The Wolf in the Whale by Jordanna Max Brodsky is a historical fantasy novel that follows a young Inuit shaman as she navigates the clash between her people and Viking settlers. The novel is well-researched, with vivid descriptions of the Arctic landscape and Inuit culture. However, the pacing may be slow for some readers, and the blending of history and fantasy may not be to everyone's taste. Overall, The Wolf in the Whale is a decent read for fans of historical fiction and fantasy.

I love anything that features mythology and this book certainly didn't disappoint! The magic system was expertly built and I loved how tender the story could be, whilst also being incredibly hard. I adored the characters and loved the romance arc that was woven throughout! Brilliant read.

A dark, atmosphere, beautiful story based on Inuit belief and mythology, which I absolutely loved. The character development is rich and the relationships explored in the story are complex, heartbreaking, and hopeful. This is the perfect read for anyone looking for a fantasy based in non-Western culture, magic, and myth.

The writing style in the Wolf in the Whale is beautiful. I really like the way Jordanna Max Brodsky paints a picture of both the characters and the surroundings. However, there is something wrong with the pacing of the story. First, the book is very slow, and then it takes a turn to the absolutely miserable.

I have a feeling that the book could be good, but the scenes at around page 160 were so triggering and stressful to me that I couldn't continue. I felt like it was my mental health or finishing this book, so unfortunately the book has to go.

Finally, I want to raise an issue that I haven't seen talked about before. This book is a historical fiction of an Inuit tribe, and our main character is a nonbinary two-spirited person, but the author, if I understand correctly, is a cis white woman? I find it difficult to believe that a white person could provide a fully respectful portrayal of an indigenous tribe and leave behind all of her colonialist biases. Also, I find it difficult to see the portrayal of a nonbinary person come from the pen of a cis-gendered individual. I don't know of other books on the Inuit, but I would rather pick up an own-voices novel. The stories need to be told, but white people don't need to tell those stories for them.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book but just lost interest in the second half.

I will however try other works from this author - I just don't think this story was for me

Probably the most interesting aspect of the book is Omat's gender fluidity and I also found the overall narrative to be excellent.

This is a very creative story however it became somewhat exhausting after the halfway mark.

I think potential readers should be willing to be totally accepting of the myths and legends of the gods and their ability to change from mortal to spirit creatures.

I was perhaps not in the right frame of mind to completely immerse myself in this world but I did find the insights into 10th century Inuit and Norse culture fascinating.

This was a truly wonderful, sweeping tale set amidst one of the most dangerous backdrops known to man. Struggling to survive in the harsh beauty of the Northern Canadian ice, a dwindling Inuit tribe is close to extinction. Death, starvation, and low birth rates have all but doomed the tight knit group.

Born with the spirit of a man and a wolf, Omat carries the weight of her small world on her shoulders. When all seems to be nearly lost, a chance encounter with a mysterious group of men forever changes her life. This clash of two worlds, sometimes brutal and violent, alters the fate of Omat and her struggling family in ways they never could have imagined.

Focusing on a unique setting, featuring a people and time period rarely explored, The Wolf in the Whale is a remarkable novel. Beautiful and epic, I loved every page of this story. Easily one of the best books of 2019, it should be on everyone's Must Read list.

‘I am no longer scared of being a woman — it doesn’t make me any less a man. I am both. I am neither. I am only myself.’

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book.

The cover and the synopsis for this book really swept me off my feet and I knew that I needed to read this book. I knew that it was going to be a book like no other and that it certainly was.

The thing that struck me most about this wonderful book is the writing style, it is so mesmerising and really captures your attention. It is so beautiful. It almost reads like a fairytale it is that beautiful. Who doesn't love reading a fairytale style story? I certainly do.

The atmosphere in this book is fantastical, it is so wonderful. I wanted to be in this world, I wanted to be a character. If I could dive into the world myself I most certainly would do that. There was so much mystery that you couldn't help but continue to turn the page. I couldn't wait to find out what the author had in store for me next.

Jordanna is a born storyteller for sure and I cannot wait to see what else she has in store for me next. I will most definitely be picking up her next book. I recommend you pick this up immediately.

I think I inhaled The Wolf in the Whale by Jordanna Max Brodsky, I read it in only two sittings!

