Review of Swimming in a Sea of Stars
4 posts
[Following is a volunteer review of "Swimming in a Sea of Stars" by Julie Wright.]
If, on a summer's day, you would ask me to spend a few hours reading a book about mental illness and teenage suicide, I would most likely tell you to pound sand. And yet, I read Swimming in a Sea of Stars, a novel swirling with mental challenges and physical ailments, swished around with quite a bit of teenage angst, and came out smiling as I read the final page.
Julie Wright’s Swimming in a Sea of Stars is a remarkable novel for young adults, although older folks will also enjoy it. The story takes place over a single winter’s day and focuses on Addison Thoreau as she returns to school following a suicide attempt. We follow Addison as she moves from the seclusion of her home to the raucous halls of high school, fearful of what her schoolmates will think of her. She refers to herself as the girl who tried to kill herself; she wonders if everyone else will see her in the same light.
Ms. Wright has structured the book marvelously, beginning each chapter with an entry from Addison’s journal, outlining her fears and misgivings. But Addison only hints at why she tried to take her own life, at least at first. Addison, incidentally, isn’t the only character in the book facing horrifying life situations, although the trials of her classmates are not commonly known in the halls of the school. Her best male friend, Booker Williams, is fearful he is the reason for Allison’s attempt to kill herself, simultaneously struggling with the knowledge that his cousin and best friend, Seb, is dying from aggressive cancer. Damion Archer, the local social media celebrity, appears to be enjoying fame and financial success but is plagued by demons in his personal life. Standoffish Avery Winters already has difficulty making friends, which is exacerbated when her brother is arrested for peddling narcotics. And Celia Martin struggles with daily mental and physical abuse afflicted at home, courtesy of her alcoholic mother and her mother’s sadistic boyfriend.
The author has created these wonderful characters with unique personalities to complement their distinctive struggles. She has an uncanny knack for getting into the head of the modern teenager; her writing beautifully reflects their fears, hopes, and dreams, rounding them out as complex individuals. Even against the heavy themes of the book, one feels good to be in the company of these youngsters, experiencing their frustrations and reveling in their achievements. The author has a keen ear for teenage dialogue, speech patterns, fashion, and especially, the pervasion of social media.
Swimming in a Seas of Stars digs deeply into the terrors of mental illness. Reading Allison's journal entries lets us feel what she feels. However, Ms. Wright tackles other heady subjects just as effectively. She casts serious light on the ills of physical abuse, chronic depression, debilitating physical illness such as cancer and early onset Alzheimer's, and cyberbullying. Some of this is tough to read, but in the end, Ms. Wright projects a vision of hope in overcoming adversity, primarily through her characters’ insights into truth and friendship.
Ms. Wright does something in this book that is distinctive in today's portrayal of modern teenagers. She uses no profanity whatsoever. It's refreshing. Instead, she uses a euphemism of "jackbag” to indicate an unsavory individual rather than tossing in an occasional expletive. The book is also impeccably edited; I couldn't find a single typo or error, making this an even more pleasure to read. Most notably, the characters are diverse in their ethnic makeup, but each intermingles without any reference to one's color or social background. In Ms. Wright's world, this stuff doesn't matter, and it's uplifting.
No, I don't typically read these types of books. So, if you are like me, you probably wouldn't either. But take my word for it. If you choose to read Swimming in a Sea of Stars, you will not be disappointed and will find yourself a better person, even if just a bit. If anything, this book provides an exceptional educative deep dive into the ills troubling today's youth. As a man in my mid-sixties, Ms. Wright has given me a much better appreciation of the terrors and traumas facing our youth in a volatile world revolving on an axis of social media.
I am pleased to award Swimming in a Sea of Stars5 out of 5 stars. Ms. Wright's terrific book should be read by anyone interested in the trials and tribulations of young adults but will be enjoyed by those who like human interest stories. There is nothing about it that I disliked. It's about as perfect a novel as one can read.
