As the book Into Thin Air winds to a depressing ending, the tone transitions from terror and hopelessness to a very subdued lonliness. Jon Krakauer is a strong-willed, capable man as we can pick up from the beginning to middle of the Everest recount. His ability to stay on top of things while simultaneously taking the time to make real friendships and personal growth is impeccable while the course of events remains positive. When things begin to take a downward spin, however, his outlook and his writing really start to play with your heart. I felt that most of the book prior to the fatal descents was very matter-of-fact and exciting. As more and more personal descents start to go awry, so does the reader's outlook. While the actual recount of the mountain's perils is heart-wrenching and terrifying, what really screamed "helplessness" and "lonliness" was Krakauer's retelling of the personal battle he went through after arriving home from the expedition. On page 281, Krakauer tells, "As I turned my head to the side, my ear brushed against a wet spot; tears, I realized, were running down my face and soaking the sheets. I felt a gurgling, swelling bubble of hurt and shame roll up my spine from somewhere deep inside. Erupting out from my nose and mouth in a flood and snot, the first sob was followed by another, then another and another." This particular passage struck me as lonely especially. This being because he didn't bother to drag out the emotion and heartthrob, but rather stated the depression he felt as if it were simply uncontrollable and he had no choice but to bathe in the indescribable pain. While Jon Krakauer is obviously the focus of the book (him being the author and therefore having the most insight on his own experiences), the tone of loneliness carries over to most of the other characters towards the end of the book. What struck me as one of the most heart wrenching parts of the ending was on page 289. Krakauer explains Ed Viesturs' later summit attempt and his account with Scott Fischer's dead body on the mountain. "Instead of collecting any keepsakes, Viesturs sat down next to Fischer during the descent and spent a few minutes alone with him. 'Hey Scott, how you doing?' Ed sadly inquired of his friend. 'What happened, man?" This passage really took its toll on my emotions, and is what I think is the loneliest part of the whole book. Simply the way that Viesturs speaks in this passage screams helplessness and loneliness. All of the survivors from the expedition surely went through their battle with some form or another of depression, as they all desperately tried to rid themselves of guilt, sadness, regret and other awful emotions. While the book begins as an adventurous expedition, it ends slowly and leaves a lonely tug at the reader's gut.
On a whole, this book spoke to me in ways I would not expect it to. I absolutely loved getting into the story and it definitely played with my emotions. When I first picked it up, the initial mountaineering speak and countless names didn't stick in my head, and I found it hard to get through even the first 100 pages. I do think it was necessary for Jon Krakauer to give all this information prior to beginning the story, however I found it a bit tedious and could be a reason for other readers to put down the book. Lucky for me, I had to keep reading and had the opportunity to really immerse myself into the plot, when it got off and running. Krakauer does a great job connecting the current events to history, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the names and faces of the Everest history and community. I believe that Krakauer's passion for the great mountain shone through in his writing, which was an absolute bonus. Since I am a sucker for emotional stories, I really could not put the book down once he began to retell the events on that fateful day of May 10 (and the tragedies to follow). The foreshadowing and buildup that Krakauer offers throughout the pages is much appreciated, and helps to catch the reader's attention. What got me insanely hooked were the gruesome details of the deaths and frostbite and horrible mishaps prior and following these events. To think that these horrible situations actually happened to real people is horrifying, and was definitely a reason that my emotions were so attacked when reading. The last fifty pages or so will stay with me for a while, and Krakauer's amazing writing was so perfect for accounting the summit and descent. Overall, I would give the book two frostbitten thumbs up any day, and would recommend it to anyone with a thirst for adventure or emotion.
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