Play Book Tag discussion

Whale Fall by Elizabeth O'Connor - 4* - My Review

On a remote island off the coast of Wales, eighteen-year-old Manod lives with her father, Tad, a lobster fisherman, and younger sister, Llinos. The population is dwindling as more people leave to find work on the mainland. The year is 1938 and there are rumors of a coming war. The storyline features two prominent events: 1) a beached whale appears on the shore, and 2) two anthropologists arrive to study the island’s vanishing culture.

This is both a coming-of-age story and one of cultural loss. The outsiders arrive, intrude upon the lives of the small population, misinterpret many of the customs, and set in motion changes that have a huge impact. Manod tells the story in first person. She has had to become a mother to her sister after their mother died. She has a vague impression that she wants a different life but is unsure how to achieve it. She is a help to the anthropologists, with her knowledge of the island’s history and her ability to speak English and thus can translate for them. She shows them her treasured embroideries, which become a key element in the story and are also symbolic.

At first, she looks up to these outsiders, but starts to feel disillusioned when they view the island from their own cultural background, misinterpreting artifacts, photos, and customs of the local people. Sometimes this misinterpretation seems intentional to tell the story in a way that will lead to greater profits from writing their book about the island’s people and their way of life. It is easy to see the symbolism in the gradual disintegration of the whale’s carcass.

It is a slowly developing story, well-written, and atmospheric in its descriptions of the island’s environment. It is short and poignant. This is Elizabeth O’Connor’s debut, and I look forward to seeing what she writes next.

PBT Comments: I would not be surprised to see this book nominated for the 2024 Booker Prize.

BWF June Extra O - fits letter but only 4 tags for "europe"

As someone who understands a little Welsh, I loved this book l Tad is actually the equivalent of Dad, I don’t think we ever find out his name.

This island is fictional but there were studies on similar islands where the researchers twisted their findings for more drama or exoticism.

One of the legends mentioned is the selkie, a woman who is really a seal/fish/mermaid, and who eventually returns to her ocean home. There is something of a parallel with Manod’s mother.

Oh, good to know about Tad=Dad - I didn't know that - I'm not up on my Welsh :-)

Looks like there may be even more layers than I picked up on. I knew about selkies, but did not think of the parallel with Manod's mother.

If this gets longlisted for the Booker, I may re-read it. I liked it a lot and think it has something to say about cultural appropriation.

Glad you enjoyed it too!

In my review, I praised the audiobook, it has multiple voices doing the stories and sounding like they are old-time recordings, and the narrator's voice is wonderful.

If I re-read it, I'll try the audio. Thanks.