Pod is an intense tale set underwater, featuring marine animals as the characters. The themes are mainly quite generic: family, survival, sacrifice as the cover states. But what’s interesting is that the main driver of the drama is the effect humans have on the seas. Anthropogenic changes force delphins to new areas, underwater noise complicates communication, some individuals are taken by nets as bycatch or raised in captivity for military uses. Sure all would not be sunshine and rainbows without humans, but we greatly amplify discord in the seas.

I think the idea of Pod is brilliant. Laline Paull has researched the species it features carefully, making this a unique combination of biology and fantasy. Though as little as we know about the communication of sea mammals, perhaps they really do think and talk like they do in Pod.