Patrick Ness

"Mind-bendingly brilliant and fearlessly strange." - Frances Hardinge "A haunting, lyrical fable." - The Bookseller "Awe-inspiring." - The Times, Children's Book of the WeekFrom the multi-award-winning author of A Monster Calls comes a haunting tale of power and obsession that turns the story of Moby Dick upside down. The whales of Bathsheba's pod live for the hunt. Led by the formidable Captain Alexandra, they fight a never-ending war against men. Then the whales attack a man ship, and instead of easy prey they find the trail of a myth, a monster, perhaps the devil himself... With their relentless Captain leading the chase, they embark on the final hunt, one that will forever change the worlds of whales and men.

And the Ocean Was Our Sky

(more like a 3.5 stars)
i wish this was longer and more elaborate. i suppose the author went for a bedtime story format, but then it's a bit too haunting and dark for that. i liked the themes, the general idea behind it, but i wish the execution was better.
still a very nice and smooth story i'd gladly recommend, not to speak of the gorgeous illustrations by rovina cai. they perfectly mirror the suggestive and melancholic dreamscape i pictured in my mind while reading it.

Rachel Kanyid

I really liked this, and found it very engaging and beautiful. Definitely different!

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Monster Calls comes a richly illustrated and lyrical tale, one that asks harrowing questions about power, loyalty, obsession, and the monsters we make of others. With harpoons strapped to their backs, the proud whales of Bathsheba's pod live for the hunt, fighting in the ongoing war against the world of men. When they attack a ship bobbing on the surface of the Abyss, they expect to find easy prey. Instead, they find the trail of a myth, a monster, perhaps the devil himself... As their relentless Captain leads the chase, they embark on a final, vengeful hunt, one that will forever change the worlds of both whales and men. With the lush, atmospheric art of Rovina Cai woven in throughout, this remarkable work by Patrick Ness turns the familiar tale of Moby Dick upside down and tells a story all its own with epic triumph and devastating fate.

And The Ocean Was Our Sky

Janice Hopper

I really don't know what to make of this book. A story of whales hunting humans? And specifically a whale nemesis name Toby Wick in a white-hulled boat? I'm pretty blind to symbolism, but even I can see that one. I think there's some deeper messages too, but see above re: blind to symbolism.

I was just honestly unsettled by the idea of whales building ships and going on the hunt for people, in retaliation for people hunting whales. In stories like this, I have to fight with my literal-minded self, the one that keeps saying "whales can't build ships, they DON'T HAVE HANDS." (I have this problem with a certain subset of SF/F all the time, though. It does ruin some works for me, alas.) 

Patrick Ness is a very good writer, and I've enjoyed a number of his books. I was just a bit bemused by this one.

I listened to this book (novella?) in an afternoon while I was knitting.

Luc 

*3.5 stars

The drawing were AMAZING. I loved them, and ah they were great.
The story on the other hand,, there were some beautiful sentences but the story itself just wasnt that interesting. I think it was also too short tto get very invested? Idk I didnt care much about any of the characters. And for such a,, bizarre setting? I think the worldbuilding could be better executed. I confused 'up' and 'down' ALL THE TIME.

Amanda

I’m still not to sure how I feel about this one.

Brooke Chapman 

This book is really strange. 

I feel my lack of connection to the story may have derived from not having read Moby dick (of this is a reimagining) or that reading a book from the perspective of a whale is always going to be difficult to relate to. However there were aspects I enjoyed. Patrick Ness’ writing about who the true devils are was really beautiful and interesting and the illustrations are stunning. It’s just a shame the story didn’t capture me as much as I hoped it would. 

2.5 ⭐️

Seher Mohsin

Magical! This book is massively underrated!

