Whale Fall

O’Connor’s debut takes listeners to a fictional island off the coast of Wales in the late 1930s. Among the island’s fewer than 50 residents is Manod, a smart and educated teenager contemplating her future in this austere but beautiful place. The arrival of a beached whale attracts outsiders, including two Cambridge ethnographers, Joan and Edward, who come to study the island’s population. Manod is hired to assist with translation and secretarial work. Though they encourage her to pursue higher education, she ends up distrusting them, as their research misrepresents the realities of island life and its population. Primary narrator Dyfrig Morris offers a contemplative, lyrically delivered portrayal of Manod. Other narrators, including Gabrielle Glaister, Gwyneth Keyworth, Jot Davies, and Nick Griffiths, offer engaging depictions of Joan, Edward, and other minor figures. Listeners will appreciate the narration, as the accents, Welsh words, and singing seem tailor-made for audio.