RaveLos Angeles Review of Books[A] scintillating debut ... Fathoms is a profound meditation on the mutual devouring of humans and whales. It bends the familiar tale of Jonah into an ouroboros: whale swallowing human swallowing whale ... Giggs’s prose is fluid, sensuous, and lyrical. She has a poet’s gift for startling and original imagery ... Fathoms is as much a triumph of imagination as of intellect. Whereas many of today’s nonfiction writers exalt screen-ready narrative as the pinnacle of the form, Giggs is more versatile and innovative in her approach, melding journalism, history of science, and nature writing with intimate recollections, fanciful jaunts, and insightful contemplation ... Giggs resists the naïve and romanticized, marveling at the beauty and complexity of our planet, while also confronting its horrors.
