Whale

By: Cheon Myeong-kwan, Chi-Young Kim - translator

Narrated by: Cindy Kay

A sweeping multigenerational 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 (P)2023 Tantor

Whale

This is the best book that I have read in a long time. I am a big fan of narrative and these stories held me from start to finish.

Surprisingly gripping

At first, this seems like a very simple tale, with unadorned language, and a straightforward plot. I almost stop listening, but the performance was so enchanting I forged head, and I’m so glad I did! The beautifully interwoven stories and complex character development were surprisingly satisfying. I truly enjoyed every moment.

The beautiful flow of concepts and language.

This was a compassionate allegory of human existence, gritty, and inexplicable as it is , told exquisitely.



Moving storytelling

Beautiful and moving story with so vulnerable and complex characters weaving thru time, wonderfully executed.

Beautiful Translation!

Tragedy, comedy, a wise talking elephant. Readers, this is the law of great literature and narration.

Master storyteller

The tale engages and also is insightful look into Korean culture and life views. The touching thread of survival through a sense of belonging

violent and brutal

I'm not sure why this one has been so highly rated. It certainly reminded me of 100 Years of Solitude and The Murmur of Bees but was weighted down by ceaseless brutality, sexual violence, and sorrow, at times rising to the level of torture porn. It's unclear what the point of this was, beyond a sort of noble savage motif in the simpleminded mute heroine whose inherent simplicity, despite her brutish strength, allows her to persevere (or at least continue surviving) through the horrors of humanity.