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Banshee and the Sperm Whale
A sunset wedding in Kona. An ugly secret discovered on an iPhone. Experimental philosophical marriage counseling. Time travel. Diver Neurons and Angel Neurons separated by Sea and Sky. Banshee and the Sperm Whale takes the reader on a journey into the unconscious mind of Martin, a biracial chef from Denver who suffers from a particular kind of overabundance. Along the way, a modern allegory unfolds, and everyday notions about self-knowledge, the nature of good and evil, and the possibility of finding meaning and spiritual significance in the face of inexorable uncertainty are turned inside out.
- GenresFiction
254 pages, Paperback
Published February 16, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 24, 2021
Reading Banshee and the Sperm Whale, one can almost picture Jake Camp with a perfected quantum mechanic's grip, playfully dealing from the bottom of a superposition as the novel seems to exist in two states simultaneously.
In one, it's the story of a relationship that zips along, propelled by a short chapter structure, intriguing characters and an easy style. In the other, the reader is presented with the full spectrum of the human experience. Love, loss, sexuality, morality, human weakness, free will, time travel and the sometimes unbearable weight of just being human. Like an ocean of water set aswirl atop the head of a pin, Camp allows these two states to co-exist. One informing the other. Adding layers neither could achieve on its own. It's a novel at play on the edges of the possible and it's brilliant. Highly recommended.
In one, it's the story of a relationship that zips along, propelled by a short chapter structure, intriguing characters and an easy style. In the other, the reader is presented with the full spectrum of the human experience. Love, loss, sexuality, morality, human weakness, free will, time travel and the sometimes unbearable weight of just being human. Like an ocean of water set aswirl atop the head of a pin, Camp allows these two states to co-exist. One informing the other. Adding layers neither could achieve on its own. It's a novel at play on the edges of the possible and it's brilliant. Highly recommended.
March 30, 2021
Banshee And The Sperm Whale by Jake Camp is a beautiful book full of deep and colourful ideas and concepts.
I absolutely loved this book because the author skillfully dissected a wide range of emotions. This book was so different from other contemporary literary fiction reads that I was overwhelmed with the joy of having found this gem of a book! I am truly grateful to the author for writing this brilliant book and letting his readers experience the dual nature of reality.
This book has a beautifully complex plot along with a well-written story that is highlighted by profound and introspective satire and an array of multi-layered characters. What else can you possibly ask for?
I'd recommend this book to all readers. This book is a must-read!
You can also read this review on thereadingbud.com
I absolutely loved this book because the author skillfully dissected a wide range of emotions. This book was so different from other contemporary literary fiction reads that I was overwhelmed with the joy of having found this gem of a book! I am truly grateful to the author for writing this brilliant book and letting his readers experience the dual nature of reality.
This book has a beautifully complex plot along with a well-written story that is highlighted by profound and introspective satire and an array of multi-layered characters. What else can you possibly ask for?
I'd recommend this book to all readers. This book is a must-read!
You can also read this review on thereadingbud.com
March 30, 2021
I loved this book! I had read other short stories by Camp and I was intrigued to read this newly published novel. The story unfolds in a series of really lovely, poetic at times, vignettes. They flip back and forth between the conscious and the unconscious and are short and easy to read, yet linger in a way that makes you hungry to hear more, from both sides equally. I would rate this book R, possibly X, but I only say that to readers as a heads up. For me, it gave a deeper connection to the characters and the sexual content did not make me feel uncomfortable. I loved the imaginative writing and the unveiling of challenges and growth that was woven throughout the story. I would absolutely recommend this book and look forward to future novels by Jake Camp (and now it looks like I have to read his first book)!
April 13, 2021
Inventive, provocative, and fun--but not for everyone.
Banshee and the Sperm Whale is not your average novel, and not for everybody, but for those with an open mind and a willingness to encounter some challenging ideas and situations, it is a stimulating and fun read, and a book that can be enjoyed on the surface level, as well as on a deeper intellectual level, with different layers of meaning. It is wildly imaginative, taking the reader into another world within the protagonist’s brain (somewhat akin to Murakami’s Hard Boiled Wonderland at the End of the World—but better, in my opinion).
