A review by rach_s
Whalefall by Daniel Kraus

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I was honestly baffled when I first started this book. I expected it to be a two or three-star read, so I was genuinely impressed by how the plot picked up. Jay is such an easy character to feel for—it’s heartbreaking to see how strained his relationship is with his dad and how unwanted he feels. Mitt (the dad) is complicated. I still don’t like him, but I appreciated the direction their relationship took by the end. He definitely messed Jay up, but it felt true to how messy and complicated family dynamics can be. Another thing I loved was all the facts about life in the ocean. While the father-son relationship took center stage, the deep appreciation for the ocean world was a nice touch.