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The Great Wide Sea
Ben, Dylan, and Gerry are still mourning their mother's death when their dad decides to buy a boat and take them on a year-long sailing trip. Tensions flare between Ben and his father, but they gradually learn to live together in close quarters. But one morning, the boys wake up to discover their father has disappeared--and they are lost. What happened to him? Where are they? And what will they do when a treacherous storm looms on the horizon? M. H. Herlong spins a gripping tale of adventure, survival, and the bonds of brotherhood in The Great Wide Sea.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published October 2, 2008
95 people are currently reading
1867 people want to read
About the author
M.H. Herlong
3 books26 followersM.H. Herlong grew up in a small town in South Carolina where she once had a dog and never went sailing but did read about a million books. It makes perfect sense, therefore, that she writes all the time and that her first published novel was about sailing and her second, about a dog.
She went to The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, where she majored in English and studied fiction writing under Stephen Marlowe. On the first day of the two-semester class, the students received the single assignment for the entire year—write a novel—which they all did. After college, Herlong taught high school English for a year then moved to Florida with her new husband where they served as captain and crew of the Sonshine and lived aboard Arawak, the sailboat which became the basis for Chrysalis, the boat in The Great Wide Sea. Together they have sailed at sea in Florida, the Bahamas, and the Virgin Islands but lately most of their sailing has been off the beach in Alabama.
After two sunny years in Florida, they moved back to Virginia, first to work on Capitol Hill and then to attend the University of Virginia where Herlong earned her Masters Degree in English and then her law degree. After law school, she and her husband moved to New Orleans where they both practiced law. Soon their first son was born and then the second. Herlong retired from the practice of law and a one-year stint as a law professor. Before long, sons number three and four arrived.
Sometime in the midst of the bottles, oatmeal, and soccer games, Herlong took up writing again. Her goal with The Great Wide Sea was to write a book her sons would want to read. Three of her sons read it immediately and liked it. Then The Great Wide Sea was named one of YALSA’s 2010 Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults and included on numerous state reading lists, including the Texas Lone Star Reading List and the Florida Sunshine State Young Readers List. But it wasn’t until three years after the book’s publication that the hold-out son finally read it. At last, she had succeeded. He liked it, too.
Herlong’s second published novel, Buddy, grows out of her experience as a New Orleanian when levee breaks in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina caused massive flooding and destroyed much of the city. Her own evacuation, return, and rebuilding story are quite different from the one of Li’l T and his family. But all New Orleanians, no matter what happened to them or where they are today, share the essential experience that firmly divided time for every one of them into life pre-Katrina and life after.
She went to The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, where she majored in English and studied fiction writing under Stephen Marlowe. On the first day of the two-semester class, the students received the single assignment for the entire year—write a novel—which they all did. After college, Herlong taught high school English for a year then moved to Florida with her new husband where they served as captain and crew of the Sonshine and lived aboard Arawak, the sailboat which became the basis for Chrysalis, the boat in The Great Wide Sea. Together they have sailed at sea in Florida, the Bahamas, and the Virgin Islands but lately most of their sailing has been off the beach in Alabama.
After two sunny years in Florida, they moved back to Virginia, first to work on Capitol Hill and then to attend the University of Virginia where Herlong earned her Masters Degree in English and then her law degree. After law school, she and her husband moved to New Orleans where they both practiced law. Soon their first son was born and then the second. Herlong retired from the practice of law and a one-year stint as a law professor. Before long, sons number three and four arrived.
Sometime in the midst of the bottles, oatmeal, and soccer games, Herlong took up writing again. Her goal with The Great Wide Sea was to write a book her sons would want to read. Three of her sons read it immediately and liked it. Then The Great Wide Sea was named one of YALSA’s 2010 Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults and included on numerous state reading lists, including the Texas Lone Star Reading List and the Florida Sunshine State Young Readers List. But it wasn’t until three years after the book’s publication that the hold-out son finally read it. At last, she had succeeded. He liked it, too.
Herlong’s second published novel, Buddy, grows out of her experience as a New Orleanian when levee breaks in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina caused massive flooding and destroyed much of the city. Her own evacuation, return, and rebuilding story are quite different from the one of Li’l T and his family. But all New Orleanians, no matter what happened to them or where they are today, share the essential experience that firmly divided time for every one of them into life pre-Katrina and life after.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 352 reviews
April 14, 2019
This isn’t the kind of book I usually vibe with, but it honestly was pretty decent. Nothing in particular that I actually hated about it, but I just really wish there had been something more going on? It got a bit dull and mucky and at points was difficult to continue reading for risk of falling asleep, but all in all I’m glad I finished it.
June 25, 2025
"Once upon a time three boys were lost at sea. One almost drowned. One almost went crazy. One fell off a cliff."
✏️ Review ✏️ [reread: June 2025]
*inhales deeply* That ending — 😮💔🥲🥰. Still got me going on the emotions the second time around! The brotherly bonds are so well utilized and carry through the entire plot. Distinctly depicted, the trio of brothers is such an effective character group — so satisfyingly developed. I liked how they each have a role and realistically portray their age groups.
I did enjoy this story more on my first read, though; I think because I didn't know how it ended beforehand. And the first part of the plot seemed sorta slower this time around. But first impressions are important so I'm maintaining my 5-star rating (my reread experience would probably be more like 4 or 4.5 stars).
With a dynamic ending, deeply defined characters, great sibling dynamics, and lots of summer vibes (beaches, swimming, sailing, islands), The Great Wide Sea makes a wonderful story of survival, healing, and the importance of family bonds.
✏️ Review ✏️ [July 2023]
The Great Wide Sea' is an epic, dynamic, and powerful novel. The story is vividly and articulately written. Having multilevel conflict makes the plot suspenseful and dramatic. Characterization is round and dynamic adding more depth to this already powerful plot. This novel clearly sets forth the importance of strong family bonds especially during a conflict. Bordering tear-jerking excellence, the denouement of this novel is soooo good! With its suspenseful plot, excellent characterization, and multilevel conflict, 'The Great Wide Sea' is one of my top reads.
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📊 A Quick Overview 📊
👍🏼 What I Liked:
• The intro — really sets the atmosphere and mood of the story.
• The last half of the plot, especially the ending — practically broke and uplifted my heart the first time through! 💔🥰
• The distinct portrayal of the each of the three brothers.