Why not for everybody? The book has some adult themes, and explores ideas of the self, identity, free will, sexuality, and relationships in a provocative (and, at times, shocking) way. If this were to be considered bordering both science fiction and magical realism, one could describe it as Murakami with an edge. Fans of transgressive fiction may like the book, yet, for some of these fans, it may seem rather tame in certain respects—it is more provocative in ideas than extreme actions of the characters. Some comparison might be made with Vonnegut, for example.
The novel also prompts the reader to think about questions of morality from different angles, including conventional morality. There are also questions that arise, obliquely, about spirituality—one could say it touches upon the possibility of the sacred through the profane. Some aspects of the characters and the story may seem a bit offensive to some sensitive general readers, but if you give this book a try, I would suggest thinking about why the author may have included these elements—again, while this story can be a wild ride, both fast-paced and funny, it rewards thinking more deeply about the ideas and issues depicted (there is a website link included in the book to the author’s website, which has thinking/discussion questions).
I’ve commented a lot on the provocative bits, yet, over all, I found a lot of positivity in the book (despite the struggles of the characters)—maybe a bit too much, for my own taste, but I think many will find this welcome, and earned by the characters. It seemed to have an authentic take on challenges and growth in intimate relationships (and includes some very creative experiential couples counseling!)
From all of these comments, you can surmise that I enjoyed the book. I did, and I think it will reward re-reading. As mentioned above, as this book doesn’t fit snugly within a particular genre, it frustrated my expectations at times, but in the end I found this unpredictability a virtue. I particularly enjoyed the idiosyncratic humor running through much of the novel. I will, no doubt, quibble about some parts, and argue about others with friends, but that is the mark of a worthwhile read, in my opinion. Thanks for reading.
Banshee and the Sperm Whale is not your average novel, and not for everybody, but for those with an open mind and a willingness to encounter some challenging ideas and situations, it is a stimulating and fun read, and a book that can be enjoyed on the surface level, as well as on a deeper intellectual level, with different layers of meaning. It is wildly imaginative, taking the reader into another world within the protagonist’s brain (somewhat akin to Murakami’s Hard Boiled Wonderland at the End of the World—but better, in my opinion).
Why not for everybody? The book has some adult themes, and explores ideas of the self, identity, free will, sexuality, and relationships in a provocative (and, at times, shocking) way. If this were to be considered bordering both science fiction and magical realism, one could describe it as Murakami with an edge. Fans of transgressive fiction may like the book, yet, for some of these fans, it may seem rather tame in certain respects—it is more provocative in ideas than extreme actions of the characters. Some comparison might be made with Vonnegut, for example.
The novel also prompts the reader to think about questions of morality from different angles, including conventional morality. There are also questions that arise, obliquely, about spirituality—one could say it touches upon the possibility of the sacred through the profane. Some aspects of the characters and the story may seem a bit offensive to some sensitive general readers, but if you give this book a try, I would suggest thinking about why the author may have included these elements—again, while this story can be a wild ride, both fast-paced and funny, it rewards thinking more deeply about the ideas and issues depicted (there is a website link included in the book to the author’s website, which has thinking/discussion questions).
I’ve commented a lot on the provocative bits, yet, over all, I found a lot of positivity in the book (despite the struggles of the characters)—maybe a bit too much, for my own taste, but I think many will find this welcome, and earned by the characters. It seemed to have an authentic take on challenges and growth in intimate relationships (and includes some very creative experiential couples counseling!)
From all of these comments, you can surmise that I enjoyed the book. I did, and I think it will reward re-reading. As mentioned above, as this book doesn’t fit snugly within a particular genre, it frustrated my expectations at times, but in the end I found this unpredictability a virtue. I particularly enjoyed the idiosyncratic humor running through much of the novel. I will, no doubt, quibble about some parts, and argue about others with friends, but that is the mark of a worthwhile read, in my opinion. Thanks for reading.
July 15, 2021
Updated review including author response can be found at https://amanjareads.com/2021/07/13/ba...
