My Father the Whale

by Gina Perry

A vivid, beautifully imagined story about the lengths we'll go in order to belong

'Beautiful writing - tender and engaging. A wonderful novel' FAVEL PARRETT

'Gina Perry has written from the heart to create a story of tenderness, struggle and love' TONY BIRCH

'Paints the relationships between parents and children in all their complexity - the evasions that are practised out of love, or pragmatism, or self-delusion ... A debut novel of rare subtlety and vision' JOCK SERONG


For nine-year-old Ruby, travelling the country with her charismatic father Mitch and busking for a living is the only life she's ever known. Mitch has been the centre of Ruby's world since she was a baby, and much as she's curious about her mother who died soon after Ruby was born, talk of her is taboo.

When repairs to their ageing Kombi strand them in a small coastal town, Ruby is drawn to the town and its people and gains a glimpse of family life starkly different to her own. But when Mitch is ready to leave, Ruby is caught between her loyalty to her father and the safety of the place that's offered her a taste of normal life, causing a rift between them that will take years to heal.

When Mitch sweeps back in town and into Ruby's adult life, his arrival is like a tidal wave, bringing more questions as Ruby grapples with the legacy of her childhood. For her, the only way forward is to confront the past and the secret of a mother Ruby's never known ... and what Mitch was escaping when he set out for a life on the road.

Sometimes the family you need is the one you choose.

PRAISE

'Beautiful writing - tender and engaging. A wonderful novel' FAVEL PARRETT

'Gina Perry has written from the heart to create a story of tenderness, struggle and love' TONY BIRCH

'My Father the Whale paints the relationships between parents and children all their complexity - the evasions that are practised out of love, or pragmatism, or self-delusion. Perry is especially good on place, even when that place is an endlessly-moving Kombi van that stands in for a childhood home. Not many readers would have grown up the way Ruby does, but every reader will recognise the painful truth that our parents can never achieve the ideals they set for themselves. This is a debut novel of rare subtlety and vision.' JOCK SERONG

'A heartwarming tale about yearning, belonging and finding oneself. Through the eyes of the memorable Ruby, Perry vividly recreates the rich and vibrant world of a child desperate to make sense of the strangeness of her life. With echoes of Sophie Laguna, My Father the Whale is a coming-of-age story, set against the vibrant landscape of childhood, filled with tragedy and joy. This is a novel that stays with you long after the last page is turned' MEREDITH JAFFE

'A standout work of literary fiction. It's understated, heartfelt, and ultimately a profound meditation on loss, love, and familial legacy ... The kind of book in which I could happily lose myself. Indeed, I did just that, and savoured every page' LAURIE STEED

Genres: Audiobook, Fiction

313 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 7, 2023

Reviews

[Brooke - Brooke's Reading Life · Rating 2 out of 5]

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**2.5 stars**

My Father the Whale by Gina Perry. (2023).

**Thank you to HarperCollins Australia for sending me a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review; published 7 June 2023**

Ruby is a child who has been travelling the country with her charismatic father Mitch, busking for a living. Her mother died when Ruby was 6 weeks old and Mitch won't talk about her. When repairs to their Kombi strands them in a small coastal town, Ruby is drawn to the town, its people, and gets a glimpse of a different family life. But when Mitch is ready to leave, Ruby isn't. Years later Mitch returns and Ruby's questions arise as she grapples with her childhood. The only way forward is to confront the past, find out about her mother, and what Mitch was escaping out on the road...

This is the debut fiction novel for this author, being short-listed in the 2021 HarperCollins Banjo Prize. The first half of the book is set in 1984 when Ruby is a child, with the second half taking place in 2000 when she is an adult and her father abruptly returns to her life. While I didn't mind some parts of it, this story was not really for me. If I'm going to be brutally honest, by the end reading this felt a bit like a chore - I wanted it to be over. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it was terrible or anything, I just couldn't really get into it and by the last third I'd lost interest. This is in direct contrast to many reviews where readers find this book to be a well-written and insightful coming-of-age story.
Overall: while not really my kind of novel, I do think those that enjoy the literary type of life stories will appreciate this one.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Harper Collins Australia for sending me a copy of this book for review.