• The emphasis on the importance of strong family bonds.
• The writing style — sounds natural and captures the MC's first-person narrative of the story effectively.
👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
• The MC's rebellious behavior in the first half of the story (see Random Comments).
• The first half of the plot — there's not too much going on, but it does give the characters time to shine through and become more familiar with the reader.
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❓ To Read or Not To Read? ❓
— Would I recommend this book? Yes, of course.*
— To whom? To those who like contemporary adventure/survival stories that feature strong brotherly bonds, distinct characters, summer vibes, and an emphasis on the importance of solid family relationships.
*(Note: I leave it up to each individual to decide the maturity and discernment level required to read the books I recommend, based on my content warnings below [in my Book Breakdown]. My content warnings [if any] should always be considered alongside my recommendations when deciding who these books are best suited for.)
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📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 5/5 [maintaining my original rating from my first read])
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 4/5
— 📝 Writing: 3.5/5
— 👥 Characters: 4.5/5
~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)
— 🤬 Language: 1/5
• Eight uses of God's name in vain and two uses of "h*ll."
— ⚔️ Violence: 2/5
• Trigger warning: Parental death — includes a vague description of situation of death.
• Some prolonged sequences of peril.
• A few mildly graphic descriptions of injuries (mentions blood).
— ⚠️ Sexual: 1/5
• One instance of mildy crude humor.
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📣 Random Comments 📣
• Content notes: (1) The MC is selfish and rebellious towards his dad in the first half of this book (and also a little bit later as well). While it could be "justified" in light of certain circumstances, the MC's rebellious behavior might be something that younger or less mature readers could have a harder time sorting out from the MC's virtuous qualities, as there isn't really any remorse the MC has for his selfish actions (although reconciliation between him and his dad is implied). Just something to be aware of. (2) There is a scene where the brothers take their clothes off at a public beach; Mom remarks, "I'm sure glad there's no one else at the beach today!" There might not be anything necessarily wrong with this in a private setting as (besides the boys' mom, of course) it's not a mixed-gender group. But on a public beach? Definitely not the best thing to be doing! (3) There are one or two brief mentions of marijuana/drugs.
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💬 Favorite Quotes 💬
• [W]ithout love... you are just another person. But with love, you are a power. (p. 277)
✏️ Review ✏️ [reread: June 2025]
*inhales deeply* That ending — 😮💔🥲🥰. Still got me going on the emotions the second time around! The brotherly bonds are so well utilized and carry through the entire plot. Distinctly depicted, the trio of brothers is such an effective character group — so satisfyingly developed. I liked how they each have a role and realistically portray their age groups.
I did enjoy this story more on my first read, though; I think because I didn't know how it ended beforehand. And the first part of the plot seemed sorta slower this time around. But first impressions are important so I'm maintaining my 5-star rating (my reread experience would probably be more like 4 or 4.5 stars).
With a dynamic ending, deeply defined characters, great sibling dynamics, and lots of summer vibes (beaches, swimming, sailing, islands), The Great Wide Sea makes a wonderful story of survival, healing, and the importance of family bonds.
✏️ Review ✏️ [July 2023]
The Great Wide Sea' is an epic, dynamic, and powerful novel. The story is vividly and articulately written. Having multilevel conflict makes the plot suspenseful and dramatic. Characterization is round and dynamic adding more depth to this already powerful plot. This novel clearly sets forth the importance of strong family bonds especially during a conflict. Bordering tear-jerking excellence, the denouement of this novel is soooo good! With its suspenseful plot, excellent characterization, and multilevel conflict, 'The Great Wide Sea' is one of my top reads.
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📊 A Quick Overview 📊
👍🏼 What I Liked:
• The intro — really sets the atmosphere and mood of the story.
• The last half of the plot, especially the ending — practically broke and uplifted my heart the first time through! 💔🥰
• The distinct portrayal of the each of the three brothers.
• The emphasis on the importance of strong family bonds.
• The writing style — sounds natural and captures the MC's first-person narrative of the story effectively.
👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
• The MC's rebellious behavior in the first half of the story (see Random Comments).
• The first half of the plot — there's not too much going on, but it does give the characters time to shine through and become more familiar with the reader.
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
❓ To Read or Not To Read? ❓
— Would I recommend this book? Yes, of course.*
— To whom? To those who like contemporary adventure/survival stories that feature strong brotherly bonds, distinct characters, summer vibes, and an emphasis on the importance of solid family relationships.
*(Note: I leave it up to each individual to decide the maturity and discernment level required to read the books I recommend, based on my content warnings below [in my Book Breakdown]. My content warnings [if any] should always be considered alongside my recommendations when deciding who these books are best suited for.)
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 5/5 [maintaining my original rating from my first read])
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 4/5
— 📝 Writing: 3.5/5
— 👥 Characters: 4.5/5
~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)
— 🤬 Language: 1/5
• Eight uses of God's name in vain and two uses of "h*ll."
— ⚔️ Violence: 2/5
• Trigger warning: Parental death — includes a vague description of situation of death.
• Some prolonged sequences of peril.
• A few mildly graphic descriptions of injuries (mentions blood).
— ⚠️ Sexual: 1/5
• One instance of mildy crude humor.
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📣 Random Comments 📣
• Content notes: (1) The MC is selfish and rebellious towards his dad in the first half of this book (and also a little bit later as well). While it could be "justified" in light of certain circumstances, the MC's rebellious behavior might be something that younger or less mature readers could have a harder time sorting out from the MC's virtuous qualities, as there isn't really any remorse the MC has for his selfish actions (although reconciliation between him and his dad is implied). Just something to be aware of. (2) There is a scene where the brothers take their clothes off at a public beach; Mom remarks, "I'm sure glad there's no one else at the beach today!" There might not be anything necessarily wrong with this in a private setting as (besides the boys' mom, of course) it's not a mixed-gender group. But on a public beach? Definitely not the best thing to be doing! (3) There are one or two brief mentions of marijuana/drugs.
