Library Journal - starred review:

 

Kraus, coauthor of The Shape of Water with Guillermo del Toro, presents a nerve-wracking tale of survival in Monterey, CA. Jay is a young scuba diver who has a contentious history with his father, a local legend and maritime master. Feeling crushed under the weight of expectation and disappointment, Jay performs one last dive to prove himself. When he’s swallowed by a sperm whale, with only one hour before his scuba tanks runs out of oxygen, he’ll have to draw upon everything he’s ever learned from his father and the ocean to get free. The novel conveys a great respect for nature, especially for whales and the ethereal beauty and ferocious dangers of the ocean. The scientific and biological accuracy enhances the disturbing realism of what it would actually be like to be swallowed by a whale. Jay’s plight is viscerally intense and claustrophobic, even as he grapples with real and raw emotions that stem from remorse and a need for reconciliation.

 

VERDICT This hard sci-fi thriller is full of cinematic and wild suspense and would be great for fans of Andy Weir, although the tone is far more austere.

 

Booklist - starred review:

Prolific, best-selling Kraus presents a moving character study disguised as a riveting, cinematic survival thriller. Jay is a high-school senior dealing not only with the loss of his local-hero and diving-legend father, Mitt, but also his unresolved anger with their complicated relationship. In an attempt to bring some peace to his mother and sisters, Jay attempts a dangerous solo dive that is cut short when he is swallowed by a whale. The story is told from Jay’s point of view in short, alternating chapters set in the present, denoted by how much air is left in his tank, and the past, mostly between 2015 and 2021, allowing readers to immediately fall into the story. The pacing is relentless, the awe astounding, and the tension palpably constricting, even as Kraus takes time to provide necessary details both scientific and visceral. However, it is Jay’s constant growth throughout the story that makes this novel shine, allowing its beauty to emerge and leave its mark on all who encounter it. An easy sell to fans of ocean horror like Pressure (2016), by Brian Keene, or harrowing survival stories like 127 Hours (2004), by Aron Ralston, but also to those who love the wonder, disgust, and heartfelt emotions found in Eric LaRocca’s work.

 

“The rise and fall of Carlos Ghosn is a modern-day Greek tragedy—the story of a brilliant and industrious man whose greed and hubris took him from the top of the global auto industry to Interpol’s most-wanted list. In their deeply reported book, Kostov and McLain tell this story with nuance and empathy. . . . A fascinating read.” — John Carreyrou, bestselling author of Bad Blood

 

“A hard-hitting exposé that dispels forever the myth of the superstar CEO.” — Tom Wright, New York Times bestselling coauthor of Billion Dollar Whale

 

“An explosive exposé of a disgraced automotive-industry titan…This exciting, vividly detailed book explores a variety of relevant topics, including globalization, international business ethics, and how excessive wealth and fame have the potential to corrupt even the shrewdest businessperson. First-rate reporting on corporate savvy and greed and the ultimate cinematic escape.” — Kirkus Reviews, STARRED review

 

“[BOUNDLESS is] a fascinating and fast-moving account of one of the auto industry's most successful executives, his alleged crimes, and his eventual escape from authorities…The minute I poked my nose into Nick Kostov and Sean McLain’s Boundless, I was hooked…Actions like [Carlos Ghosn’s] need to be exposed and examined. Nick Kostov and Sean McLain do an excellent job of that.” — Porchlight

 

“Kostov and McLain, both Wall Street Journal reporters, have unearthed lots of new details, and they tell that part of the story with all the verve and tension of a good spy novel.” — The Washington Post