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Washed Ashore
On a wild Scottish island, a tragedy washes up on the storm-beaten shore: the bodies of a whale and a man. Fraser, desperate for adventure, and Hayley, visiting from Texas, become tangled in the mystery.
But Fraser's younger brother Dunny is distraught by the discovery. He hasn't spoken in years, and lately he's been acting more strangely than ever.
Together, the three meet a man living in the abandoned caves nearby. They start to wonder if he might lie at the center of something darker than they had previously thought. For the whispering sea conceals a terrible secret, and to discover the truth, one of them must learn to listen...
But Fraser's younger brother Dunny is distraught by the discovery. He hasn't spoken in years, and lately he's been acting more strangely than ever.
Together, the three meet a man living in the abandoned caves nearby. They start to wonder if he might lie at the center of something darker than they had previously thought. For the whispering sea conceals a terrible secret, and to discover the truth, one of them must learn to listen...
320 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2015
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518 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
March 27, 2017
Oh how I hated this stupid book. It took me forever to read it and I would have abandoned it if I didn't have to review it. This is not my official review because I do think there is a small market for this kind of drivel, but I am not that audience. I found the teenage girl voice whiny and superficial in a very ungenuine way. Clearly some adult thinks this is what entitled brats think and say in their heads - "sometimes I just like to annoy my mom on purpose." Give me a break. And what's up with all the overly forced suspense that was just very not suspenseful. The book is about a dead body washing up on the shore of a weird, lonely Scottish island. How do you make that so incredibly boring??? Maybe we can talk about whales way too much with absolutely no interesting fun facts provided. Or maybe we can make the bad guy very predictable. Or maybe we can use alternate voices each chapter, even though they sound identical except one is whining about whales and one is whining about her mom. And then at the end how about let's throw in some random Scottish folklore magic stuff that makes just so much sense. Hated this book.
June 5, 2017
This review is also available on my blog, Read Till Dawn.
Washed Ashore showed up unsolicited on my doorstep one day. I picked it up, shrugged, and read it with basically no expectations about the story (except that there would probably be a whale involved).
Now that I think about it, it's good that I didn't read the description too closely because it basically has nothing to do with the actual story. I mean, the bare-bones idea of the bodies washed ashore and Fraser, Hayley, and Dunny's presence in the story is right, but I'm still not sure who the synopsis is talking about what it says that "one of them must learn to listen." I have inklings, but no firm idea.
Anyway, moving on. What did I think of the book? I thought it was pretty good. I think it's awesome that it's set in Scotland and written by a guy who lives in Glasgow, because I'm actually moving to Scotland in a few months to attend college in (the essentially small fishing town of) St. Andrews, Scotland. My copy of Washed Ashore actually came before I'd made my final decision to go there, and then I read it soon after the decision was made. That's a pretty cool coincidence! I like getting a peek at what life is like on the small Scottish isles, definitely. Though I have to say that I struggled to connect with Hayley at first–I just couldn't believe that there was no part of her that could stop moping about leaving home long enough to look around and appreciate the fact that she was living among the natives on a beautiful little island in gorgeous-freaking-Scotland! Honestly, travel is simply wasted on some people. The only time she ever seems to acknowledge the "other-ness" of Scotland, besides one time when she notices that the shoreline looks kind of nice, is when she's referring to Fraser as "the Scottish boy." This phrase is thrown around almost constantly throughout the book, and from context I think it's basically supposed to have the same connotations as "the boy next door" (i.e. "the boy we've put a special label on and who will eventually be a love interest for the female protagonist"). Meh. Both of these phrases really don't tell us anything about the boy in question, so I don't really like them.
Anyway, the romance plotline is actually handled quite well and I enjoyed watching how all the characters interacted with each other. My favorite character may have been Dunny (who is autistic, though the way Thomson chose to incorporate that into the plot was . . . interesting), just because he seems really sweet and Hayley and Fraser aren't all that nice to or understanding with him. I also felt for Hayley, who is struggling big-time with her parents' separation and upcoming divorce (after her father left them for another woman), and I'm rather horrified about what her mother almost does while on rebound. I liked Fraser least of the three main characters, just because he has the most advantages–knowing everything/everyone on the island, unlike Hayley, and being able to communicate with other people in a way that Dunny can't–and yet is still such a jerk at times to both of them. He's especially thoughtless with Dunny, which is hard to see. Fraser does grow on me, though.