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
💬 Favorite Quotes 💬
• [W]ithout love... you are just another person. But with love, you are a power. (p. 277)
January 24, 2010
This is an astonishing little book. A dad, with his three sons, ages 5 to 15, embark on a year-long sail in the Bahamas, with the intent to recover from the death of wife and mother. However, the boys never had a voice in the decision, nor any voice in the proceedings, which builds anger and resentment, particularly in 15-yr old Ben, the narrator. Storms, abandonment, shipwreck follow, which requires each of them to discover and apply their specific talents and courage. In the end, though, the real journey is emotional, and the destination is the most important kind of harbor. I was impressed with the voice, the crafting of plot and the techniques employed by the author to create an incredible yet believable tale of growth and adventure.
September 22, 2015
Although this isn't one of my favorite books for middle grade readers, I think a lot of kids would be interested in it, especially those who love stories with adventure and danger.
Most of the story takes place on a sailboat. After their mother dies in an accident, their father deals with his grief by selling the house and all their possessions, forcing his three sons to leave their lives behind and move onto the sailboat for a year long trip through the islands that make up the Bahamas. I think it would have been a good idea to have a picture of the sailboat with all the parts labeled and a glossary of terms included in the back of the book. I found it hard to relate to some of the vocabulary when I didn’t understand so much of it. Words such as V berth, bow pulpit, forestay, splashway, and EPIRB made no sense to me. Being able to flip back to pictures or definitions would have been helpful to better visualize what was going on. It really took away from the story when I had to constantly get on the internet to look something up while I was in the middle of the story.
It’s a good story on many levels. It's about coping after the loss of a loved one-in this case, a mother and wife. It is a story about relationships and how they are tested when tragedy strikes. It’s a coming of age story and about learning to be a mature and responsible adult. It’s about brothers risking their lives to save each other and always being there for each other. And it’s an adventure story with high drama, suspense, and excitement. It’s also educational with details about sailing and the Bahamas. Who knew there were hundreds of islands in the Bahamas? Not me. I think middle school students would love this book, especially boys. It would also make a great read aloud.
Most of the story takes place on a sailboat. After their mother dies in an accident, their father deals with his grief by selling the house and all their possessions, forcing his three sons to leave their lives behind and move onto the sailboat for a year long trip through the islands that make up the Bahamas. I think it would have been a good idea to have a picture of the sailboat with all the parts labeled and a glossary of terms included in the back of the book. I found it hard to relate to some of the vocabulary when I didn’t understand so much of it. Words such as V berth, bow pulpit, forestay, splashway, and EPIRB made no sense to me. Being able to flip back to pictures or definitions would have been helpful to better visualize what was going on. It really took away from the story when I had to constantly get on the internet to look something up while I was in the middle of the story.
It’s a good story on many levels. It's about coping after the loss of a loved one-in this case, a mother and wife. It is a story about relationships and how they are tested when tragedy strikes. It’s a coming of age story and about learning to be a mature and responsible adult. It’s about brothers risking their lives to save each other and always being there for each other. And it’s an adventure story with high drama, suspense, and excitement. It’s also educational with details about sailing and the Bahamas. Who knew there were hundreds of islands in the Bahamas? Not me. I think middle school students would love this book, especially boys. It would also make a great read aloud.
December 31, 2024
If you're looking for my heart, give up. I can't find it either because it's just been mutilated by the hands of a hardback.
For those scanning for short reviews to determine whether they should read this novel, here's mine: This book has everything. Brother relationships. Family dynamics that struggle to figure out how to transition from grief to joy, boyhood to manhood, father of littles to father of young adults who have their own rightful opinions now. Superb writing *chef kiss.* Adventure and survival. Cliff hangers (literally). Also know that I loved this book so much that I STALLED reading it, something I rarely do. Normally, I could've read this in roughly three days, but I couldn't bear the thought that I was getting to the end.
Don't be fooled though. While this book definitely becomes a survival story half-way through, it is NOT a plot-driven story. It is a character-driven story, and that's one reason why I praise Herlong's writing so much because she knows how to keep the readers on the edge of their seats not because of plot twists but because of the characters' internal conflicts.
I seriously did not want this book to end. I seriously love these three brothers. You seriously need to join their adventure and root for all three of them. The oldest, the middle, the youngest. They all need you.
For those scanning for short reviews to determine whether they should read this novel, here's mine: This book has everything. Brother relationships. Family dynamics that struggle to figure out how to transition from grief to joy, boyhood to manhood, father of littles to father of young adults who have their own rightful opinions now. Superb writing *chef kiss.* Adventure and survival. Cliff hangers (literally). Also know that I loved this book so much that I STALLED reading it, something I rarely do. Normally, I could've read this in roughly three days, but I couldn't bear the thought that I was getting to the end.
Don't be fooled though. While this book definitely becomes a survival story half-way through, it is NOT a plot-driven story. It is a character-driven story, and that's one reason why I praise Herlong's writing so much because she knows how to keep the readers on the edge of their seats not because of plot twists but because of the characters' internal conflicts.
I seriously did not want this book to end. I seriously love these three brothers. You seriously need to join their adventure and root for all three of them. The oldest, the middle, the youngest. They all need you.
February 7, 2009
If you like Hatchet, then you'll love this book! It has the suspense, the parent/child angst, and the interesting survival details that Hatchet has, and then adds to that a wonderful sibling dynamic and seafaring details. Really enjoyed this book!
August 7, 2020
I picked this book up in a thrift store, I'm pretty sure. I liked the cover! 😉 I was surprised at how much I liked this-it seems like the kind of story middle school boys might like- because it's about 3 boys who go on a sailing trip with their father after their mother passes away. The father suddenly disappears from the boat, and the boys have to fend for themselves through stormy gales, broken equipment and rising interpersonal tensions...
Towards the 2nd third of the book, I was totally caught up! Stayed up til 2 AM to finish it! A fun adventure story to read this summer, particularly as most traveling plans are canceled now- so to travel in a book was fun.
Towards the 2nd third of the book, I was totally caught up! Stayed up til 2 AM to finish it! A fun adventure story to read this summer, particularly as most traveling plans are canceled now- so to travel in a book was fun.
December 13, 2015
Despite being a completely biased reader due to the fact that this book is written by my mother I truly enjoyed reading this story. It resonated with me especially because being the oldest of four sons I have always felt a lot of responsibility for my younger brothers; a sense of "need-to-protect." So I hesitated reading this book for a year or two despite the "familial pressure," knowing (due to inside sources) that the story dealt with a lot of situations that involved brotherly responsibility and scary situations.
