Jordanna Max Brodsky

The heroic journey of an Inuit shaman and a Viking warrior in an epic tale of survival, love, and clashing gods in the frozen Arctic of 1000 AD.

The Wolf in the Whale

Colleen

4 Stars
 
*An intriguing blend of Historical Fiction and Fantasy that explores Inuit and Norse mythology*
 
ARC provided by Redhook Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

 
Last year, I read Brodsky’s debut novel, The Immortals, which was a creative, modern retelling of Greek mythology. When I saw that she had a new book coming out that would involve Inuit and Norse mythology, I knew I had to read it. I love mythology and am always on the lookout for books about it especially if they involve mythologies that aren’t written about often. So The Wolf in the Whale was a must read for me. And I was fortunate enough to get an ARC from Netgalley.
 
The story is set in 1000 AD in Nunavut, Canada. It opens with the birth of the main character, Omat, who is predicted to have a vital destiny that will forever change the fate of her people and the gods that rule their lives. Though she was orphaned on the day she was born and not expected to survive the night, Omat’s grandfather the village shaman receives a vision that this child carries the spirit of her father and is destined to be the next shaman and either save or doom her people.
 
This leads to one of the interesting aspects of the story – Omat’s struggle with her gender identity. I’ve read about other Native American tribes that have similar concepts about gender, but this was the first I’d read of it in Inuit tribes. (There is some interesting information provided in the author’s note about her research into the topic.) Omat is born female but is said to have a male spirit, so she is raised as a boy until puberty. This causes struggles with her self-identity and conflict with her people because women were not permitted to hunt or be spiritual leaders. It added an interesting layer to the story.
 

  “They say that from the first moment I took my first breath, I have lived between many worlds - between Sun and Moon, man and woman, Inuk and animal.”

The Wolf in the Whale is told in first person by Omat. It took me a little while to get used to the rhythm of the story. Omat wasn’t the most engaging narrator at first. I think the primary reason this was told in first person instead of third person was to avoid gender pronouns. But I did become immersed in Omat’s journey as the story went on.
 
The story does start very slowly. Approximately the first third of the story is covers the highlight’s of Omat’s childhood. There is a lot of information about the Inuk’s beliefs and customs as well as descriptions of how they survive. Much of that information is critical to the story, but it does start out a bit slow and dry. That part of the story is also pretty bleak. I’ll include a trigger warning for rape, abuse, and incest. Also, between the detailed descriptions of hunting and the violence and fighting, I would not recommend this book to anyone sensitive to gore. I was worried for a little while that this story might end up being like The Clan of the Cave Bear which is a book I absolutely despise from the depths of my soul. But The Wolf in the Whale got much better as the story went along particularly once the Vikings entered the story. This provided an interesting clash of beliefs and a conflict between the two peoples as well as their warring gods.
 
The plot picks up once the Vikings enter, and it was at that point that I couldn’t stop turning the pages. I can’t say much more without giving away the plot. But Brodsky has a talent for reimagining mythology in a creative and vibrant way. The book was very well researched both in terms of known historical facts and of mythology. I recommend reading the author’s note and supplemental information included at the end of the book for more information. Though the author took some creative liberties, I think she did an excellent job at picturing what life was like in that time period. I did wish that the ending was a tad more impactful. The climactic action scene could have been fleshed out more. And the story meanders on for a bit after the climax, but I was still satisfied with it. Despite the slow start and a few critiques, I still greatly enjoyed this story! The Wolf in the Whale is a compelling and unique story that will definitely stand out in my mind. I highly recommend it to mythology buffs!


RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 4 Stars
Writing Style: 3 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 4 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 3 Stars
Level of Captivation: 4 Stars
Originality: 5 Stars

Janice Hopper

This was an interesting and enjoyable book. I've read a tiny bit about Inuit society in the past. It's a hard life, where almost the only food you have is food you can hunt or fish or trap. 

There's an interesting exploration of gender here, where a child is raised as the gender of the spirit it embodies, rather than as its birth gender.

