Wild and Distant Seas: Book summary and reviews of Wild and Distant Seas by Tara Karr Roberts

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Sue P. (Albuquerque, NM)

Wild and Distant Seas
What a concept! Take a literary classic, add some incredible women, and then, as a final flourish, stir in a dollop of magic. This book may very well become a classic in its own right. I could never plow through MOBY DICK, but I just may give it another go after this read.
Evangeline Hussey deserves to take her place among strong and unusual literary heroines, as do the other women in this book.
The book's sheer scope - of time and location and emotions - will leave the reader wanting to peel back the title page and crawl inside to experience these things for themselves.
Thank you, BookBrowse for making it available to me as an ARC.

Sharon M. (OR)

Wild and Distant Seas by Tara Karr Roberts
Few things are as satisfying as a good story skillfully written. Wild and Distant Seas is the kind of book you find yourself pondering about between readings. Spanning 56 years, two continents and four generations of Hussey women, the author never obscures the story with undue description, details or fantasy. Indeed, among the pleasures of this book is Roberts' ability to convey layers of meaning within deft sentences and images. Male characters are not neglected, but relationships between women, both mothers and daughters and the diverse women who sustain them, builds our understanding of the enduring values of caring and loyalty.

NM

Spellbinding journey
Tara Karr Roberts' debut novel Wild and Distant Seas tells the story of four generations of mothers and daughters whose lives take them around the globe and whose remarkable memories take them even further. Drawing in elements of Herman Melville's Moby-Dick, Roberts creates a world both heartbreakingly real and magically surreal. The beautifully written prose transports us right to each location and right to the heart of the matter as each woman tries to find her way in the world and find her way back home. Roberts portrays the mother-daughter bonds with enduring accuracy: at once loving and exasperating, strong and fragile. Wild and Distant Seas is a page-turner, a deep dive so spellbinding you'll need to come up for air to catch your breath. By far one of the best books I've read this year!

Kathleen L. (Fairfield, PA)

Whales, women, migration, and memory
The beginning of this book seemed slow, but I'm so glad I continued reading. This story of four generations of women proved to be compelling, moving, and beautifully written. Across the generations, the women had unusual gifts related to memory, and the portrayal of memory challenged and enriched my own understanding of memory. As the women moved across the world, each sought, or sought to avoid, knowledge and memory of the character Ishmael from Moby Dick. I haven't read Moby Dick, but I was able to follow the story and understand what he represented. I especially loved the whale imagery, and even several days after finishing the book, I find myself thinking about the whales and the role they played in the story. I recommend this book for anyone interested in family history, New England, oceans, women's roles, and memory, among many topics.

Carole P. (Natick, MA)

Wild and Distant Seas
What a joy it was to read this book. Although I am not a Moby Dick fan, once I started reading this, I was hooked. Beautifully written, the book just flows. The story follows four generations of women and their daughters. The tale of Ishmael is woven in as each new generation of women tell their story. Although it is heartbreaking at times, it was not a "dark depressing " book. Along with the suspense of each women's tale , a touch of magic, and the love that mothers have for their daughters , it is a book that has depth to it and well developed characters. I think it is going to be one of my favorite books for 2024.

Beatrice M. (West Islip, NY)

Wild and Distant Seas by Tara Karr Roberts
What a wonderfully written debut by Tara Karr Roberts! This piece of historical fiction, as the novel begins, truly captures the rich atmosphere of a Nantucket seaside town and inn. As the story advances, other towns and countries are brought to life as this novel unfolds.
Although it somewhat follows the tale of Moby Dick, this novel's focus is on the women spanning over 4 generations, making it a generational epic tale,
This book was well paced and the descriptions and voices of each character kept me turning the pages and wanting more. I found myself wrapped in the details of each main character and their journey through life. I did not want this book to end.

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