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A review by librariandest
Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk
5.0
Another winner from Lauren Wolk.
I definitely see how the main characters in Wolf Hollow correlate to the main characters in this. You have the bully, the hermit, the wise woman, and the precocious young heroine. But I don't think this is a repeat of Wolf Hollow at all. The setting, the plot, and the themes are substantially different. Sure, Wolk seems to be very interested in writing about men who have given up on society, especially the connection these isolated (by choice) men might find with a child who can draw them back in a bit. And, sure, both stories have a ruthless villain driving the plot. But I think the similarities end there.
This book surprised me in a lot of ways. I thought Crow was a boy until page 25 or so. I thought certain details about the characters would be revealed, but they never were, and I realized I didn't really need to know (e.g. Osh's and Crow's parents' origins). I thought the plot would hinge on finding treasure, but it really hinges on what happens after the treasure. It's not really about finding the treasure or discovering certain facts about the characters. It's about the impact these things have on a person.
I was so into this book that I actually bought a copy when I couldn't finish my library copy in time (it was a library ebook, so it cruelly disappeared from my reader when the due date came). I work in a public library every day, so I don't spend a lot of money on books. But this was worth it.
I definitely see how the main characters in Wolf Hollow correlate to the main characters in this. You have the bully, the hermit, the wise woman, and the precocious young heroine. But I don't think this is a repeat of Wolf Hollow at all. The setting, the plot, and the themes are substantially different. Sure, Wolk seems to be very interested in writing about men who have given up on society, especially the connection these isolated (by choice) men might find with a child who can draw them back in a bit. And, sure, both stories have a ruthless villain driving the plot. But I think the similarities end there.
This book surprised me in a lot of ways. I thought Crow was a boy until page 25 or so. I thought certain details about the characters would be revealed, but they never were, and I realized I didn't really need to know (e.g. Osh's and Crow's parents' origins). I thought the plot would hinge on finding treasure, but it really hinges on what happens after the treasure. It's not really about finding the treasure or discovering certain facts about the characters. It's about the impact these things have on a person.
Spoiler
I was struck by how, at the end of the book, Crow and Osh and their life seem pretty unchanged. But, of course, they have both changed in important ways. Finding out about her biological parents has changed the way Crow sees Osh. That last line of the book killed me. "Osh means father." My heart swelled!I was so into this book that I actually bought a copy when I couldn't finish my library copy in time (it was a library ebook, so it cruelly disappeared from my reader when the due date came). I work in a public library every day, so I don't spend a lot of money on books. But this was worth it.