Whalefall

Reviews

• Laurynn

  Finished July 30, 2026

  When 17-year-old Jay dives into the Pacific in search of his late father's remains, the unthinkable happens—he's swallowed whole by a massive sperm whale. Trapped inside with only a limited supply of oxygen, Jay must find a way to survive while confronting grief, family, and the complicated relationship he shared with his father. I picked this one up after seeing another Bookstagrammer recommend it as the perfect summer horror read, and honestly, the premise had me completely sold. Being trapped inside a whale sounded like it would be tense, claustrophobic, and unlike anything I'd ever read. Unfortunately, it just wasn't for me. My biggest issue was the writing. It felt choppy, disjointed, and honestly a little strange. I never found a rhythm with it, and instead of pulling me into Jay's situation, it constantly pulled me back out. Every time I started feeling the tension of the survival story, we'd jump into another memory or reflection, and it completely interrupted the momentum. The pacing didn't help either. The chapters are incredibly short, which is usually something I love, but here they made the story feel fragmented. Instead of creating urgency, they made it feel like I was constantly stopping and starting over again. I also wasn't expecting so much of the story to revolve around Jay's father. While I understand why those memories mattered, I found myself wanting far more time spent on the actual survival aspect. The premise promised an unforgettable fight for survival inside a whale, but that often felt secondary to everything else. I know I'm in the minority because so many readers adore this book, and I'm genuinely glad it resonated with them. For me, though, the writing style and pacing kept me at a distance the entire time, and I never became emotionally invested enough to overlook them. [Find my reviews on Bookstagram🫶🏻](https://www.instagram.com/literarily_laurynn?igsh=aTh6eTZ6dGwxMXpy&utm_source=qr)

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