The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn

 From a Whalebone Theater to the European Theater

This book swept me away from page one.  The writing is electric; the visual descriptions are a treat!  A story of three siblings growing up in an unconventional family, follows their bond as children who put on theatre productions, to adulthood facing the turbulent times of WWII.  

 

While I loved the writing, loved the characters, and loved the story, I did have reservations about the length of the book. For me, books of this heft are usually reserved only for classics (and even Moby-Dick at 477 pages didn’t match the weight of Quinn’s 545 pages.) A character list would also have been helpful. 

 

In the end, though, it did win me over. Cristabel, Flossie, and Digby have found a way into my heart. It’s a good book to cozy up with during the cold winter months. 

 

Here are a few of my favorite lines from the book:

 

“Annabel was bracing: she was the wind that smacked you in the face when you set your horse at a gallop, and she was the warming brandy waiting for you by the fire at home.” Pg 69

 

“Outside, it is becoming autumn and the wind is moving through the trees like a rumour.” Pg 80

 

“You always say that word as if you were holding it with tweezers.” Pg 230

 

“It’s as if the war has shaken the world like a set of dice and we’re all tumbling off in different directions.” Pg 245

 

“October sinks into November sinks into December. The days contract. The sun hardly bothers.” Pg 338

 

 

Happy Reading! 

Annette