EYE OF THE WHALE: A review

EYE OF THE WHALE
by Douglas Carlton Abrams


Some books linger in the heart long after you put them down, and they lure you back. That’s part of the magic with Douglas Abrams’ newest novel, EYE OF THE WHALE. It keeps pulling you back, making your mind work – it makes you think, and therein lies a large part of its magic.

If you have had the good fortune to read Doug’s debut novel, The Lost Diary of Don Juan, then you know his style of story-telling is both compelling and seductive. He’s good at touching his readers where they live, and where they think.

EYE OF THE WHALE grabs you from the start, and in the early chapters there is a scene in which a whale and her newborn die, it is wrenching and lingers in your heart. You feel the horror of heroine Elizabeth McKay, and in those moments, perhaps more than in earlier scenes, she becomes part of you. You suddenly care greatly about her, and the passion she has for the whales, and their place on this planet. As the book progresses, we cheer for Elizabeth, cry with her, and hope she can achieve the task she has undertaken to save a trapped whale. Through it all, Abrams pulls at our hearts and makes us acutely aware of what needs to be done to save so much of the life that inhabits this world of ours.

As with Don Juan, the story unfolds with fluid prose, well-crafted and vivid imagery, and most of all, with the passion that is quickly becoming Doug’s real trademark in his storytelling. The scope of the story is global, yet intimate as well, told equally as political thriller, ecological awareness statement, and to a large degree a love story. The love affair is with Earth, but also the fragile yet unbreakable depth of love that exists when like-hearts struggle to hold onto each other against all odds.

If you are looking for an insightful, thought-provoking, articulately written novel, look no further – this one is all those things, as well as being a beautiful and intensely engaging story. Once again, Douglas Carlton Abrams brings his special vision to the page, and I am more than happy to recommend this one with highest praise!


EYE OF THE WHALE
by Douglas Carlton Abrams
Atria Books
A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
ISBN: 978-1-4165-3254-5
ISBN: (ebook) 978-1-4391-6554-6