Omat lives in 1000AD, a young Inuit Shaman, and neither male nor female (actually, she took on her fathers soul at birth and is raised as a boy - a hunter and a shaman). There is loads of detail about how life was lived by the Inuit at the beginning of the last century(and I loved this detail), and I learnt so much about their spiritual lives, their Gods and the expectations of men and women. When Omat menstruates for the first time, it heralds the end of her life as a man and a shaman. She is married off to another Inuit who is passing through and promises to help her tribe. The thing is, he has two other wives, and he’s just not a nice person. When a group of Vikings wipe out the group of Inuit that she has married in to, Omat survives and realises that they have captured her cousin. She vows to find and free him. On her journey, she rescues three wolfdogs and saves the life of a Viking who reluctantly joins her on her quest.

I was so immersed in this wonderful story. I loved the style it was written in, I loved Omat’s voice. The magic and beliefs were fascinating, and my heart was in my mouth during the hunting scenes (men catching and killing huge Caribou and whales using flint weapons!). And the ending was just right.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this wonderful book to read and review honestly.

Firstly I want to say thanks to Netgalley for approving me for this book.

I have chosen not to finish this book as it’s not really my genre of books. I requested this quite a few months ago and as I’ve come to read it now I’ve found its not a book for me and not really a genre I would like to read. I’m not a big fan of mythology based books and have found this quite slow to get into so far. Due to this I will give the book 3 stars as I feel it is a fair rating for not having finished the book

Provided by netgalley

An incredible story, following the life of Omat.
This book gives us the opportunity to question gender in a nature and nurture way. Is it the body the mind or the spirit? What we’ve been told we are or decided at birth. So often in books you visit a character for a tiny part of their lives so it’s great to follow this incredibly interesting character through life with their 1st person perspective.

3.5

Wolf in the Whale is a rich and beautifully written epic based on a blend of Inuit and Norse Mythologies. I thought Brodsky's prose was certainly compelling and would highly recommend the novel to anyone who likes to completely immerse themselves in another world entirely.

While the author pulls no punches when it comes to brutally, the novel's only real drawback was the pacing. The story doesn't really start to find its feet until a third of the way in, and while the world-building was excellent, the pace did start to grate a little which is a little unusual for me.

That being said, I did really enjoy this book and would check out Brodsky's other works on the back of it.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Review first published on aperturereads.wordrepress.com

576 pages| Orbit| Fantasy/Historical Fiction/Historical/Myth

CW: rape, violence, death.

I received an eARC of this book from the publishers via NetGalley. I subsequently purchased an audiobook version (using my own money).



The digest: A thought-provoking myth-retelling which I encourage you all to pick up. If you like how meticulous Gaiman’s research and writing is, then you will be right at home here!



From the book’s Goodreads page:

“A sweeping tale of clashing cultures, warring gods, and forbidden love: In 1000 AD, a young Inuit shaman and a Viking warrior become unwilling allies as war breaks out between their peoples and their gods-one that will determine the fate of them all.

“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. Alone at the edge of the world, hope is all 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.”



What was less than great?

The pacing is inconsistent, and it harms the book’s chances of people reading it, in my opinion. The ‘real’ plot doesn’t start until around the 35-40% mark, and for some readers (like myself) that can be a bit of a deal breaker. 40% of this novel equates to about 230 pages. Those 230 pages are slow. Very slow. We learn about the Inuit customs and relationship with religions, and some in-depth character exploration goes on (these are good things, see below!) but I have some books on my shelf way under 230 pages, and in all honesty, I might have preferred those 230 pages a lot more than these.
The ending is as fast as the beginning is slow. After several hundred-pages of buildup, everything seems to happen at once, and I do think that the author missed a trick by not focusing more on the amazing content held in the last 10% or so.
Whilst the pacing of the plot is factual, how much you will like it is entirely subjective. If you like novels that start slow (I think the ‘real’ plot only kicks in at around the 35-40% mark), then you will probably enjoy this novel much more than I did.
I switched over to the audiobook version at the 10% mark or so as I knew that if I tried to force myself to read the supplied ebook then I’d probably never actually finish it. Again, the content of the first 230 pages is by no means bad, I’m just not sure it can justify taking up so many pages.
The promise of Norse mythology on the book’s Goodreads page had me excited and probably raised my expectations too high. Whilst this mythology does appear in the novel, it plays a much lesser part than that of the Inuit peoples. I would have preferred more interaction with the Norse worship than we have here, especially as Brodksy does such a good job of writing about it!


What was great?

