Cover Image: Down in the Belly of the Whale

Down in the Belly of the Whale

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Member Reviews

Harper Southwood doesn’t have much going for her. She only has one friend, and the boy she loves doesn’t know she exists. To make matters worse, her mother is ill, and her best and only friend is a cutter. But Harper has a special ability: she can tell when people are ill. Not just tell; she can feel it. Her nose twitches, her senses heighten, all kinds of things happen when someone has a problem. Her special gifts become a nightmare when she carries burdens stronger than any high school sophomore should ever have.

“I stand back, waving my hands in the air like directionless birds, and I want to shout, want to jump in, want to do something to stop it. I need the superhero X-ray vision and supernatural mojo that should be attached to troll powers.”

Down In the Belly of the Whale is a sweet, touching and inspiring coming-of-age tale about a girl who cares too much. It also deals with dark issues, like terminal illnesses, depression and suicide. Harper’s journey is sad and painful, but it is also sprinkled with hope. I love the spiritual aspect of the book. It made it more enjoyable. The downsides? The writing is a little stilted. Too much action, not enough stream of consciousness. I found a good quote (the one above), one of a few. I’m all for a gripping plot, but I’m a sucker for beautiful and lyrical writing. All in all, I enjoyed this book, and I give it four out of five dark roast coffees.

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<STRONG>WrensReads Review:</strong>

<i>Thank you to the publisher for a review copy of this book. All the words below are my own opinions and thoughts</i>

This was a very interesting read. There are a lot of issues thrown into this little book. I am going to keep my review short

Harper and Cora both are dealing with separate things and have a lot of growth through the book. Sexual Assault and Illness are the big contenders. I do feel as if this book had a lot of things thrown into it, so not all the pieces could be discussed and digested at length. This story had a lot of promise to dig deep into one of the biggest problems we are facing today, and I feel it only touched the surface.

It is still an enjoyable and something I believe a lot of people will enjoy. The narrator of the story writes the way people talk. For example, when someone stretches a word out like "waaaaay" or they mispronounce something, the author writes it the way it sounded. I really enjoyed though, even though it does make it seem like a younger read than the topics it talks about.

Over all, I think this is a book young kids should read in order to be able to see the signs people are giving off around them. There are more people than you think that are dealing with a lot of the issues in this book, including someone close to you I bet.

Sometimes people don't know how to ask for help; sometimes they just need someone to see and care.

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I honestly don't know how to feel about this book. While I do acknowledge that Down in the Belly of the Whale addresses important, often taboo topics such as suicide and sexual abuse, it did not feel authentic, the dialogue between the characters seemed forced and the characters themselves were one-dimensional.

The plot started out really intriguing, with our main character Harper being able to tell when someone around her is getting sick - something she feels is useless because she cannot prevent the illness, only warn the individuals, but is special nonetheless. From that strong starting point, the story deterioriated into Harper drooling over a basketball player in her biology class, who she's dissecting a cat with. Yes, there is cat dissection in this book.

Her character was so contradictory. We learn that Harper is very intelligent, someone who uses an 'elevated vocabulary' only to then ask what an MRI is five pages later. If Harper is supposed to be mature and way too clever for her age, why does she keep asking other people to explain words to her?

Looping back to the taboo topics once more, I do want to make clear that I admire the attempt to tackle so many difficult topics in one book. The problem was just that it often felt like, for example the cutting, was important for one sentence and then just ignored for the remainder of the chapter. Harper does not know how to help her friend who is cutting herself (which is understandable) but then doesn't really take any action to help her, either. She doesn't tell anyone, she doesn't try to get to the bottom of it. As someone who has experience with self-harm, it felt incredibly wrong to read about Harper not doing anything, only to then get a lecture from her mother on proper conduct around someone who attempts to take her own life. The entire book read like a didactic message: don't hurt yourself. don't keep silent. don't be a bad friend. All very true sentiments, but I do think this could have been relayed in a more appropriate manner.

That being said, I do like that the book tackled mental and physical illness, sexual abuse and self-harm, topics that do need more exposure in literature.
Additionally, I think it's important to place a trigger warning in the book.

