Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Whalefall has an exciting premise and combThank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Whalefall has an exciting premise and combined with some interesting backstory and character building makes for a solid story overall. I think unfortunately for me when you read the comparison to books like "The Martian" you get an unrealistic expectation of what this book is. Sure, there is quite a lot of scientific information here but the pace is considerably slower and you do not get those constant "MacGyver" moments. This is not a fun story either. It's sad and stark and brutal.
I did really like how the story gives a sense of scale inside the whale and you feel the claustrophobia and helplessness of the situation weighing heavy on Jay throughout. It feels like very real desperation and you experience the conflicting emotions of the instinctual fight for survival and the willingness to just lay down, close your eyes, and let it all be over. While the confluence of events that lead to Jay ending up in the belly of a whale seem pretty unrealistic, once you accept it has happened the struggle inside feels authentic. There is nowhere to go and the cramped confines and limited resources as Jay's disposal fuel the despair.
As far as the structure of the book goes, I think the constant flashbacks to Jay's life, mostly concerned with the complicated relationship he has with his father, really bog down the pace and take you out of the action and drama unfolding. These interludes often serve to setup the next escape attempt, but ultimately I think it takes the foot off the gas a little too much for a story like this. It feels less like a pulse-pounding countdown from 60 minutes of air than I think it should.
In the end there is lots to like here and while I wish the pace were ramped up a little bit, it still moves quick and has lots of action and surprises in store. For a story about someone swallowed by a whale and fighting for his life to escape, there is surprisingly deep character development and while that was not what I expected and hoped for necessarily based on the premise, it works pretty well....more
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Like Lily Brooks-Dalton's previous book "GThank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Like Lily Brooks-Dalton's previous book "Good Morning, Midnight", this is a tragic but ultimately redemptive read. The book offers a very bleak view of our potential world if extreme climate change comes to be, but through that hard living a simplicity and return to what's important can emerge. While the world she portrays is brutal, Brooks-Dalton's prose is beautiful and offers some very heartfelt and tender moments. As someone with young children I will say that some parts of this book were awful to get through. There is so much loss and not unlike the smell of ozone before a hurricane, you can sense some the oncoming tragedies but there is nothing you can do but batten down the hatches and hope you see the return of sunlight eventually. The loss not only extends to lives but to a world and way of living that I hope my children and future generations will get to see because the world of The Light Pirate is about the farthest thing from an easy one....more
The book is well written but the story is very bleak and a little slow-moving, especially early on. The mystery is compelling enough to keep you readiThe book is well written but the story is very bleak and a little slow-moving, especially early on. The mystery is compelling enough to keep you reading but the payoff didn’t quite seem worth it to me once I’d finished....more
Rene Denfeld’s love and compassion for some of the most vulnerable young people in our society shines through in this beautiful and captivating novel.Rene Denfeld’s love and compassion for some of the most vulnerable young people in our society shines through in this beautiful and captivating novel. The characters are so wonderfully realized and sink their hooks into you right from the jump. The mystery is a good one and drives the story forward but everything is elevated further by the truly great cast....more
I am fascinated by Franny as a character. She is so well written and has such a complex set of conflicting traits and emotions she feels very unique aI am fascinated by Franny as a character. She is so well written and has such a complex set of conflicting traits and emotions she feels very unique and your heart breaks for her. If I could only use one word to describe this book I would choose "bleak" so go in expecting a rough journey and to look desperately for a light amongst all of the dark....more
I loved this book. It feels like an homage to Stephen King books like It and Stand By Me while still retaining some originality. The book is filled wiI loved this book. It feels like an homage to Stephen King books like It and Stand By Me while still retaining some originality. The book is filled with so many wonderful characters with deep and meaningful relationships that you really connect with and root for....more
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