Why the Whales Came Quotes

‘Why The Whales Came’ is a somewhat mysterious, supernatural and mystical thriller evoking so well the atmosphere and feelings of a childhood spent growing up in the Scilly Isles at the time of the First World War.

“By now the force of the storm was spent and the wind had died, but the sea was still seething and angry. The waves rolled into the bay from Samson, gathering and rearing as they neared the shore before they curled over to hurl themselves into the hissing sand.”

“His face was the colour of a well-worn polished brown boot. The skin was creased but still young and suppple-not that you could see much of his face for it was almost entirely hidden by a head and beard of wild white hair.”

“I could hardly have been more wrong. Only the tired stoop of his body and the loose, mottled skin of his forearm betrayed his age.”

“But it was his eyes that marked him out from any other man I had ever seen for they drew you into them somehow so that you could not look away even if you wanted to.”

In this story of wonder and initiation during WWI on a small island group off of the western shores of Great Britain, a boy and a girl learn about rumors in small towns and destroy some demons of their village’s history.

First of all, Gracie doesn’t want to know the Birdman, scared the rumours are true, not only about the Birdman, but about Samson too.

To follow Gracie and Daniel through their adventures is interesting. Daniel is brave and outgoing, whereas Gracie is shy and hidden away. This doesn’t stop her from facing her fears and following her best friend, though.

“The old man standing in front of me was not at all as I had expected him to be. All my life I had thought he would have the predatory look of an ancient crow under the shadow of his sou’wester. ”

Why the Whales came is a tale with mystery, suspense, and echoes of history from World War I. The emotions it encompasses run the gamut from fear, to loss, to anger. Gracie and Daniel, the two main characters, are courageous and in many ways more mature than those around them. Their actions touch the heart.