We are afloat and diving deep into the oceans, following Hruna and his pod around the world. Whalesong follows the humpback whale from his birth through his coming of age and the birth of his first calf. We see the world from his point of view, and from the legends and experiences handed down through the pod, by song and by narrative. There is happiness, sorrow, danger and mystery, with some light interludes often provided by other sea creatures.
When I was a young teen I loved animal books and read most I could find. The Silver Brumby series was my favourite (and still is), I read White Fang and Call of the Wild, Dark Fury, and The Stonor Eagles as an adult. Robert Siegel’s exceptional descriptive powers make this a delightful read. If you know anything about whales you will not be disappointed with the treatment, and if you don’t you will probably find yourself with new views on whaling.
I’ve read more exciting books, but it has got me interested enough to have started the second book in the trilogy already. That must mean it’s good. And did I say how wonderfully the author paints a picture with his words?
