A review by lisainbookland
The Lonely Sea and Sky by Dermot Bolger

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Such a wonderful portrayal based on true stories of Irish merchant ships which sailed during WWII — neutral but often targets nonetheless and also their part in rescuing stranded crews of any nationality they came across. A sea story that levels with Patrick O’Brian with me (although obviously set in a different time period). Even with the brilliant historical background however, the highlight were the characters. The main character is only 14 and the trip is his first voyage, left to be the main breadwinner for the family after his father’s death at sea. I loved the complex portrayal of how the Irish sailors were viewed by the British and Germans. My particular favourite was the tragic second officer Mr Walton. A new favourite book for me, highly recommend.