This a book about a young girl searching for her identity and a sense of belonging. Ruby lives with her father living a very nomadic lifestyle. She is homeschooled by her father , the car breaks down and they need to stay somewhere whilst it is fixed. Ruby ends up going to a normal school and finds a very good friend. Life changes drastically , she has a sense of security shes never had before, but this leads to a breakdown with relationship with her father. Can it be repaired?

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I deeply appreciated the author’s attention to nuance in complicated family relationships and the ways relationships can be both loving and hurtful at the same time. I wasn’t surprised to read that the author is also a (former) psychologist. Loved it and will be keen for more from Gina Perry!

[Asha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great protagonist voice

[Caroline O'Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very Lucky to have been gifted a copy of this book from HarperCollinsNZ, thank you very much.

I absolutely loved this book, it is the perfect coming of age novel and crazily enough, it’s this author’s debut which I would never have guessed.

In this book we have Ruby and her father Mitch, they pretty much live a nomadic life, earning money where they can competing in fairs and the like. This life is all Ruby has ever known and it isn’t until she’s a little older that she starts questioning what else is out there.

As they pass through a small town after a job, they break down and end up stranded while their combi gets repaired. This is when things really change for Ruby, her eyes are opened and she’s just not sure she wants to go on as they have done.

Sometimes things happen in our lives, we do things thinking we are protecting our children but who are we really protecting?

When I first started this I got the same vibes from one of my favourite books (Lucky) completely different storyline of course but that same father daughter relationship.

I found it an extremely easy book to read, one that you just don’t want to put down. It was so enjoyable and completely my cup of tea.

In fact the only part I didn’t like was the ending, I wanted more, like another books worth haha, I just wasn’t ready for it to be over. So no pressure to the author but I’d happily read another book to see where Ruby’s life takes her.

Seriously a great book and I absolutely recommend you go grab it.

[Lizzies.Little.Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨BOOK REVIEW✨

📚My Father the Whale - Gina Perry📚

A compelling exploration of family, identity, love, loss, and the intricate relationships that define us. The vulnerability existing within the pages of this book, especially in the character of Ruby, blew me away. It is a novel that explores complex emotions, dives deep into the psychology of its characters, and challenges readers to contemplate their own connections to others, and to themselves.

Perry’s writing is so evocative, beautifully heartfelt and tender in its approach to some quite heavy topics. Sometimes everything is not as it seems, and sometimes our family aren’t who we think they should be.

What you can expect:
🐳 Complex familial relationships
🐳 Coming of age story
🐳 Themes of identity and belonging
🐳 Tender prose

A coming of age story about truly finding yourself, one that will stay with me for quite some time.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to @netgalley @gina_perry_writer and @harpercollinsaustralia for sending me this to review 🙏🏻

#lizzieslittlelibrary #myfatherthewhale #myfatherthewhalebook #ginaperry #harpercollinsaustralia #netgalley #bookworm #readmorebooks #aussiebookworm #bookreview #booklover #bookstagram #aussiebookstagram #booksofinstagram #booksofinsta #booksofig #bookaholic #igreads #book #books

[Stacey E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful and touching coming of age story about a motherless young girl, her nomadic single dad and their adventures throughout Australia. I really enjoyed this audiobook and was surprised to learn it is a debut novel. I sympathized with Ruby through her struggles growing up and her yearning to know who and where she came from. I also felt for Mitch, he too struggled with his own life choices and was getting by the best way he knew how. I did feel the ending to be a little rushed, however it was wrapped up without leaving loose ends. This was not only beautifully written, but the narration truly made the book come to life. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Thank you NetGalley, and Bolinda Audio for the opportunity to listen and review this advanced copy.

[Debra Medina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dear My Father the Whale,
I absolutely loved how unique you were. Being able to hear about growing up as a nomad in Australia with a father like Mitch was fascinating to me. Ruby's childhood was interesting and compelling, but it also left her so broken by her childhood. Ruby's voice was one of a kind. Being able to hear from her as an adult, with time and perspective on her childhood gave you a reflective quality that I connected with as well. You are a story like nothing else I have read.