Once I started reading I could not put it down. Traditionally I am more a fan of science-fiction and fantasy stories but the attention to detail, character development, and plot arc of this book drew me in and had me turning pages as fast as I could read them. It was sad, uplifting, honest, endearing, engaging and many other superlatives I can't think of at the moment.
So, good job mom.
Once I started reading I could not put it down. Traditionally I am more a fan of science-fiction and fantasy stories but the attention to detail, character development, and plot arc of this book drew me in and had me turning pages as fast as I could read them. It was sad, uplifting, honest, endearing, engaging and many other superlatives I can't think of at the moment.
So, good job mom.
January 31, 2010
Ben's mom dies in a car accident. (This is not a spoiler, you find out right at the beginning of the book!) His grief-stricken dad sells the house, buys a sailboat and takes Ben and his two brothers (Tyler, 11 and Gerry, 5) to sail around the Bahamas for a year. The boys are less than thrilled with the plan. Their dad is less than calm and rational most of the time, a big storm strikes and the situation rapidly erodes even more.
Great book for boys, even though the cover won't sell it. Great voice, very true to life characterization and narrative, lots of action all the way through.
Great book for boys, even though the cover won't sell it. Great voice, very true to life characterization and narrative, lots of action all the way through.
December 15, 2018
Really good sailing adventure story, good survival story, and good brother story building to really good at the end.
February 9, 2019
"Once upon a time there was a family. Then a boat. And then islands.
Once upon a time three boys were lost at sea. One almost drowned. One almost went crazy. One fell off a cliff.
Gerry says I'm making it up, but I'm not. Everything I tell him is the truth."
There were three brothers. Fifteen-year-old Ben, eleven-year-old Dylan, and five-year-old Gerry. They lived with their parents, taking every advantage to take their little sailboat out on the lake nearby. When their mother dies suddenly from a car accident, the boys' father decides to sell the house —all the objects and memories, eliminated— to embark on a year-long journey by sailboat out in the ocean.
The great wide sea.
And so, they set out in the Chrysalis, a sailboat that is not what anyone had been expecting it to be. They go from island to island in their boat. Except for the harsh feelings Ben feels towards his stressed, grieving, and mildly crazy-seeming father, all is good.
But then one day, their father disappears.
And then the three brothers are all alone, with no connection to anybody, and no idea on where they are.
This is a masterpiece. There's no other way to put it. The story was put together with so much love, effort, and emotion. There's an ache, of losing a mother, of having miscommunication with a parent, of feeling simultaneously responsible and utterly helpless. You can feel it on every page.
What I love most about this book is the tenderness in every memory. It is so genuine. Ben recalls the slightest things, like the taste of a lemon sucker, watching his mother fold laundry, feeling the touch of shade in the summer sun. It may not appeal to many who seek out action, but these little touches mean the world to me. Listen to the story Dylan tells his brothers.
"'Shhh,' Dylan said. 'I'll tell you a real story. Once upon a time there was a mom named Christine.'
'Dylan,' I hissed.
Gerry didn't move in the dark corner where he lay.
'A mom named Christine,' Dylan went on. 'And she had three sons.'
I could tell Gerry was breathless in the dark.
'When she nursed the littlest boy, who was a tiny baby, she held him in a white blanket. And then when he was bigger and started using a bottle, she always held the Blankie right next to his face while he drank his milk. She looked down at him and said, 'Are you my Noogie? Are you my sweetest Noogie in the world?' And he looked up at her and didn't say anything because he couldn't talk. The other two brothers wondered what a Noogie was, but they never asked. And that's the end of the story.'
I realized I was still as Gerry, that Dylan's voice had been holding me taut."
Doesn't it feel like you're sitting with them, holding your breath, listening to that small special memory? It's incredible.
I found the descriptions to be so gorgeously detailed, and I love how the story took place on a sailboat and on islands. I especially liked the storm and island scenes the best. The descriptions were so detailed, that I could almost feel the boat rocking under my feet, the salty wind stinging my eyes, the brutal sun baking my skin, as if I were on there on the boat with them.
In all the books I've ever read, this one has the most gorgeous ending. I'll leave it at that.
This is a book that has me crying not just at the sad parts. I can't effectively put it into words. The good and the bad are highlighted so nicely, that you celebrate the boys' triumphs and grieve their mistakes. You just hope they'll make it out okay, let alone alive.
The Great Wide Sea will always hold a very special place in my heart. It is a story to cherish and learn from. There really isn't anything quite like this one.
"I rested my elbows on my knees and looked down at the sand I was sitting on. Zillions of little grains— white and pink and black. Little broken-up shells and tiny branches of coral. All piled here to make an island. And we were on it. The three of us together. Lost in the middle of the great wide sea."
Once upon a time three boys were lost at sea. One almost drowned. One almost went crazy. One fell off a cliff.
Gerry says I'm making it up, but I'm not. Everything I tell him is the truth."
There were three brothers. Fifteen-year-old Ben, eleven-year-old Dylan, and five-year-old Gerry. They lived with their parents, taking every advantage to take their little sailboat out on the lake nearby. When their mother dies suddenly from a car accident, the boys' father decides to sell the house —all the objects and memories, eliminated— to embark on a year-long journey by sailboat out in the ocean.
The great wide sea.
And so, they set out in the Chrysalis, a sailboat that is not what anyone had been expecting it to be. They go from island to island in their boat. Except for the harsh feelings Ben feels towards his stressed, grieving, and mildly crazy-seeming father, all is good.
But then one day, their father disappears.
And then the three brothers are all alone, with no connection to anybody, and no idea on where they are.
This is a masterpiece. There's no other way to put it. The story was put together with so much love, effort, and emotion. There's an ache, of losing a mother, of having miscommunication with a parent, of feeling simultaneously responsible and utterly helpless. You can feel it on every page.
What I love most about this book is the tenderness in every memory. It is so genuine. Ben recalls the slightest things, like the taste of a lemon sucker, watching his mother fold laundry, feeling the touch of shade in the summer sun. It may not appeal to many who seek out action, but these little touches mean the world to me. Listen to the story Dylan tells his brothers.
"'Shhh,' Dylan said. 'I'll tell you a real story. Once upon a time there was a mom named Christine.'
'Dylan,' I hissed.
