Review of Fluke by Christopher Moore
Bestselling Author of The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove and Lamb
Jan 6, 2009
Christopher Moore gives readers another hilarious story with Fluke, Or, I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings. He intertwines scientific fact and with fantastical images to create a wild and crazy story that will take readers on the journey of a lifetime.
Synopsis of Fluke, Or, I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings
Nate Quinn is a marine biologist researching humpback whales in Hawaii, trying to figure out why humpback whales sing. He and his crew record the whale's song, chart their position, tag them, and then photograph them. It is not until a whale lifts his tail to reveal the message "BITE ME" that Nate even begins to question his research and what exactly is happening with the humpback whales.
Nate stumbles across one of the most kept secrets in the world when he is taken hostage by a humpback whale and forced to live in a world made up of goo. He meets the Whaley Boys, falls in love with a girl named Amy, and sees firsthand the prehistoric goo that is slowly taking over the world. Most importantly though, he learns that the humpback whales sing because they are praying to the goo to keep their food source alive.
Review of Fluke, Or, I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings
Christopher Moore never seems to run out of impossible stories to tell. Readers have followed him religiously to a Micronesian island in Island of the Sequined Love Nun, met a trickster God in Coyote Blue, and followed Jesus and his friend Biff in Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. Now, readers are taken to Hawaii to learn the real reason why humpback whales sing.
The best thing that this book has to offer readers is its imaginative story. Only Christopher Moore can create a world where humpback whales are living robots controlled by half whale/half human men who pledge their loyalty to a prehistoric goo that lives at the bottom of the ocean. While Fluke is not as poignant or relevant as Lamb, it is a fun read that keeps Moore on the top of his game.
One of the only problems with Fluke is not the Whaley Boys or the Rastafarian character, Kona, from Boston, it is the overuse of scientific jargon. While it is necessary to give readers the impression that substantial research has been done, the science tends to overshadow the story at points, doing a disservice to readers who want a purely comedic book by Moore.
But one thing is for certain, Fluke, Or, I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings is an enjoyable read and another reason why Christopher Moore is the author to watch.
To visit Christopher Moore's official website, click here.
Moore, Christopher. Fluke, Or, I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings. HarperCollins, 2003. 311 pages. ISBN: 9780060566685
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