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A review by _head_full_of_books_
Whale by Cheon Myeong-kwan
challenging
dark
fast-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
4.5
Whale is a multi-generational saga of four women. Geumbok, our protagonist, is an ambitious woman. She flees her small village in search of a new life. She is a beautiful woman whose scent is appealing to men. She takes on partners for survival, to satiate her endless sexual appetite and more importantly to help her achieve her dreams. Geumbok is an ambitious woman full of ideas and rigor to make them happen. Geumbok knows death from early on in her life. Her attempt to escape the dull grey of death leads her to everything that is shiny and big. Her first sighting of whale motivates her for life. In her quest to be the best and forget her past, she ignores her daughter, Chunhui, our second protagonist. Chunhui cannot speak but has an imposing physical strength. Ignored by her mother, Chunhui finds a friend in an elephant. Jumbo, the elephant guides Chunhui with everything around her. The other mom-daughter duo is the old woman and her one-eyed daughter who controls an army of bees. The stories of these four women intertwine by happenstance and end up shaping their futures.
Whale, written as an oral narrative, is storytelling at its best. The story weaves in varied characters, magical realism, political and social changes seamlessly. Some parts have more color and for some parts we never know the truth only hearsay. Drawing from the text, that is the law of folktale. The author frequently uses "That is the law of ..." at the end of an explanatory paragraph. To give a few examples, that is the law of rumors, love, pleasure quarters, stupidity, obesity, fate, ideology, intellectuals etc. I wish I noted down all the laws. I had a hard time connecting with the story at the beginning but couldn’t put the book down. The author captured me with his writing style.
Against a changing political and social backdrop in Korea, Whale tells us about what it is to be woman in these changing times. Our heroines are attacked, insulted, and tortured to the point of death. Whale tells us what it takes to go from being a fearful woman to being a feared woman. It satirizes the myriad laws of life and society. At times, the author interjects himself like an oral storyteller would, giving his perspective. I found myself rooting for the survival and success of these women. I could relate to Geumbok’s ambition although wasn’t a big fan of hers at the end of the story.
It’s a story I’ll remember forever. The violence is too much at times but, past that there are colorful characters whose captivating stories are larger than life.
Thank you Archipelago books for my copy!
Whale, written as an oral narrative, is storytelling at its best. The story weaves in varied characters, magical realism, political and social changes seamlessly. Some parts have more color and for some parts we never know the truth only hearsay. Drawing from the text, that is the law of folktale. The author frequently uses "That is the law of ..." at the end of an explanatory paragraph. To give a few examples, that is the law of rumors, love, pleasure quarters, stupidity, obesity, fate, ideology, intellectuals etc. I wish I noted down all the laws. I had a hard time connecting with the story at the beginning but couldn’t put the book down. The author captured me with his writing style.
Against a changing political and social backdrop in Korea, Whale tells us about what it is to be woman in these changing times. Our heroines are attacked, insulted, and tortured to the point of death. Whale tells us what it takes to go from being a fearful woman to being a feared woman. It satirizes the myriad laws of life and society. At times, the author interjects himself like an oral storyteller would, giving his perspective. I found myself rooting for the survival and success of these women. I could relate to Geumbok’s ambition although wasn’t a big fan of hers at the end of the story.
It’s a story I’ll remember forever. The violence is too much at times but, past that there are colorful characters whose captivating stories are larger than life.
Thank you Archipelago books for my copy!