As for the plot itself, I can't discuss much without spoilers. There are some interesting themes explored, that's for sure. I can't say that I love the way everything ends up–it's a little too mystical for my tastes–but I suppose that could just be part of the Scottish culture. There are some interesting ethical dilemmas brought up in connection with immigration and the like, which really got me thinking. I can't go much into this here, so I suppose I'll just say that I don't blame immigrants for fleeing hopeless situations but I also think countries should have the right to decide who they admit into their borders.
Anyway, though, Washed Ashore was a pleasant book that I enjoyed reading but which didn't blow my socks off. It would make a perfect summer read for any of you still looking for something to pass the time with in the next few weeks.
Disclaimer: I received an unsolicited, complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher.
Washed Ashore showed up unsolicited on my doorstep one day. I picked it up, shrugged, and read it with basically no expectations about the story (except that there would probably be a whale involved).
Now that I think about it, it's good that I didn't read the description too closely because it basically has nothing to do with the actual story. I mean, the bare-bones idea of the bodies washed ashore and Fraser, Hayley, and Dunny's presence in the story is right, but I'm still not sure who the synopsis is talking about what it says that "one of them must learn to listen." I have inklings, but no firm idea.
Anyway, moving on. What did I think of the book? I thought it was pretty good. I think it's awesome that it's set in Scotland and written by a guy who lives in Glasgow, because I'm actually moving to Scotland in a few months to attend college in (the essentially small fishing town of) St. Andrews, Scotland. My copy of Washed Ashore actually came before I'd made my final decision to go there, and then I read it soon after the decision was made. That's a pretty cool coincidence! I like getting a peek at what life is like on the small Scottish isles, definitely. Though I have to say that I struggled to connect with Hayley at first–I just couldn't believe that there was no part of her that could stop moping about leaving home long enough to look around and appreciate the fact that she was living among the natives on a beautiful little island in gorgeous-freaking-Scotland! Honestly, travel is simply wasted on some people. The only time she ever seems to acknowledge the "other-ness" of Scotland, besides one time when she notices that the shoreline looks kind of nice, is when she's referring to Fraser as "the Scottish boy." This phrase is thrown around almost constantly throughout the book, and from context I think it's basically supposed to have the same connotations as "the boy next door" (i.e. "the boy we've put a special label on and who will eventually be a love interest for the female protagonist"). Meh. Both of these phrases really don't tell us anything about the boy in question, so I don't really like them.
Anyway, the romance plotline is actually handled quite well and I enjoyed watching how all the characters interacted with each other. My favorite character may have been Dunny (who is autistic, though the way Thomson chose to incorporate that into the plot was . . . interesting), just because he seems really sweet and Hayley and Fraser aren't all that nice to or understanding with him. I also felt for Hayley, who is struggling big-time with her parents' separation and upcoming divorce (after her father left them for another woman), and I'm rather horrified about what her mother almost does while on rebound. I liked Fraser least of the three main characters, just because he has the most advantages–knowing everything/everyone on the island, unlike Hayley, and being able to communicate with other people in a way that Dunny can't–and yet is still such a jerk at times to both of them. He's especially thoughtless with Dunny, which is hard to see. Fraser does grow on me, though.
As for the plot itself, I can't discuss much without spoilers. There are some interesting themes explored, that's for sure. I can't say that I love the way everything ends up–it's a little too mystical for my tastes–but I suppose that could just be part of the Scottish culture. There are some interesting ethical dilemmas brought up in connection with immigration and the like, which really got me thinking. I can't go much into this here, so I suppose I'll just say that I don't blame immigrants for fleeing hopeless situations but I also think countries should have the right to decide who they admit into their borders.
Anyway, though, Washed Ashore was a pleasant book that I enjoyed reading but which didn't blow my socks off. It would make a perfect summer read for any of you still looking for something to pass the time with in the next few weeks.
Disclaimer: I received an unsolicited, complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher.
July 11, 2018
The reason I wanted to read The Sound of Whales is one that I love to explore to new authors, and for two I live not far from the coast, three being that when I was young I used to go Scotland for my holiday.
I can see why the author Kerr Thomson was the winner of the Times children's fiction prize 2014. While reading The Sound of Whales where the descriptions of the scenery and the ripple effects of sounds it makes you feel like you are right there in the action of the sea.
Kerr Thomson knows how to keep his audience interested.
