Anyone who has heard the haunting sound of a whale's song will never forget it. So it is with this story, mystical, honest, haunting and wonderful. So emotional in fact, that I am writing this review while my eyes are still damp with tears. Tears of joy, tears of sorrow, and a great feeling of enlightenment and belonging. The rich blend of lifestyles from the prairies of Wyoming to Vancouver Island's rugged west coast in British Columbia, both very remote, brings together a family who have never seen an ocean to the very shores in their new home, and a traditional indian family whose roots go back many hundreds of years. The area around Bamfield is largely populated by the Huu-ay-aht Tribe and the warmth of the people represented in this novel is passed on to us in a way that feels personal. Cheryl Kaye Tardif, you moved me. I read this straight through without setting it down once.The story begins with Sarah, an eleven year old girl, learning that her marine-biologist father has been offered an opportunity he can't refuse, nor wants to, to live and work near Bamfield for a couple of years. His artist wife, well-known for her paintings of the plains will have the opportunity to paint different scenes in their new home. Sarah of course does not want to move, her best friend is here in Wyoming. However, at eleven one has little in the way of choices. But Sarah has no idea how much her new home will change her life. Though well-populated with many full-fledged characters, this is really Sarah's story.If I take nothing more away with me from reading this book, these three alone were worth the read: live life fully; "forgiveness will set you free"; know when to let go. Of course I loved many things about this book, and it deals with many subjects that afflict peoples lives today. [On a personal note, I mean no disrespect when I refer to our native people as indian. As a Chief once told my husband when he asked what he wanted him to call him, he said to call him an indian, the government made him an indian when they created the legislation in the 1800s, and they call themselves indian because why should they keep changing names, because someone tells them to?:]*Very soon after arriving at their new rural home, Sarah meets Goldie, her neighbor who is indian and also eleven. They become the best of friends and very soon both families become as close as non-family can be. Goldie's grandmother Nana, regales the girls with many legends, and yet it seems that she is tapping into something that Sarah is thinking or troubled about. I know, you are wondering about the whales. Sarah had been warned by her parents never to swim past the float because a young boy had tried to swim to the nearby island the year before and drowned. Sarah soon hears from Goldie that she believes her brother is now an Orca (Killer Whale) and swims nearby so she can talk to him. Nana narrates the legend to the girls later and Sarah then understands what Goldie was talking about. Sarah's mother and Nana have also become good friends, and incorporating something of the legends in her newer paintings have given her even more notice for the mystic quality they present.When school starts, the girls find they are in the same classroom, and sit next to each other. But trouble brews for Sarah in a case of racism and bullying all through the first year. All is not terror for her though, as she becomes popular among her classmates and has also caught the eye of a popular young boy Adam, causing her to giggle and blush every time he looks at her. Goldie tells her he is part Haida, part white. A field trip on the boat Sarah's father does his research on brings a great windup to the school year. They are all mesmerized by the sounds of both fish and whales after Sarah's father drops the echolocation microphone into the water and turns the volume up so all can hear. Adam in particular looks toward his future as he learns as much as he can from Sarah's father.The book takes place over approximately 13-14 years and there is so much to tell, but I will not plant spoilers. I have left a large part of the book undiscussed. Let me just say that this is one book I am thrilled to have had the opportunity not only to read, but to feel. It is as though I was dropped into the mind of Sarah and existing within these pages myself, feeling every emotion. Cheryl Kaye Tardif, you are an inspiration! The version I am reviewing is an ebook, and is more recent than the original printed book (I chose the pdf file and printed it because I don't have a reader). This book should be read by everyone, perhaps a little too sad in places for young children but definitely for 12+ because some of the lessons learned, almost by absorption, are particularly applicable to that age group. For the rest of us, we are never too old to learn something new, and sometimes you can go home again.**This review is written by a Canadian reader, reference to legislation is Canadian
I don't know how to do justice to this book in a review. It's like trying to describe love or any other emotion--you have to experience it to really understand. And Whale Song is quite an experience! The story seems straightforward, moving along in a way that constantly keeps your attention. But underneath are layers of complex feelings and meaning, and they will stir your heart in a big way. Have Kleenex handy! I went through a whole box while reading this. And not because it was sad--although there is definitely sadness in it--but because it is so beautifully written. It makes you think. I let go of a burden of bitterness I was holding inside myself, because of the wisdom I found in Whale Song. How many books can you actually say made you a better person and changed your life? Every single voice in the narrative is completely authentic. From the young girl who tells the story to the wise old Indian woman called Nana, the characters are living, breathing people you wish you could meet. And the sense of place is so real that you can actually see the ocean and hear the songs of the whales. There is fascinating Indian lore and legend, and a deep vein of spirituality running throughout the book. It's a tale of heartbreak and happiness, of shutting yourself in and letting yourself go free. After you dry your tears, the message you take away will be one of hope and strength. Cheryl Tardif definitely understands the human soul. And we are lucky that she has the words to tell us about it.
What do You think about Whale Song (2010)?
Sixth grader Sarah Richardson's father is a marine biologist who lives and teaches in Montana. When he gets his dream job to study whales on Vancouver Island, he packs up the family and moves to a tiny First Nations community. Sarah experiences racism and bullying at her new school, but she also makes a new best friend, Goldie. Goldie's grandmother provides wisdom and love for the displaced Sarah and her mother. The tribe provide comfort during the tragedy which changes Sarah's life forever.Told by Sarah as an adult, the story contains many: "If only I'd known" moments which distract from the flow. The lectures on killer whales are interesting and the leisurely pace of the story reflects the leisurely pace of the island. As a young adult coming of age story, I'm not sure I would have liked it as a youth, but it was in interesting story to read as an adult.
—Eva
I suspect this is a YA book- didn't notice that when I bought it. Even so, it's a thin read. (Harry Potter is a YA novel, too- just sayin'). The relationships are immature and not fleshed out with any depth (especially the male/female ones). I enjoyed the setting and the narrative is fine. The first third of the book does a nice job setting the stage and building a sense anticipation. But mixed into this is the overhanded foreshadowing of the mom's death, which is inexplicably announced several times in some clunky foreshadowing. I feel that the book "talks down" to the reader, spelling things out in an overhanded way. Again, there are plenty of great YA novels out there that don't resort to this.
—Regina
INSPIREDWhen Cheryl Tardif's publisher invited me to read Whale Song, I admit to beginning with a certain amount of trepidation. After all, the novel is YA, aimed at young female readers, and I'm 66 and male. I'm so glad I didn't let those things deter me. Cheryl Tardif is wonderfully talented. Her prose is clean, so economical I found the act of reading esthetically pleasing in and of itself. And yes, just as you would suspect, beneath this technically superior surface lurks a story of intensity, passion, and drama. Even though the outcome is foretold in various chapter endings, the story still hooked me, pulled me ever forward, toward the fateful conclusion. It's a book about life and death. I loved it. Recommended for anyone who can remember the pain of adolescence. To those of you who are there now, Whale Song might make the journey a little easier. For those who can only remember, Whale Song will bring a tear to your eye and make you wish you could go back and do it all again, no matter how hard your own journey was.
—Art Tirrell
