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Friday, November 1, 2013

Review: A Sea Not Full

Title: A Sea Not Full

Author: John Erickson

ISBN-10: 1935079476

ISBN-13: 978-1935079477

Review: When 16-year-old Nate's father dies while they're surfing together, his world crumbles. He finds comfort in the arms of a troubled young woman, Nora, and an inherited sailboat. The first chapter of this book is surfing-heavy, and for a non-surfer like me, it was a bit hard to get through. However, it isn't long after that the book picks up speed for even the most land-loving reader. Like the ocean, there is so much below the surface of A Sea Not Full. The characters are complex, and even the ones that seem to fit into a predictable mold (the cool pastor, the popular pretty girl, etc.) have so much more depth to them as the reader goes deeper into the story. I won't give away the dramatic and dangerous climax... but no one is guaranteed to get out of this adventure safely. There doesn't seem to be a solid canon of young adult Christian fiction aimed at young men, so this is an excellent addition on becoming a man in a Christian context, without being preachy or working off of an assumption that religious people are all good and the rest are not.

From the back cover: A modern coming of age adventure tale, A Sea Not Full is the story of Nate Pritchard, a 16 year old boy who, at a precipitous juncture in his life, must make some difficult choices. The novel is set primarily Ventura, California, where Nate lives with his father. When his father dies, a cataclysmic event in young Nate's life, he must find a way to live the life his father intended for the two of them. There is a boat, the sea, and the girl, Nora, whose troubles are masked by her own father's inability to accept the choices he made in the past with Nora's mother. Making good choices and coming to terms with his relationships with his mother, his grandparents, and Nora are the challenges Nate faces, which bring about a deeper understanding of his purpose in his life. A Sea Not Full is a thrilling read for young adults or anyone who enjoys an exciting adventure with a twist near the end.

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