The Starboard Sea
Reading The Starboard Sea I had mixed emotions. The setting is interesting, the author does have a good flow to her writing, and there is excellent info about the ocean, sailing and racing. However, many nautical terms I did not always understand. The characters recklessness and rule breaking, treatment of others, drug abuse and privileged status, I had trouble relating to. Too many problems in the plot did not have conclusions or endings for me, left me wondering what was the story's message.
Rated of 5
by Jennifer F. (Saratoga, CA)
A Glimpse into Preppy Boarding School
Unfortunately, all the stereotypes are present in this unappealing novel from Amber Dermont. Expected vices and a genuine lack of empathy mark this work as just another peek into the exclusive but nasty world of exclusive boarding schools. Her characters are not sympathetic enough for the reader to care what awaits them. In general, an un-relatable novel, except for the very few readers who have inhabited this world.
Rated of 5
by Kathrin C. (Corona, CA)
Writing wonderful; story less wonderful
My final sum up on this debut novel of Amber Dermont: Her ability to write extremely well is unmarred. Her very deft play with language in many of her sailing and racing descriptions -wonderful. But her portrayal of the main character, Jason Prosper, became so convoluted, forever twisting through layers of sexual ambiguity, intense grief, teen camaraderie suffused with competition, and exuberant privilege-drenched egoism, I never took any serious interest in Jason Prosper or his world. That all said, I would still be interested in a second novel by this author, hopefully in a different time, a different place, with engaging characters and definitely a more focused story.
Rated of 5
by Lucia S. (La Jolla, CA)
Not quite
If this book had skewed more to the murder mystery genre, perhaps I could have forgiven its poor character development, and been more compelled by the story. Or, if the characters had been written more deeply, perhaps I could have enjoyed it as the literary novel I was hoping it would be. As it is, it's a rather weak novel with weak characters that I just didn't care about, with a predictable and overly-dramatic "mystery" dragging it along. I'm giving it 3 stars because Dermont's prose is occasionally quite fine, so it's difficult to toss the book altogether. But on the other hand, that makes it all the more disappointing.
Rated of 5
by Chris H. (Wauwatosa, WI)
Starboard Sea
I found this novel to be a cookie cutter story of prep school boys from rich families gone bad. The story revolves around an individual who was kicked out of the "good" prep school and now attends the prep school for "bad" and troubled kids. Decisions are made, some are mistakes, kids learn, sometimes with life changing results. I'm afraid the best thing I can say is that the book kept me interested long enough to finish.
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Stranger than fiction, blending tragedy and farce, How to Create the Perfect Wife is an engrossing tale of the radicalism, and deep contradictions, at the heart of the Enlightenment.
Z, the novel about the life of Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald is at points charming and; like another reviewer, I kept thinking of the movie, "Midnight...
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Although heavy on the scientific details, which slowed down the story for me (OK, I admit, I was one of those liberal arts majors who skipped out on...
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Loved this book. Magical, quirky, enchanting I could go on. All books do not have to be literary fiction, sometimes it is just so comforting to read...
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U.S. ebook sales up in 2012, but rate of growth is slowing(May 16 2013) In 2012, trade book sales (i.e. non academic book sales) rose 6.9%, to $15.049 billion, and e-book sales continued to grow, although the rate of growth...
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of 5
by Glenda A. (Naples, FL)
of 5
by Chris H. (Wauwatosa, WI)
