The Whiteness of the Whale: A Novel
In Poyer’s latest ocean-going adventure, a handful of activists intends to follow a Japanese whaling fleet into Antarctic waters to expose the whalers’ illegal activities. But as they pursue their prey, the activists aboard the Black Anemone face their own life-and-death challenges, including, as hinted by the title, a sperm whale that seems fixated on the Black Anemone. Poyer has created half-a-dozen unique and memorable characters, including a disgraced primate researcher; a self-important Hollywood star, who imagines herself an antiwhaling activist; a woman who was nearly killed by an orca; and a double-amputee Afghanistan War veteran. It’s the crew members who propel the story, the author exploring their hidden pasts, their personal agendas, and the relationships that spring up among them. Some readers might feel Poyer goes a bit far—the book takes a very dark turn about two-thirds of the way through that might stretch credibility a little—but the story is undeniably powerful. --David Pitt