Beasts of the Sea

Get in the xigxag app
Already purchased

Click to open directly in the xigxag app.

This book is not purchasable in your country. Please select another book. Pre-order Buy Now £{{ price }} Send as a gift
How does xigxag pricing work?

Listen to a sample

What to expect

"A sprawling, seething epic" Lucy Steeds, winner of the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize

"As deep and profound as the sea itself" Philip Hoare

"Almost hypnotically readable" Guardian

"Remarkable" The Times

1741. The crew of Vitus Bering's ill-starred Great Northern Expedition are shipwrecked off a remote, uncharted island. With no hope of rescue, they give in to despair. Until they discover the flesh of a huge marine mammal that feeds in herds on the kelp in the bay.

1859. The Russian colony of Alaska is on the brink of collapse. Governor Hampus Furuhjelm takes solace in the quest for a unique artefact: a complete skeleton of what is now known as Steller's Sea Cow, rumoured to have disappeared a hundred years before.

Even extinct, the sea cow will continue to shape lives and destinies, from the woman charged with sketching its likeness from its bones, to the expert egg restorer who will refurbish those same bones a century later.

A tribute to an iconic lost creature, and an adventure through three centuries of scientific exploration, Beasts of the Sea charts the unseen consequences of grand human ambitions and the urge to resurrect what we, in our ignorance, have destroyed.

Translated from the Finnish by David Hackston

Critics Review

A sprawling, seething epic which intertwines the mysteries of the natural world with their destruction when myth and man collide. Beasts of the Sea is a delicately woven tale of exploration and exploitation; a sharp cry to protect what is precious in the world before it vanishes
Lucy Steeds, author of The Artist
A wonderfully evocative account of the discovery, destruction and resurrection of a near-mythic sea monster that even now seems to evade our examining eyes - perhaps out of our own guilt. IIda Turpeinen's novel is almost Shakespearean in its drama . . . As deep and profound as the sea itself
Philip Hoare
A gorgeous, thought-provoking book about the consequences of the human exploration of the natural world
Sarah Brooks, author of The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands
Mesmerising. Near to mythic. This profound and moving novel of lost histories and lives held me captured in its spell
Essie Fox, author of The Fascination
Almost hypnotically readable . . . interesting; thoughtful; beautifully written
Guardian
Highly original . . . A remarkable parable of man's often destructive interactions with the natural world
The Times
A wondrous, devastating novel . . . I challenge anyone to read Beasts of the Sea and not fall in love with - and mourn - the curious creatures it conjures . . . Reading this magical novel is like peering in awe and terror through the window of a cabinet of curiosities - I will be thinking about it for a long time
The Bookseller (October Fiction Book of the Month)

More from the same

Narrator

About xigxag

Experience the best audiobooks with xigxag, an innovative and user-friendly audiobook platform designed for seamless discovery, purchase, and enjoyment of your favorite titles. Our flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less, providing affordable prices and the best audiobook deals without requiring a subscription. Perfect for gifting, xigxag also features convenient audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.

 

Beyond the listening experience, xigxag stands as an exciting alternative to big tech, embodying a strong commitment to sustainability and ethical practices. As the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, we ensure a guilt-free listening experience from a leader in audiobook innovation.

 

Effortlessly search audiobooks, access honest audiobook reviews that evaluate both the content and narration, and easily discover hidden gems. Whether you prefer to download or stream top audiobook titles, xigxag provides the best possible listening experience anytime, anywhere, on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Discover the future of audiobooks today.