behold the man" your way of tipping your proverbial cap to "See the child"?

Sue

Sue asked Ian McGuire:

I just finished you book. It was one of the very few books that I actually felt like I was a fly on the wall. Wonderful! Gripping! I can't wait until your next one. Will it be soon?

John

John asked Ian McGuire:

I've just read The North Water and comment in my Goodreads review that, while reading it, I was suddenly reminded of Cormac McCarthy's landscape descriptions, albeit in a very different context (the Texas-Mexico border). Is his influence one you would acknowledge?

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