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3.42 AVERAGE
3.42 AVERAGE
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley!
I really enjoyed reading the story of Sky & River, a novel being touted as a reverse dystopia. I can see my students and any teenager really devouring this.
Sky & River grew up on Island in Ocean, living a life of survival with just their parents and the natural world. When River spots a boat, he is excited, thinking that he can return back to a life that he feels like he is missing, but Sky is scared and afraid of this land of the unknown.
When returned to her grandmother, she suddenly learns the "truth" about her family, her name, and the name of everything surrounding her. Confused, alone, and scared, she is thrust into an unfamiliar world, expected to adapt.
The pace of this novel was fast, full of suspense and intrigue. I highly recommend it!
I really enjoyed reading the story of Sky & River, a novel being touted as a reverse dystopia. I can see my students and any teenager really devouring this.
Sky & River grew up on Island in Ocean, living a life of survival with just their parents and the natural world. When River spots a boat, he is excited, thinking that he can return back to a life that he feels like he is missing, but Sky is scared and afraid of this land of the unknown.
When returned to her grandmother, she suddenly learns the "truth" about her family, her name, and the name of everything surrounding her. Confused, alone, and scared, she is thrust into an unfamiliar world, expected to adapt.
The pace of this novel was fast, full of suspense and intrigue. I highly recommend it!
I read a manuscript version of this book and really, really enjoyed it. It was suspenseful and intriguing with a completely unexpected twist. Teens are going to LOVE this.
Better than I thought it'd be. I'm kind of annoyed at the way it's been categorized.
"Reverse Dystopian"? Really? I guess folks forgot about [b:Island of the Blue Dolphins|233818|Island of the Blue Dolphins (Island of the Blue Dolphins, #1)|Scott O'Dell|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386924540s/233818.jpg|3215136].
"Reverse Dystopian"? Really? I guess folks forgot about [b:Island of the Blue Dolphins|233818|Island of the Blue Dolphins (Island of the Blue Dolphins, #1)|Scott O'Dell|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386924540s/233818.jpg|3215136].
On Island, I never questioned my place in the world, where I belonged, where I'm supposed to be. Now I am a girl without a place. It's worse than hunger--it's the saddest, most lonely thing i've ever felt.
I read a huge amount of books, and there are times when I can feel like I'm just reading the same scenarios from one book to the next with a few differences here and there. When I read the synopsis for Searching for Sky, I was intrigued, but not so much that I thought I would race to buy it immediately on release. Then I got sent a copy for review. And even then, I didn't jump right into it. What a mistake that was!! Searching for Sky is such a moving and heartfelt story. It's originality was a complete standout and the delivery was fantastic.
Sky and River have lived on Island for the past fourteen years. They have only each other to rely on and they do everything together. But one day River spots a boat in the distance. A boat that will come to their rescue and take them from Island, across ocean, to California and a life that is so incredibly foreign to them.
That's all I want, just to hear the whisper of the ocean, to feel the water against my toes, dancing there, a memory of what once was. There is still so much I don't know, I don't understand. But what I do know is this: the ocean heals and it soothes. The water is home.
Imagine being thrust into a world that is so completely alien to you. A world where you understand nothing of the modern comforts and day to day existence. Imagine how confusing this world would be. Phones, televisions, cars, shoes, clothes, food... All of these things are strange and new.
My heart broke for these two characters. I cried tears for their frustrations. When Sky and River are separated, Sky goes to live with a Grandmother that she has no recollection of. Not only dealing with trying to work her way through this modern world, she also has to learn how to accept the love and affections of a woman who is a stranger to her. And along the way she learns a whole host of things that will have her questioning this new life of hers as well as everything she knows of her past. Since this story is told from Sky's point of view, we really get to experience her struggles first hand. And while I was completely taken in with Sky and her story, but when River re-enters her life, and we learn how he has been spending his time, my heartbreak was taken to a whole new level, along with the pacing and escalation of the story.
But now, I see it exactly the way he understood it then, River and me, our edges overlapping, connecting, entwined. That's the way we're supposed to be. Without him, I am lost, empty. just a circle, a deep, empty hole.
The unbreakable bond between Sky and River was so beautiful. The love and affection that they have for each other, even when it's put to the test. I can't even imagine how hard it would be to be separated from the person who makes sense of everything for you. The portrayal of Sky's emotions was done so well.
Ben sees me I think. He actually sees me.