Gerry didn't move in the dark corner where he lay.
'A mom named Christine,' Dylan went on. 'And she had three sons.'
I could tell Gerry was breathless in the dark.
'When she nursed the littlest boy, who was a tiny baby, she held him in a white blanket. And then when he was bigger and started using a bottle, she always held the Blankie right next to his face while he drank his milk. She looked down at him and said, 'Are you my Noogie? Are you my sweetest Noogie in the world?' And he looked up at her and didn't say anything because he couldn't talk. The other two brothers wondered what a Noogie was, but they never asked. And that's the end of the story.'
I realized I was still as Gerry, that Dylan's voice had been holding me taut."
Doesn't it feel like you're sitting with them, holding your breath, listening to that small special memory? It's incredible.
I found the descriptions to be so gorgeously detailed, and I love how the story took place on a sailboat and on islands. I especially liked the storm and island scenes the best. The descriptions were so detailed, that I could almost feel the boat rocking under my feet, the salty wind stinging my eyes, the brutal sun baking my skin, as if I were on there on the boat with them.
In all the books I've ever read, this one has the most gorgeous ending. I'll leave it at that.
This is a book that has me crying not just at the sad parts. I can't effectively put it into words. The good and the bad are highlighted so nicely, that you celebrate the boys' triumphs and grieve their mistakes. You just hope they'll make it out okay, let alone alive.
The Great Wide Sea will always hold a very special place in my heart. It is a story to cherish and learn from. There really isn't anything quite like this one.
"I rested my elbows on my knees and looked down at the sand I was sitting on. Zillions of little grains— white and pink and black. Little broken-up shells and tiny branches of coral. All piled here to make an island. And we were on it. The three of us together. Lost in the middle of the great wide sea."
April 9, 2012
Katie Young
Adventure
Ben, Dylan and Gerry are three brothers who, along with their father, recently lost their mother in an accident. Their father cannot handle the loss and makes irrational decisions concerning the family. The biggest was selling the family’s home and buying the Chrysalis to sail around the Bahamas for a year. One night their father disappears from the boat and after a terrible storm, they find themselves alone and stranded on an island. Ben becomes the parent figure for his brothers and they work together to survive. Ben also realizes how difficult it is being a parent and making decisions while under pressure.
This story is told in first person from Ben’s point of view. The language is very descriptive which makes the reader feel like they are in the story. The characters are well developed and appealing to readers.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The adventure and hurdles the boys overcome together is heart wrenching. I could not put this book down and I highly recommend it for all Young Adult collections.
Adventure
Ben, Dylan and Gerry are three brothers who, along with their father, recently lost their mother in an accident. Their father cannot handle the loss and makes irrational decisions concerning the family. The biggest was selling the family’s home and buying the Chrysalis to sail around the Bahamas for a year. One night their father disappears from the boat and after a terrible storm, they find themselves alone and stranded on an island. Ben becomes the parent figure for his brothers and they work together to survive. Ben also realizes how difficult it is being a parent and making decisions while under pressure.
This story is told in first person from Ben’s point of view. The language is very descriptive which makes the reader feel like they are in the story. The characters are well developed and appealing to readers.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The adventure and hurdles the boys overcome together is heart wrenching. I could not put this book down and I highly recommend it for all Young Adult collections.
February 10, 2009
Everything really DOES go back to good old Rob Crusoe. I would have started the book at chapter 7 and interwoven the backstory rather than lay it all out in the first 50 pages. What tweenage boy (read: target audience) has the patience for that?
I joked earlier, but this book really does have a crapload of Robinson Crusoe overlaps. They are on the island for months and not too much happens except inside their heads. One almost goes crazy. There is fishing, trapping, general food gathering and fire making. No Man Friday (or post-colonial drama) though.
A bit of a stop-start book. Adventure...blandness...excitement...not much happening... You get the idea.
I thought the treatment of the brothers (especially upon separation) was well done and the characters were developed and had verisimilitude. The ending was weak. *minor spoiler* He should have left.
An easy recommendation for boys. Librarians across the country, rejoice.
I joked earlier, but this book really does have a crapload of Robinson Crusoe overlaps. They are on the island for months and not too much happens except inside their heads. One almost goes crazy. There is fishing, trapping, general food gathering and fire making. No Man Friday (or post-colonial drama) though.
A bit of a stop-start book. Adventure...blandness...excitement...not much happening... You get the idea.
I thought the treatment of the brothers (especially upon separation) was well done and the characters were developed and had verisimilitude. The ending was weak. *minor spoiler* He should have left.
An easy recommendation for boys. Librarians across the country, rejoice.
February 21, 2009
After the death of his mother, Ben's father decides to sell the family house and take the three brothers on a year-long boat ride. I would give this book 3 1/2 stars. I think Herlong did a wonderful job capturing the parent-teenager dynamics in a realistic manner. I felt frustrated with Ben, as he abandoned his younger brothers at two points in the novel. He isn't a model teenager, in my mind, because he is a bit selfish.
Herlong clearly knows her boat terminology well, but I felt left out at times, as it was jargon to me. I think some of the boat parts/navigation could have been better explained for the unknowledgeable readers like me. :)
It is a great story that truly shows the grieving process. I don't know if all teens would like this book, as it gets very involved with the boat aspects. However, it is a beautiful book overall, and I became very attached to these three brothers, Ben, Dylan, and Gerry.
Herlong clearly knows her boat terminology well, but I felt left out at times, as it was jargon to me. I think some of the boat parts/navigation could have been better explained for the unknowledgeable readers like me. :)
It is a great story that truly shows the grieving process. I don't know if all teens would like this book, as it gets very involved with the boat aspects. However, it is a beautiful book overall, and I became very attached to these three brothers, Ben, Dylan, and Gerry.
April 1, 2010
I'm not ordinarily a fan of survival fiction, but I really liked this story and think many middle-school readers will too. Three boys -- Ben, Dylan, and Gerry -- are forced by their father to "crew" for him for a year as they sail from one Bahama isle to the next while mourning the unexpected death of their mother. What makes this book work isn't the survival fiction story -- which doesn't hit until halfway through -- but the complex relationships between the characters as they struggle to channel their grief over their mother's loss. With each new chapter, I grew increasingly angry at the father as he made selfish, reckless decisions that jeopardized his sons' emotional and physical well-being.
