The Wolf in the Whale – Jordanna Max Brodsky

Born with the soul of a hunter and the spirit of the Wolf, Omat is destined to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps-invoking the spirits of the land, sea, and sky to protect her people.

But the gods have stopped listening and Omat’s family is starving. Alone at the edge of the world, hope is all they have left.

Desperate to save them, Omat journeys across the icy wastes, fighting for survival with every step. When she meets a Viking warrior and his strange new gods, they set in motion a conflict that could shatter her world…or save it.

I don’t even really know how to start this review.

Goddamn. The Wolf in the Whale absolutely murdered my feelings…this book is fucking gorgeous, cover to cover! The amount of love & care & research that Jordanna Max Brodsky clearly put into this story is nothing short of staggering. If The Wolf in the Whale is not on your radar, FIX THYSELF!!!

This is the story of Omat, an Inuit hunter & shaman. Omat was born as a girl, but received the spirit of her father, who tragically died before she was born. So Omat is raised as a boy, and identifies strongly as such. There is a pretty clear line between what the Inuit men do, and what the Inuit women do. Hunting is strictly a man’s job, and being a hunter is one of the strongest aspects of Omat’s identity. As the story progresses & Omat matures, her gender & the way she identifies becomes a core theme.

Omat’s group is small, but tightly knit. The relations are complex, almost fluid. For instance her Ataata (father) is actually her grandfather. And Kiasik, her cousin & closest friend, is thought of more as a brother.

Their way of life is hard, and they are faced with very real threats daily…a poor hunt leaves everyone hungry…they are at the mercy of the weather…and perhaps the greatest threat to Omat’s people is the relative smallness of the group, and that if they don’t connect with other Inuit groups, they may not last. They struggle, but they are very proud & mostly happy.

Everything changes for Omat when another Inuit group finds them, and her whole world gets flipped upside down.

The adventure that follows is thrilling, harrowing, and truly fucking epic. I was GLUED to this book! There is so much to get lost in…the blend of Inuit & Norse mythology was just…it was amazing! Omat meets up with a lone Viking named Brandr. They begin as bitter enemies, but realize quickly that working together is the only way to survive. They come from such different cultures, each with their own gods, their own set of principles, their own way of life. Omat & Brandr are honestly one of the most captivating duos I’ve ever encountered, and their relationship is just everything.

Oof…I’m not doing this book any justice. This is a truly masterful novel…the kind of book you want to scream at the top of your lungs about. It’s full of magic & wonder & heartache & danger…it is FULL of surprises I’ll not give away here. Brodsky captures the feel of this harsh, yet beautiful environment exquisitely. You really feel like you’re out there on the ice with Omat, hunting a seal or a walrus. Looking up into the clearest night sky, at the infinite number of stars. There is something for everyone in The Wolf in the Whale…it is deeply affecting, totally riveting, and really damn near perfect. I couldn’t have loved it any more.

Huge thank you to Orbit/Redhook for the copy! The Wolf in the Whale releases January 29th!