Science, heart mix in rich tale

Daniel Kraus novel Whalefall takes that apocryphal image of Jonah inside a whale and imagines if it could really happen.

His 17-year-old protagonist Jay is diving off the coast of Monterey Bay, searching for the remains of his drowned father, when he gets entangled in a giant squid, and both he and the squid are swallowed by a sperm whale.

Despite the seemingly unrealistic premise, Kraus has clearly done some meticulous research to ensure everything that happens — including the explosive climax — is scientifically possible.

Within this clearly verified context lies a very human and fallible core: Jay’s fraught relationship with his late father.

In the belly of the whale, Jay must come to terms with both his own deep resentment and his father’s often problematic parenting.

This story, told in rich, condensed prose, marries an intriguing technical premise with real human heart.