In addition to being an entertaining, fast-paced adventure, Singing the Voice of God serves as a provocative warning of the consequences of anthropocentrism for all of Earth’s inhabitants. As animal scientists Kate, a covert Catholic nun, and Liam, a discredited Catholic priest, join forces by way of government order at a military research facility in the Northwest, discovering how to communicate directly with a wild dolphin who laments the loss of its song in captivity, the story challenges readers to examine their own beliefs on the de facto hierarchy of species. Scenes in which they hatch a plan to escape the center, dolphin in tow, and collect their own data in the open seas stir page-turning tension.
Neither Kate nor Liam, for different reasons, can engage in physical touch, but their friendship and eventual romance develop regardless on the emotional and spiritual plane, along with their mutual reverence for the animal kingdom and its mysteries. O’Doran’s story also encourages readers to envision a future where humanity cherishes nature as indigenous cultures have for millennia—and to consider whether our non-human cohabitants can “think wonderful, self-aware thoughts,” and worship a spiritual entity.
Takeaway: A page-turner where Catholic scientists in a ravaged America communicate with dolphins.
Great for fans of: Octavia Butler, Ursula K. Le Guin
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B