Fraser has never taken a boat to sea in a storm before, but he never let Ben know that. In the wind Fraser was certain he had heard something in the water. But Ben thought that no one was there. Maybe Fraser had imagined it?
I am keeping a tight lid on what happens next. This is a magical wild adventure wholly different from all the other books that I have read.
The story examines the idea of the natural world rising against a cruel humanity whales versus human traffickers. It explores the ability of communicating with animals, a subject of enduring fascination for children. We encounter important themes through Dunny's character with mild autism, and his inspirational struggle to communicate and overcome his fears.
With this touching and emotive tale of friendship and hidden strengths I look forward to Kerr Thomson next magical adventure.
I can see why the author Kerr Thomson was the winner of the Times children's fiction prize 2014. While reading The Sound of Whales where the descriptions of the scenery and the ripple effects of sounds it makes you feel like you are right there in the action of the sea.
Kerr Thomson knows how to keep his audience interested.
Fraser has never taken a boat to sea in a storm before, but he never let Ben know that. In the wind Fraser was certain he had heard something in the water. But Ben thought that no one was there. Maybe Fraser had imagined it?
I am keeping a tight lid on what happens next. This is a magical wild adventure wholly different from all the other books that I have read.
The story examines the idea of the natural world rising against a cruel humanity whales versus human traffickers. It explores the ability of communicating with animals, a subject of enduring fascination for children. We encounter important themes through Dunny's character with mild autism, and his inspirational struggle to communicate and overcome his fears.
With this touching and emotive tale of friendship and hidden strengths I look forward to Kerr Thomson next magical adventure.
December 15, 2024
I thought this book had so many plot twists and exciting moments! Loved this book
~ read in year 8
~ read in year 8
March 28, 2016
The Sound of Whales was a book I really wanted to love more than I did. It had everything I find intriguing – a brilliant and unique (in children’s/YA fiction at least) setting, mythology, whales and ecology, big tough moral questions and issues, and a possibly autistic character. I was very excited to read this book. This review doesn’t contain spoilers as such, but maybe some analysis close to them? Because if this book did anything, it certainly made me think.
I think ‘The Sound of Whales’ would have been a hundred times better if the main characters were actually children rather than cardboard-annoying and very unconvincing teenagers, and there hadn’t been so much emphasis on their contrived love-hate romance with zero chemistry, over the bigger themes and topics in the book. The two main characters, Fraser and Hayley, too often almost sound like the same person, and really don’t seem their age at all. The writing style reads very much like a children’s book, keeping things simple and predictable.
But the biggest problem I found was that a lot of the time this book was scratching at bigger issues than it could even think about, let alone dig into and explore in any depth. Issues such as people trafficking are huge and important, and are scarce in children’s/YA fiction. The shallowness with which they were explored in this novel was a real let down, especially as the teenage protagonists suggested this book was written more for teenagers than children. Even the ‘bad guys’ were non-existent, and at no point did I feel the characters were threatened by them.
Similarly, the most interesting character in the book, Dunny, (Fraser, the MC’s younger brother) is labelled early on, by way of explanation of his odd behaviour, as ‘mildly autistic’. However, there is virtually no exploration of what this means or how it affects Dunny or is his family aside from inconveniencing them every time he runs off. There’s no indication that anyone’s tried to help Dunny communicate in other ways, such as signing, except for writing/texts which nobody really seems to think to use. It felt unrealistic and a poor representation of autism, and I wish Dunny hadn’t been labelled at all.
Everything else, such as the setting and culture of the island were similarly shallowly drawn and thrown in. For a children’s book, this would have been good – the descriptions and events and conversations were informative enough to imagine, but for an older readership I think this would have been a let-down. Too much felt gimmicky and thrown in like token QUIRKS! and we got no sense of a community or of family life beyond them, and really this story could have been set anywhere. The bits of Scottish dialect and Americanisms were inconsistent and at times annoying in both dialogue and narrative, and if I hadn’t googled the author and found out he lives in Glasgow, I would have sworn the guy had to be American. It had all the hallmarks of someone writing about a place and people they don’t really know but have maybe popped over on holiday once or twice, and the existence of an American-girl stranger emphasises the sense of that.
However, as a children’s book (and indeed, this book has won a children’s book award), it is a tame introduction to some big world issues, such as people trafficking, conservation and the environment, tourism and dying industries, family struggles and friendships. It’s a very plot-driven book, and moves at a good pace, and while it did lack depth it certainly made me want to keep reading anyway. If this book was aimed more at children, with younger aged protagonists, and it had focused more on the important issues and ideas it raised than a contrived romance, then it maybe would have received five stars from me.
