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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
Movingly weird. Trying to unlock a little bit of what makes everybody special is, I guess, pretty special itself.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
An intensely engaging and beautiful read, I would love to see The Whale staged, though finding the right person to play Charlie would be very tricky. The complexity and humanity of each character makes them fascinating and gives you so many directions to go in you interpretation. Is Ellie evil, troubled, or posturing? Is Elder Thomas a 'good kid'? Is Liz a good friend? Has Charlie lost his grip on reality or is he reaching enlightenment? Both? Is Mary a good mom? I think everyone who experiences this story will have differences in their interpretation of these characters, little and big, but each one is a wonderful role for performance.
Charlie is a morbidly obese man confined to his home and unable to move without the aid of a walker. He teaches English online, sharing his lectures and instructions via microphone. His little remaining health is rapidly deteriorating and he has a heart attack just as a fresh-faced young Mormon shows up at his door ready to share the message of the Lord. Elder Thomas is swept into Charlie's story, which spans decades and is filled with mysteries.
This most recent health scare prompts Charlie to reconnect with his daughter Ellie, whom he hasn't seen in 15 years, when he left her mother to be with a man. Charlie is searching for honesty and for an answer to his partner's suicide. With the "help" of Elder Thomas and Ellie he tries to find peace so that he can die with the surety that his daughter will do good in the world and that his own life had meaning. Whether the audience agrees with his conclusions is up for debate.
I loved this story. It mixed heartbreaking realism with a kind of gothic mystery and spirituality that gave it a timeless quality. I hope that more people discover The Whale and that I can see it performed one day. I think it has the potential to be a great classic.
Charlie is a morbidly obese man confined to his home and unable to move without the aid of a walker. He teaches English online, sharing his lectures and instructions via microphone. His little remaining health is rapidly deteriorating and he has a heart attack just as a fresh-faced young Mormon shows up at his door ready to share the message of the Lord. Elder Thomas is swept into Charlie's story, which spans decades and is filled with mysteries.
This most recent health scare prompts Charlie to reconnect with his daughter Ellie, whom he hasn't seen in 15 years, when he left her mother to be with a man. Charlie is searching for honesty and for an answer to his partner's suicide. With the "help" of Elder Thomas and Ellie he tries to find peace so that he can die with the surety that his daughter will do good in the world and that his own life had meaning. Whether the audience agrees with his conclusions is up for debate.
I loved this story. It mixed heartbreaking realism with a kind of gothic mystery and spirituality that gave it a timeless quality. I hope that more people discover The Whale and that I can see it performed one day. I think it has the potential to be a great classic.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is my favorite stories of all time.
The characters within it are fairly problematic and so I think some of the language (especially some of the more outdated phrases) may be triggering for some people to read. Proceed with caution.
“This book made me think about my own life.”
Samuel Hunter wrote this beautiful, thought-provoking screenplay in such an incredible way.
There is major character growth in these pages; more than I typically see in full novels.
This, all in all, is a hard look at the different ways we are each affected by trauma and the way it is still on display even when we internalize it.
It’s a call to be honest and authentic.
The characters within it are fairly problematic and so I think some of the language (especially some of the more outdated phrases) may be triggering for some people to read. Proceed with caution.
“This book made me think about my own life.”
Samuel Hunter wrote this beautiful, thought-provoking screenplay in such an incredible way.
There is major character growth in these pages; more than I typically see in full novels.
This, all in all, is a hard look at the different ways we are each affected by trauma and the way it is still on display even when we internalize it.
It’s a call to be honest and authentic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Mental illness, Self harm, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment
Minor: Alcohol
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
challenging
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The whole time I was reading it, I felt like I was watching the movie. Bit of a weird thing to say, I know but I couldn't help but see Brendan Fraser as Charlie in the movie adaptation.
