Title: Song of the Whale
Author: Sunil MS
Publisher: Leadstart publishing
Genre: Crime, Mystery Thriller
First Publication: 2021
Language: English
Book Summary: Song of the Whale by Sunil MS
There is a whale in the city of Bangalore and only the Listeners can hear it. The Wanderer, a man suffering from dissociative amnesia, is sucked into this secret world of the Listeners and joins their search for the mysterious whale. He is unable to hear the song of the whale that beckons the Listeners every night.
Filled with longing for the music, the Wanderer finds strange new friendships and love in this bizarre world of the Listeners. But the world he has built, sits on the shoulder of a lie. Caught between the impenetrable wall of his past and the promise of a future, he turns to the Song of the Whale to set him free.
Book Review: Song of the Whale by Sunil MS
Poignant, lyrically written Song of the Whale tells the story of a man suffering from dissociative amnesia. He has forgotten even his mother’s face. Now he only remembers fragments from his past. The song of the whale is heard by many people in his city, Bengaluru, at night, and these people are called Listeners. He takes on the role of a Listener while he is actually a Wanderer, unable to hear this song but still lying. Throughout the story we meet several different Listeners trying to discover the origins of the song of the whale. In this bizarre world of Listeners, we discover the Wanderer’s haunting past, memories and narratives, which help him gain new perspective, make new friends and find love.
This is a slow-paced story that is mostly character driven, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s incredibly well-written and there are subtle changes in protagonist from chapter to chapter as time passes and he becomes more used to living in the bizarre world of the Listeners, for better or worse. Author is thorough in his treatment of this subject.
The book addresses to serious concerns – epic struggle, unhealthy human obsession, destiny, societal escapism, the nature of love and jealousy, the world of dreams (both happy and sad, cheerful and threatening) – that are of as much relevance to young people, as they are to adults. I wanted more – more explanations – but perhaps that’s a good sign… Perhaps this short, dreamlike piece isn’t meant to satisfy, so much as to provoke.
The writing is by turns ironic, serious, violent, and tender. As author Sunil writes with a style that beckons the reader from the first page, the book evokes a sense of certainty and understatement that will linger long after the last page is turned. It has a breathless ending as one would expect, but there was also a feeling of anti-climax. I think that despite the excitement of the ending, I enjoyed the build-up of the suspense all from the first page to the end. There was a bit of sentimentality towards the end that was not really present during the rest of the text. Author goes on and on so many times, stringing together metaphors and similes. There is a sort of slapstick humor in places, some rough and curt observations and one-liners.
The writing alone is enough to recommend this book, but it also tells an enchanting story. This book will have something for every reader – a parable of moralistic character, allegory, a study on the ethical distinction, individualism, transcendentalism, existentialism, madness, all displayed while describing song of the whale. I definitely recommend reading this book to the brave readers open to the indefinite mysteriousness of the world! It’s wonderful.