The Inuit also encounter the Vikings who came to the new world after Leif Erickson, as well as the Norse gods the Vikings bring with them. And there's a love story. And a battle or two, some epic. Did I mention shamanistic travels and insights? And magical dogs?

It's really rare for me to find something totally new in SF/F. This fit the bill very nicely.

Read this book!

Eryn Bradshaw

ARC received from NetGalley for a review.

I absolutely LOVED this book. As someone always fascinated by other cultures' beliefs, the way Brodsky creatively spun this tale with Inuit and Viking lore and mythology together was so beautifully done. I became enraptured with each story Omat told, wanting to eat up every single detail and even explore the cultures of Inuits. I loved the amount of time and research put into making this book what it is.

I adored both main characters, Omat and Brandr. I felt each of Omat's pains and triumphs so much. I loved watching her character grow and learn to accept who she was, as a shaman woman with the spirit of a man. It was so intriguing to watch her battle with the two sides after being raised to participate in male roles and having to then learn the roles of women. I loved how sweet and gentle Brandr was, despite his past and growing up Viking.

The detail taken to write about the landscape and the animals were gorgeous. I truly felt as if I were there with Omat, feeling the chills and warmths during her story. The storytelling drew me in so much more than I thought it would, and every time I had to put the book down, I returned as soon as I could because I wanted more and more.

This is a book I wholeheartedly recommend anyone to read. It's a book about learning who you are, learning what your strengths are, and working with them alongside your weaknesses to become a better person. This is definitely a book I will be rereading many times to come.

Vera Sokolyanskaya

This is such a great book and I don't even have words to tell you how good it is. If you read reviews online, you will probably learn that this book weaves mythology and anthropological details of Inuit and Viking life in a perfect story about the past of Greenland, Newfoundland and Northern Territories. And it's true, every page of the book is filled with details about Inuit and Viking life that show that the author did an outstanding research on the topics. 

I'm fascinated by the books that describe inner growth. I'm a big fan of action but it's the character development and the little psychological details that really get me. Omat's inner journey of self-discovery and acceptance is what made this book really stand out for me. This journey is about discovering your gender, your social role, your culture, your beliefs and your affections. It's not an easy path and Omat goes through loss, trauma, betrayal and abuse in their unconscious search of self-identification. It's a very powerful story.

Maria

О боги мои, какая-то сверхэпичная книга. Книга об обретении себя, о пути, о взрослении, об отношениях с богами и духами, о любви, о семье и о внутренней силе. 

Далеко-далеко в Арктике, где-то в 10 веке живет Омат и её семья. Мать Омат умерла в родах, отец – тремя месяцами ранее погиб на охоте. Сама Омат рождается очень слабой, поэтому тётка выносит её новорожденную на мороз, чтобы судьбу девочки решили боги. Утром она находит её живой – и свернувшейся в лапах большого белого волка, который всю ночь согревал и вылизывал младенца. Дед Омат объявляет, что в теле ребенка вернулся дух его отца-охотника, поэтому девочке дают отцовское имя и растят как мальчика – учат охотиться, одевают в мужскую одежду, называют Сыном и Братом. А ещё Омат когда-нибудь станет шаманом – унаследует эту роль от деда и займет его место главы семьи.

И это всего лишь первая глава! А впереди ещё 58 – где Омат растет, учится добывать тюленя и других зверей, вселяется в волков и воронов, в ужасе узнает, что она женщина, переживает нападение, встречает викингов, убивает медведя, учится прясть, мстит, пытается спасти брата, рассказывает легенды, влюбляется, проходит пешком мили и мили по тундре и мечтает вернуться домой к родным.

Очень мощная линия определения и принятия гендерной идентичности у героини. Женщины в её обществе существа второго сорта, которых муж может одалживать другим членам племени на ночь. А Омат – охотник, умелый и ловкий, и относится к ним поначалу снисходительно, как и все мужчины. А пережив изнасилование, и вовсе начинает презирать – не их, а себя, своё женское тело и его слабость. 