February 4, 2009
4 1/2 stars
Great action story, teenage protagonist, 1st person narrative. Real nail biter/ very fast paced. Highly recommended for teens, and one of the better YA books I've read in the last year. Nice layering of storyline, with flashbacks and stories centering on each of the three kids.
Great action story, teenage protagonist, 1st person narrative. Real nail biter/ very fast paced. Highly recommended for teens, and one of the better YA books I've read in the last year. Nice layering of storyline, with flashbacks and stories centering on each of the three kids.
May 13, 2023
I liked this book. Like many have said, it does get a bit slow in parts, but I think it was worth the read. I felt more empathetic towards the characters near the end, and although it wrapped up a bit quick for me, there was definitely some thoughtful parts that I would like to read over again. Not my favorite book, but pretty good.
June 5, 2019
[ 3.5 ★’s ]
August 25, 2024
i read the best books in middle school
April 16, 2024
A young adult novel worthy of being on the "classics" bookshelf. Take Island of the Blue Dolphins, throw in some Swiss Family Robinson, Julie of the Wolves and C.S. Forester's Hornblower, and you've got a taste of The Great Wide Sea. Three boys, a dad and two big characters who have no lines - the mother that died before the book started (not a spoiler) and the raging ocean, are at the heart of the story. The father and kids grow tremendously in character from the first page to the end. Heart pounding and believable. For those who like real adventures, this should be your first read!
December 20, 2012
This book is actually pretty easy but it also had a lot of weird relationships and it was very easy to read. I felt like this story had a really good plot twist plus it seemed similar to the hatchet in that it becomes a survival story only the entire time his annoying brothers tag along.
The story begins with a romatic dad and mom who they address as dad and mom. Dad is into poetry but that all changes when the mom dies leaving Ben(the main character) with his sad father and Dylan who is too young to realize that his mom is gone forever. Dad eventually develops a weird depression and decides to quit poetry all together. Then he decides to home school his kids for a whole year so that they can go on what is suppossed to be an incredible epic sailing trip. Despiete bens love of sailing, he has never really ben sailing in the ocean and he does not want to go because of all the work involved in trying to operate a boat. Ben becomes even more frustrated because he must learn how to operate motor equipment but what really drives him crazy is the fact that his dad never really asked him if he wanted to go.
The Chaos ensues has Ben learns that his dad sold the house for a run down boat which included sails that had holes in them. Long nights are spent staying awake so that they can navigate the boat and their Dad constantly loses his cool because of the many requirements of sailing. Their lists of frustrations go on and on.
Then one day they find that their dad is missing and they are stranded in the middle of the storm. We assume that their dad committed suicide and the boys fight for survival. They are then stranded on an island and they the survival portion of the story begins but it is surprisingly a very short part of the story compared to the rest. Then they are saved and they find their dad again who explains that he bumbed his head in trying to fix the motor and he woke up drifting in the middle of the ocean. Then Ben threatens to run away which he can do since they are way out of america and he manages to land a job on a boat but they randomly decide to make up in the end and go home.
The story begins with a romatic dad and mom who they address as dad and mom. Dad is into poetry but that all changes when the mom dies leaving Ben(the main character) with his sad father and Dylan who is too young to realize that his mom is gone forever. Dad eventually develops a weird depression and decides to quit poetry all together. Then he decides to home school his kids for a whole year so that they can go on what is suppossed to be an incredible epic sailing trip. Despiete bens love of sailing, he has never really ben sailing in the ocean and he does not want to go because of all the work involved in trying to operate a boat. Ben becomes even more frustrated because he must learn how to operate motor equipment but what really drives him crazy is the fact that his dad never really asked him if he wanted to go.
The Chaos ensues has Ben learns that his dad sold the house for a run down boat which included sails that had holes in them. Long nights are spent staying awake so that they can navigate the boat and their Dad constantly loses his cool because of the many requirements of sailing. Their lists of frustrations go on and on.
Then one day they find that their dad is missing and they are stranded in the middle of the storm. We assume that their dad committed suicide and the boys fight for survival. They are then stranded on an island and they the survival portion of the story begins but it is surprisingly a very short part of the story compared to the rest. Then they are saved and they find their dad again who explains that he bumbed his head in trying to fix the motor and he woke up drifting in the middle of the ocean. Then Ben threatens to run away which he can do since they are way out of america and he manages to land a job on a boat but they randomly decide to make up in the end and go home.
May 15, 2012
Ben, Dylan, and Gerry are still mourning their mother?s death when their dad decides to buy a boat and take them on a year-long sailing trip. Tensions flare between Ben and his father, but they gradually learn to live together in close quarters. But one morning, the boys wake up to discover their father has disappeared?and they are lost. What happened to him? Where are they? And what will they do when a treacherous storm looms on the horizon? M. H. Herlong spins a gripping tale of adventure, survival, and the bonds of brotherhood in The Great Wide Sea.
This is one of my favorite books of all time because it is almost like two stories because first the boys and their dad sail around the Caribbean in their very own sailboat which I've always wanted to do. Then they have to survive on a deserted tropical island in the middle of the ocean. I like this part of the book because i love reading survival stories and I've always wanted to do something kind of like that except my life isn't constantly at risk. The only thing i did not like about it was that the main character and oldest son ,Ben, is a real jerk to his dad and doesn't want to be there and that really bothered me. I think it bothered me so much because i was kind of thinking how can you not be grateful that your dad is taking you on a year long sailing vacation around the Caribbean? i like the writers style because it actually almost told three stories in one book. Their was the two other ones I mentioned earlier and their were alot of flashbacks that told the story of their childhood and how their mom died and what happened after that and how their dad came to decide to take them on this vacation. his writing style was descriptive so that you learned alot and could picture the events in your head but not too descriptive to the point of boring you. overall id say this is in my top ten favorite books and i wish it was longer so that i could keep reading more.
