Beneath the Surface

After I watched the documentary, Blackfish, on Netflix I wanted to learn more about the lives of orcas in captivity. For one of my college assignments, I wrote a six-page essay on SeaWorld's captive orcas and what SeaWorld could do to "redeem" themselves. I researched many sites and books on the topic and was enraptured in my subject. When I saw this book, I asked my brother to get it for me for my birthday. Since he's the best brother, he did.

I do not recommend this book for anyone who has not seen Blackfish due to the fact that they wouldn't be able to handle the material. This book is just as hard, if not more so, to read as it is to watch the documentary.

This book is told from a former senior orca trainer's point of view named John Hargrove. He has 14 years of experience and it definitely shows. The part I most enjoyed about the book was how he would talk about his relationship with the orcas. Even when he was in a dangerous situation with one of them, a precursor to aggression on more than one occasion, he didn't lose faith that his bond with the orca would save him. He wholeheartedly devotes his being to these animals and you can feel his bond with them through his writing.

What I didn't enjoy as much was the scientific jargon that inevitably wound up in a few chapters. Some of it went over my head. The part where he talked about IPO (?) considering SeaWorld's finances also left me feeling confused. Finances and scientific terms for behavioral patterns and parts of the brain, are not my forte. That said, I appreciated the scientific side of the writing because it gives the author more credibility and less of a chance for people to discredit his words.

I do not also completely agree with the comment on the back that it is a book for "all readers." The parts on trainer's deaths are graphic and hard to digest while reading. It could leave some young readers traumatized or simply turned off. Also, the scientific jargon and financial jargon implemented especially at the end would be confusing. I do agree, however, that it is an important topic to discuss and share with everyone and should be done so appropriately depending on age group.

Perhaps my favorite part is at the end in the Afterword when Hargrove talks about becoming an orca advocate and acting as witness, testifying against SeaWorld in one or two cases to help the welfare of the orcas there. He also talks about how 18 beluga whales were captured in Russia to be captive but then there was a stop put to it. One that connected with me was when he talked about the elephants in the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey decided to retire their elephants in 2108, then moving it up to 2016. I have not been to a marine park but I have been to the circus and remember witnessing the performing elephants in action. My heart warmed at reading those couple sentences at the end of the book.

Overall, I give the book 4.5 stars because it is bold, bewildering in some cases, and completely heartfelt.