I think ‘The Sound of Whales’ would have been a hundred times better if the main characters were actually children rather than cardboard-annoying and very unconvincing teenagers, and there hadn’t been so much emphasis on their contrived love-hate romance with zero chemistry, over the bigger themes and topics in the book. The two main characters, Fraser and Hayley, too often almost sound like the same person, and really don’t seem their age at all. The writing style reads very much like a children’s book, keeping things simple and predictable.
But the biggest problem I found was that a lot of the time this book was scratching at bigger issues than it could even think about, let alone dig into and explore in any depth. Issues such as people trafficking are huge and important, and are scarce in children’s/YA fiction. The shallowness with which they were explored in this novel was a real let down, especially as the teenage protagonists suggested this book was written more for teenagers than children. Even the ‘bad guys’ were non-existent, and at no point did I feel the characters were threatened by them.
Similarly, the most interesting character in the book, Dunny, (Fraser, the MC’s younger brother) is labelled early on, by way of explanation of his odd behaviour, as ‘mildly autistic’. However, there is virtually no exploration of what this means or how it affects Dunny or is his family aside from inconveniencing them every time he runs off. There’s no indication that anyone’s tried to help Dunny communicate in other ways, such as signing, except for writing/texts which nobody really seems to think to use. It felt unrealistic and a poor representation of autism, and I wish Dunny hadn’t been labelled at all.
Everything else, such as the setting and culture of the island were similarly shallowly drawn and thrown in. For a children’s book, this would have been good – the descriptions and events and conversations were informative enough to imagine, but for an older readership I think this would have been a let-down. Too much felt gimmicky and thrown in like token QUIRKS! and we got no sense of a community or of family life beyond them, and really this story could have been set anywhere. The bits of Scottish dialect and Americanisms were inconsistent and at times annoying in both dialogue and narrative, and if I hadn’t googled the author and found out he lives in Glasgow, I would have sworn the guy had to be American. It had all the hallmarks of someone writing about a place and people they don’t really know but have maybe popped over on holiday once or twice, and the existence of an American-girl stranger emphasises the sense of that.
However, as a children’s book (and indeed, this book has won a children’s book award), it is a tame introduction to some big world issues, such as people trafficking, conservation and the environment, tourism and dying industries, family struggles and friendships. It’s a very plot-driven book, and moves at a good pace, and while it did lack depth it certainly made me want to keep reading anyway. If this book was aimed more at children, with younger aged protagonists, and it had focused more on the important issues and ideas it raised than a contrived romance, then it maybe would have received five stars from me.
February 19, 2017
A well written book, and a nice concept, but it was the point where the author asked me to believe a boy spoke to killer whales and, when he got in the sea with them, instead of trying to eat him, they led him to some nasty people smugglers. Way beyond suspension of disbelief and it made me impatient to get this book finished. Sorry Kerr, you write well but the story flipped into fantasy when that didn't appear to be the book's genre at all.
July 30, 2017
I received this from a Goodreads giveaway for and honest review.
I didn't really connect with any of the characters. I also REALLY disliked how they handled the autistic character.
The Scotland setting was nice. I haven't read a lot of books based in Scotland so that was interesting. But that was probably the only I did like about the book.
I didn't really connect with any of the characters. I also REALLY disliked how they handled the autistic character.
The Scotland setting was nice. I haven't read a lot of books based in Scotland so that was interesting. But that was probably the only I did like about the book.
August 29, 2025
Oh how this godawful BOOK made me fuming. I went to read this on a calm sunday night with my pet slug. The rain was pelting off the window but when I opened this book... the rain started floating back up to the sky like it was haunted and my slug turned into a radiator! Dunny appeared out the book and said "That's no maths, that's a blimp!" then ran through and destroyed my wall like a bulldozer! He infected me with Scabies, hence the name Scabby. The sheer grip these little mites have on me made me blind. I'm currently making my radiation-ridden rodent mutant dog type this out as I tell her what to say. After I'm done she goes back to the kennel where she belongs. NO SHOWERS!!!
This book has really made my life a living hell. Everywhere, all the time, Dunny sits in the corner of my eye like a ghost out of sight. I read this for 10 minutes and a mysterious bald man asked me what happened. What a knob. I had to put a handle on this book to make it more accessible. But, the one positive I can take away from this heaving pile of nonsense is the wording. My vocabulary has increased by an exponential amount after reading this book. Especially at the point where the characters heard a weird noise and Dunny turned and said "That's the sound of whales!" It made me drop the book and cry and applause.