[Duncan Swann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic fiction debut. The voice of Ruby was sublime, nuanced as a child and then a noticeable shift of maturity when Ruby grows up. A touching coming of age story, of father and daughter, or secrets and truths too dear to tell. Lovely.

[Emma Bonny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first time writing a review so please don't judge haha.

4.1/5 stars

This book was about a small girl named Ruby who travelled Australia with her dad, Mitch, making a living by busking. It is all Ruby has ever known, but she still has many questions. Who was her mother? Why does her father never talk about her? And why do they travel everywhere in the country but never set foot in the state of Victoria?
They are eventually forced to stay in a small town for a while. While there, Ruby falls in love with the stationary life and gets attached to the comfort of a normal family. So then, when Mitch is ready to leave, Ruby isn't.


In Part 2 we see a Ruby that has grown into an adult and has flourished in her life. But after a changed Mitch returns into her life, Ruby is forced to confront the truth about her childhood and her trauma.


I personally really enjoyed this book. It was nice to see the main character grow from a scared, quiet child into the confident adult we see in part 2. I loved Ruby's fascination with whales and it was nice to see her nerd out about them and the fact that she got a job with a whale watching company!!!! That made me happy.
It was weird to see the changes in Mitch and while I was glad that she got more information and closure about her mother and extended family, I did not like the ending. I think that if Mitch had become more mature and admitted to his mistakes that he made when Ruby was a kid, then it might've been ok. But the fact that he was still a d*ck even at the end and she still forgave him??? That was not satisfactory for me personally. But I can understand that the author was trying to show that Ruby was willing to work with Mitch and see if he would change.

However, even though I didn't like the ending, I still really enjoyed this book! Would recommend.

[Gavan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but not great. The characters and dialogue felt a bit "clunky".

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the audio version of My Father the Whale, a story set in "almost" all of Australia. It is a lovely debut novel and I think about it a lot. Ruby and her father Mitch travel all over the country, living in a "Kombi," which is part camper van, part tent, as they use it. (I think it is a VW camper.) Early on, they compete in a talent contest with both locals and travelers trying for the prize. It's hard to write about this book in general and to avoid spoilers, so I will let the reader discover their act. It's a fun scene. Ruby is nine. Father and daughter are very close and living on the edge financially, barely able to afford food. Along the way, they enjoy the Australian coast, Ruby learning about history and concepts in context. Thus, Ruby, a very bright child, is being educated but is not in school. Mitch does not allow her to mix too much with people. He schools her on how to answer if authorities question them. They have a close and loving bond but, while he will have a beer with people along the way and a fling with a woman here and there, Mitch is a suspicious and careful person and Ruby lives a rather isolated life. It's what she knows and she is emotionally mature and reads and makes art and knows that she cannot ask about her mother. Mitch is highly critical of conventional people, those driven by wealth and materialism and pretty much anyone but Ruby. He is a grifter of sorts but one never takes anything offered by anyone because they will want something.

When the Kombi breaks down and needs very expensive repairs, they get stuck in a small town with a fish factory as its main employer. Vagabond Mitch is chomping at the bit to earn enough money to hit the road again. The story evolves as Ruby begins to interact with people and understands what a family that is settled in one place looks like. Mitch is known to leave Ruby on her own at times and she is incredibly self-sufficient, but she. is. nine! Not okay. So, while their life worked and their love for one another is plain, the nine year old in 1984 wants more. Having been raised to be independent and self-sufficient, she achieves the stability she desires, but she loses her father. This is a coming of age book that takes a huge leap between nine year old Ruby and twenty-something Ruby. All of it is told by Ruby. Mitch comes back into her adult life after she has lived many years with a family she connected with. Ruby's and Mitch's relationship these many years has consisted of postcards and a smattering of phone calls. Ruby yearns for Mitch, her only parent and friend of her early years. But she struggles with feelings of abandonment and rejection, because to find stability she lost her father.

