Members, remember to participate in our free book programs by Saturday!

Read advance reader review of Castle of Water by Dane Huckelbridge

Summary |  Excerpt |  Reviews |  Beyond the book |  Read-Alikes |  Genres & Themes |  Author Bio

Castle of Water by Dane Huckelbridge

Castle of Water

A Novel

by Dane Huckelbridge
  • BookBrowse Review:
  • Critics' Consensus:
  • Readers' Rating:
  • First Published:
  • Apr 4, 2017, 288 pages
  • Rate this book

About This Book

Reviews


Page 1 of 4
There are currently 27 member reviews
for Castle of Water
Order Reviews by:
  • Sherrill B. (Columbia City, IN)
    Castle of Water
    Very good book.There was a solution for every situation. The story takes place on a remote island in the south pacific after a plane crash. Two survivors, Sophie and Barry, must get along if they are to survive; they do, and they fall in love. They face many perilous situations but get through them. There is a surprise ending.
  • Mary W. (Altadena, CA)
    Another Castaway Story
    I totally enjoyed this book because although using the premise of castaways on an off the map small island as many other stories and movie scripts have used the author's approach was interesting and kept my interest throughout. The relationship between our castaways was like watching a marriage's beginning. How so? Learning about each others characteristics resulted in anger, criticisms, but eventually compromising and learning to enjoy each other despite imperfections. Working together to survive on this deserted island forced the give and take relationship to blossom. I am almost certain this will be made into a movie.
  • Christopher R. (Brooklyn, NY)
    Not your typical castaway story
    Wow. I am grateful to have received this book from Bookbrowse. It manages to do the impossible: transcend its seemingly generic premise of two people stuck in an island. It's far deeper than that. The book deals with stereotypes that we all have of other cultures and countries and how we can break these notions and even learn to see our differences as attributes. There is also the theme of expectations, like that of employment, that one is expected to fulfill in society. It tackles the notion that in a society, the happiness of the individual comes second to duty and finding long term stability. Here you have an island, separated from civilization and modern comforts but free of these expectations. I think that is where the two protagonists find common ground. In this island, they can be whatever they want--devoid of both society's expectations of who they should be, what occupation they should pursue, and their own misconceptions of what people from these two parts of the world are like. I found myself laughing, giggling, and smiling at multiple points in the story. Dane Huckelbridge's prose is refreshing as he offers so many great lines and funny jokes, but also dramatic and contemplative moments. This is a great read and I highly recommend it.
  • Jan T. (Leona Valley, CA)
    Castle of Water
    Castle of Water is ultimately a love story. It is also about survival and loss. The two main characters are stranded on an island for most of the book. As their love enfolds, the reader roots for this very unique but dear couple. It is a compelling novel about what it means to be forgotten and what it means to be rescued. It is truly a heartwarming read. The characters follow me weeks after I read this - I didn't want it to end! It is hard to categorize this book but I don't know a reader who wouldn't enjoy it.
  • Maureen S. (Huntington Station, NY)
    Castle of Water
    Castle of Water is a novel about survival and so much more.
    The novel's two characters are on their way to their dream island when disaster strikes and the two are stranded on a small, unknown Pacific island. Two very different personalities, Sophie Ducel, on her honeymoon, watches as her new husband is torn from her arms by sharks and Barry Bleeker, determine to leave his old life is washed ashore by luck. All their hopes and dreams are washed away - survival becomes the only goal.
    More than just another castaway story, Castle of Water is the story of differences. Sophie and Barry are forced to overlook their differences and to work together in order to survive. From that comes hope and love.
    The story is simply written in short chapters describing various episodes in their lives. I enjoyed this book and looked forward to the next chapter to know more about the two characters who had become my friends.
  • Elizabeth P. (Lake Elmo, MN)
    One of my 2016 favorites
    Castle of Water was a truly wonderful reading experience & everything I look for in a novel! There are only 2 characters (we really don't hear from anyone else who is mentioned by name in the book) and yet I wasn't bored for one moment & was completely absorbed in the story & island Barry & Sophie inhabited. Great for book clubs, romance novel lovers, & anyone just wanting a wonderful & engaging story.
  • Chris (California)
    beautiful prose
    From the beginning of this book, I was blown away by the beautiful writing. It was a joy to read. The characters were well developed. I felt like I was on the island with them and went through their challenges with them. Their adventure was surprisingly better than I had anticipated from a castaway story. Quite a tribute to our will to survive. Without writing a spoiler, I would have liked more details about the later part of the story. I will look for the next book by this author.

Beyond the Book:
  Paul Gauguin: A Flawed Artist

Top Picks

  • Book Jacket
    The Frozen River
    by Ariel Lawhon
    "I cannot say why it is so important that I make this daily record. Perhaps because I have been ...
  • Book Jacket: Everything We Never Had
    Everything We Never Had
    by Randy Ribay
    Francisco Maghabol has recently arrived in California from the Philippines, eager to earn money to ...
  • Book Jacket: The Demon of Unrest
    The Demon of Unrest
    by Erik Larson
    In the aftermath of the 1860 presidential election, the divided United States began to collapse as ...
  • Book Jacket: Daughters of Shandong
    Daughters of Shandong
    by Eve J. Chung
    Daughters of Shandong is the debut novel of Eve J. Chung, a human rights lawyer living in New York. ...

BookBrowse Book Club

Book Jacket
The Berry Pickers
by Amanda Peters
A four-year-old Mi'kmaq girl disappears, leaving a mystery unsolved for fifty years.
Book Jacket
In Our Midst
by Nancy Jensen
In Our Midst follows a German immigrant family’s fight for freedom after their internment post–Pearl Harbor.
Who Said...

I write to add to the beauty that now belongs to me

Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!

Wordplay

Big Holiday Wordplay 2024

Enter Now

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.