Reviews

The Wolf in the Whale by Jordanna Max Brodsky

corvidnothous's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Violence, Transphobia, and Animal death

Minor: Slavery and Misogyny

kleonard's review against another edition

5.0

This is an original and imaginative novel that follows Omat, a shaman of the Inuk people, from birth to parenthood. Freely speculating on encounters between First Nations peoples and the Norse explorers of North America, Brodsky weaves a powerful story of identity, survival, rivalry, and enduring bonds among ice-sea hunters and the men and women of the Norse expeditions, delving into shamanic powers, the spread of religions, and the desires of the gods. Well-researched and written, The Wolf in the Whale is a powerful and gripping book.

alida_m's review against another edition

5.0

Great story about identity and survival, a great blend of different cultures and stories. I told other people about this which is usually a good sign for a book.

franzi_issi's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

kow1728's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

livmorgan's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

aarws22's review

adventurous inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

momoyoon's review against another edition

5.0

This was a book that I didn't know if I would like or not, picking it up on a whim. But, I loved it. This was so interesting, so different from anything I've read before. And the writing was just beautiful and beautifully crafted.
The book was raw but an amazing read.

paperwitch's review against another edition

5.0

“There is a very old story, rarely told, of a wolf that runs into the ocean and becomes a whale. It is said that the two animals share a spirit….The wolf is not bound to its shape. It can change form at will, transforming to a whale when it must swim in the sea. Seeing the whale, no one would ever suspect it had once been a wolf.

I couldn’t put this book down. It made me laugh, cry, scream at the wind with frustration and it made me listen. This story is not an easy one to read, there were moments when I would feel powerless, I wanted to help our main character in her journey but deep down I also knew how strong she was and she showed me that no matter what, staying true to who you are is one of the most powerful weapons you can have.

The wolf in the whale is beautifully told, its powerful, dynamic and meaningful, with lots of adventure, struggle and beauty. I wish I could say so much more but words cannot describe how much I loved this book and why I did so. So if you have some time to travel to a new world, filled with mythology, lore and a badass main character, I invite you to check this one out.

alittlegreyfish's review against another edition

5.0

Like a million yeses from me. I thought it was such an interesting blend of Inuit and Norse mythology. A great exploration of gender identity and self. And I loved her wolf dog pups. Where do I get me some of those?