Beyond the Bright Sea

This is such a great book. It is full of life lessons and characters that suck you into the story. My son was reading it for school and we ended up reading it together. I think it is a book that both kids and adults alike would enjoy.

I bought the book for my grandson because I liked the author's previous book and because of the good reviews. I make it a point to read all the books I get for him because a) I like literature for young people and b) we enjoy sharing our views on the books. He gets "first read" most of the time. And he sped through this book -- a definite sign of approval. When I picked it up, I found out why he was so excited; I couldn't put it down either. It would be unfair to discuss the book beyond what you will have already seen in the Amazon listing. The story is rich in detail and will keep the reader guessing and hoping. (There is, however, one exception, but it won't be a spoiler. I could sense throughout the book that the author was considering an alternate ending to the story, a slight thread that wasn't tied off. It didn't need tying -- the story is complete as is -- but there is a possibility of a sequel now, one that deals with that other possibility. I hope there is one.)

It was well thought out but not good enough to read twice

I loved every page of this book. The writing is so lyrical it almost floats, and yet the setting and actions are as grounded as the ramshackle cabin where twelve-year-old Crow lives. Issues of identity, family, history, bigotry, decency, and sacrifice are so deftly woven into the story that they're inseparable from the plot itself. Not every question I had about the adult characters' backgrounds was answered, but it didn't matter. What matters in this book are the connections among people who love each other. I had read Wolf Hollow and looked forward to reading Beyond the Bright Sea, and I was not disappointed. This is a beautiful book.

Another wonderful story I'm honored to review. I expected it to be good because I could not find one review that didn't like it, but what I didn't expect was to find it capturing my heart so close. Wow. I'm by no means an islander, nor live near one, but I have roots in GA and FL. Now, even though these two states can not truly compare to Massachusetts or life in the early 1900"s, there is lots of ocean and lots of dreams made on their shores. As I read this story, it brought back so many memories of good times with my family. We would stay on the shores for weeks at a time. I've always said there are two things in life a person MUST do before they die: see the sun and moon rise on the horizon, and ride in a boat on the ocean. There are no words that can describe those things unless they come from an artist...I believe Lauren Wolk is not just an author, but also an artist. THX :-)

Wow. Just wow. Okay, Lauren Wolk. You win. Wolf Hollow as a gorgeously dripping freshman debut? Check. Beyond the Bright Sea, your sophomore book, is (in my humble opinion) even better than your first? Check. Never one to "write down" to her readers, every word is meant to be savored. Every line to linger and ruminate over. Any and all writers and want-to-be-writers should take a note. How to develop sympathetic characters=check. How to create a community with equal parts eccentricity and bonding=check. How do entice your readers to keep reading with little glimpses of foreshadowing=check. I mean, how can you NOT love Osh after this section (and, hello...let's teach inference along with it) "When I finally knew him well enough to ask, he told me he had taken just one leg from each of them, to flavor the rainwater he cooked on his fire. 'Better to have only four legs than to be dead,' he said. 'Better to eat starfish soup than starve.'" And how can you NOT love Crow after reading this line? "In fact, I was glad to know something not everyone did: that there are better bonds than blood." I'm counting the days until Wolk's next release. Wow. Just wow.

I really liked this story. I think it’s a great read for teens and up, I’m 51. I grew up on Cape Cod. So i got another copy for my mom. It makes you wish for your own quiet island somewhere.

I purchased this book along with another to start my granddaughter on her beginning of 6th grade. The book came a day earlier than expected and was a favorite of the bat!