All in all, this book had me on a bunking rollercoaster of emotions. As soon as I opened the book I felt turmoil and as soon as I closed it I felt heavenly. They say that ignorance is bliss and so I will be pretending this book doesn't exist. 5 stars. BYE BYE.
This book has really made my life a living hell. Everywhere, all the time, Dunny sits in the corner of my eye like a ghost out of sight. I read this for 10 minutes and a mysterious bald man asked me what happened. What a knob. I had to put a handle on this book to make it more accessible. But, the one positive I can take away from this heaving pile of nonsense is the wording. My vocabulary has increased by an exponential amount after reading this book. Especially at the point where the characters heard a weird noise and Dunny turned and said "That's the sound of whales!" It made me drop the book and cry and applause.
All in all, this book had me on a bunking rollercoaster of emotions. As soon as I opened the book I felt turmoil and as soon as I closed it I felt heavenly. They say that ignorance is bliss and so I will be pretending this book doesn't exist. 5 stars. BYE BYE.
January 4, 2019
I could have read this book in 2 days, had I chosen. But "Washed Ashore," is one of those books that you want to last as long as possible, because you know the next book by the author has not yet been written. So you want the experience to last as long as possible.
Mr. Thomson never fails to please in his work. His characters are not only interesting but completely believable and the dialogue is right on the mark. You can actually see teens saying the words he has written.
"Washed Ashore" is exciting, moving, and keeps you on the edge of your seat trying to determine what is going to happen next. He manages to include the wonders of animals, the beauty of nature, and the importance of taking care of the planet and the creatures who reside here. We all play an important role, it is not just about us!
Mr. Thomson never fails to please in his work. His characters are not only interesting but completely believable and the dialogue is right on the mark. You can actually see teens saying the words he has written.
"Washed Ashore" is exciting, moving, and keeps you on the edge of your seat trying to determine what is going to happen next. He manages to include the wonders of animals, the beauty of nature, and the importance of taking care of the planet and the creatures who reside here. We all play an important role, it is not just about us!
September 11, 2018
I received this book free from Goodreads awhile ago and finally had a chance to read it. I didn't realize this was a book for teens. It was still a good book and probably an even better book for 12-15 year olds.
I would classify this as suspense/mystery. The story takes place on a small island near Scotland. The main characters are a teen boy and his mute younger brother, a teen girl (American) who is visiting the island while her mother does research for a book, a marine biologist who studies whales, and a man hiding in a cave. As the title and cover suggest, there has been a whale and a body that have washed ashore. Why are there suddenly whales so close to the island? And where did the body come from?
I would classify this as suspense/mystery. The story takes place on a small island near Scotland. The main characters are a teen boy and his mute younger brother, a teen girl (American) who is visiting the island while her mother does research for a book, a marine biologist who studies whales, and a man hiding in a cave. As the title and cover suggest, there has been a whale and a body that have washed ashore. Why are there suddenly whales so close to the island? And where did the body come from?
February 7, 2021
This was a pretty good book, I loved the storyline and how it connected to folklore. I was surprised by the end because there were so many ways the plot twist could happen. I personally thought Hayley’s mum was a bad guy.
Anyway, I disliked not only Dunny for a while (God, could he not realise how his actions effected not just him?)
You HAAATED Hayley at the start, she only grew on me a little. I didn’t like the parents, of whom seemed really more attentive with Dunny, and didn’t even notice when Fraser wasn’t home 😑.
But the plot made up for it! Wonderful creativity, and Dunny really grew on me.
Anyway, I disliked not only Dunny for a while (God, could he not realise how his actions effected not just him?)
You HAAATED Hayley at the start, she only grew on me a little. I didn’t like the parents, of whom seemed really more attentive with Dunny, and didn’t even notice when Fraser wasn’t home 😑.
But the plot made up for it! Wonderful creativity, and Dunny really grew on me.
May 18, 2021
I was fortunate enough to get this book as a pre release from a convention I went to several years ago in 2017 but didn’t get around to reading it until now. It would’ve been a good book had it not had an insanely ableist view on autism and Tourette’s sprinkled through the book. The twists in the book were fairly obvious and I didn’t like the main characters or the focus on a relationship between them as brought up by most of the adults. I do like the story though and the setting and subject matter isn’t seen much in teen lit to my knowledge but unfortunately the ableism is too much for me.
