The Cage — Audrey Schulman

In this “almost unbearably suspenseful” tale of wilderness adventure, a woman faces down polar bears -- and her own deepest fears -- on the Canadian tundra (Los Angeles Times).
 
Nature photographer Beryl Findham, small in size and prone to anxiety, lives alone in Boston and takes pictures of animals in zoos. Until she finds herself with an unusual opportunity: to join an all-male expedition setting off from a small Manitoba town on the shore of Hudson Bay, with the goal of getting close to deadly polar bears in their natural habitat. Thanks to Beryl's tiny frame, she's uniquely qualified to get inside the cage that will allow her to capture these carnivores on film.
 
This “mesmerizing” novel (ThePhiladelphia Inquirer) follows Beryl into the frozen wilderness, and on a journey that will test her -- both physically and emotionally -- in ways she never expected, in a powerful tale that is “guaranteed to chill” (Entertainment Weekly).
 
“[A] riveting, assured first novel . . . Part survival story, part coming-of-age tale, the narrative mixes rich characterization with detailed observation of the natural world and crisply described action, and the effect is startling and memorable . . . Some of her scenes are truly terrifying, conjuring up the spine-tingling feel of a bear's breath on the back of the neck. People will talk about this book.” -- Publishers Weekly
 
“Although it may leave you longing for a hot cocoa beside a warm fire, this gripping, fast-paced narrative is recommended.” -- Library Journal