Ahab's Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund

Title: Ahab's Wife or, The Star-Gazer
Author: Sena Jetter Naslund
Type: Novel
Genre: Fiction
Series: No

Pages: 704
Copyright: 2005
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary: from Goodreads
A magnificent, vast, and enthralling saga, Sena Jeter Naslund's Ahab's Wife is a remarkable epic spanning a rich, eventful, and dramatic life. Inspired by a brief passage in Moby Dick, it is the story of Una, exiled as a child to live in a lighthouse, removed from the physical and emotional abuse of a religion-mad father. It is the romantic adventure of a young woman setting sail in a cabin boy's disguise to encounter darkness, wonder, and catastrophe; the story of a devoted wife who witnesses her husband's destruction by obsession and madness. Ultimately it is the powerful and moving story of a woman's triumph over tragedy and loss through her courage, creativity, and intelligence.


Feelings:
This book goes in many directions as it follows the main character Una. I really enjoyed the story and I think that it stands by itself and stands better alone not in connection with Moby Dick. However, this tells the story of the wife of Ahab thus connecting it to Moby Dick.

The story gives a female perspective to the time. Una is a strong female voice and one that stays with the reader. I really liked the meanderings of the story enjoyed the writing. Reading some other reviews of the book may people found the writing to be a little verbose and thought it would benefit from some slimming down. They may be right this is a big book. However, I really liked the writing and did not feel that the book should have been any shorter.

There were some very powerful sense in this book. The opening of the book includes one such with Una in child labor and freezing yet she is able to deal with slave hunters that come through.

Another such scene is where the boat Una is on is shipwrecked and they must live in a lifeboat floating aimlessly hoping that there will be a passing boat. While on the lifeboat Una with the help of her two friends continues to hide the fact that she is female. To survive the sailors must resort to cannibalism.

This story is probably not for readers who really enjoyed or loved Moby Dick, this I can not speak for because I have not read Moby Dick,  but more for individuals that like historical fiction with strong females.

I would recommend this book to those that do not mind a longer read.