Какое-то колоссальное количество антропологической и этнографической информации в этой книге: и как иглу строить, и как на китов охотиться, и как оленьи шкуры медвежьими жилами сшивать. Я даже позавчера 40 минут смотрела на Ютубе видео, как прясть на веретене. Не знаю, конечно, насколько это всё соответствует истине, но судя по всему, Джорданна Макс Бродски – безумная исследовательница, которая ездила к инуитам, ела там с ними сырое мясо, ездила на собаках, слушала легенды и всё скрупулёзно фиксировала. На сайте у нее есть фото из Нунавута, а также из Норвегии и Исландии (куда она тоже ездила несколько раз – смотреть на длинные дома и корабли-кнорры).

Рассказывает Бродски – через Омат и её деда – и инуитские легенды о богах и духах, а с прибытием гренландцев привозит на эту землю и скандинавских богов. И вот тут я совсем верещу, потому что в этой истории божества инуитов – это Инеистые Великаны, которых уже побеждал Один на заре времен, и которые вернутся, чтобы сразиться с асами в Рагнарёке (а у оборотня Локи – свои планы на девочку, в теле которой живет мужской дух). 

Есть старая легенда, которую редко вспоминают: о волке, что бежит в океан и становится китом.

Теперь даже не знаю, что читать следующим, чтобы не закатать в асфальт впечатление.

'IMAGINATIVE AND COMPELLING' Juliet Marillier, author of the Sevenwaters Series THERE IS A VERY OLD STORY, RARELY TOLD, OF A WOLF THAT RUNS INTO THE OCEAN AND BECOMES A WHALE. Born with the soul of a hunter and chosen by the spirit of the Wolf, Omat is destined to follow in her grandfather's footsteps - invoking the spirits of the land, sea and sky to protect her people. But the gods have stopped listening, the seals won't come and Omat's family is starving. Alone at the edge of the world, hope is the only thing they have left. Desperate to save them, Omat journeys across the icy wastes, fighting for survival with every step. When she meets a Viking warrior and his strange new gods, they set in motion a conflict that could shatter her world . . . or save it. Blending myth and magic from Norse and Inuit folklore, The Wolf in The Whale is a captivating tale of identity and survival featuring an unforgettable narrator who will do anything to protect those she loves, even confront the gods themselves. 'I honestly could not put into words how much I loved this book . . . one of my favorite books I've ever read . . . Magical, heartbreaking, and beautiful' Jes Reads Books 'An enchanting blend of myth, magic and faith . . . treat yourself and dive right in' SciFiNow 'Magical and awe inspiring . . . brings together an incredible world of ice and magic and characters that will capture your heart' Fantasy Hive

Faith

This was such a fun, brutal ride. I will be thinking about Omat, Brandr, and Kiasik for a long time after this. I've never read a book that 1. talks about Inuk mythology 2. combines Inuk and Norse mythologies into one story. Absolutely looooved reading Omat's perspective on gender. But like I said this book is super freakin brutal and graphic at time so pls look up trigger warnings.

tw: rape, purposefully misgendering, animal death

Anyaconda

This was simply exceptional. I've never read anything like it. You could feel the cold, the magic and the tales in this story.
I can recommend this to anyone!!!

Rowan Moran

Lucy Richards 

"If you liked American Gods by Neil Gaiman or Circe by Madeline Miller, be sure to pick this one up." -- Timeworn A sweeping tale of forbidden love and warring gods, where a young Inuit shaman and a Viking warrior become unwilling allies in a war that will determine the fate of the new world. There is a very old story, rarely told, of a wolf that runs into the ocean and becomes a whale. . . Born with the soul of a hunter and the spirit of the Wolf, Omat is destined to follow in her grandfather's footsteps-invoking the spirits of the land, sea, and sky to protect her people. But the gods have stopped listening and Omat's family is starving. Desperate to save them, Omat journeys across the icy wastes, fighting for survival with every step. When she encounters Brandr, a wounded Viking warrior, they set in motion a conflict that could shatter her world. . .or save it.

The Wolf in the Whale

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