August 23, 2017
its such a great book. i personaly love this book because I love mysterys ecpecally when it envolves a murder. the way they need to listen to the oceans side of the story. and the shocks. some people think its boring by looiking at the cover but if you read it you really get drawn into it. so i reccomed tjis book a lot. (:
April 27, 2018
I couldn't put this down! Intriguing take on the worldwide problem of human trafficking, they way the people are used to transport drugs, etc. A nice change, from the normal format, depicting teens, dating, and family relationships. I was fascinated by the younger brother's talent for calling the whales. This is something I had not read about before, and now I have research to do on this topic!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2018
Even though this book is aimed at teens, I absolutely got lost in the story. It's set in the west of Scotland (where my family is from), and the author does a great job of describing the landscape, atmosphere and people of a little western Island. It was a lovely little holiday read, and I'll be looking for books from the same author.
March 27, 2024
This novel is absolutely atrocious. It has made me consider suicide multiple times, and I have had to abandon my firstborn child as he shares a name with the protagonist of the book. One part of the book I enjoyed was when the mythical (nonexistent?) Dunny contracted “the virus”, however it does not save the book as he did not perish. Perchance.
January 18, 2019
Good story. I was frustrated by the selfishness of Hayley, but I work in a middle school so I see that attitude daily. I enjoyed the setting and loved the character of Dunny, tho the revelation of his abilities toward the end seemed a bit far-fetched. As a YA, tho, I enjoyed it.
March 26, 2024
THIS BOOK HAD SOME SMASHING CONTENT BUT…..IT WAS ALSO ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE AT THE SAME TIME LIKE I WOULD RATHER READ THE SOUND OF WALLS MAYBE LOUIS WILLIAMSON WILL WRITE A BETTER BOOK AND PEG YOU ON A SUNDAY NIGHT LOT OF LOVE CONNOR LOBBAN
January 8, 2018
i wanted to enjoy this book, but i found it really dull. i finished it purely out of curiosity as to where the story would go, but really was so glad when it was over.
April 8, 2019
I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed this story. It was an unlikely cast of characters that came together to tell a remarkable story.
November 6, 2022
Interesting premise but the characters are a bit two dimensional
May 23, 2023
pretty redundant
October 19, 2023
A very good young adult book!
July 17, 2015
This review has been crossposted from my blog at The Cosy Dragon . Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule.
The summer in Scotland is just as miserable as its winter, at least for its forced inhabitants. With nothing to do, the two Scottish boys hunt down whales, each in their own way, and the Texan girl gets caught up purely by accident. With unknown bad-guys on the loose, the children need to keep their communication open.
I felt like the author was trying to tackle too big an issue with too small a novel. People smuggling is a serious offence, but this novel couldn't get deep enough into it to even really start a conversation on it. The same thing bothered me about the culture. The dance and the Sunday church could have had so much more emphasis and interest in them.
Should I tick the box for fantasy on this one? Or something else? The whale drawing abilities were something that I could put down to real-life, or augmented reality, I wasn't really sure where to put it. That being said, it was certainly sensitively done and I felt absolutely certain that there wasn't anything being made up.
Dunny doesn't speak. To you or I, or Hayley for that matter, his name sounds like, well, a toilet. I think the author has done that on purpose. On the other hand, I'm certain that Fraser often feels like his brother has his head in the dunny most of the time! Dunny certainly doesn't make thing straight-forward.
I was grateful for the lack of 'ikky love stuff'. You know the typical boy meets girl, they fall in love immediately, but neither want to admit it? Yeah, doesn't happen, instead its more about being friends first, overcoming a lot of cultural boundaries and some language ones as well.
This novel was driven by subterfuge. The ending was not what one might have expected. I came away from reading this novel with mixed feelings. If it was planned to give an overview on how life can be complicated, then yes, it did the job. But if you wanted something more powerful in terms of human feeling, this said it would, but failed to deliver. I didn't actually care very much whether any of them lived or died.
I'm surprised by the lack of other reviews for this novel. It's actually pretty good, I tossed up between a 3 stars and a 4 stars, and settled on 4, because I thought about it while I was away from it, and really wanted to finish it. Get on it! Read it! Even if it's better suited to teenagers, it's totally a book you want your teenager to read, and it might even appeal to non-readers (provided you sell it to them in the right way).