This is one of my favorite books of all time because it is almost like two stories because first the boys and their dad sail around the Caribbean in their very own sailboat which I've always wanted to do. Then they have to survive on a deserted tropical island in the middle of the ocean. I like this part of the book because i love reading survival stories and I've always wanted to do something kind of like that except my life isn't constantly at risk. The only thing i did not like about it was that the main character and oldest son ,Ben, is a real jerk to his dad and doesn't want to be there and that really bothered me. I think it bothered me so much because i was kind of thinking how can you not be grateful that your dad is taking you on a year long sailing vacation around the Caribbean? i like the writers style because it actually almost told three stories in one book. Their was the two other ones I mentioned earlier and their were alot of flashbacks that told the story of their childhood and how their mom died and what happened after that and how their dad came to decide to take them on this vacation. his writing style was descriptive so that you learned alot and could picture the events in your head but not too descriptive to the point of boring you. overall id say this is in my top ten favorite books and i wish it was longer so that i could keep reading more.
September 28, 2015
The Great Wide Sea is a survival story about a Dad and his three sons: Gerry, Ben, and Dylan. The boys’ mother, Christine, has just passed away, so their Dad decides to take them on a yearlong sailing trip around the Caribbean. The three boys and their Dad leave the Florida Keys in their sailboat, Chrysalis, and sail to several islands in the Bahamas. During the first few weeks, there is some tension between Ben, the protagonist, and Dad, the antagonist, because Ben does not want to be on this trip. Another conflict occurs with Gerry. Gerry is afraid of the water and does not want to learn to swim. After a few months of smooth, serene sailing, Dad decides that everyone has done so well that there is no limit to their adventure, so he suggests that they all sail around the world together. Later that day, a major storm comes in. Dad falls overboard during a safety check, leaving his three sons alone in the storm with 40 foot waves and torrential rain.
Sometimes in life we have to step up and take a leadership position, even when we do not want to. Ben does not want to be on this trip, but he decides to step up and lead his two brothers through the storm. I selected to read The Great Wide Sea by M.H. Herlong because I always enjoy survival books and this book looked different from anything I have read before. This book lived up to its promise of a harrowing adventure at sea. I was doubtful to start with, but after a few chapters I learned just how much entertainment this book has to offer the imagination. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read an adventure book with multiple battles for survival: weather, sea, and islands. This book is not for people who enjoy stories with many characters and a simple plot.
Sometimes in life we have to step up and take a leadership position, even when we do not want to. Ben does not want to be on this trip, but he decides to step up and lead his two brothers through the storm. I selected to read The Great Wide Sea by M.H. Herlong because I always enjoy survival books and this book looked different from anything I have read before. This book lived up to its promise of a harrowing adventure at sea. I was doubtful to start with, but after a few chapters I learned just how much entertainment this book has to offer the imagination. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read an adventure book with multiple battles for survival: weather, sea, and islands. This book is not for people who enjoy stories with many characters and a simple plot.
December 30, 2015
The great wide sea is a great book about a great, intense story, I couldn't love it less, it took me a week to finish it (wasn't connected to the internet) and I had a lot of ' oh my god no !' Parts, it's painful and frustrating, the kind of bittersweet novels that will make you hate everyone and then love them again an so on, you will cry and think the writer is cruel but then you will think " no, that was perfect" .
You see, I've never sailed for more than an hour (and it wasn't even sailing it was sitting-on-aboat-and-watching trip) and I thought it would be awesome to go on a long trip through the ocean and maybe even travel too, but after I finished this book I doubt I will ever think about that again.
The book tells the surviving story of Ben, Dylan and Gerry, the three brothers whose father takes on a sailing trip for a year and then disappears leaving them alone to face a storm and then get lost on an unknown island, it's amazing how this book will make you feel like your a part of the story, it's great how strong brotherhood is described and how rich the book is with sailing knowledge and information (you will need it someday and thanks Herlong !) and .. Tell me is it really Herlong's first novel ? This guy can really tell stories !
As I understood, the author has been a sailor before and crossed the islands he mentioned in this book (no wonder the description is beyond imaginations and informations are far more than a person can tell just from books) I was entertained , I loved this book, defiantly a 5 stars book .
You see, I've never sailed for more than an hour (and it wasn't even sailing it was sitting-on-aboat-and-watching trip) and I thought it would be awesome to go on a long trip through the ocean and maybe even travel too, but after I finished this book I doubt I will ever think about that again.
The book tells the surviving story of Ben, Dylan and Gerry, the three brothers whose father takes on a sailing trip for a year and then disappears leaving them alone to face a storm and then get lost on an unknown island, it's amazing how this book will make you feel like your a part of the story, it's great how strong brotherhood is described and how rich the book is with sailing knowledge and information (you will need it someday and thanks Herlong !) and .. Tell me is it really Herlong's first novel ? This guy can really tell stories !
As I understood, the author has been a sailor before and crossed the islands he mentioned in this book (no wonder the description is beyond imaginations and informations are far more than a person can tell just from books) I was entertained , I loved this book, defiantly a 5 stars book .
July 22, 2010
I thought this book was very, very good. Also everyone at work wanted to know about it and were dying to know how it ends!!
This is a story about three boys and their dad who take off on a year-long sailing trip. The familial tension and struggles that they have seemed very authentic and real to me. Conversations sounded like they could actually happen, feelings seemed legitimate and in line with the situations, and my heart really went out to all of the members of the family at one time or another. I could picture myself in each of their shoes going through everything that happened. Several parts were very sad, and I might have shed a tear ... but I wasn't really in a crying mood yesterday and today.
The prose was beautiful. Although this is a first book for this author, he was extremely eloquent and his words flowed beautifully, so it was definitely enjoyable to read. All of his descriptions of the Bahamas and the sea creatures were illustrative and lovely.
The only thing that got me down (but just a bit) was the extreme amount of sailing vocabulary. Never having been on a sailboat, I was kind of lost whenever he would talk about the boom or the topsail or whatever. A glossary would've been helpful. But I always understood the [urpose of his sailing lingo - either it was going well with the boat or not.
Overall, very good and unpredictable survival story. You will be rooting for the kids the whole time!!
This is a story about three boys and their dad who take off on a year-long sailing trip. The familial tension and struggles that they have seemed very authentic and real to me. Conversations sounded like they could actually happen, feelings seemed legitimate and in line with the situations, and my heart really went out to all of the members of the family at one time or another. I could picture myself in each of their shoes going through everything that happened. Several parts were very sad, and I might have shed a tear ... but I wasn't really in a crying mood yesterday and today.
The prose was beautiful. Although this is a first book for this author, he was extremely eloquent and his words flowed beautifully, so it was definitely enjoyable to read. All of his descriptions of the Bahamas and the sea creatures were illustrative and lovely.