******
Swimming in a Sea of Stars
View: on Bookshelves |
If, on a summer's day, you would ask me to spend a few hours reading a book about mental illness and teenage suicide, I would most likely tell you to pound sand. And yet, I read Swimming in a Sea of Stars, a novel swirling with mental challenges and physical ailments, swished around with quite a bit of teenage angst, and came out smiling as I read the final page.
Julie Wright’s Swimming in a Sea of Stars is a remarkable novel for young adults, although older folks will also enjoy it. The story takes place over a single winter’s day and focuses on Addison Thoreau as she returns to school following a suicide attempt. We follow Addison as she moves from the seclusion of her home to the raucous halls of high school, fearful of what her schoolmates will think of her. She refers to herself as the girl who tried to kill herself; she wonders if everyone else will see her in the same light.
Ms. Wright has structured the book marvelously, beginning each chapter with an entry from Addison’s journal, outlining her fears and misgivings. But Addison only hints at why she tried to take her own life, at least at first. Addison, incidentally, isn’t the only character in the book facing horrifying life situations, although the trials of her classmates are not commonly known in the halls of the school. Her best male friend, Booker Williams, is fearful he is the reason for Allison’s attempt to kill herself, simultaneously struggling with the knowledge that his cousin and best friend, Seb, is dying from aggressive cancer. Damion Archer, the local social media celebrity, appears to be enjoying fame and financial success but is plagued by demons in his personal life. Standoffish Avery Winters already has difficulty making friends, which is exacerbated when her brother is arrested for peddling narcotics. And Celia Martin struggles with daily mental and physical abuse afflicted at home, courtesy of her alcoholic mother and her mother’s sadistic boyfriend.
The author has created these wonderful characters with unique personalities to complement their distinctive struggles. She has an uncanny knack for getting into the head of the modern teenager; her writing beautifully reflects their fears, hopes, and dreams, rounding them out as complex individuals. Even against the heavy themes of the book, one feels good to be in the company of these youngsters, experiencing their frustrations and reveling in their achievements. The author has a keen ear for teenage dialogue, speech patterns, fashion, and especially, the pervasion of social media.
Swimming in a Seas of Stars digs deeply into the terrors of mental illness. Reading Allison's journal entries lets us feel what she feels. However, Ms. Wright tackles other heady subjects just as effectively. She casts serious light on the ills of physical abuse, chronic depression, debilitating physical illness such as cancer and early onset Alzheimer's, and cyberbullying. Some of this is tough to read, but in the end, Ms. Wright projects a vision of hope in overcoming adversity, primarily through her characters’ insights into truth and friendship.
Ms. Wright does something in this book that is distinctive in today's portrayal of modern teenagers. She uses no profanity whatsoever. It's refreshing. Instead, she uses a euphemism of "jackbag” to indicate an unsavory individual rather than tossing in an occasional expletive. The book is also impeccably edited; I couldn't find a single typo or error, making this an even more pleasure to read. Most notably, the characters are diverse in their ethnic makeup, but each intermingles without any reference to one's color or social background. In Ms. Wright's world, this stuff doesn't matter, and it's uplifting.
No, I don't typically read these types of books. So, if you are like me, you probably wouldn't either. But take my word for it. If you choose to read Swimming in a Sea of Stars, you will not be disappointed and will find yourself a better person, even if just a bit. If anything, this book provides an exceptional educative deep dive into the ills troubling today's youth. As a man in my mid-sixties, Ms. Wright has given me a much better appreciation of the terrors and traumas facing our youth in a volatile world revolving on an axis of social media.
I am pleased to award Swimming in a Sea of Stars5 out of 5 stars. Ms. Wright's terrific book should be read by anyone interested in the trials and tribulations of young adults but will be enjoyed by those who like human interest stories. There is nothing about it that I disliked. It's about as perfect a novel as one can read.
******
Swimming in a Sea of Stars
View: on Bookshelves |
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