I adored the audiobook because the narrator is Australian and it was so much fun to hear the words, including vernacular unfamiliar to me, in Ruby's "real" voice. This is a lovely novel that emotionally engaged me. Mitch is complicated and can both engender admiration and piss you off but he is fascinating. There are hardships and ways Mitch's influence on Ruby and the opportunities he gave her shaped her in good ways. The town she ends up in, Whalers Bay, is a character itself, with hierarchies and neighborliness and a protective air about it, as well as some rejection for Ruby. Ultimately, Ruby's relationship to the town and the family that took her in remind us we can create a family of choice. Still many who do that are in pain that their original family relationships broke down. Mitch suddenly returns to town when Ruby is in her twenties and all the heartache and hope roils in Ruby.

Father and daughter's plain desire to find a way back to one another is hampered by who each has become and by Mitch's ongoing inability to have deeper conversations with Ruby that could heal their rift. The love is there and their shared history makes us root for them. Read the audio book of this if you use audio at all. It is just lovely. Highly recommend!

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living in a Kombi van and travelling the country sounds idealic , but nine year old Ruby has been doing it with her father since she was a baby and is seeking answers from her Dad Mitch about her Mum. Constantly moving from place to place the pair earn some cash busking and performing at festivals
The author Gina Perry introduces the reader to the pair in 1984 where they have earned $500 with a winning performance in Queensland , but the long drive to New South Wales is too much for the Kombi which breaks down and is towed to Whalers Bay .
Repairs to the van take some time and Ruby settles into school in the town , and makes friends, while Mitch finds work to pay for the repairs, but when Mitch is ready to leave Ruby stays in town with a family and he continues his journey alone .
In the second half of the book it is now 2000 and Ruby is an adult when Mitch returns to catch up with his daughter. But he is still unable to answer her questions about her past and she is determined to find out what he is escaping from with his life on the road .
Gina Perry has written a compelling novel of a girl searching for answers , grieving for her mother, but at the same time being drawn to whales and horses which seem to help her find the answers she is seeking .
Anyone who enjoys a heartwarming family story will find this a real page turner but leave them seeking another episode in the lives of Ruby and Mitch
.

[Chase · Rating 2 out of 5]

Young Ruby lives a nomadic life with her father, travelling Australia making money from odd jobs and performances. Her father Mitch distrusts schools or officialdom. Ruby's mother died when she was a baby and she has no contact with any extended family.

After they spend an extended time in Whaler's Bay getting their car repaired, Ruby goes to school and makes a friend, Fiona. When her father wants to move on, Ruby instead chooses to stay with Fiona d's family.

15 years later Mitch visits her with his new famous girlfriend and her child. Mitch himself is now wealthy. Ruby has never left Whaler's Bay.

There is then a third of a book of Ruby mulling over her family and her life. It's boring and I don't get it. None of the characters have authentic connections and the fact that Fiona's family took in Ruby doesn't make much sense.

Thr justification for Mitch's avoidance of Ruby's mother's family also does not make sense.

I just didn't get this book at all 🤷‍♀️

And why is her father a whale? She's says they help young calves weaned by their mother's, but he abandoned her 🙄

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful, engaging, heartfelt novel. I cannot believe this is a debut!

Written so beautifully, I could feel all the love, pain, struggles and grief.

Ruby and her dad lived a nomadic life in their Kombi and didn’t stay in one place for too long. Ruby was homeschooled by her dad Mitch, he was all she had.

Until the Kombi broke down and they had to stay in a town for a while, Ruby was so lucky to make friends with Fiona and her amazing parents took Ruby under their wing.

It was so so great that Ruby met this amazing family, they gave her so much and never left her side. It’s incredible how much a stranger can help someone who feels completely alone and lost. All Ruby wanted was to belong.

It was so nice to watch Ruby grow, find herself and finally get some answers about her mother and her past. A beautiful story.

Many thanks to @harpercollinsaustralia for sending me this #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Thai · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a sweet book about love, grief and the different bonds between people. The first half of the book is set in the 80s when Ruby is a child, living a nomad lifestyle with her father. The second half is her adult life in the 00s, when he comes back into her life and she tries to reconcile the events of her past.

