| View Larger Image | Whale Song: A Novel | Paperbackby Cheryl Kaye Tardif (Author)
| List Price: | $12.95 | |
| | Binding: | Paperback | | Publisher: | Kunati Inc. | | Edition: | Revisedth Edition | | Page Count: | 208 Pages | | Publication Date: | April 01, 2007 | | Sales Rank: | 234,646th |
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EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Product Description
In Cheryl Kaye Tardif's heart-wrenching Whale Song, haunting native legends merge with the modern world as two cultures collide, and a young woman struggles with long-forgotten memories of her mother's suicide. Thirteen years ago, Sarah Richardson's life was shattered when her mother committed suicide. The shocking tragedy left a grief-stricken teen-aged Sarah with partial amnesia. Some things are easier to forget. But now a familiar voice from her past sends Sarah, a talented mid-twenties ad exec, back to her past. A past that she had thought was long buried. Some things are meant to be buried. Torn by nightmares and visions of a yellow-eyed wolf, yet aided by the creatures of the Earth and by the killer whales that call to her in the night, Sarah must face her fears and uncover the truth―even if it destroys her. Some things are meant to be remembered―at all cost. |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 5.0 based on 58 reviews)
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"Forgiveness sets you free" by Linda Bulger (Avon, Maine)  5 Stars
September 26, 2009
Canadian author Cheryl Kaye Tardif has a winning combination in her young adult book Whale Song: A Novel. Against a vivid Vancouver Island backdrop she weaves together many effective elements: the native American spirit world, symbolism of the orca (killer whale), racism and bullying, and the tragedy and redemption that run through young Sarah's family.
Eleven-year-old Sarah Richardson moves from Wyoming to Vancouver Island in Canada where her marine biologist father has a new job. Sarah feels alienated, but she makes a new friend in her neighbor Goldie, a Nootka Indian whose grandmother introduces Sarah to the traditional stories of their tribe. Goldie's family tragically lost a son to drowning and the young Goldie believes that the orcas are a link to the spirit of her brother.
When Sarah's artist mother becomes gravely ill, things spin out of control; at the height of her pain Sarah develops a hysterical amnesia and loses both her parents. Years later, emotionally closed-off to everything that had been meaningful to her, she finally finds peace in the love that she had known on Vancouver Island.
The author tells the story in Sarah's voice, and the prose is plaintive and rich. At times you may be reminded of gothic romance:
"...I felt restless and uneasy. I somehow knew that my life would change the second we drove into those trees.
"Destiny...or fate?"
The foreshadowing of tragedy, the intense emotion, a mystery, the suggestion of supernatural elements, loved ones kept apart by a misunderstanding... all gothic elements. But WHALE SONG is decidedly contemporary in the issues faced by adolescents finding their way to adulthood. The values and outcomes are just what you'd want for family reading, and this book will be enjoyed by all ages.
Cheryl Kaye Tardif handles the good and bad of family life with a sure hand, and tells a story that sings; you will remember this award-winning book for a long, long time.
Linda Bulger, 2009
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Beautiful Tale of a Young Girl by Julie K. Nichols 5 Stars
June 17, 2009
This book told a beautiful story of a young girl who experienced a personal tragedy, but at the same time, learned life lessons from some very special people and even from the whales her father studied.
Within a native culture setting in Canada, young Sarah moved there with her mom and dad, away from everything she knew. After they arrived at their new home, her father (a marine biologist) began his new job and shared his excitement with his wife and daughter Sarah. His study of killer whales would turn out to be more significant to his daughter than any of them knew.
Sarah met a new young friend, Goldie, and her very spiritual, mystical grandmother, Nana, who showed Sarah the ways of her people and taught her a different way of thinking.
Sarah experienced a difficult time adapting to a new school with mostly Indian children. But nothing could compare with what Sarah experienced later, when her whole world came crashing down around her.
Although the book was a very easy read, I could not put it down. The text flowed perfectly and the story was very beautiful. A great story for young or old.
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Beautiful on so many levels! by Norma Beishir (St. Louis, MO) 5 Stars
April 20, 2009
This novel has so much to offer--well-developed characters, a moving story, Native American mythology (I'm one-eighth Cherokee myself and love reading about it), marine biology (another area of personal interest). Whales, manatees, I'm a big fan of all creatures. I'll reluctantly admit I wasn't sure at first that WHALE SONG would be my cup of tea--I thought it was "just" a YA novel. How wrong I was! I would recommend this book to anyone of any age. I could say more, but it seems the reviewers who have already posted have beaten me to it. Let me add that I'll be reading anything this author publishes from now on.
This book would make a wonderful movie.
Norma Beishir
author, Chasing the Wind
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Whale Song by Deborah Longoria (Flower Mound, Texas) 5 Stars
April 17, 2009
I just finished reading "Whale Song" by Cheryl Kaye Tardif. The story covers a myriad of serious topics in a loving and graceful way. It is an amazing story of love. You will not want to put it down. It is a fast, easy read.
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For Tweens by M. Neumann  3 Stars
March 11, 2009
I made the mistake of recommending this novel for my book group based on the terrific reviews it received online.
This was a big mistake. It is a sweet story, but it is most definitely for the young teen market. The setting is beautifully described, and the characters are appealing, but it's predictable, and the voice is that of an eleven year old girl.
It's a great choice for middle school kids.
Maureen Neumann
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