People of the Whale

June 16, 2008
In telling a story of the fictional A'atsika, a Native people of the American West Coast who find their mythical origins in the whale and the octopus, Hogan (Mean Spirit
) employs just the right touch of spiritualism in this engrossing tale. When Thomas Witka Just succumbs to peer pressure and joins the army, then is sent to Vietnam, Ruth Small is pregnant with his child. In an attempt to prevent an atrocity, Thomas kills fellow soldiers and deserts, ultimately blending into the Vietnamese culture and fathering a child, Lin, by Ma, a village girl. In the meantime, Ruth gives birth to their son, Marco Polo, who is said to have the same mystical whaling powers of Thomas's grandfather. Years later, following Thomas's return, Dwight, a ne'er-do-well friend of Thomas's, arranges for the tribe to kill a whale and to sell the meat to the Japanese, a plan that will draw in Marco Polo and set up a confrontation between the whole ensemble. Despite the plot's multiple strands, the story flows smoothly, and Hogan comes up with a powerful, romantic crescendo.

Starred review from June 15, 2008
In her remarkable new novel, Hogan (a Pulitzer Prize finalist for "Mean Spirit") explores themes of love and loss among the A'atsika people of Washington State. The story centers on Thomas Just, who was missing in action in Vietnam for many years, and Ruth, the wife he left behind, a strong-willed fisherwoman and the conscience of her tribe. Thomas finally returns to the A'atsika as they prepare for a supposedly traditional whale hunt. But the hunt's results are disastrous, and Thomas is unable to reconnect with anyone, especially Ruth. The A'atsikas' loss of their traditional culture has unexpected parallels with Thomas's Vietnam experiences. Hogan's style is both dreamlike and realistic, with a nonlinear narrative that loops back on itself as more and more is revealed. While filled with heartbreaking events, the novel has a life-affirming spirit that makes the journey worthwhile. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ" 4/1/08.]Christine DeZelar-Tiedman, Univ. of Minnesota Libs., Minneapolis

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