The Whalebone Theatre
By: Joanna Quinn
The novel begins with the story of a young girl, Christabel and the sad but tragic tale of her upper-class British Family. One night a whale washes up on their beach. Christabel and her siblings delight in creating plays and eventually use the whale bones to create a theatre. The children thrive, despite the useless adults that surround them.
In part two, the children age and WWII arrives, and they each contribute to the war effort in their own way. Their upbringing and theatrical heyday from the book's first half are juxtaposed against the losses and casualties of the war in part two.
This book was a slow read at times, but the story is well written, and the author has crafted some beautiful setting descriptions. Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
3.5 stars out of 5
Due out October 4th, 2022
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