I have to make mention of Ben. He is the neighbour of Sky's Grandma, and he is beyond special. He understands Sky when everyone else seems not to. He accepts her difficulty to adjust and her reluctance to lose who she has been for the last fourteen years. He was caring and protective, and I adored him!!
For the most part, this is not a book that is fast paced and full of action. If that's what you need in a book, then you will be sorely disappointed with this one. What it is, is a story of deep and beautifully portrayed emotion and heartbreak. Searching for Sky gave me so much more than I expected. I can guarantee that I will be recommending this book to everyone. I will without doubt be rereading it again and again and I will also be picking up anything and everything that Jillian Cantor has written in the past and everything that she writes from this day forward.
5/5 Emotional and Heartbreaking Stars
Paperback very kindly provided by Bloomsbury Australia for review.
I read a huge amount of books, and there are times when I can feel like I'm just reading the same scenarios from one book to the next with a few differences here and there. When I read the synopsis for Searching for Sky, I was intrigued, but not so much that I thought I would race to buy it immediately on release. Then I got sent a copy for review. And even then, I didn't jump right into it. What a mistake that was!! Searching for Sky is such a moving and heartfelt story. It's originality was a complete standout and the delivery was fantastic.
Sky and River have lived on Island for the past fourteen years. They have only each other to rely on and they do everything together. But one day River spots a boat in the distance. A boat that will come to their rescue and take them from Island, across ocean, to California and a life that is so incredibly foreign to them.
That's all I want, just to hear the whisper of the ocean, to feel the water against my toes, dancing there, a memory of what once was. There is still so much I don't know, I don't understand. But what I do know is this: the ocean heals and it soothes. The water is home.
Imagine being thrust into a world that is so completely alien to you. A world where you understand nothing of the modern comforts and day to day existence. Imagine how confusing this world would be. Phones, televisions, cars, shoes, clothes, food... All of these things are strange and new.
My heart broke for these two characters. I cried tears for their frustrations. When Sky and River are separated, Sky goes to live with a Grandmother that she has no recollection of. Not only dealing with trying to work her way through this modern world, she also has to learn how to accept the love and affections of a woman who is a stranger to her. And along the way she learns a whole host of things that will have her questioning this new life of hers as well as everything she knows of her past. Since this story is told from Sky's point of view, we really get to experience her struggles first hand. And while I was completely taken in with Sky and her story, but when River re-enters her life, and we learn how he has been spending his time, my heartbreak was taken to a whole new level, along with the pacing and escalation of the story.
But now, I see it exactly the way he understood it then, River and me, our edges overlapping, connecting, entwined. That's the way we're supposed to be. Without him, I am lost, empty. just a circle, a deep, empty hole.
The unbreakable bond between Sky and River was so beautiful. The love and affection that they have for each other, even when it's put to the test. I can't even imagine how hard it would be to be separated from the person who makes sense of everything for you. The portrayal of Sky's emotions was done so well.
Ben sees me I think. He actually sees me.
I have to make mention of Ben. He is the neighbour of Sky's Grandma, and he is beyond special. He understands Sky when everyone else seems not to. He accepts her difficulty to adjust and her reluctance to lose who she has been for the last fourteen years. He was caring and protective, and I adored him!!
For the most part, this is not a book that is fast paced and full of action. If that's what you need in a book, then you will be sorely disappointed with this one. What it is, is a story of deep and beautifully portrayed emotion and heartbreak. Searching for Sky gave me so much more than I expected. I can guarantee that I will be recommending this book to everyone. I will without doubt be rereading it again and again and I will also be picking up anything and everything that Jillian Cantor has written in the past and everything that she writes from this day forward.
5/5 Emotional and Heartbreaking Stars
Paperback very kindly provided by Bloomsbury Australia for review.
WOW! Such an intense book! I started out thinking it was a lot like the movie Blue Lagoon(which I love) but made me wary as to whether it was just a silly copy...and wow did it prove me wrong! Sky has limited vocabulary to begin with but man did she make me think! The author has you questioning modern life and why it's so complicated now. Whilst it's not the happiest of stories, you feel sad for river and sky pretty much the whole novel, it was a good one, revealing background information that you were guessing from the beginning but still left you shocked when it was confirmed! I really, really liked this read, so I do recommend.
I would have given it a higher rating but I really don't like open ended finales.
For some people living on a deserted island may be paradise. For others it might be a nightmare. For Sky, her mother, her best friend River and his father Helmut - it's home. Life on Island is the only life she has ever known. Now the parents have gone and it's just her and River - that is until reality in the form of a boat brings world as they know it to an end.
"Rescued" from the island, Sky now has to live with a grandmother she doesn't know and isn't allowed to communicate with River, the only friend she has ever had. The modern world isn't anything like Island and monsters are hiding behind every corner.
In many ways Searching For Sky is a bit like a reverse dystopian. For Sky, life on Island was familiar and safe. She was plunged into a scary and dangerous world where nothing makes sense. All the modern-day conveniences we take for granted take on a new light in this book seeing them though Sky's eyes - even toilets are confusing and hard to cope with. She doesn't understand what people want from her nor what her role in life away from Island is. All she wants is her best friend back.
People think of Sky as stupid because she doesn't know how to act. She can't read, she often takes people literally, and technology confuses her. But Sky is quick to learn and grasp how life works in California. She has to face an entire life time of conditioning by mother and Helmut about the skeletons who live off of the island. Life is so different and confusing and not just because Sky doesn't have River by her side. Her grandmother is keeping them from being together and it is a bit of a mystery why she dislikes him so much. There are a few mysteries in this book - why were Sky and her mother on the island to begin with? What is the true story behind Helmut? And then there's River... Will Sky ever see him again?
It's an interesting story and I enjoyed discovering just what was going on as Sky did. Her friendship with Ben, the boy next door, was lovely to read. He was a great support for Sky in a world where everything was unfamiliar and hostile. I was kept wondering just how everything was going and in the end was satisfied by the bitter-sweet ending.
Searching for Sky is a beautifully written story about trying to survive in a world where nothing makes sense. The concept in which ours is a world that can be dangerous and frightening was fascinating to read. I was compelled to read on and see just how everything played out for Sky and River by the end.
Thanks to Bloomsbury Australia for the review copy
"Rescued" from the island, Sky now has to live with a grandmother she doesn't know and isn't allowed to communicate with River, the only friend she has ever had. The modern world isn't anything like Island and monsters are hiding behind every corner.
In many ways Searching For Sky is a bit like a reverse dystopian. For Sky, life on Island was familiar and safe. She was plunged into a scary and dangerous world where nothing makes sense. All the modern-day conveniences we take for granted take on a new light in this book seeing them though Sky's eyes - even toilets are confusing and hard to cope with. She doesn't understand what people want from her nor what her role in life away from Island is. All she wants is her best friend back.
People think of Sky as stupid because she doesn't know how to act. She can't read, she often takes people literally, and technology confuses her. But Sky is quick to learn and grasp how life works in California. She has to face an entire life time of conditioning by mother and Helmut about the skeletons who live off of the island. Life is so different and confusing and not just because Sky doesn't have River by her side. Her grandmother is keeping them from being together and it is a bit of a mystery why she dislikes him so much. There are a few mysteries in this book - why were Sky and her mother on the island to begin with? What is the true story behind Helmut? And then there's River... Will Sky ever see him again?
It's an interesting story and I enjoyed discovering just what was going on as Sky did. Her friendship with Ben, the boy next door, was lovely to read. He was a great support for Sky in a world where everything was unfamiliar and hostile. I was kept wondering just how everything was going and in the end was satisfied by the bitter-sweet ending.
Searching for Sky is a beautifully written story about trying to survive in a world where nothing makes sense. The concept in which ours is a world that can be dangerous and frightening was fascinating to read. I was compelled to read on and see just how everything played out for Sky and River by the end.
Thanks to Bloomsbury Australia for the review copy
3.5 stars
Searching for Sky by Jillian Cantor was a quick and interesting read. These days books are all about people figuring out how to navigate in a world very different from what we have today but this story focuses on two individuals who grew up on an island and are suddenly thrown into our existing world. I found myself pulled right in and couldn’t wait to see how things went.
Sky and River grew up with Sky’s mother (Petal) and River’s father (Helmut) on a remote island. They were always told that they were the sole survivors of a boat crash and they managed to survive for a number of years. The story opens on Sky’s sixteenth birthday and we find that now, it is only Sky and River left and they are doing their best to survive but it isn’t always easy. River had always challenged Helmut and his rules and now that he is no longer around, he makes the decision to try to draw attention to their island. He believes that if a boat would find them, he could go back to his mother, who he believes was left behind.