Thank you so much to author Jake Camp for providing me with a copy of his book in exchange for this honest review.
Banshee and the Sperm Whale is a truly once in a lifetime piece of literature. It has proven itself to be one of the most though provoking and challenging books I've read in quite some time. To be completely honest, I read it weeks ago. I had to sit with it for a while and I'm still not fully ready to write this review. There is a lot to unpack and I will attempt to block off any spoilers toward the end of this review.
The novel begins with our protagonist, Martin. He's planning his wedding but is also feeling very tempted to cheat on his fiance. He's clearly having some inner struggles that he's not ready to deal with in a healthy manner.
Then the story moves over to a storm taking place over a sea. This sea is in Martin's brain and the entities manning the boat are his personified neurons. Chapters alternate between Martin's external and internal lives with the story at sea being an allegory for him subconsciously working through his thoughts and emotions.
This is brilliant. Effing brilliant. The tension formed in this side of the book is intense and works perfectly in tandem with Martin's actions. As his internal story struggles so do his external actions. As he makes poor choices out in the world the consequences affect his internal characters. It's a marvelously astute extended metaphor that continues throughout the whole novel.
The title refers to two entities within the internal side of the story. Banshee is a sort of siren mermaid luring the neuron staffed ship to her shore. Sperm Whale is a literal sperm whale who gets caught up in the whole mess.
The external side of Banshee and the Sperm Whale does not stay fully grounded in reality as we know it. Aspects of science fiction or the supernatural do play a delightful part. This is when I really fell in love with this book. The way author Camp ties real life relationship drama into futuristic or even fantasy level technology will make you rethink your current relationships and how you deal with negative communication.
I could easily give this book a 5 star rating based on these chapters alone. And that brings me to some spoilers and why I struggled with a how to review this book for a few weeks. Without spoiling anything directly I will say that there are some issues in the book that are problematic in regards to trans people. I have made it a policy on my site to down rate anything that is offensive in this way. However, this is by no means a 1 star book. It's really great in many other ways. So I'm conflicted.
I had an email discussion with author Camp about my concerns and I can assure readers that his intentions do not appear to be malicious in any way. I was very pleased with Camp's willingness to discuss dissenting opinions on his book and his maturity in defending his work without defending what could be considered offensive.
One of the signs that this book is truly remarkable is that there is so much to discuss and so many ways it could be read and interpreted. I truly hope that you pick up a copy and let me know how you felt about it.
Please stop reading here if you want to remain spoiler free. I'll get into more of my reasoning in the following section but it will contain details that may ruin some surprise aspects of the novel.
Spoilers ahead!
Most of my issues with the book take place on the internal side of the plot. The personified neurons are not my favorite sorts of characters to begin with. They are very typical alpha males driven by id and libido and not much else. Their sole goal in sailing to Banshee is to have sex with her. They want to get laid and they want to do it now, this meraid just happens to be the only viable choice for miles.
Against the captain's orders they sail to Banshee and all the millions of them proceed to penetrate her mermaid vagina with whatever neurons call genitals. They are momentarily satisfied but the storm over the sea begins to worsen.
It is then revealed to them, dramatically and with nothing but ill intent that it wasn't mermaid vagina that they entered but anus. Banshee isn't a lady mermaid but a "tranny." Bro neuron's word not mine. The neurons are all sickened by this surprise.
Let's pause for a few points. One, don't say tranny, just don't. Two, I fully understand that cis straight males would be shocked and even disgusted to discover they had sex with a male against their wishes. They have that right.
The problem I have is that this scene involves Banshee gloating in her trap. She's proud that she tricked all of these dumb boys into falling for her ruse. This is the main problematic area. Trans people have been accused of performing these traps for as long as they've been out. These accusations have resulted in countless assaults and even murders and are nothing to take lightly.
I can understand that when writing from the perspective of this particular kind of cis straight male this reaction does make sense. What doesn't make sense is why Banshee needs to be a trans person at all. In a book with fantastical elements the options are endless but this novel went in this direction by choice.
