North of North Review
Director: Anya Adams, Danis Goulet, Aleysa Young, Zoe Leigh Hopkins, and Renuka Jeyapalan
Date Created: 2025-04-11 16:04
3.5
North of North Review: This Canadian drama series on Netflix is directed by a talented group of filmmakers, including Anya Adams, Danis Goulet, Aleysa Young, Zoe Leigh Hopkins, and Renuka Jeyapalan. The cast features Anna Lambe in the lead role as Siaja, supported by Jay Ryan as Alistair, Maika Harper as Neevee, Braeden Clarke as Kuuk, and others like Zorga Qaunaq, Bailey Poching, Mary Lynn Rajskub, and Keira Cooper.
This 8-episode series is set against the beautiful snowy landscapes of Nunavut, Canada. The narrative follows Siaja, a 26-year-old Inuit woman who is one day seemingly struck by a light and decides to set off on a personal journey of self-discovery to unearth her independence as a human being beyond just being someone’s wife and mother.
North of North Review
The protagonist, Siaja, is 26, already married and a parent. But she’s not happy. She feels trapped, like her life isn’t truly hers. I think a lot of people, especially women, will relate to that feeling. She decides to leave her husband and live her own life, which is a big step for her to make, especially in a small, conservative community. And I loved that it was so daring. She’s not perfect, and she messes up, but she’s trying, and that’s what makes her relatable.
Netflix’s North of North depicts Inuit culture in a way I have never seen. To be honest, I didn’t really know much about the Inuit people before watching this. But this show, in a way that wasn’t boring at all — not like a history lesson — but through the characters, the conversations, the funny little moments, taught me so much. There’s a wonderful blend of modern life and traditional values, and you really see how the younger and older generations think differently.
Admittedly, the first half of this Canadian series North Of North is a bit slow. I won’t lie — the first episode didn’t grab me straight away. It didn’t feel like a story so much as an introduction. But the more I watched, the more I was into it. The emotions seemed more authentic, and the characters began to enrapture me. Siaja — she’s just so confusing and chaotic sometimes, but I couldn’t stop rooting for her.
The show itself is visually beautiful. Solidarity, the snowy landscape, the small town, the quiet vibe — it all looks peaceful but also a little lonely. It aligns with Siaja’s journey nicely. And it even has this little fantasy element, where after she falls into the freezing Arctic water, she sees a sea goddess named Nuliajuk. That detail surprised me, and I sort of wish the show had delved more thoroughly into it.
There’s also a lot happening with Siaja’s family. Her relationship with her mother, Neevee, is incredibly complicated. They care deeply about each other, but they don’t always get one another. Later in the series, though, we learn a heavy secret about Niecy — that she had another baby before Siaja, whom she had to give away. I think that scene kind of broke my heart a little. It demonstrated how pain can be handed down from generation to generation, even inadvertently.
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I also want to talk about the ending a bit (don’t worry, I won’t spoil everything). There is one moment when Siaja gives a speech to a group of researchers who come to build a center in the North. She talks from the heart about her community and their ties to the land. I really loved that part. It wasn’t about which town was the best or most developed — it was about staying true to who they were. I got goosebumps from that scene.
There’s a love triangle involved, too, but I have to say I didn’t care much about that side. I cared more about how Siaja was becoming a better person. I liked Kuuk, though — I thought he was a nice guy who really cared for her. We’ll see where that leads, there’s a second season.
The final episode sees Siaja begin to understand herself and her family a little more. It doesn’t feel like a glorious conclusion but a fresh start. And that made me smile. This made me realise that we must not solve everything at once but continue living one step at a time.
Summing Up
The North of North series is simple, sweet, and emotional. It’s not high-octane or action-packed like most popular series. It is quieter, more personal and more reflective. If you enjoy stories about real people, self-discovery, and family. It is not everyone’s cup of tea, but I’m very glad I watched it. And to be honest,  that’s more than I can say about plenty of other shows.
North of North 2025 is now streaming on Netflix.
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