A whale washed up on the beach provided the focus for two impressive debut novels I’ve read from the last couple of years, “The Whalebone Theatre” by Joanna Quinn and “The Whale Tattoo” by Jon Ransom (both 2022).  I feel such an event works well in fiction as it evokes such a sense of the out of the ordinary for the community, a sobering experience of just what the sea contains.  There’s the sadness and futility of the huge creature left to rot, excitement for children who witness this process and it often serves as an omen that things are about to change.

Another debut and another whale appearing on the beach of a sparsely populated island off the Welsh coast in 1938.  In its wake come two English researchers, a man and a woman working on a book about life on the island.  They employ 18 year old resident Manon as a translator, as a number there, including Manon’s younger sister, speak only Welsh.  There’s a sense from the mainland that things are building towards war but it is everyday survival which the islanders focus on.

This is a quiet, short novel of 178 pages which is well written and maintains the interest.  There’s a timelessness to it and the fictional location is inspired by a number of islands off the British/Irish coasts where populations and local traditions dwindled.  It impresses with its strongly created main character and the pull of the island for her.  Not that much happens but it is rich in atmosphere.  The Observer highlighted it as one of the most anticipated debuts for 2024 which has already been a strong year for first fiction.  I wonder if something so quietly assured and calm, and not to be taken as a criticism, slight, will stand out amongst much showier debuts.

Whale Fall will be published by Picador on 25^th April.  Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the advance review copy.