I have to point out one more problem with the treatment of Banshee's character as trans. Near the very end peace is being made between Banshee and the Sperm Whale and she says "I'm sorry for pretending to be something I'm not." That is to mean that she's apologizing for pretending to be trans because being trans isn't a real identity? If she is truly trans then she isn't pretending to be female, she is female.
The whole thing read to me as transphobic and ignorant. No matter how much I thought about it I couldn't get around that line. I hope you can see why I struggled with this and why I made the decision to knock an otherwise 5 star book down to 3. But I also hope that you see the merit in the other aspects of the story and can understand why I didn't take one flaw of the book and use it to negate all of the good parts.
End Spoilers
The best books are filled with conflicts both external and internal. Banshee and the Sperm Whale has both but goes even further to take those conflicts off of the page and instill them in the reader's own psyche. I dealt with my own internal conflicts while thinking about this book and I hope you can see why that's a big reason to try reading it yourself.
Thank you so much to author Jake Camp for providing me with a copy of his book in exchange for this honest review.
Banshee and the Sperm Whale is a truly once in a lifetime piece of literature. It has proven itself to be one of the most though provoking and challenging books I've read in quite some time. To be completely honest, I read it weeks ago. I had to sit with it for a while and I'm still not fully ready to write this review. There is a lot to unpack and I will attempt to block off any spoilers toward the end of this review.
The novel begins with our protagonist, Martin. He's planning his wedding but is also feeling very tempted to cheat on his fiance. He's clearly having some inner struggles that he's not ready to deal with in a healthy manner.
Then the story moves over to a storm taking place over a sea. This sea is in Martin's brain and the entities manning the boat are his personified neurons. Chapters alternate between Martin's external and internal lives with the story at sea being an allegory for him subconsciously working through his thoughts and emotions.
This is brilliant. Effing brilliant. The tension formed in this side of the book is intense and works perfectly in tandem with Martin's actions. As his internal story struggles so do his external actions. As he makes poor choices out in the world the consequences affect his internal characters. It's a marvelously astute extended metaphor that continues throughout the whole novel.
The title refers to two entities within the internal side of the story. Banshee is a sort of siren mermaid luring the neuron staffed ship to her shore. Sperm Whale is a literal sperm whale who gets caught up in the whole mess.
The external side of Banshee and the Sperm Whale does not stay fully grounded in reality as we know it. Aspects of science fiction or the supernatural do play a delightful part. This is when I really fell in love with this book. The way author Camp ties real life relationship drama into futuristic or even fantasy level technology will make you rethink your current relationships and how you deal with negative communication.
I could easily give this book a 5 star rating based on these chapters alone. And that brings me to some spoilers and why I struggled with a how to review this book for a few weeks. Without spoiling anything directly I will say that there are some issues in the book that are problematic in regards to trans people. I have made it a policy on my site to down rate anything that is offensive in this way. However, this is by no means a 1 star book. It's really great in many other ways. So I'm conflicted.
I had an email discussion with author Camp about my concerns and I can assure readers that his intentions do not appear to be malicious in any way. I was very pleased with Camp's willingness to discuss dissenting opinions on his book and his maturity in defending his work without defending what could be considered offensive.
One of the signs that this book is truly remarkable is that there is so much to discuss and so many ways it could be read and interpreted. I truly hope that you pick up a copy and let me know how you felt about it.
Please stop reading here if you want to remain spoiler free. I'll get into more of my reasoning in the following section but it will contain details that may ruin some surprise aspects of the novel.
Spoilers ahead!
Most of my issues with the book take place on the internal side of the plot. The personified neurons are not my favorite sorts of characters to begin with. They are very typical alpha males driven by id and libido and not much else. Their sole goal in sailing to Banshee is to have sex with her. They want to get laid and they want to do it now, this meraid just happens to be the only viable choice for miles.
Against the captain's orders they sail to Banshee and all the millions of them proceed to penetrate her mermaid vagina with whatever neurons call genitals. They are momentarily satisfied but the storm over the sea begins to worsen.
It is then revealed to them, dramatically and with nothing but ill intent that it wasn't mermaid vagina that they entered but anus. Banshee isn't a lady mermaid but a "tranny." Bro neuron's word not mine. The neurons are all sickened by this surprise.
