Book Review :: And the Ocean Was Our Sky, by Patrick Ness

And the Ocean Was Our Sky by Patrick Ness
ISBN: 1406383562
Published by Walker Books Australia
on 2018-09-04
Genres: Retelling
Pages: 160
Source: Walker Books AUS
Find at Walker Books AUS
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With harpoons strapped to their backs, the proud whales of Bathsheba's pod live for the hunt, fighting in the ongoing war against the world of men. When they attack a ship bobbing on the surface of the Abyss, they expect to find easy prey. Instead, they find the trail of a myth, a monster, perhaps the devil himself...

As their relentless Captain leads the chase, they embark on a final, vengeful hunt, one that will forever change the worlds of both whales and men.

Last updated on 14 October 2023

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My thoughts on And the Ocean was our Sky

What if someone took the story of Moby Dick, that famous story about a sailor and a whale, and turned it on it’s head; a complete 180 degree flip. Patrick Ness has done just that, and tells the story of Bathsheba and her pod as they fight the world of man. One day the pod come across a shipwreck, and a lone survivor. Finding the survivor is the start of a journey for the pod as they swim to hunt down the mythical man, Toby Wick.

“When you predict the future, when you do so strongly and you cling to it, how much of that future do you then cause to happen?”

This was a really interesting flip-flop story, and while I haven’t actually read Moby Dick (I’ve tried, I really have), I know the tale by Herman Melville well enough to understand the parallels in And the Ocean was our Sky. The themes of war and understanding and ‘there’s two sides to every story’ really shine through in Ness’ retelling, and you don’t have to have studied Moby Dick to feel that coming across at all.

The illustrations in And the Ocean was our Sky are beautiful; haunting at times, but beautiful. Rovina Cai is incredibly talented and manages to capture the story wonderfully through the black, white and red drawings.

If you’re into your retellings, enjoy illustrated stories, are intrigued by the story of Moby Dick through the lens of a whale, or even if you really like these giant aquatic mammals, pick up And the Ocean was our Sky and have a read. Let me know what you think!

Have you already read And the Ocean was our Sky? What did you think? 

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I received this book for free from Walker Books AUS in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.