THE GREAT WIDE SEA

Following the death of his wife, a father takes his three sons on a yearlong sailing trip. Told in 15-year-old Ben’s voice, the story follows the family as they island-hop through the Bahamas. Anger is Ben’s method of coping with his mother’s death and his father’s irrational behavior. Eleven-year-old Dylan disconnects, retreating into his intellect, while five-year-old Gerry becomes increasingly fearful. After a violent storm, the boys awaken to find the boat has been pushed off-course and their father is missing. Left alone, they must band together for survival. Herlong displays a vast knowledge of sailing and of island life, offering a strong sense of setting. The repetitiveness of the characters’ reactions to their situation and each other will make readers impatient, however. A fast-moving plot and life-or-death situations will keep readers interested, but uneven characters and a lack of connection with their plight will ultimately leave them empty. (Fiction. 12 & up)