The only thing that got me down (but just a bit) was the extreme amount of sailing vocabulary. Never having been on a sailboat, I was kind of lost whenever he would talk about the boom or the topsail or whatever. A glossary would've been helpful. But I always understood the [urpose of his sailing lingo - either it was going well with the boat or not.
Overall, very good and unpredictable survival story. You will be rooting for the kids the whole time!!
November 28, 2009
When I was in college, I lived not too far from my grandfather and his brother. They owned a boat together and every Thursday they would take me sailing. I will never forget how they paired up, both were very big jokesters, and explained to me that one end of the boat was the stern (very serious faces here) and the other end of the boat was the bow (they said as they both bent at the waist and bowed to me). I learned a lot about sailing from them and was fascinated by the ways they were able to maneuver through the waters of Canyon Lake.
This book brought back a lot of those memories. It is a tragic story of a family of men who have lost their anchor - the mom. Having only boys in my home, I can understand the special relationship a boy has with his mother. They allow me to see sides of them that their father would never be let into. The father loses himself in the boat after her death and the boys get dragged into his nightmare.
I am so glad that it ended the way that it did. I don't think I could have handled it if they family had broken apart after her death. A mother wants only for her family to be strong and to raise her boys to be strong, reliable men to the women in their futures. Thank goodness these boys came through the tragedy.
This book brought back a lot of those memories. It is a tragic story of a family of men who have lost their anchor - the mom. Having only boys in my home, I can understand the special relationship a boy has with his mother. They allow me to see sides of them that their father would never be let into. The father loses himself in the boat after her death and the boys get dragged into his nightmare.
I am so glad that it ended the way that it did. I don't think I could have handled it if they family had broken apart after her death. A mother wants only for her family to be strong and to raise her boys to be strong, reliable men to the women in their futures. Thank goodness these boys came through the tragedy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2009
Ben and his two younger brothers are trying to deal with the sudden death of their mother, when their grief-stricken father decides to sell the house, buy a sailboat and spend a year sailing the Bahamas. Forced into close quarters on the open sea, Ben’s resentment towards his father grows, until Ben wakes up one morning and his father has disappeared. Not sure if he fell overboard during the night, or if he intentionally jumped, the brothers are left on their own, not sure exactly where they are, without a working radio or emergency beacon.
After almost riding out a huge storm, the brothers shipwreck off a small island and spend several months stranded, trying to gather food and water. But, when one of his younger brothers is seriously injured, Ben is forced to leave his brothers behind and leave in an attempt to find help.
This is an adventure story that should appeal to fans of survival or shipwreck stories, but with enough drama and emotion to appeal outside that genre. Personally, I thought the ending was rushed, but my love of survival stories and shipwrecks and desert islands and brothers with father issues more than made up for it.
After almost riding out a huge storm, the brothers shipwreck off a small island and spend several months stranded, trying to gather food and water. But, when one of his younger brothers is seriously injured, Ben is forced to leave his brothers behind and leave in an attempt to find help.
This is an adventure story that should appeal to fans of survival or shipwreck stories, but with enough drama and emotion to appeal outside that genre. Personally, I thought the ending was rushed, but my love of survival stories and shipwrecks and desert islands and brothers with father issues more than made up for it.
August 25, 2016
We just finished reading this with our 8th grade book club and they loved it. It is an adventure/survival tale, where Ben and his two younger brothers find themselves sailing to the Bahamas with their father after their mother's sudden death. Dad, also grieving, is a tough character to take - he doesn't consider the kids' wishes or needs, and sells their family home to buy the boat without even having a conversation about it with the kids. My students wanted to know how you create such a "mean" character, and one even asked, "how do you handle it?" Perceptive. In the middle of the story, dad falls overboard during the night, and Ben believes he has committed suicide. The boys barely survive a raging storm at sea, and in the process, their boat crashes against some rocks and they are forced to evacuate to an uninhabited island. They learn how to survive there, waiting for rescue. When Ben's younger brother is seriously injured, he must make the decision to either stay with his brothers, the youngest of whom is barely six, or go for help in the dinghy. This book has a lot of sailing jargon, which may be a little confusing for some readers, but most kids can figure it out.
March 24, 2011
When fifteen-year-old Ben's mother dies, his father decides to sell the house, pull Ben and his younger brothers from school, and sail around the Bahamas for a year--a plan the boys aren't exactly fond of. While at sea, Ben's relationship with his father becomes more tense. Then one night, Dad disappears, and the boys are left to fend for themselves. In a storm that ravages their boat, destroying the sail and the GPS, the boys end up shipwrecked and must fend for themselves, contending with hunger, shark encounters, and serious injury. How long will they last? And what happened to Dad? The author keeps things moving in this story of adventure, survival, brotherhood, and loss. There's sailing terminology but it doesn't disrupt the reader. This would be a good pick for anyone curious about whether or not s/he could survive at sea or on an island without parents or simply anyone who has lost one or both parents.
August 2, 2010
I am not sure how I feel about this book yet... Here are my thoughts:
-I know that I couldn't put it down during the last 175 pages.
-I know that I didn't like two of the main characters (the dad and 16 year old brother) because they are horribly selfish, but I loved the other two (the 11 and 5 year old brothers); however, the 16 year old was our narrator, so I had trouble feeling sorry for him or connecting with him at points because I just didn't like him.
-I didn't like how the author began with a preface that gave away everything that was going to happen, but I still found it to be suspenseful because you are waiting for the things to happen and you didn't know how or when they would.
-The beginning of the book is really depressing and it doesn't really get much happier.
-The book is a good old survival book, but with some twists. Overall, worth reading.
-I know that I couldn't put it down during the last 175 pages.
-I know that I didn't like two of the main characters (the dad and 16 year old brother) because they are horribly selfish, but I loved the other two (the 11 and 5 year old brothers); however, the 16 year old was our narrator, so I had trouble feeling sorry for him or connecting with him at points because I just didn't like him.
-I didn't like how the author began with a preface that gave away everything that was going to happen, but I still found it to be suspenseful because you are waiting for the things to happen and you didn't know how or when they would.
-The beginning of the book is really depressing and it doesn't really get much happier.
-The book is a good old survival book, but with some twists. Overall, worth reading.
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