Lincoln Noah visits Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost town in all of the United States. He stays with some friends of his father, the Ologak family. The head of the family, Vincent Ologak, is the captain of a whaling team who camp out on the ice. They have a quota of only a few whales that they are legally allowed to hunt each year. Lincoln's uncle came to Barrow years ago to protest against the whales being hunted, but Lincoln hasn't heard from him in a long time. Lincoln is hoping to find out what happened to his uncle, but no one will talk about him. Lincoln joins the Ologak whaling team and finds out why whaling is so central to the Iñupiat culture.

I loved learning about the Iñupiat culture and language and traditions in this book! The whole book is centered around respecting and preserving this unique culture, and it was absolutely beautiful to learn about all of it through the eyes of Lincoln Noah. There is a glossary of Iñupiat words and phrases at the back of the book, but most of the time, the phrases are translated right there in the narrative too.

Lincoln has a very open mind, ready to learn about these new friends he has met. He listens, he carefully observes, he considers and mimics. He doesn't try to force his own ideas or his own values onto others. He notices the little details of daily life on the ice. He notices the reactions of the people around him, and adjusts his own behavior accordingly. He is respectful and patient and curious. He quickly earns the respect and admiration of each person he meets.

But still, there is a lot of conflict for Lincoln, and he doesn't quite fit in with his new friends. There are people at the whaling camp who are bitter and angry, and they take it out on Lincoln. He responds with patience and compassion, but also with strength and resolve that does not allow any foolish aggression to find its mark.

Then there are the whales! The beautiful bowhead whales seem to call to Lincoln in a special way. We learn about their migratory habits, their young, what they eat, and how they survive in the rivers and lakes between the shifting ice. There is a kind of mysticism around the relationship between the Iñupiat and the whales they hunt, and Lincoln begins to see that you have to respect nature and listen to what the wind and the sky tell you if you want to understand whales and be worthy of hunting them.

Lincoln learns a great deal, grows as a person, and embraces the Iñupiat culture, but ultimately he has to decide within himself what kind of person he wants to be. When he is forced to make the difficult decisions, he has to figure out what his core values really are, and whether or not they align with the same values of his Iñupiat friends.

I loved the thoughtful writing style and the beautiful Iñupiat culture! I loved the character development and the mystic whales. Such a compelling story!