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billyjepma's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
It didn't take long for me to feel that padding, either. The flashbacks are haphazardly placed and often defuse the tension created by the gnarly survival narrative. They also lack the emotional depth required to enrich the story, which makes the flashbacks and dramatic scaffolding they're trying for feel tacked on at best. The symbolism and metaphors Krause draws aren't bad, but they're overwrought to the point of exhaustion. If the connections weren't repeatedly spelled out in exacting detail, I might've been more able and willing to get on board. But you don't get points for beating me over the head with a metaphor, regardless of how effective it might or might not be, especially when the goal of the metaphor is as frustrating as the tired trope of "maybe my abusive parent wasn't all bad, after all."
Let's talk about the abusive parent angle, too, because I have beef. My patience for a "redemption" arc is very thin when it comes to this brand of parent-child relationship, so this book had an uphill struggle right out of the gate. But when your protagonist's father is as cruel as Mitt, you've already lost me. Krause's attempts at making him sympathetic are admirable, and some of them even struck a nerve, but Mitt is too vile a character for me to want to care about. I don't even like Jay as a protagonist, either! He's more shallow than not, and, as much as I hate to say it, he comes off as whiny. It doesn't help that the audiobook's narrator plays up Jay's youth, emphasizing the more annoying aspects of the characterization. There's little depth in the characters, either; all their backstory and drama are so predictable and one-note that they end up feeling more performative than anything.
The book isn't all bad, and I really wanted to like it, too, which is why it became increasingly frustrating to realize that I just didn't.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, and Blood
Moderate: Cancer, Suicide, Gore, Death of parent, Animal death, Grief, and Medical content
Minor: Vomit and Pandemic/Epidemic
maaartha's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Vomit, Death of parent, Suicide, Terminal illness, Cancer, Blood, Body horror, Death, Confinement, and Gore
gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
It was enjoyable for the most part, but I don’t think it was my cup of tea. I can see this really working for others; the writing was great, the descriptions vivid and visceral, the science was fascinating, and it had family drama to boot.
Whalefall is a “scientifically accurate thriller” about a scuba diver who’s been swallowed by a sperm whale and has only one hour to escape before his oxygen runs out. it’s claustrophobic and horrific. But in large part it’s about the relationship between a father/son, intolerable grief, forgiveness and survival.
For me: it sucked to listen to all of the abuse that was directed specifically at Jay from his father Mitt. It was textbook narcissistic behavior of singling someone out, and the rest of his community though Mitt was the greatest. While important for both the narrative/themes and people to read about… it’s usually something I avoid because it can be triggering.
I really dislike when stories take somewhat abusive/toxic people and try to redeem them in death.
Graphic: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent
Moderate: Suicide, Vomit, Alcoholism, and Terminal illness
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic
tortle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Gore, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death, Child abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
fatfatrat's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death of parent, Gore, Blood, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Moderate: Animal death, Cancer, Grief, and Suicide
Minor: Vomit and Pandemic/Epidemic
rejectscanon's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Suicide, Cancer, Body horror, Death of parent, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic, Alcoholism, and Vomit
jemckay11's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, and Blood
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic and Death of parent
pvp_niki's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Grief, Animal death, Cancer, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Gore, Blood, Emotional abuse, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Vomit and Cursing
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic and Alcohol
cassie7e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
Warnings:
- Emphasis on "interminable" - if you're looking for a plot heavy thriller, this is not for you. Even for me it dragged on.
- Nonlinear timeline, mimics memories bubbling up. I love this style but it's polarizing.
- Many graphic descriptions of injury and slogging through slow confused obstinate thoughts.
The acknowledgement of covid in 2021-onward parts of the timeline was startling (how long until it isn't anymore?) but it's merely part of the setting, not part of the story at least.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Animal death, Body horror, Grief, and Gore
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Suicide, Cancer, Confinement, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Vomit, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic
limina's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Grief, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Terminal illness, Animal death, Suicide, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Death of parent
Minor: Vomit