The narration of the audiobook (read by Brodsky herself) is rather well done.
The worldbuilding is definitely in the top tier of fantasy novels. BUT it suffers from the slow pacing and odd structuring of the novel. The introduction to, and expansion of, Inuit mythology was excellent – as was the whole idea of transformation, divine intervention, and the true sense of shifting climate.
I don’t want to ruin any surprises for those of you who might pick up the novel, so let me just say that you won’t be disappointed. And yes, the book title is more than a thought-provoking eye-catcher.
Brodsky has clearly spent many, many hours researching both the mythologies of the two main groups, as well as the history and general anthropology of the peoples involved. A very good job indeed. Brodksy’swork reminds me of Gaiman’s in the mythologies’ details.
The mythology of the Inuit is entirely new to me, and can say that the author’s style of storytelling (mixing human life with that of the deities) was very fun to follow. It’s good to see intentional interaction between the human and divine, and I hope Brodsky writes another book in the same style – I’d definitely pick that up!
There are a number of difficult topics covered, constantly furnished with aspirations of a better time and life. As stated above, sexual assault plays a significant role in this novel (though I never felt too grossed out – the scenes were about as well handled as you might hope), but the wider position of women in society, as well as social hierarchies.
Other important issues covered are gender fluidity, the drive for survival at any cost (or indeed, the lack thereof), hope for a better life, loyalty to yourself, your family, and your gods. Honestly, the list could go on, and out of nearly 600-pages worth of text, I have only one bugbear, the acceptance of identity relies too heavily on traditional norms for such a thought-provoking story. The character development is excellent, too. Omat especially.
Perhaps the most interesting (to me) concept is that of interaction with other groups of people. Omat’s family have been so isolated for years that when they eventually do come across a new group, they aren’t too sure how to react. Where the novel goes from there was unexpected (to me), but I’m glad that Brodksy didn’t just categorically paint one side against another. There are good and bad people throughout this novel, and it’s never quite clear where that line is drawn. Instead of being frustrating, this just adds another layer of depth, and constantly forced me to consider all possible angles of the narrative.
The relationships (both platonic and romantic) are explored in great depth, and we can follow our protagonist Omat as she struggles with her identity in relation to those around her. Ancient laws say women can’t hunt, or perform other such important tasks which she has grown up doing. I think Brodksy did an excellent job of detailing mentorship, natural maturation, and reliance on other people.
None are terribly cliched, but neither is the wheel reinvented.
The action scenes in The Wolf in the Whale are exquisite. They are all easy to follow, with fight scenes focusing on the true horrors of war and chase/sports scenes (if that’s what they’re called – apologies if not) are equally engaging. Highly enjoyable.


Conclusion: 4/5. I very much enjoyed my time with The Wolf in the Whale, and if you enjoy mythology-based stories, or just fantasy in general, and are after something a bit different from all the rest, I think you’d like it too. Unfortunately, I cannot rate the book any higher as the slow start almost put me off completely – again this is personal preference but it’s also fair criticism. Perhaps another edit would have fixed this, but we’ll never know. I look forward to reading what Brodsky puts out next, I’ll definitely be giving it a read!

The Wolf in the Whale is a beautifully written tale of one person's struggle against their culture, their society, and even the gods. 

The setting was one I knew almost nothing about, but one which I feel was immaculately researched, and as such it never felt entirely too unfamiliar - except for when the main character, Omat, was out of their comfort zone.

At times difficult and uncomfortable to read, this book truly stands out as a marvel, and the struggles the main character faces never felt gratuitous or unnecessary. Their strength is inspiring, and I feel better for having gone on this journey with them.

This book takes place in our world, true, but is at heart a fantasy novel, steeped in mythology and magic. We meet gods both Norse and Inuit, and I found the way they were woven into the story fascinating. We stick mostly to the frozen north, but there are mentions of the wider world - of Rome and of Christianity, which is threatening the Norse religion and its gods greatly. It was fascinating to read about.

The scope of The Wolf in the Whale is truly breathtaking, and I would recommend it to anyone hungry for a good read. I gave the novel a well-deserved five stars, and cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy - it is already out, so please, I implore you to check it out!!

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.

From the moment I first clapped eyes on The Wolf and the Whale and read the synopsis I knew this was going to be something special, and boy it certainly was that! This is a tale that immerses you in the beautiful writing and the ominous plot right from the outset, and it reads a lot like a fairytale or the myths, legends and folk tales of old with the same deceptively sunken depths and intrigue. One of the standout aspects for me had to be the atmosphere that underpins the whole story; proceedings are shrouded in an air of mystery with the reader never knows what is around the corner.

