![]() ![]() ![]() Bathsheba, the protagonist, is prophesied at a young age to be a huntress, which she dutifully becomes, but wonders what could have been if she had been allowed to choose her own path. ![]() The humans who are slain are used in every part by the whales, (ex: flesh as bait for the fish they eat, teeth as jewelry for the rich) just as humans use the whales' parts "in the abyss" (the human world). The whales have a fully developed military system, the author describing in detail how the hunting pods work, how the whales use both their biological technology (echolocation, etc) and their created technology (harpoon firing systems, invented themselves, weaving, learned from men, and the creation of underwater air bubbles to sustain prisoners, learned from puffer fish and coral and adapted to suit their needs) to fight, and the different roles of lead hunters, subordinates, and sailors. The worldbuilding is excellent - the whale society has developed in parallel with our own, and wars and hunts are fought for survival between men and whales - always in fear of the other striking first. Brilliant, beautiful, not just a unique retellingĪmazing narration - calm, smooth voice of the narrator conveys both the youthful striving and weighed-down weariness of Bathsheba at different ages, and gives a different voice to each character, from the childlike Wilhemina to the ambitious Treasure to the prophetic, commanding, grandmother to the steely captain, Alexandra. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |