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storywarden's review against another edition
5.0
This was a fun, swashbuckling adventure! I really liked the characters - Matt because even though he was young he still took his duties seriously and had goals. Overall a likeable guy. Kate drove me crazy but it was because she was so stubborn and determined to defy convention. I liked her too, just more in that way you like that one friend who keeps getting you into trouble, haha.
coliecat73's review against another edition
5.0
I thought this was book was phenomenal. The writing flowed extremely well and the language use was beautiful. I'm terrified of heights, so every time the main character mentioned some height description, I could feel the terror, though he felt none at all. It made him a bit invincible in that way, but since he was so low in the status of the ship, it made you root for his success, because you could believe that he would actually make it. I loved all the scientific explanations and the drawings of the ship at the beginning of the novel.
beths0103's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't love this book, but I didn't hate it either. I liked it because it's a great adventure story I can recommend to boys, but it wasn't a book I would normally read of my own volition.
bxferg13's review against another edition
3.0
Fun story, easy to read. But characters lacked depth as did the writing. Matt Cruse is a little bit too invincible yet petulant to be relatable.
purstiltski's review against another edition
3.0
Actually about 3.4998, but I had to round down to three stars because it was not at the necessary 3.5.
There were some parts where I got really excited and would have given it a good 4.5, but there were also many parts at the beginning where I was... bored. Very bored. It took at least a hundred pages before I actually got excited about reading it, and then another good fifty pages before I actually wanted to be reading it.
All in all, I liked it. There were many items I liked to think of as metaphors in the book, but I don't know if Oppel meant for them to be metaphors. At the end of the book, most of them weren't capitalized on. Like Baz, Kate, the pirates, Bruce, the cloud cat, the island... all were supposed to be metaphors to me, but it was pretty much just Kate that had any inkling of metaphorical value really given to her in the text.
If you can bear the bore of the first part, I would suggest it.
There were some parts where I got really excited and would have given it a good 4.5, but there were also many parts at the beginning where I was... bored. Very bored. It took at least a hundred pages before I actually got excited about reading it, and then another good fifty pages before I actually wanted to be reading it.
All in all, I liked it. There were many items I liked to think of as metaphors in the book, but I don't know if Oppel meant for them to be metaphors. At the end of the book, most of them weren't capitalized on. Like Baz, Kate, the pirates, Bruce, the cloud cat, the island... all were supposed to be metaphors to me, but it was pretty much just Kate that had any inkling of metaphorical value really given to her in the text.
If you can bear the bore of the first part, I would suggest it.
lissi_k's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
heathermb's review against another edition
5.0
What a wonderful adventure story! A creative and captivating with a lot of imagination. Being a lover of cruises, it was fun to imagine being in the air rather than in the water. I'm glad that I've always skipped the pirate take-overs on my cruises, however.
bekmorr's review against another edition
4.0
A unique, "swashbuckling" young adult book, complete with pirates, but the sailors in this alternate history ride in huge airships rather than sailing ships. Enjoyable.
jennahazzard's review against another edition
4.0
This book stood up to the re-read! I enjoyed it just as much as the first time:)
booksnorkel's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best books that no one knows about. There are books that get all the press all the credit all the talk. Then there are books that you pick up on accident, there are boos that you put off reading because you don't think the cover is flashy enough. There are books that you read and have to tell the world about. This book is all of those things. I bought this on accident. I found the cover to be slightly off putting, I thought it was going to be a book that was all about engines or some sort of sensationalist historical fiction. I thought it was going to be boring.
Once I decided that I was going to read it I couldn't put it down. This book is wonderful, and has surprises through out. This book needs to be read. For Sixth grade on up a perfect trilogy filled with a sweetness that makes me sigh even now.
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Beautiful, wonderful, and a world that I would love to find myself in. The rich don't take ocean liners they instead take airships to see the world. Matt Cruise is a ship's boy he waits table, cleans dishes and keeps watch. One night he sees a hot air balloon and the rescue of the old man inside leaves Matt wondering what the man meant when he asked him "Did you see them?"
A year later one of the richest passengers comes up to Matt and asks him about the man that he rescued. She is the man's granddaughter and has the drawings of the fantastic creatures that he had seen a year ago.
Pirates, creatures, dessert island, ship wreaks, and just an amazing writing style.
Beautiful
For ages 12 and up
Once I decided that I was going to read it I couldn't put it down. This book is wonderful, and has surprises through out. This book needs to be read. For Sixth grade on up a perfect trilogy filled with a sweetness that makes me sigh even now.
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Beautiful, wonderful, and a world that I would love to find myself in. The rich don't take ocean liners they instead take airships to see the world. Matt Cruise is a ship's boy he waits table, cleans dishes and keeps watch. One night he sees a hot air balloon and the rescue of the old man inside leaves Matt wondering what the man meant when he asked him "Did you see them?"
A year later one of the richest passengers comes up to Matt and asks him about the man that he rescued. She is the man's granddaughter and has the drawings of the fantastic creatures that he had seen a year ago.
Pirates, creatures, dessert island, ship wreaks, and just an amazing writing style.
Beautiful
For ages 12 and up