The Book Stacks

At eleven years old, Sarah - or Hai Nai Yu as she is later named by Nana - is sulky and depressed as her family suddenly leaves the wide open spaces of Wyoming to live on Vancouver Island, Canada. She has to leave many of her possessions, the life she’s always known, and even her best friend.

This trip, however, is the first step in a life path she could have never dreamed of…

I recently had the pleasure of reading Whale Song, a book I found played at my emotions, went further than I thought it would, and made me ask questions of myself and my beliefs.

Sarah’s life begins improving when she gets settled into her new home and meets Goldie, who becomes her new best friend. And while the school bully seems to enjoy picking on Sarah more than anyone else, forcing Sarah to deal with racism for the first time, she still finds delight in her family, her new friends, and Goldie’s grandmother, Nana, who shares wonderful tales of the Great Spirits.

When Sarah’s mother starts getting sick, Sarah’s life takes a most unexpected turn. She is forced to grow up in ways she resists and it will take her many years to understand the decisions her mother made, her father made, and that she herself made.

And though she tries to run from responsibility and sadness, the grey wolf and the Great Spirits are never far away…

I enjoyed reading this book because it made me feel something. It made me think about things I would otherwise not think about because they are subjects that aren’t comfortable. Sarah is shoved more or less kicking and screaming into an adult world she doesn’t know how to handle. As I read, I found myself if I could handle it even now, over a decade older than her.

This book doesn’t simply take you through the life of a young girl who experiences tragedy but takes you into spaces in your own mind where you avoid thinking about the things she had to go through. Tardif doesn’t sugar coat any of the experience for you. As you read, you watch Sarah spiraling downward, pushing away everything that could save her, and you find yourself wishing you could help her in some way.

Overall, it’s an interesting and thought-provoking read. Even if you don’t care to let it take your mind wandering into your own feelings and thoughts about “right to die” and other issues, this book won’t disappoint.

[Originally posted on Fiction Scribe]