A Quote from the book: ‘LIFE IS SWEEPING AWAY THE DUST THAT KEEPS PILING UP. DEATH IS NOTHING MORE THAN DUST PILING UP.’
Has your grandma /grandpa told you stories? I remember many stories that my grandpa used to tell me.
Whale reads like a story that we would listen to all huddled up and cozy, very hyggelig!
This three-part novel is hilarious, and has elements of magical realism, with a singularly powerful narrative. It is utterly funny and gloomily dark. Originally written in Korean, it is beautifully translated by CHI-YOUNG KIM.
On one side the story is about this beautiful lady and another story is about her not-so-beautiful mute daughter, and the story is about a one-eyed bee lady and her mother. The book is all about intertwined stories flowing mellifluously.
Everything happens in Pyeongdae. This small place is connected by train and then there are quantum leap transformations. From an unknown obscure place to a well-known place on the map and then to nothingness again.
The meaning of existence, social ties, and happiness differs for every character, every character has a different purpose of living and approach to life. It sort of explains the science of happiness through Geumbok’s life.
There is a stark difference in the characters of mother and daughter. While the mother Geumbok, is enterprising and full of life, the daughter Chunhui, doesn't speak and prefers being left unseen. I liked Geumbok’s innovative and tenacious nature and admired the resilient and persevering nature of Chunhui. The old crone and Geumboke were heartless mothers, I hated them for ignoring their daughters.
The talking elephant, who would talk only to Chunhui, was a cute element of the book. The identical twins, the man with a scar, and the one-eyed woman who could control the bees, prophecies, beliefs, and premonitions, were all interesting elements of the novel.
Does a daughter pay for her mother's sins? 
Does a mother ever hate her children ?
I loved the fact that every event was summed up as a law; the law of ideology, the law of ennui, the law of beliefs etc and there are 57 laws in the book, after every other page or so.
Parts of the book remind me of the poem OZYMANDIAS BY PB SHELLY
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
It is an enthralling book bound to make an indelible impression on anyone who reads it. It is profundity in a packet!
I enjoyed reading and discussing the book with my friends.