Day of the Whale
Cam and his mother live in Cetacea, part of Australia which survived the floods, where people worship whales, particularly Big Blue, whose wishes are interpreted by Byron Vos, founder and leader of the area. Everyone is working together to repair the damage caused by their forefathers, but Cam is on a mission of his own. His father is missing and his last words to Cam were Follow Big Blue. Find the truth. With help from his new friends, Banjo and Petra, Cam is determined to discover what happened to his father, but in doing this, they uncover dangerous secrets which might just destroy the world as they know it.
This is one of the best books I have read in ages and I have attempted to write a review of it several times. I can’t do it justice, no matter how hard I try- so here’s my best go! Combining a powerful environmental message with a tale of intrigue and deception, ‘Day of the Whale’ is a compelling page-turner which enthralls the reader from beginning to end. However, it’s also a story which is very hard to review without spoiling for others!
Evocative descriptions bring Cam’s world vividly to life- the relentless heat, the arid landscape and beyond, the ocean ‘like a huge beast shifting in its sleep’ alongside the details of their daily lives as the community strives to make amends for the mistakes of Long Ago- the dirty past.
His mother, lost and depressed since the disappearance of Cam’s father, is desperate for him to ‘be a good Cetacea boy’ and not draw attention to himself, but new friends open Cam’s eyes to new possibilities and different versions of the truth. There is darkness and danger in this world with its struggles for power and control, greed and tyranny- and yet, the story ends with so much hope for the future- for the good in people working together for a common aim.
Petra and Banjo are wonderful characters. Like Cam, they don’t quite fit in Cetacean society. Banjo feels a deep connection to the land and his First Nation’s heritage whilst Petra believes somewhere is ‘only home if you’re free to leave it’. Both challenge Cam to question ‘the establishment’, opening his eyes to new possibilities whilst they try to make sense of the information and mis-information of their world.
I cannot stress how much I loved this book- nor how much I recommend everyone reads it. Nothing I can write will do it justice- just read it for yourself!
Day of the Whale Rachel Delahaye
Troika ISBN: 978-1912745197
You can read my review of ‘Mort the Meek and the Ravens’ Revenge’ here and ‘Mort the Meek and the Monstrous Quest’ here.