Ruby's childhood trauma was handled delicately, reflected in her character and decisions more than an internal monolgue of thoughts and feelings. The traits she picks up from her father are some of her best and worst qualities as an adult, and I think that's a very nuanced perspective that rings true to a lot of people subjected to less than stellar parenting.

It was a little slow at times in the second half, but I guess that aligns with Ruby's life changing pace so I didn't mind. Overall I'm very glad I picked this up.

[Delma White · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ruby is being brought up by her Hippy father. A whale spends a year protecting its baby and then one day, while the calf sleeps, the father whale swims away forever.
The characters are well portrayed, but a little one dimensional. Ruby never seemed to be really close to anyone and is a bit of a loner. Except for Max. I loved her relationship with her foster Dad, Max.
Sometimes the writing jumps from one time zone to another without clear explanation. It was easy to get lost in what was going on.
Also at times, the story meandered and could have done with some editing. It needed to be tighter and more focused.
I do think it was a compelling story, well developed and a good setting. I would read more by this Author.

[MJ Rowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. The imagery and sense of place are beautifully done — it’s easy to be transported, especially if you’re Australian and familiar with these kinds of landscapes. The characters are complex without being overexplained, leaving enough space for the reader to sit with uncertainty and interpretation. It handles themes of family, identity, and belonging well, particularly the messiness of family relationships and the pull of where we come from. Thoughtful, grounded, and absorbing.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was totally charmed by Ruby and her dad, their lifestyle, roaming from one place to each other. Relying on nobody but themselves.
It was heartwarming.
Then they settle down, and things change, stability is appealing to Ruby, but not Mitch.
It's the start of the end of them.
Later, a grown up, looking back, we question how things actually were, seeing them now through adult eyes , not a nine year old.
This one sucked me completely in. A winner for sure.

[AL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many family dynamics to be digested here. Ruby and her dad, Mitch, are accustomed to being together and surviving in their own way but that doesn’t necessarily make for the safest or best environment for a child.

There is a beautiful and somber undertone cast over this novel, giving a familiarity to the families out there who may be unconventional but okay with that. There’s no dramatic moment of terrible parenting or lives ruined, but a lot of real confusion, disappointment, questions of why to be sorted through.

I found this to be a sad story but one with happy memories and productive circumstances.

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I easily lost myself in this book it's so unbelievably imaginative and vivid. A coming of age story about finding yourself, love, friendship and family, loss and grief, growth and hope. I loved the characters and everything about this book. I really hope this author writes more because I will definitely be reading it as she clearly is talented.

[Tara Hyatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had delayed reading this novel after seeing some negative reviews. Howveer, once I started reading I found I could not put it down. The storyline had me guessing what the backstory of the protagonists and her father was and if he was actually even really her father and the dynamics of the story made my great reading. Very enjoyable!

[Robert Connelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perry really draws you in to the characters in this novel. I appreciated the mental state of Rube , the growing child. Even more fascinated by Mitch's (the father) reasons for his behaviour. I could comprehend his point of view - being a sole parent of 5. This revelation only comes towards the end of the book and puts the whole story in perspective.

[A. Lorna Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

I really enjoyed this one! I think my only complaint was I felt there was too much of a jump in time so it kind of threw me off. I would have loved a little more of the in-between. Still thought it was a well written story, and the narrator did a good job.

[Corinne Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 up to a 4 star for me. beautifully written debut novel, the places are so well described I feel like I've visited those towns and met those people. Love is at the heart of this book, but love can be terribly cruel sometimes, unintentionally.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely story about the relationship between a daughter and her unconventional father, set in Australia in the 1980s through to 2000. A superbly-written debut with nuanced characters and heartfelt themes.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story immensely. It engages the reader from the start and takes them on a journey with a young girl who travels all over Australia with a father that she adores . It’s a story of the people that they meet on the way and the young girl’s search for a place to belong.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The lengths we will go to to belong. A tender and engaging novel

[Sharon N · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read. I liked that some things were left unexplained.

[Eilagh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book which seemed real. It was an enjoyable and easy read and all characters were relatable.