Let's pause for a few points. One, don't say tranny, just don't. Two, I fully understand that cis straight males would be shocked and even disgusted to discover they had sex with a male against their wishes. They have that right.
The problem I have is that this scene involves Banshee gloating in her trap. She's proud that she tricked all of these dumb boys into falling for her ruse. This is the main problematic area. Trans people have been accused of performing these traps for as long as they've been out. These accusations have resulted in countless assaults and even murders and are nothing to take lightly.
I can understand that when writing from the perspective of this particular kind of cis straight male this reaction does make sense. What doesn't make sense is why Banshee needs to be a trans person at all. In a book with fantastical elements the options are endless but this novel went in this direction by choice.
I have to point out one more problem with the treatment of Banshee's character as trans. Near the very end peace is being made between Banshee and the Sperm Whale and she says "I'm sorry for pretending to be something I'm not." That is to mean that she's apologizing for pretending to be trans because being trans isn't a real identity? If she is truly trans then she isn't pretending to be female, she is female.
The whole thing read to me as transphobic and ignorant. No matter how much I thought about it I couldn't get around that line. I hope you can see why I struggled with this and why I made the decision to knock an otherwise 5 star book down to 3. But I also hope that you see the merit in the other aspects of the story and can understand why I didn't take one flaw of the book and use it to negate all of the good parts.
End Spoilers
The best books are filled with conflicts both external and internal. Banshee and the Sperm Whale has both but goes even further to take those conflicts off of the page and instill them in the reader's own psyche. I dealt with my own internal conflicts while thinking about this book and I hope you can see why that's a big reason to try reading it yourself.
January 14, 2024
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Picked it up because it was a local CO author and the cover caught my eye. The themes around therapy and mental health resonated with me. Some of the struggles and advice were similar to what I feel. The analogy of the neuron world was fun. The conversations and writing felt simplistic at times. My ADHD brain enjoyed the short chapter format.
January 31, 2023
I won this book on Goodreads. This is about Martin and Ana. We go with them through counseling. Also we explore Martins mind.
December 8, 2021
I won “Banshee and the Sperm Whale,” by Jake Camp, in a Goodreads giveaway.
This book is a strange and sometimes wonderful tale of Martin, a chef who is going through a crisis of sorts, and his parter Ana. Martin is having doubts about love, marriage, adultery, heaven and hell, and his relationship with his mom and dad, all of which he needs to get figured out before he snaps and sinks into the inky abyss.
Parts of the story tell of Martin’s and Ana’s strange appointments with their psychiatrist, and the unusual approaches he takes to try to help the couple resolve their issues. During the odder portions of the story, we learn of diver neurons, angel neurons, mermaids, sperm whales and the weird happenings in Martin’s psyche. That part of the story may stick with you more than the relationship building of the couple because that part of the story is at times so out there, that it almost makes your mind snap after reading certain sections. “Did I just read what I think I read?” Why yes, I just did, and now I can’t unread it. You won’t look at mermaids the same.
Give it a try. It kept me reading to find out what happens to Martin, and to the diver neurons, as weird as they are. 4 stars.
This book is a strange and sometimes wonderful tale of Martin, a chef who is going through a crisis of sorts, and his parter Ana. Martin is having doubts about love, marriage, adultery, heaven and hell, and his relationship with his mom and dad, all of which he needs to get figured out before he snaps and sinks into the inky abyss.
Parts of the story tell of Martin’s and Ana’s strange appointments with their psychiatrist, and the unusual approaches he takes to try to help the couple resolve their issues. During the odder portions of the story, we learn of diver neurons, angel neurons, mermaids, sperm whales and the weird happenings in Martin’s psyche. That part of the story may stick with you more than the relationship building of the couple because that part of the story is at times so out there, that it almost makes your mind snap after reading certain sections. “Did I just read what I think I read?” Why yes, I just did, and now I can’t unread it. You won’t look at mermaids the same.
Give it a try. It kept me reading to find out what happens to Martin, and to the diver neurons, as weird as they are. 4 stars.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews