This book has a really unique composition of both memoir and history as it alternates between the present and the past. The dual storyline is easy enough to follow and helps bring the story to life. The narration is well done and I enjoyed the book. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to check out this book.

This book was a real surprise for me. I was first drawn to it by the title, the two headed whale, it was further intrigued to learn more about the history of wailing in the Antarctic.

I did not expect it to be a memoir, and a history blended together, beautifully as author, Winterbottom and barks on a six week tall ship voyage to Antarctica, and at the same time begins to tell a narrative of an 18-year-old whaler from Edinburgh as he embark on his first Tour with the wailing company.

This book was super informative, and very engaging. Both Sandy’s memoirs of her trip and the history of whaling and our tragic, whaling hero really captures the reader.

The dual storyline has surprising links to each other through mental health, and finding resolution for both characters.

The narration by Lisa S. Ware provided solid pacing, and a good differentiation between the dual narratives. I did notice at the beginning, it took me a moment to catch the back-and-forth between the current time and the historical, but once I realized how the story was being told, it was very easy to see the narrative differences in the two time frames. Ware is able to bring out the emotion in both storylines very well in the captivate the listener with her reading.

Thanks to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for this audio review copy.

The second person narration in this book is insufferable and the tone of the book is very cheesy. I couldn't get through it.

The Two-Headed Whale merges two journeys into one tale.
Told in alternating sections between the author’s 2016 expedition to Antarctica and the imagined experience of real whaler Anthony Ford, this book explores the complicated history of whaling.

I actually liked the author’s writing style in this book and the concept was intriguing. However, it was sometimes difficult to transition from one perspective to the other. I wonder if the switches were less obvious since I was listening to the audiobook and maybe is more clear in print. I found myself wishing that this book had only been told from one perspective.

The author has clearly done a lot of research and had an incredible expedition. Yet I was a little frustrated at times about the lens that some figures and research were viewed through.

Overall, this audiobook was a pretty frustrating to listen to. While I think this author has a lot of potential to write really great, informative work about this topic, this book just didn’t deliver. I am very curious to take a look at the print version of this book and see if the experience is different.


*Huge thanks to Sandy Winterbottom, Tantor Audio, and Netgalley for providing the ARC of The Two-Headed Whale in audiobook format*

I was gifted and ARC by Greystone Books! Thank you so much Greystone!

The premise of this book is interesting. The author weaves the story of her own 6 week journey to Antarctica and the store of a young whaler she learns about who took his own life. The book mixes parts of the authors journey and history and speculation about this whaler. While this was an interesting format is was hard to follow over audio because the narrator was the same and it didn’t indicate that it was switching to the other person beforehand so there were times it was confusing and hard to tell whos part I was in.

While there were some parts of this I found interesting I did find myself being a little bored. It overall was just a slower book and it wasn’t one that I was sucked into a ton. I think it did help that I listened to it because I was able to get through it faster on audio than I would have read it.

I really liked the way Winterbottom described the realities of whaling. She told the story as it was and did not sugar coat it. I appreciated the sympathy she feels for the young whaling boy even though she was vegan herself and the fact that she was willing to criticize her own habits in regards to climate change.

Based on other reviews I have seen for the book it seems like Winterbottom cited some questionable interpretations of research and highlighted researchers that have been known to be problematic. I wish she would have done further research and chosen not to include these.

I think this is a great book for people who are interested in the Antarctic and want an interesting way of storytelling to learn about it.

Overall, this was a 3.5 stars for me.

The premise of this one was really good. The author goes on a 6 week journey to the Antarctic and at the being of the trip learns of a whaler that took his own life. So parts of the book are the authors journey and parts are speculation and the history of this whaler. It weaves this story while highlighting colonialism, capitalism and the wreckage that they do on people and the environment.

Overall I was bored. I kept finding myself drifting away and not overly caring about the journey she was on.

But I am so grateful for an advanced listening copy. Thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio.

SWORD CATCHER by Cassandra Clare was an unexpected delight. I initially had low expectations but found myself pleasantly surprised, particularly by the enthralling ending. I'm now eagerly anticipating the next installment. I can already envision revisiting this world. The first half demands some patience as it delves deep into world-building and an extensive cast of characters. It's not until the latter half that the gears really begin to turn. Cassandra Clare's creative prowess shines, with intricate details adding depth to the story. Transitioning into the realm of adult fiction, Clare's style takes on a more distant and less sentimental tone. The narrative includes more mature elements like violence, sex, and drugs, while still featuring her signature character dynamics. The romantic subplot is understated and intriguing, taking its time to develop. By the end, it's clear the story is headed in intriguing directions. The world-building draws inspiration from various real-world cultures and mythologies, creating a rich tapestry. However, the sheer complexity might benefit from a glossary. The plot's grandeur leaves you craving more, and the cliffhanger ending guarantees an impatient wait for the next book. SWORD CATCHER is a hidden gem that fans of intricate world-building and complex narratives will thoroughly enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ALC.

This is an interesting book, but one that left me with a number of questions. The author is passionate and did a lot of research on top of her own experiences to write this book, and the weaving sections that are her own experiences are by far the strongest of the narrative. To try and bring the experiences of some people who made their livelihoods from whaling and to humanize those men (and they were always presenting at least as men) Winterbottom creates a piece of creative non-fiction based on the experiences of many whalers from letters and interviews. Winterbottom chooses to write these sections in the 2nd person to differentiate the experience, the result is uneven and somewhat passive.

There was a thread through this book that made me uncomfortable, as I dug into the book I realized it was the lens that this book is written in. Winterbottom’s choice of who to praise and how she criticizes moves into advocacy, which is fine, if the reader is clear on the intent. I’m not sure the intent comes out clearly enough for me. She chooses to site some questionable interpretations of research and push researchers in cases that have been shown to be problematic. There is also an attempt to shoehorn in a mental illness discussion that feels overreaching in its scope and almost hurts the intention.

This is a solidly written piece of memoir mixed with some creative non-fiction, but I would caution readers to remember this and not look at this piece as solid science/historical writing. There are other books who have come out about similar themes (not the whaling industry but with connections to fishing and ocean ecology and advocacy) that are just better. Move Like Water by Hannah Stowe and Many Things Under a Rock by David Scheel are great examples.