Back in college when I studied American Literature there was no mention of a very close, perhaps intimate, relationship between Herman Melville and Nathaniel Hawthorne. When I came across this fictional account of this relationship I found myself intrigued by the idea. I first googled the idea to see if there was indeed any truth to it, and discovered that while there was no concrete proof of an intimate relationship, the letters and journals of Melville, Hawthorne, and their contemporaries did give credence to the idea. Sadly, I found myself disappointed with the novel itself. Melville comes across as a complete wimp. I'd like to think that a man a who sailed across many of the world's oceans and lived amongst cannibals would not have acted like a such a love struck schoolboy. What a let down. ( )

A well written story with lots of historical detail. While it is a work of fiction, it's very easy to imagine that it happened just the way the author has put it down on paper. The selections from Melville and Hawthorne's correspondence to each other helps move the narrative along and helps you understand why the author felt the need to tell this story. While I enjoyed the book, I wished the author had done more with Hawthorne. The story is told from Melville's perspective, but if we'd been allowed to get just a bit more inside Hawthorne's thoughts and emotions it would have helped. ( )

This novel is a fascinating exploration of the possible course of a relationship that the author imagines between Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Mehlville. The story struck me as plausible, and the emotions recognizable. The long delays after Mehlville writes Hawthorne and then waits in vain for a reply; the way Hawthorne responds in person, unable to express his feelings and determined to honor his wife and children; the magnetic connection between the two men and the impossibility of their dilemma--it all felt like what it might have been like for men in this position in the middle of the 19th Century. The lesser characters--the wives, Mehlville's sisters, and the circle of friends and acquaintances in the small circle of literary and publishing figures who congregated in the Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts--come to life in unexpected ways. Strongly recommended for those with an interest in American literature and gay fiction. ( )

This is a hard one to rate. It was well-written and the story was compelling, but I found it torturous to read. So much so, I skipped to the end about 2/3 of the way through. The female characters seemed so one-dimensional and it was distracting. More of a story about limerance, than love. ( )

I didn't know anything about the lives of Nathaniel Hawthorne or Herman Melville before reading The Whale by Mark Beauregard. And I never would have guessed I would be on the edge of my seat wondering if these two famous authors were going to get together. Was it love, admiration, or just hero worship? Or a combination of all three?

I recently finished reading Moby Dick where I did note that the book was dedicated to Nathaniel Hawthorne. In truth, I gave it no more than a passing thought that they were friends. After all they're both notable authors who probably admired each other's work. But I had no idea there was more to the story. And I wanted to know more. Also, another reason why this book interested me was because it takes place while Melville is toiling away at writing the great tome Moby Dick.

Before I get into the story I want to note that Beauregard used many sources to write this novel including biographies, letters, and journals. And if you've read any of their books, you might have noticed the underlying themes that point in this direction. So while this work is fiction, its basis is in fact.

Herman Melville met Nathaniel Hawthorne at a picnic. It's there that an immediate attachment is formed. It was as if their two souls had recognized each other. From then, it's almost as if Melville became a little bit obsessed with Hawthorne. Needing to see him, be with him. But they were both married with children living in a society where their feelings could lead them down a path of destruction and ultimate ruin.

And while Beauregard does a wonderful job recounting their relationship. The majority of the book had me wondering: will they or won't they? The story followed as closely as possible to the events as they occurred, and for me, that made the story all the better. The Whale: A Love Story is an interesting look into the past about two authors and their hidden desires. Their story will stay with you long after you close the book.

Read more at http://www.toreadornottoread.net/2018/07/review-whale-love-story.html#h7VqYmGZwV... ( )