The Whalebone Theatre: A Read with Jenna Pick

A Novel

De: Joanna Quinn

Narrado por: Olivia Vinall

NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • A TODAY SHOW #ReadWithJenna BOOK CLUB PICK • A transporting, irresistible debut novel that takes its heroine, Cristabel Seagrave, from a theatre made of whalebones to covert operations during World War II—a story of love, family, bravery, lost innocence, and self-transformation.

“Absolute aces...Quinn’s imagination and adventuresome spirit are a pleasure to behold.” —The New York Times

“Utterly heartbreaking and joyous.” —Jo Baker, author of Longbourn

One blustery night in 1928, a whale washes up on the shores of the English Channel. By law, it belongs to the King, but twelve-year-old orphan Cristabel Seagrave has other plans. She and the rest of the household—her sister, Flossie; her brother, Digby, long-awaited heir to Chilcombe manor; Maudie Kitcat, kitchen maid; Taras, visiting artist—build a theatre from the beast’s skeletal rib cage. Within the Whalebone Theatre, Cristabel can escape her feckless stepparents and brisk governesses, and her imagination comes to life.

As Cristabel grows into a headstrong young woman, World War II rears its head. She and Digby become British secret agents on separate missions in Nazi-occupied France—a more dangerous kind of playacting, it turns out, and one that threatens to tear the family apart.

Captivating

It got off to a slow and somewhat strange start. But it really grew on me.

Highly recommend

Good story and narration. An especially interesting look into the breakdown of class distinctions during WWII, though it’s not pedantic about it or anything. It just feels true.

Absolutely amazing!!

I love the story, the setting, and the orator is phenomenal. Wish there was a series - I listened & could not put it down. Xox I

So enjoyable!

This is such a great tale of a family that really could have been. The childhoods into adulthoods, in a time of huge loss and change spanning decades between World Wars. The story weaves in and out through war, intrigue, love, loss. It is so wonderful. The world so vivid. Sure, there's a bit that goes off the rails - back and forth in/out of war missions; our heroine's character makes an uncharacteristic judgement error that has to be there to perhaps move the story along.

Best book I’ve listened to this year

A literary tour de force - family saga, love, sacrifice, and loss.
The narrator was perfection.
I loved it so much I bought the print copy too.