A boat does come for them and both River and Sky are thrown into a situation that they don’t know how to adapt to and the only thing familiar to each of them (each other) is ripped away and they are forced apart. Sky it turns out is actually Megan and her grandmother comes to take her home with her…and away from River who happens to really be Lucas.
As the story progresses, we find out there is really more to this story and Cantor does a wonderful job of peeling away the real story layer by layer. Sky’s mother was really a part of a cult, which happened to be run by Helmut. Before they left on the boat, Helmut enlisted the help of Lucas to feed the cult members apples that happened to be poisoned. Because of this and the fact that the press has had access to the images showing Lucas in the pictures, there is an immediate bias toward him, not only by the public but specifically by Sky’s grandmother. It is because of this bias that she basically pays him to stay away from Sky which ultimately creates larger issues.
It was really hard once River was back in Sky’s life to see how different their integration to the real world was. Where Sky had someone who tried to care for her, River had no one. He didn’t know how to do anything but survive in the wild (for lack of a better way of explaining) and because of that, he ends up living in a somewhat similar situation to before…just a different location.
I really did feel bad for these two. We see the story through Sky’s eyes and to see her ripped away from River and then everyone trying to force her to be someone she wasn’t made me want to shake everyone and make them see how much they were hurting her. Ben was the one person to pull through for them in the end and I appreciated how he admitted what his role was supposed to be and to make up for it, he did what he had to in order to gain back Sky’s trust.
Overall this was a solid 3.5 stars for me. I thought the pacing was good and the way Cantor brought me into these characters lives was great. It was a quick read and I found myself turning the pages to see how it would all end up for these characters. I would have liked to know more about the decision Helmut made (with the mushrooms - - why then...did something happen??) but it in no way took away from the story of Sky and River.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for the review copy.
Searching for Sky by Jillian Cantor was a quick and interesting read. These days books are all about people figuring out how to navigate in a world very different from what we have today but this story focuses on two individuals who grew up on an island and are suddenly thrown into our existing world. I found myself pulled right in and couldn’t wait to see how things went.
Sky and River grew up with Sky’s mother (Petal) and River’s father (Helmut) on a remote island. They were always told that they were the sole survivors of a boat crash and they managed to survive for a number of years. The story opens on Sky’s sixteenth birthday and we find that now, it is only Sky and River left and they are doing their best to survive but it isn’t always easy. River had always challenged Helmut and his rules and now that he is no longer around, he makes the decision to try to draw attention to their island. He believes that if a boat would find them, he could go back to his mother, who he believes was left behind.
A boat does come for them and both River and Sky are thrown into a situation that they don’t know how to adapt to and the only thing familiar to each of them (each other) is ripped away and they are forced apart. Sky it turns out is actually Megan and her grandmother comes to take her home with her…and away from River who happens to really be Lucas.
As the story progresses, we find out there is really more to this story and Cantor does a wonderful job of peeling away the real story layer by layer. Sky’s mother was really a part of a cult, which happened to be run by Helmut. Before they left on the boat, Helmut enlisted the help of Lucas to feed the cult members apples that happened to be poisoned. Because of this and the fact that the press has had access to the images showing Lucas in the pictures, there is an immediate bias toward him, not only by the public but specifically by Sky’s grandmother. It is because of this bias that she basically pays him to stay away from Sky which ultimately creates larger issues.
It was really hard once River was back in Sky’s life to see how different their integration to the real world was. Where Sky had someone who tried to care for her, River had no one. He didn’t know how to do anything but survive in the wild (for lack of a better way of explaining) and because of that, he ends up living in a somewhat similar situation to before…just a different location.
I really did feel bad for these two. We see the story through Sky’s eyes and to see her ripped away from River and then everyone trying to force her to be someone she wasn’t made me want to shake everyone and make them see how much they were hurting her. Ben was the one person to pull through for them in the end and I appreciated how he admitted what his role was supposed to be and to make up for it, he did what he had to in order to gain back Sky’s trust.
Overall this was a solid 3.5 stars for me. I thought the pacing was good and the way Cantor brought me into these characters lives was great. It was a quick read and I found myself turning the pages to see how it would all end up for these characters. I would have liked to know more about the decision Helmut made (with the mushrooms - - why then...did something happen??) but it in no way took away from the story of Sky and River.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for the review copy.
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes