I’m a fan of Daniel Kraus. I’ve read and enjoyed several of his books, and I saw him give a reading at the Chicago Worldcon, where he struck me as a quick-witted, funny, kind, and altogether excellent human being. All of this to say I was predisposed to like Whalefall, which I had heard raves about from folks whose opinion I trust. When I heard that it was a painstakingly researched, scientifically accurate novel about a teenage SCUBA diver being swallowed by a massive sperm whale, who must use all of his knowledge to attempt a daring, against-all-odds escape before the air in his tank runs out, that was more than enough to get me excited to read it. I mean, come on. Swallowed. By a whale.

None of that prepared me for just how exceptional Whalefall is.

Because the thing is, Kraus has written a compulsively readable, unbearably suspenseful novel, a race against time and nature that will wind your nerves tighter than piano wire. It’s clear he’s done considerable research, because the science feels sound and assured, but it’s also clear that Kraus isn’t showing off. The science is always in service to his story, not the other way around, moving it like an underwater (whale-sized) freight train from one heart-stopping moment to the next.

If that was all Kraus had achieved, this would have been one helluva yarn, a real stemwinder. Whalefall is so much more than that, however. Jay, the young man trapped inside the whale, had a strained-to-breaking, love-hate relationship with his father, and as he struggles to survive, Whalefall also travels back and forth through the years, dissecting that relationship, laying it bare with surgical precision. In the process, the novel gives a master class in characterization and family dynamics, and what is basically a thriller uncovers depths of heart and humanity that make it a richly rewarding reading experience.

A word about Kraus’ writing style—he puts on a bravura performance unlike anything I’ve read by him before, utilizing a dynamic, staccato rhythm, the words propelling the story forward with unrelenting force.

I’ve read some amazing novels this year, but this just might be my favorite so far. It’s that good.