A Deep-Dive into the Cover Art for Whalers

The cover art for Whalers was unveiled today, and I’m excited to break it down in detail. I love its simplicity. It has a literary feel that captures the mood of the book perfectly. It’s minimalistic yet powerful, conveying a sense of vulnerability and the struggle for survival. Let’s take a closer look.

1) The Waves

The background of the cover features vast, ominous waves. They’re not calm, but rise and fall across the page, symbolizing the turbulence of the setting and our protagonist’s situation. The waves create a feeling of instability, of a failing system, which connects directly to the tagline: “When the system crumbles, some people get buried in the wreckage.”

2) The Girl and the Car

The small car and figure juxtaposed against the vast ocean create a sense of isolation. They are dwarfed by the immensity of the sea, highlighting the individual’s struggle against overwhelming forces. This scene, where Aaliyah Ridgeway gets a ride home from the narrator, is the pivotal moment in the book that sets the conflict in motion.

3) The Harpoon

The harpoon, an homage to New Bedford’s whaling history, is not only a historical callback, but its framing adds to the feeling of judgment and isolation. The harpoon functions as an arrow, pointing the finger at this small moment and representing all of New Bedford coming down on the narrator after he is accused of Aaliyah’s disappearance.

A Small Moment in a Vast Ocean

Overall, the cover of Whalers captures the novel’s themes, mood, and story. By contrasting this small moment against the vast, stormy ocean, the cover articulates the feeling of being overwhelmed by the systems we’ve created. The harpoon emphasizes this, as the whole city points the finger at the narrator for his actions, choices, and decisions—however small. I think sometimes we all feel that way; we’re all just a small drop in the vast ocean of the world, and sometimes it feels like everything is crumbling around us.

Whalers debuts on February 18th, 2025. Stay tuned for more updates, including the book trailer for the novel, coming in early January.