With harpoons strapped to their backs, the proud whales of Bathsheba's pod live for the hunt, fighting in the ongoing war against the world of men. When they attack a ship bobbing on the surface of the Abyss, they expect to find easy prey. Instead, they find the trail of a myth, a monster, perhaps the devil himself. As their relentless Captain leads the chase, they embark on a final, vengeful hunt, one that will forever change the worlds of both whales and men.

Kath Lau

"For there are devils in the deep, but worst are the ones we make."

This was my fourth Patrick Ness read so I was pretty expecting for something unusual and enjoyable. It's very unusual but I didn't enjoy it very much. This is a reverse retelling of Moby Dick. I haven't read the classic novel but I do have a very limited knowledge about the plot.

I liked that the story is told from a whale's perspective and that whales hunt humans. It's just quite hard to get into the story at first but eventually it got me intrigued especially when I figured out what was happening. The illustrations were really stunning and it gave a huge impact to the storyline. This is a short read but the message it has is undeniably powerful.

Laura Springall

3.5★, but maybe 4? Not entirely sure

I'm kind of conflicted on this one, to be honest. It was really beautiful and a unique world, but there was something about it that didn't quite capture me fully. I adored the setting and the bits of world building we got, I really wish we'd been able to see more of that. I would have loved for one of the illustrations to be of a city, I wasn't able to picture what an ocean city would look like but I think it would be stunning. I think my main issue was the plot, I guess? It wasn't boring but it also wasn't exciting. I don't know. Basically, this was good but not great and I have no idea how to articulate why that is lmfao

Caellum

Patrick Ness hit my radar with "A Monster Calls" and after a showing like that I'd give this man any chance to blow me away again. Which he did, again. This book is bizarre and surreal. It's the best kind of wild fantasy that sucks you in and turns you upside down. It's thankfully less heart-breaking than "A Monster Calls" but still absolute top shelf stuff.

everlinet

A very strange and powerful story, that seems like a dull book but in fact it’s really describing some dark themes and make you feel uncomfortable. Hard to tell what’s this about, and I could not see how it’s related to Moby-Dick. But overall the issues of war, the prejudice, the fear of becoming evil and the theme of evil itself... 
The plot was a bit dull but the message is great. Plus the illustrations? Beautiful.

Laura

I remember when my family went to Mystic for the first time years and years ago. My sea-loving mother took us to the Mystic Whaling Museum, and I remember being fascinated by stories of sailors going out on small ships manned with harpoons to kill the mighty sperm whale, so called because its flesh secreted a white substance that resembled ejaculate (the more you know!) So I was fascinated by the idea behind Patrick Ness’ And the Ocean Was Our Sky, if not entirely sold. And that’s still where I am even after reading. The idea was wonderful however I found myself a bit too alienated by the fantastical elements. Nothing was explained even though it was in desperate need of some explaining. If Ness had taken on a more nonsensical approach, perhaps the novel would work more but I found myself stuck by minute details like “how do whales perform surgery” and “what is this nonsense about bubble shields and heat crabs”. I also found the writing style to be beautiful, but contrived. It didn’t seem as effortlessly poetic as, say, Markus Zusak’s, and the message was boring and stale. The highlight was Rovina Cai’s gorgeous illustrations. I adored the unique style and blue and white colored scheme- it reminded me of scrimshaw. I want an art book of Cai’s.

Neeti Choudhari

So beautiful, I felt like I was swimming in the ocean! Finally a story about whales which I found interesting. And a nice flip in the narrative. Don't even get me started with the illustrations, they made me weep with joy.

"Call me Bathsheba." The whales of Bathsheba's pod live for the hunt. Led by the formidable Captain Alexandra, they fight a never-ending war against men. Then the whales attack a man ship, and instead of easy prey they find the trail of a myth, a monster, perhaps the devil himself... With their relentless Captain leading the chase, they embark on the final hunt, one that will forever change the worlds of whales and men. From the multi-award-winning author of A Monster Calls comes a haunting tale of power and obsession that turns the story of Moby Dick upside down.

And the Ocean Was Our Sky

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