The summer in Scotland is just as miserable as its winter, at least for its forced inhabitants. With nothing to do, the two Scottish boys hunt down whales, each in their own way, and the Texan girl gets caught up purely by accident. With unknown bad-guys on the loose, the children need to keep their communication open.
I felt like the author was trying to tackle too big an issue with too small a novel. People smuggling is a serious offence, but this novel couldn't get deep enough into it to even really start a conversation on it. The same thing bothered me about the culture. The dance and the Sunday church could have had so much more emphasis and interest in them.
Should I tick the box for fantasy on this one? Or something else? The whale drawing abilities were something that I could put down to real-life, or augmented reality, I wasn't really sure where to put it. That being said, it was certainly sensitively done and I felt absolutely certain that there wasn't anything being made up.
Dunny doesn't speak. To you or I, or Hayley for that matter, his name sounds like, well, a toilet. I think the author has done that on purpose. On the other hand, I'm certain that Fraser often feels like his brother has his head in the dunny most of the time! Dunny certainly doesn't make thing straight-forward.
I was grateful for the lack of 'ikky love stuff'. You know the typical boy meets girl, they fall in love immediately, but neither want to admit it? Yeah, doesn't happen, instead its more about being friends first, overcoming a lot of cultural boundaries and some language ones as well.
This novel was driven by subterfuge. The ending was not what one might have expected. I came away from reading this novel with mixed feelings. If it was planned to give an overview on how life can be complicated, then yes, it did the job. But if you wanted something more powerful in terms of human feeling, this said it would, but failed to deliver. I didn't actually care very much whether any of them lived or died.
I'm surprised by the lack of other reviews for this novel. It's actually pretty good, I tossed up between a 3 stars and a 4 stars, and settled on 4, because I thought about it while I was away from it, and really wanted to finish it. Get on it! Read it! Even if it's better suited to teenagers, it's totally a book you want your teenager to read, and it might even appeal to non-readers (provided you sell it to them in the right way).
October 29, 2015
A good book, I love the Scottish backdrop. A story about people smuggling and displaced persons. I do not think It would be good as a read aloud - smishy teenage romance and bizarre tantrums. Also I did not like the way the kids did not trust their parents. Dunny the strange brother seems autistic but is then found to have a magical power to summon whales..... so it was a bit to eclectic for me.. serious stuff like drownings, tampering with dead bodies, kidnapping, drunk boating... and then a magical whale power... I enjoyed the read but as a story it was a bit flawed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2016
This is the second EBA book I read but I still think 'Car-Jacked' is the best. To be honest I found it hard to get into even what with the beginning with the person in the water. The Sound of Whales is a good book, however, especially with the dramatic ending. I think it starts to get interesting when the mysterious dead body with a cut stomach turns washed up on the shore. I rate it 8.5 out of 10.
December 5, 2015
Throughout this book I was unsure what I was going to rate this book, especially in the middle I was actually considering two stars as I couldn't make out where the plot was going exactly and found it just a little bit more boring. However, if it wasn't for the amazing last 100 pages, it wouldn't have got four stars. I did not expect the end and it was just a really lovely ending. The concept was definitely unique and was actually a lovely concept :)
July 16, 2016
Fantastic idea but sometimes rather shallowly put... plus the two teenagers were kind of annoying, esp. the American girl. But Fraser wasn't much better. When he did something, it was alright, but when the girl did the same, he felt betrayed... oh well...
I think the writing style felt more like a kids' book, so in my opinion the main protagonists should have been kids rather than teenagers. This would have made the book so much better
I think the writing style felt more like a kids' book, so in my opinion the main protagonists should have been kids rather than teenagers. This would have made the book so much better
October 3, 2016
There are hundreds of small islands off the coast of Scotland and there must equally be hundreds of marvellous stories about many of them and the seas surrounding them. This story is a fantastic read which takes on the practice of people trafficking in a fairly simple manner, but one which would cause good discussion amongst young people. A good read aloud for intermediate students - some minor sweary bits but a great read.
December 24, 2021
A M A Z I N G. I would recommend it to anyone. I even gave it to my mum to read, she loved it. I would read it again. The story is gripping in its own way. It tells a story about a boring Scottish isle which got interesting and brings in an important note about people trapped n the world wide People Trafficking system. MUST READ.As cheesy as this may sound, there are really no other words to describe it. It was phenomenal book.
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