Review of Bluewater Walkabout
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Ana-Maria Vintilă
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Review of Bluewater Walkabout
[Following is a volunteer review of "Bluewater Walkabout" by Tina Dreffin.]
Bluewater Walkabout by Tina Dreffin is a debut memoir in which the author describes her and her family's adventures. Because of her mother, the author fell in love with the idea of traveling and discovering new lands. However, when she moved to Houston and began to work in the real estate domain she had trouble keeping up with what life threw at her. She was sexually harassed multiple times by her male colleagues and struggled to get a promotion and a higher salary. She left her job eventually, feeling discouraged at the idea of continuing to live like that. After that, her brother invited Tina to his wedding and there she met her future husband, Peter. They fell in love and he wanted her to go to the Caribbean with him. Tina, wanting to embrace that part of herself, agreed and they began their adventure together. Even when the couple had their sons, Adam and Warren, Tina entertained the idea of traveling together, all of them.
My favorite aspect of the book was how the author described every journey. The details were so vivid that I could almost imagine myself alongside Tina and her family. We explored South Africa, Brazil, and various dangers that befall the group. In their four-month journey, the family went on a safari in Kruger National Park, followed by sailing a catamaran into the ocean. I also enjoyed the way the author described her personal growth, letting her adventurous side take over the majority of the time. I was really able to see the changes and the effect that this adventure had on her.
The only thing I did not enjoy quite as much was the feeling I got when we were introduced to Peter, Tina's husband. It seemed like he was her salvation or the reason she needed to step out of her comfort zone. In any other context, I would find that quite romantic or sweet. However, in this case, it just did not sit right with me, given the fact that Tina had such horrible experiences with other men before. Of course, this is just my perception of this particular part of the book and I do not want to speak about the author's experience. In the end, it paid off and we get to see her feeling strong, liberated, happy, and comfortable with who she is.
I give this novel 4 out of 4 stars. It deserves this rating because it kept me hooked from start to finish and many times I had the impression that I was reading an adventure fictional novel and not a memoir about someone's life. Moreover, given the fact that I listened to the audiobook, I did not notice any editorial errors, so I can say this book was professionally edited.
I would recommend Bluewater Walkabout to people who enjoy stories (real or not) about adventure, family dynamics, and finding out who you really are. I believe that it can also be a great introduction to memoirs and autobiographies in general for someone who wants to read more and does not know where to start.
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Bluewater Walkabout
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Bluewater Walkabout by Tina Dreffin is a debut memoir in which the author describes her and her family's adventures. Because of her mother, the author fell in love with the idea of traveling and discovering new lands. However, when she moved to Houston and began to work in the real estate domain she had trouble keeping up with what life threw at her. She was sexually harassed multiple times by her male colleagues and struggled to get a promotion and a higher salary. She left her job eventually, feeling discouraged at the idea of continuing to live like that. After that, her brother invited Tina to his wedding and there she met her future husband, Peter. They fell in love and he wanted her to go to the Caribbean with him. Tina, wanting to embrace that part of herself, agreed and they began their adventure together. Even when the couple had their sons, Adam and Warren, Tina entertained the idea of traveling together, all of them.
My favorite aspect of the book was how the author described every journey. The details were so vivid that I could almost imagine myself alongside Tina and her family. We explored South Africa, Brazil, and various dangers that befall the group. In their four-month journey, the family went on a safari in Kruger National Park, followed by sailing a catamaran into the ocean. I also enjoyed the way the author described her personal growth, letting her adventurous side take over the majority of the time. I was really able to see the changes and the effect that this adventure had on her.
The only thing I did not enjoy quite as much was the feeling I got when we were introduced to Peter, Tina's husband. It seemed like he was her salvation or the reason she needed to step out of her comfort zone. In any other context, I would find that quite romantic or sweet. However, in this case, it just did not sit right with me, given the fact that Tina had such horrible experiences with other men before. Of course, this is just my perception of this particular part of the book and I do not want to speak about the author's experience. In the end, it paid off and we get to see her feeling strong, liberated, happy, and comfortable with who she is.
I give this novel 4 out of 4 stars. It deserves this rating because it kept me hooked from start to finish and many times I had the impression that I was reading an adventure fictional novel and not a memoir about someone's life. Moreover, given the fact that I listened to the audiobook, I did not notice any editorial errors, so I can say this book was professionally edited.
I would recommend Bluewater Walkabout to people who enjoy stories (real or not) about adventure, family dynamics, and finding out who you really are. I believe that it can also be a great introduction to memoirs and autobiographies in general for someone who wants to read more and does not know where to start.
******
Bluewater Walkabout
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