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I was given an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The description of the book was interesting, but I wasn't able to connect to the writing or main character. The writing didn't feel authentically YA.and the dialogue felt forced. I did like how Harper was a sweet girl who wanted the best for her friends and family, and her "gift" was a cool idea too, but the writing wasn't strong enough to hold my interest. I also struggled with Cora's action. As a former cutter myself, I was glad to see that a book covered the topic, but it only took Harper to attempts to ask Cora why she hurts herself, and her response felt like an after school special. Cutters often don't know why we do the things we do, and if we are able to articulate it, we don't share it right away. I did like the showdown between Cora's dad and Harpers mom, which led to the reveal of MS. Tackling the sexual abuse issue was a good idea, but I didn't think it was executed well. Again, this book has great representation for mental and physical illnesses, but I would not recommend this book due to it's writing.

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Right after I started a new job at a new university, one of the students in my department committed suicide.

It was a shock to everyone. He was well liked and popular. He was a talented student, with many friends. What on earth could have made him do this? Emotions ran from sadness to grief to anger to helplessness, and in the end there were no easy answers that could possible satisfy the many people he left behind.

Kelley Kaye Bowles has created an incredible portrait of a young woman in a similar position. Harper Southwood surely views her best friend Cora as having it easier that she does. She sees Cora as beautiful and friendly, the one all the boys are crushing on. Harper, with her frizzy hair and awkwardness and clumsiness, is convinced she's a troll. But when Cora attempts suicide, it turns Harper's life upside down. Harper beats herself up, and has the same thoughts many do when a tragedy strikes a friend. How could I have missed the signs? How could I have not noticed her pain? Was I so wrapped up in my own issues?

The great thing about Harper is that she really does have legitimate issues. Her mom has been sick. Her dad has been stressed out about work. This isn't the stereotype where the girl only cares about what boys are liking her. (Although that is present here, but in a humorous way that also helps the plot.)

Bowles' writing is lively and fun, yet still grounded and full of depth. The characters pop off of the page, all vividly realized. No one in this book is perfect, but they are all trying their best. They're real and three dimensional. They hide things from each other not to be mean, but because they don't want their loved ones to worry.

This is a wonderful book that cleverly explored some powerful and painful emotions. Highly recommended.

Victor Catano
Technical Director at the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College

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Harper Southwood believes that she has the ability to sense when someone is already sick. Not a great super power, but she goes with it. As she struggles to figure out why her knee twitches around her bff, Cora, and her body doesn't do anything when around her ailing mother, Harper goes on a wonderful adventure into finding herself.

Cute, fun, and happy. Even though there are various tough topics in this book (mentioning them might be a spoiler), I still found this book so happy and fun. It taught some life lessons along the way, and Harper is a great protagonist!

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It was lacking and I didn't enjoy the story that much. Not much character development. I was kind of bored while reading this.

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Read my 4-star review of Down in the Belly of the Whale by Kelley Kay Bowles

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2204611684

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Down in the Belly of the Whale is an engaging story about one girl's strange abilities and the struggles she faces while feeling like an outsider. I really enjoyed this novel and even read it in just one sitting.

Harper is a teenager and (like a lot of other girls her age) feels completely out of place. Apart from the fact that she does not feel too comfortable in her own body, she has the strange ability of sensing whenever someone around her is about to get sick. However, when two of the people she loves the most suddenly are threatened, Harper did not see it coming, and is thus even more afraid of the possible consequences...

I really really liked this little story. The characters are relatable and especially Harper seems to be a quite though teen. I found myself laughing out loud at times due to her way of wording things while at the same time she is brave and more than ready to help the people she loves. But also the other characters, e.g. her friend Cora and especially her Uncle Peter (aka. Uncle Pasta) are really lovable.

The writing style is engaging and makes you want to stick to the story and read it from cover to cover (and as the novel is quite short this is also absolutely doable). The only thing I could criticize is that the beginning felt a bit rushed - I would have preferred the novel to be a bit longer to give the reader the change of getting a bit more into it before the main events start off. However, this didn't bother me too much.

All in all, a 3.5 star rating and a book I will definitely recommend to friends and my students.

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While I felt the ending was a trifle rushed/glossed over, this was an engaging YA story. The themes of abuse, illness/loss, and first romances blended nicely with humor and the main character’s quirks.

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4 cookies
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review
(So I wanted to try something new and do cookies instead of stars so here we go...)
First I want to thank this publisher for giving me the opportunity to review this book!
First off... Why did this take me forever!? And secondly oh my goodness... This book literally had me crying. It was really good! Now... On to analyzing!
description
Harper: Harper showed some real character development throughout. It wasn't super strong, but it was still good. We saw her grow as a person as well. She became more confident in herself and thats awesome to have in a character. I give two thumbs up to this main character!

