In Lapland, one thousand miles north of Moscow, a young woman spends the winter days alone. Olga is the sole occupant of a modest supply post where reindeer herders store their supplies until spring. Though she has to deal with bitter temperatures and periodic threats of theft, she is happy on her own, tending to chores, holding down the post, with only a cat to keep her company. Olga grew up in an orphanage, and when she was eventually reunited with her mother, found that she faced even further isolation—she didn’t speak her family’s native language and was ill-equipped to handle their struggles with alcoholism. On the tundra, she wanders freely in her thoughts and moves at her own pace, without the friction she sometimes feels around other people. When word comes that the “reindeer brigade” post may be closed, she grows concerned about what will become of her, and the existence she has carved out for herself. Incredible textures—the crunch of snow underfoot, the rush of running reindeer—complement this endearing portrait of a unique individual and the peaceful place where she’s found home.  ST