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Mr Carver's Whale

A brilliant and captivating new historical literary fiction novel for readers of THE SEVEN MOONS OF MAALI ALMEIDA, THE ISLAND OF MISSING TREES and THE MARRIAGE PORTRAIT
By Lyn Hughes
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Mr Carver's Whale by Lyn Hughes is a poignant tale set in a small coastal town, where the protagonist grapples with personal loss and the intricacies of small-town life. As an enigmatic whale washes ashore, it becomes a catalyst for deep introspection and unexpected connections amongst the townsfolk. The story artfully weaves themes of healing and community, as characters confront their past and embrace change in profound ways.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you have an appreciation for captivating storytelling that weaves together eccentric characters and offers poignant insights into human nature and relationships. It may appeal to readers who enjoy tales set against vividly described backgrounds that blend mystery with emotional depth.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

1850: A sea-chest full of books arrives for Antonio Mateus Carvalho Cabral, the younger son of a family of whalers on the small volcanic island of Pico ...

The Carvalho brothers—handsome Marcelinho and clever Antonio—are destined to spend their lives hunting whales. But the arrival of an unexpected gift changes both their lives forever. As the younger Carvalho discovers the fascinating world of the whale, a chasm opens between the two brothers, made all the more perilous by their shared passion for the alluring and wilful Margarida Machado.

From the Azores to Lisbon, from Newfoundland to Australia, our hero travels in search of love, fortune, and his very soul. It is in Eden, a small whaling port on the south coast of New South Wales, that he finally finds salvation in the shape of Alice Binney, a fellow lost soul and impostor, in flight from her dark past. An enduring bond forms between the two, culminating in a final, dazzling act of atonement.

Gloriously dark, delightful, witty, and moving, Mr Carver's Whale is a novel of our many crimes against nature and the human heart, and the price we have to pay for our sins. But can love ever really be a crime?

'A vast and generous novel ... Author Lyn Hughes's love for her characters is evident, and while wonderfully poignant and whimsical, they are not without depth. Their rich inner lives are exquisitely rendered. Mr Carver's Whale is a delightful, almost mythical novel filled with books, ghosts, poetry, oceans, whales, love, desire, and death. It is recommended for fans of Captain Corelli's Mandolin and A Gentleman in Moscow.' Books+Publishing

'This novel is one of the most captivating, unusual, and gripping pieces of historical fiction I've read this year. From the very start, I was swept up ... If you are a fan of historical fiction from Isabel Allende, you are sure to love Mr Carver's Whale. Hughes has written a sumptuous and gripping novel, with a unique setting and storyline that sets it apart.' Better Reading

'Dark and witty ... intense and convincing.' Canberra Times

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781460762950

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 03 August 2022

Country: Australia

Imprint: HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 26.0mm

Width: 154.0mm

Height: 210.0mm

Weight: 366g

Pages: 336

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Lyn Hughes

About the Author

Born in Wales in 1952, Lyn Hughes spent eighteen years in South Africa before settling in Australia in 1982. She is the author of the critically acclaimed novels, The Factory (1990), shortlisted for the National Book Council's New Writing Award, One Way Mirrors (1993), The Bright House (2000) and Flock (2012). Lyn divides her time between Sydney and the Blue Mountains.

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