Cora: Oh sweet Cora! (without giving spoilers...) Her story was hard to read. It was brutal, but I believed it should be. I haven't read really any books on this issue, and it really opened my eyes up to it. Anyways, her actual character was the witty best friend and she was actually really fun to read about. She struggled... But in the end, we see she has came a long way.

Uncle Pasta: Uncle Pasta! This Uncle is honestly so encouraging to Harper. He is hilarious and always manages to get a little chuckles out me occasionally.

Mr. Perkins: Before I go on a rant... This is Cora's jerk of a dad. He won't believe Cora when she comes to him with this burden on her shoulders and still won't believe her after the hospital. It just makes me shake my head all the way through his review. However y'all, he turns out ok at the end. But this is really only after things began to show, (sorry I'm speaking it riddles I am really trying to keep spoilers out) so Im sure its hard for Cora to forgive him.

Isabella: This is Harpers mother. Isabella throughout the story is struggling with disease. Isabella's over all character is honestly awesome. She is a great mother, she stands up for Harper, and is always there for Harper when she needs her. Isabella is also a author and seeing her ask those nurses if she can add them in her book, made me literally laugh so hard!

Micheal (so sorry if I misspelled this!): Harpers dad had a really strong love for his family. It was actually beautiful how much he loved them. His character had a lot of backstory that shows at the end as well. His overall character was just bright and encouraging.

Larson: This kid... He was so inconsiderate of Harpers feelings. Rude and just plain insensitive what was going on with Cora. I didn't like him at all, not even at the end. He didn't change and didn't grow.

Cade: This little muffin! Cade was a really big help to Harper and Cora's cause closer to the end of the story. The time we spent with him, he was witty and willing to help. I WANT MORE!!!

Lets start with the cons:
I didn't have many problems with this but I did have one that I wanted to address. So having the different issues like I said was good. I just don't think the author should have put all of them. I felt sometimes the author was rushing to put all the issues in with different characters, when in reality she could have just used one or two. And thats honestly my only issue.

Lets end with the pros:
This story had a really interesting background to it. The different issues they put into the story really brought light to things we may not talk about on a daily basis. The characters and their personalities were fun and interesting, it really made me want to keep reading. I would totally recommend this book!

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“Down in the Belly Of The Whale” by Kelley Kaye Bowels is about a teenager who doesn’t fit in and finds that she was so concerned with her own life she didn’t see that her only friend was suffering from depression and her mother was battling an illness.
The main character finds that she is only focused on her own life and is missing signs from those she loves that need help. However, once she realizes she is doing this she immediately gets to helping. I think this is a great coming of age story, showing that it’s normal to not feel normal. This story touches on many current issues, such as pedophilia, rape, depression, suicide, death of a parent, homophobia and illness. I feel that each of these issues is so large, that putting all of them in one novel, for one child to deal with all at the same time, is far fetched. I also feel like, the main character somehow turns all of the problems others have in a way that makes them about her, instead of the person it is happening to.
I thought this book was well organized but didn’t give the chance to let each issue develope, this is why I have it a three star rating.

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I received this ARC copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. So thank you netgalley and publishers.
This is a story is about : Harper Southwood she is a teenage girl who can sense when people will get sick. She can’t predict her best friend’s depression or her mother’s impending health crisis. Being helpful is all Harper ever wanted, but she feels helpless in the face of this adversity. Now, she’s got a chance to summon her courage and use her brain to fight for justice. Harper must learn that compassion and internal strength are her real gifts, her true superpower. The back cover is as follows : My name is Harper, and I'm almost sixteen. Along with the typical teenagery turmoil, I have this bizarre ability to know when you're gonna get sick. But so what? My supernatural sense won't help you avoid that nasty flu bug—because if I feel it, you've already got it. It doesn't help me heal my best and only friend, Cora—she’s filled with so much fear and anguish. It doesn't help my mom, because there's something big and bad already inside her, and I haven't felt a thing. This isn't a gift; it's a curse.

This book was a lot different then I thought it would be. I loved that it dealt with mental health issues and depression, it is all to common these days so it's nice to be able to relate to the book. I haven't found many books that talk about these issues so I thought it was a great touch to help bring awareness to the seriousness of mental health patients and depression. It seemed a little slow at times and the writing was a bit choppy at moments but other then that it was a nice, quick read. I give it a 3.5 star rating..

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