Title: Sea
Author: Heidi R. Kling
Publisher: Penguin Putnam
Pub. Date: 6.10.2010
Genre: Contemporary YA
Keywords: Family, Loss, Natural Disasters, Volunteering, Relationships
Pages: 336
Description (from GoodReads):
Still haunted by nightmares of her mother's death, fifteen-year-old Sienna Jones reluctantly travels to Indonesia with her father's relief team to help tsunami orphans with their post traumatic stress disorder—something Sienna knows a lot about. Since her mother's plane went missing over the Indian Ocean three years before, Sienna doesn't do anything if it involves the ocean or planes, so this trip is a big step forward.
But the last thing she expects is to fall for Deni, a brooding Indonesian boy who lives at the orphanage, and just so happens to be HOT. When Deni hears a rumor that his father may be alive, Sienna doesn't think twice about running away with him to the epicenter of the disaster. Unfortunately, what they find there could break both their hearts.
I liked this book, but I just didn't love it.
My main problem with the book was Sienna. I just didn't feel a connection with her character... she felt one-dimensional and I didn't always find her very believable. I know she liked Deni and found him attractive and whatnot, but running away with him in a dangerous area when she barely even knows him? Maybe I'm jaded, but I simply didn't believe or understand her character.
I did, however, really appreciate the rest of this novel and plot. The focus on volunteering and the discussion of the tragedy that befell Indonesia and surrounding areas are very important topics and I commend Kling for including them in SEA. I felt inspired to go out and make a difference... regardless of how big or little. This novel has the potential to encourage readers to take notice of what's going on in the world and do their part to make it a better place and there's always more room for that in YA lit!
SEA is definitely worth exploring... and hopefully you'll have a deeper connection to Sienna than I did.
I liked this book, but I just didn't love it.
My main problem with the book was Sienna. I just didn't feel a connection with her character... she felt one-dimensional and I didn't always find her very believable. I know she liked Deni and found him attractive and whatnot, but running away with him in a dangerous area when she barely even knows him? Maybe I'm jaded, but I simply didn't believe or understand her character.
I did, however, really appreciate the rest of this novel and plot. The focus on volunteering and the discussion of the tragedy that befell Indonesia and surrounding areas are very important topics and I commend Kling for including them in SEA. I felt inspired to go out and make a difference... regardless of how big or little. This novel has the potential to encourage readers to take notice of what's going on in the world and do their part to make it a better place and there's always more room for that in YA lit!
SEA is definitely worth exploring... and hopefully you'll have a deeper connection to Sienna than I did.
I had similar feelings towards this book and its' characters. I enjoyed the plot, but I wasn't able to buy into it.
ReplyDeleteI've heard really good things, and definitely plan on reading it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your honest thoughts, Sara :) I have Sea sitting on my shelf but I'm not quite ready to pick it up yet. Not connecting with the main character is one of the things that really puts me of a novel. Let's hope I'll disagree with you on this one.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
That's kinda how I felt too. Thanks for the honest review!
ReplyDeleteI've wanted to read this book for some time now, but I still haven't gotten around to it. I hope to soon!
ReplyDeleteToo bad you didn't like it as much as you thought you would. I've been planning on reading this since the beginning of last year, but for some reason STILL haven't gotten my hands on it.
ReplyDeleteI like the plot and that it's able to inspire readers to get out there and do something to help. Hoping that I'll like it!