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Whale

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About this listen

A sweeping, multi-generational tale blending fable, farce, and fantasy—a masterpiece of modern fiction perfect for fans of One Hundred Years of Solitude

Whale is the English-language debut of a beloved and bestselling South Korean author, a born storyteller with a cinematic, darkly humorous, and thoroughly original perspective.

A woman sells her daughter to a passing beekeeper for two jars of honey. A baby weighing fifteen pounds is born in the depths of winter but named "Girl of Spring." A storm brings down the roof of a ramshackle restaurant to reveal a hidden fortune. These are just a few of the events that set Myeong-kwan Cheon's beautifully crafted, wild world in motion.

Whale, set in a remote village in South Korea, follows the lives of many linked characters, including Geumbok, an extremely ambitious woman who has been chasing an indescribable thrill ever since she first saw a whale crest in the ocean; her mute daughter, Chunhui, who communicates with elephants; and a one-eyed woman who controls honeybees with a whistle. Brimming with surprises and wicked humor, Whale is an adventure-satire of epic proportions by one of the most original voices in international literature.

©2004 Cheon Myeong-kwan; English language translation copyright 2022 by Chi-Young Kim (P)2023 Tantor Fantasy Fiction Genre Fiction Literature & Fiction Magical Realism Satire World Literature Comedy Magic Witty
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This is a tale like no other. Its characters are complex, the storyline is dark & there are elements that are grim in the telling. Definitely not for the faint-hearted this novel weaves allegorically to capture something of the mystery of Korea, North & South, and people whose lives have been subject to whims of power & fates beyond their control. The skill of the narrator on this audiobook lead it to be a strangely compelling experience.

Strangely compelling

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Structurally, this book is a mess. Its character development is painfully poor, and flat. Random events without explanation move this dreadful plot forward with sentences explaining “This is the nature of (insert whatever just happened), or with violence or sexual violence. I wish I could have the time back I invested in this book.

Disgusting mess of a book

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