This is unlike anything I've ever read before and Ms Max Brodsky is one to watch. It's deep, dark intensity appealed to me wholeheartedly and which was reflected in my devouring of it in a single, enthralling sitting. She has a rare and utterly enchanting talent for storytelling; I simply cannot wait to see what she publishes in the future! A thoroughly deserved five-stars and a new author to add to my favourites list which admittedly is ever-expanding. A first-class read.

Many thanks to Orbit for an ARC.

I heard about The Wolf in the Whale from Jes when she gushed about it on her Booktube channel, and I thought I should give it a go. It’s set in the wilderness of what will eventually become Canada. The main character is part of an isolated tribe that is dying out, and one day strangers arrive and mess stuff up.

The parts I most enjoyed about this book were the writing style and the setting. It was incredibly atmospheric, and the author drew me in with her prose. I loved the incorporation of three different mythologies – Norse, Inuit, and Christian. It all wove together seamlessly.

I’ve realised that I need to read more books about the pre-colonised Americas, because there is so much that I know little about. I’ve read quite enough Roman and Greek history books, I think.

I loved that the main character identifies as both a boy and a girl. That was a really nice inclusion, and it worked really well with the story. Their struggle to accept themselves was tough to read in the beginning, but it all came together really well in the end.

While I did really enjoy this story, I have to say that I didn’t enjoy the way that rape and assault was handled in this book. There was a lot of talk of rape, and I felt that at times the detail it went into was unnecessary. I’m not usually that put off by it, but I think the fact that it came up over and over again and I felt like I was being beaten around the head with it.

I also really didn’t enjoy the relationship in this book. The main character saw the love interest rapes multiple women in a sort of vision sequence, and yet they still fell for him?? After seeing all of that?? After being raped herself?? Nah. It didn’t fly with me.

Overall, The Wolf in the Whale is an intriguing and atmospheric read. I would go into it cautiously due to the things I mention above, but if you think you can handle it then it’s definitely worth picking up.

The Wolf in the Whale was EVERY KIND OF COOL!

*Received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review- but the gushing you’re about to see is all me*

wolf in the whaleYeah, there’s a lot of yelling in that title- but THAT’S COS I’M EXCITED DAMMIT! Sometimes a book just floats on up to you and you simply have to read it. This was absolutely the case when I saw Liis’ wonderful review for the Wolf in the Whale. A story that somehow married Inuit and Viking cultures- WHOA- that grabbed my attention right away!

Enter into a narrative couched in storytelling and I knew this was the book for me. By now, you’ve probably heard me go on a million times about how much I love stories within stories- and this book was no exception to that rule. Not only was the overarching plot an amazing tale to tell, each section began with a mythic story, illustrating and foreshadowing all the wondrous events to come.

It was an experience delving into this icy realm. Cloaked in atmosphere, every step into this book gave a sense of the setting and culture. Cosy in my room, I was transported to the frozen wastes of the Arctic (a perfect setting for this time of the year 😉 ). The writing was impeccably detailed and the imagery in line with the landscape. Above all, that image of the wolf in the whale WORKED SO WELL. To say this was sophisticated world building would be a massive understatement.

What’s especially clever is how the magic system goes beyond the setting and lends itself to the main character’s arc. In a transformative journey, the spiritual concepts are used to address questions of identity. While Omat goes through innumerable changes, she fundamentally must learn to be comfortable with every side of herself and to find the strength to fight back when things get bad. Above all, it is this that makes her a heroine- though I loved every aspect of her character- from her skills to her cleverness- it was the way she fought when her back was up against the wall that made me truly admire her.

And she really does go through a hell of a time. There is traumatic content in here, but it’s really well handled. It is both realistic and emotive. Personally, I am glad Brodsky didn’t forsake accuracy when it came to exploring the brutality of history. Instead, the book was a triumph- because it represents that real power is dreaming a way out and never giving up.

The plot follows this idea, weaving into ever-more imaginative territory. With little surprises along the way, the truth of the stories we tell ourselves is revealed. The very distinct mythologies of Inuit and Norse are expertly intertwined; the ominous forces at work are revealed. Far from chill, there are some serious stakes at play here. All that building tension finally breaks in an exquisite apotheosis of drama. It is a performance worthy of the gods. All the while presenting very human relationships, making every victory and moment of redemption feel earned.

Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed what Wolf in the Whale did with folklore. It was complex and beautiful and ahhh-mazing!! Forgive me just losing my cool there- by the end of the book I was just writing “awws” and “squeaks” and been reduced to tears. I will add that this is the definition of a slow burn- so make sure you’re in the right mood to really sink your teeth into a book. Granted, it is a little on the long side, yet the upside of this is it really absorbs you into the world and you can take your time with this standalone fantasy. This book is a rarity in every regard and I simply can’t cover all the ways that it made me feverishly happy- all I can do is give it:

Rating: 5/5 bananas

https://wordpress.com/post/lynns-books.com/35846 - this post is not yet published, it's scheduled for Monday morning - so this is a temporary link..
The Wolf in the Whale was an absolutely gorgeous read.  I adored it.  It pulled me in from the first page and held me under its spell to the final pages - in fact beyond because I also read the information provided by the author about Inuit words/research, etc..  It gave me a flood of emotions making me well up with tears at one point and then smile and laugh ridiculously the next.  I just literally couldn't get enough of this and in fact tore through it in two pages - well, sleep is overrated anyway, especially when you're reading such a good book.  On top of that the main character has to be one of the best written characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading.  Her will to survive against the odds and in the harshest conditions, even struggling to be herself and keep her family alive make for compulsive reading indeed.  Truly, I don't think I can do this book justice in this review but I'll give it a good try.  Prepare yourself for some gushing.

I'm not going to over elaborate on the plot.  The story brings to us a character called Omat.  Omat's birth is watched by the Gods, she could be the portent of good or evil depending on how you look at things.  When she's born she receives the protection of the Wolf Spirit whilst at the same time angering the Sea Mother. She has the soul of a hunter and her path will follow that of her grandfather's before her.  She will become an angakkuq, a shamen, who can talk with spirits and use their knowledge to guide her family.

This is without doubt a brutal world so you need to be aware of that before picking this one up.  Life for the Inuits was tough.  Staying alive in such a landscape is hard enough by itself, on top of that Omat's little family is shrinking following the death of a number of their hunters in a tragic accident, they need new people in order to keep their family going.  On top of this there is the very real fear of starvation.  Omat's family must follow the movements of the animals they need to survive, but they barely have enough people to hunt, so when they're surprised by the arrival of more Inuit's who can help, even though things don't feel quite right, it feels like a blessing.  Now, this is a turning point for Omat and for the story and I must use the opportunity to say that things become violent in more ways than one from this point onward.  To be clear, I don't think there's anything gratuitous and I wouldn't call this a grimdark style book but that doesn't mean that things don't become both grim and dark and there are definitely triggers contained within in terms of violence towards women and children, rape and even mention of torture.  I certainly don't want to put anybody off by mentioning those things and to be honest I think they're all necessary in terms of the story and the realistic vision it portrays.

Characters.  Omat is an amazing character to read about with her inner conflicts.  Born a female with the soul of her deceased father and raised for many years unaware that she's actually a female.  She makes for absolutely fascinating reading and I literally couldn't get enough of her.  There are other characters of course but for me Omat stole the show completely - well, her wolves were pretty awesome too.  Alongside Omat's family and the eventual inclusion of the Vikings and one particular character called Brandr - who does eventually become a romantic focus in the story - there are of course the Gods.  This book is amazing in respect that this isn't just about a changing world in which people are still grasping to their faiths and beliefs, it's also about a clash of the Gods - themselves facing the grim reality of ever reducing numbers of worshippers - they're in fact fighting for their own survival.  

It's this coming together of Gods and people - both in times of conflict - that felt so original and fascinating.  I loved it - to be honest, I'm always happy when reading about the Norse Gods and Loki in particular, who is up to his usual meddling here.  But, learning of the Inuit's beliefs as well was just magical for me.  I couldn't get enough of it.

The world portrayed is cold and more often than not dark but that didn't keep the family down - survival is the aim of the game and they work relentlessly in that respect.  More than that I loved their coming together to tell stories which themselves helped to add an extra layer to the strength of the world building.

In terms of criticisms.  I didn't have anything to be honest.  This hooked me from start to finish, maybe the ending could have taken a little longer but that's just me being greedy and wanting more.  

This is a fascinating, superbly written, captivating, emotional rollercoaster of a book.  I loved it and want more.  I'm going to say that this was a perfect read and that I had a wonderful time with it.

I received a copy courtesy of the publisher, through Netgalley, for which my thanks.  The above is my own opinion.

An epic coming of age story with a wonderful blend of mysticism, mythology and historical fiction. Reminiscent of Jean M. Auel's Earth's Children series but with a cast of Inuits, Indigenous tribes, Vikings and the inevitable smackdown between man vs God vs God. It is an emotional roller coaster and gives you all the feels!