Review of The Whaler's Daughter
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Jah Thomas
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Review of The Whaler's Daughter
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Whaler's Daughter" by Jerry Mikorenda.]
The Whaler's Daughter by Jerry Mikorenda tells the story of twelve-year-old Savannah, who is the daughter of a well-known whaler in Australia; a father with whom she had an estranged relationship after the death of her mother and brothers. Traditionally, women were fated to be married off and didn't belong on boats, specifically, being a whaler. Despite her father's wishes, Savannah tried to gain his respect and wanted nothing more than to become a whaler so she could avenge her brothers whom she suspected were killed by killer whales. She quickly became friends with Figgie, a neighboring boy who challenged this notion and gave her a better understanding of the law of the bay. Eventually, with persistence, she won over her father and became a whaler. Through this journey, Savannah also formed a strong bond with him, his crew, and an orca named Jungay.
What I appreciated the most about the story was Savannah's character. She is resilient, to say the least. She showed bravery and persistence, which allowed her father to soften up to her and subsequently allowed her to become a whaler. I enjoyed how the relationship between her and her father developed and the love and understanding they had for each other in the end. It was also fascinating to read about how she became close with Jungay. Though originally she hated the whales and wanted revenge for her brother’s death, she started questioning everything she thought she knew about the orcas. Her quest for revenge shifted when she was rescued by an orca at a time she found herself at the mercies of the sea. She then vowed to protect the pod, a group of closely related whales; what a plot twist!
Admittedly, it was truly a challenge to follow the book entirely. I believe the story would have been easier to follow if I had knowledge of whaling and the history behind it. In addition, the pirate-like expressions and Australian lingos were a bit distracting. I, however, found the glossary at the end to be of great help. It was also confusing why Savannah thought the killer whales were responsible for her brothers’ death as the story shed no light on that. Not sure if some back story would have been taken away from the story, but it would have been appreciated.
I would rate this book 2 out of 4 stars due to the lack of a solid back story and the style of writing. The book was, however, well written and edited, with few minor errors.
As previously stated, I had some challenges following the book and I took longer to finish this book. I believe this book is more fitting for individuals who love stories about the sea and sea adventures.
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The Whaler's Daughter
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The Whaler's Daughter by Jerry Mikorenda tells the story of twelve-year-old Savannah, who is the daughter of a well-known whaler in Australia; a father with whom she had an estranged relationship after the death of her mother and brothers. Traditionally, women were fated to be married off and didn't belong on boats, specifically, being a whaler. Despite her father's wishes, Savannah tried to gain his respect and wanted nothing more than to become a whaler so she could avenge her brothers whom she suspected were killed by killer whales. She quickly became friends with Figgie, a neighboring boy who challenged this notion and gave her a better understanding of the law of the bay. Eventually, with persistence, she won over her father and became a whaler. Through this journey, Savannah also formed a strong bond with him, his crew, and an orca named Jungay.
What I appreciated the most about the story was Savannah's character. She is resilient, to say the least. She showed bravery and persistence, which allowed her father to soften up to her and subsequently allowed her to become a whaler. I enjoyed how the relationship between her and her father developed and the love and understanding they had for each other in the end. It was also fascinating to read about how she became close with Jungay. Though originally she hated the whales and wanted revenge for her brother’s death, she started questioning everything she thought she knew about the orcas. Her quest for revenge shifted when she was rescued by an orca at a time she found herself at the mercies of the sea. She then vowed to protect the pod, a group of closely related whales; what a plot twist!
Admittedly, it was truly a challenge to follow the book entirely. I believe the story would have been easier to follow if I had knowledge of whaling and the history behind it. In addition, the pirate-like expressions and Australian lingos were a bit distracting. I, however, found the glossary at the end to be of great help. It was also confusing why Savannah thought the killer whales were responsible for her brothers’ death as the story shed no light on that. Not sure if some back story would have been taken away from the story, but it would have been appreciated.
I would rate this book 2 out of 4 stars due to the lack of a solid back story and the style of writing. The book was, however, well written and edited, with few minor errors.
As previously stated, I had some challenges following the book and I took longer to finish this book. I believe this book is more fitting for individuals who love stories about the sea and sea adventures.
******
The Whaler's Daughter
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Phobia Relief by Kalliope Barlis
