Hello, all! <3 I hope you’ve had a lovely weekend! And a very happy October to you all!! October is one of my favorite months of the year (and not just because it’s my birth month!), and as our beloved Anne Shirley once said, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
Autumn has been a blustery season for us so far. Hence why I’ve been reading and writing lots this past week (I’ve surpassed 50,000 words in my WIP!!! Aah!!). And, actually, one of the books I’ve been reading recently is the one I’m reviewing today — The Wanderer by Sharon Creech.
I was at the bookstore the other day, when I stumbled upon a used (and well-loved!) copy of this book. I’ve wanted to read one of Sharon Creech’s books for a long time now, and I may or may not have sat down and read The Wanderer in a single sitting right there in the bookstore. (I was most surprised that none of the employees walking by asked me to leave XDD)
Though it’s a bit of an older middle-grade book (I believe it was first published 26 years ago), it is such a beautiful one, and I quickly fell in love with Sophie, Cody, and all of their adventures. Creech’s writing is gorgeous too, and the way she weaves the story together is just so very aweing to me as a writer.
The blurb reads: The sea, the sea, the sea. It rolled and rolled and called to me. Come in, it said, come in. Sophie hears the sea calling, promising adventure as she sets sail for England with her three uncles and two cousins. Sophie’s cousin Cody isn’t sure he has the strength to prove himself to the crew and to his father. Through Sophie’s and Cody’s travel logs, we hear stories of the past and the daily challenges of surviving at sea as The Wanderer sails toward its destination—and its passengers search for their places in the world.
And, truth be told, I’m having a most difficult time trying to write this review.
Not because I didn’t adore The Wanderer. Rather, it’s because I do adore this book, and I don’t believe there are any words that can really describe just how good this book is.
I could ramble on about how good all the characters were. How deep and three-dimensional every single one of them was, with their own past, their own flaws, their own stories. I could ramble on about how Sharon Creech does such a brilliant job of immersing you right into the story, capturing just what the ocean feels like. I could ramble on about the beautiful, lyrical writing, and the fact that the first chapter alone was enough to draw me into the story.
Somehow, I can’t help but feel as though that that wouldn’t quite capture it.
Part of the reason I did love this book though, was the way it was told. This story is told through both Sophie and Cody’s travel logs, and I loved getting to see the world through both their eyes! You get to know Sophie through her own eyes, witness how she views the world, but then you also get Cody’s perspective on everything, which is sometimes so very different from Sophie’s.
And I thought this was so interesting, because Sophie isn’t always a reliable narrator. As you read the story, you start to see that there are things that Sophie isn’t telling us, especially things from her past.
But I think my favorite part of the book was the way everything wove together.
One of the most common pieces of writing advice (that many of us have probably had hammered into our heads at school!) is show, don’t tell.
And Sharon Creech does such a brilliant job of that. She never quite tells the reader everything outright. Rather, she trusts the reader to pick up on all these little bits and pieces as the story progresses. You just keep reading the story, till eventually, all of these little threads come to a head, and you yourself, as the reader, manage to put it all together and realize what it all means.
As a writer, I am truly in awe of how she managed to do this.
There are so many beautiful themes in this book to: themes of belonging, of growing up, of facing your past, of the hardships of life.
So yes. If you’re looking for a middle-grade book about the sea, family, stories, adventure, and finding your place in the world, I beg of you to read this book. It is truly beautiful, and it may or may not have made me shed a tear or two at the end.
And, of course, the Cute Fluffy Comrades are eager to offer up their own thoughts on this book as well…
(And in case you haven’t noticed…. Fuzzy Bee has returned!!!! I may or may not have gotten a new bee that looks exactly like Fuzzy Bee. XD)
Izzy: ACHOO!!! (cough) (blows nose) I… hab come down wid a cold, I dink. (blinks blearily at all the blog readers) However, I did recently read dis vonderful book and it is incredible. It may hab made me cry. *sneezes again* Alas, I cannot offer up any more thoughts because I cannot dink with dis cold.
Charlotte: This book is beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. I read this one with Isabelle at the bookstore and it is… it is truly a work of art!!! I don’t believe I’ve ever read any middle-grade book as good as this one. Well… (glances to her shelf of books) Hm. Well, actually, I can’t quite say that… But it is certainly one of the best books I’ve ever read! I adore it!! With all my heart!!
Fuzzy Bee: Ahem, I am most pleased to be back here with you all! I have missed all of you dearly! The Wanderer is such a lovely book! (buzzes her wings excitedly) The way the author tells the story is absolutely beautiful, and I love all of the characters so very much. Oh, I do wish I could go on a voyage across the ocean now… (stares wistfully out the window) Though I believe I could go without the almost-dying-during-a-freak-storm part…
Charlotte: SPOILERS, FUZZY BEE, SPOILERS!!!
Fuzzy Bee: What? Oh! Oh dear. (buzzes wings awkwardly) Oh my. Well, forget what I said about the almost dying part, would you?
Right, well, The Wanderer appears to have the Cute Fluffy Comrades’ approval! It really is a wonderful book, and I sincerely hope you all give it a read! Do let me know down in the comments what you thought of this review and if any of y’all have read The Wanderer! (Or been on a voyage across the sea. If you have, I would be most interested in hearing about it.)
And, of course, don’t forget to check out Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, where Greg Pattridge and a bunch of other amazing book bloggers come together every Monday to share MG book reviews, interviews, and more!
Here’s to an October of books, tea, and writing!
Till next time,
-Isabelle
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