Book Review: THE KILLING SEA
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Lewis, Richard. 2006. THE KILLING SEA. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
2. PLOT SUMMARY:
In the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami in Sumatra, two teenagers, American Sara and Acehnese Ruslan, meet and continue together their arduous climb inland, where Ruslan hopes to find his father and sarah seeks a doctor for her brother.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
On one level, I dreaded reading this book. On another, I knew that, as a Junior Library Guild pick, the novel would be well-written, but each time I tried to pick it up, images of the 2004 tsunami flashed in my head. Well, I shouldn't have hesitated; THE KILLING SEA is a wonderful novel filled with love, friendship, courage, family, and yes, tragedy. Author Richard Lewis doesn't spare the reader realistic descriptions of the death and destruction wrought by the tsunami, but he weaves it into such a story of love and survival, that the overall sense is one of love and hope.
At the story's beginning, Sarah and Ruslan meet, and this encounter clearly highlights how completely different their worlds are. Soon their paths part, with each one's story being told in alternating chapters. This allows us to get to know both Sarah and Ruslan, their talents, weaknesses, dreams and fears. By the time they find each other again in the aftermath of the disaster, their worlds have changed, and they now live in an unimaginable place of death and danger. As Ruslan's faith in God is tested, Sarah's faith in family is renewed, and both find comfort in each other's strength. Their friendship and will to survive will leave you laughing and crying in turns.
I recommend this novel for anyone who likes adventure, survival stories, or stories of family and friendship. If you liked HATCHET or THE SHE, you'll like THE KILLING SEA.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S):
BOOKLIST: Drawing from his own experience as a rescue worker, Lewis creates a powerful fictional tale of survival and cooperation in the wake of the 2004 tsunami that killed nearly a quarter of a million people and devastated much of the Southeast Asian coastline....Although many of Lewis' descriptions are horrifyingly vivid, Ruslan's resilience and Sarah's emotional numbness will give readers some shielding.
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: The author treats cultural differences with a gentle and honest touch. He also creates a vivid picture of the many horrors and challenges faced in the immediate aftermath of a large-scale natural disaster. Despite drawbacks, this book will appeal to fans of survival adventures like Gary Paulsen's Hatchet
5. CONNECTIONS
* 7th Grade SCIENCE - This novel, along with Plum-Ucci's THE SHE have sections that would be great read-alouds when studying earthquakes and tsunamis. The dramatic retelling of what happens would help students visualize the physical process. (pp. 18-42)
* 6th Grade SOCIAL STUDIES - Indonesia is not only a country torn apart by a natural disaster, but also one which is torn apart by a civil war fought by a dictatorial military government and rebel armies. THE KILLING SEA addresses both, along with the customs of the country's Muslim people. This novel would be an outstanding read-aloud while studying Indonesia.
* 6th-8th ELA - Structurally, THE KILLING SEA makes a good example of telling a story by starting with two main characters together, then splitting them in two by using alternating chapters, and bringing them together just before the climax and resolution. It is realistic fiction that also shows the importance of research. There are some really good examples of how to weave factual information (pp. 12-15, 32, 58-59 about tsunamis, the ocean, and leeches) into a fictional piece.
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Lewis, Richard. 2006. THE KILLING SEA. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
2. PLOT SUMMARY:
In the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami in Sumatra, two teenagers, American Sara and Acehnese Ruslan, meet and continue together their arduous climb inland, where Ruslan hopes to find his father and sarah seeks a doctor for her brother.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
On one level, I dreaded reading this book. On another, I knew that, as a Junior Library Guild pick, the novel would be well-written, but each time I tried to pick it up, images of the 2004 tsunami flashed in my head. Well, I shouldn't have hesitated; THE KILLING SEA is a wonderful novel filled with love, friendship, courage, family, and yes, tragedy. Author Richard Lewis doesn't spare the reader realistic descriptions of the death and destruction wrought by the tsunami, but he weaves it into such a story of love and survival, that the overall sense is one of love and hope.
At the story's beginning, Sarah and Ruslan meet, and this encounter clearly highlights how completely different their worlds are. Soon their paths part, with each one's story being told in alternating chapters. This allows us to get to know both Sarah and Ruslan, their talents, weaknesses, dreams and fears. By the time they find each other again in the aftermath of the disaster, their worlds have changed, and they now live in an unimaginable place of death and danger. As Ruslan's faith in God is tested, Sarah's faith in family is renewed, and both find comfort in each other's strength. Their friendship and will to survive will leave you laughing and crying in turns.
I recommend this novel for anyone who likes adventure, survival stories, or stories of family and friendship. If you liked HATCHET or THE SHE, you'll like THE KILLING SEA.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S):
BOOKLIST: Drawing from his own experience as a rescue worker, Lewis creates a powerful fictional tale of survival and cooperation in the wake of the 2004 tsunami that killed nearly a quarter of a million people and devastated much of the Southeast Asian coastline....Although many of Lewis' descriptions are horrifyingly vivid, Ruslan's resilience and Sarah's emotional numbness will give readers some shielding.
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: The author treats cultural differences with a gentle and honest touch. He also creates a vivid picture of the many horrors and challenges faced in the immediate aftermath of a large-scale natural disaster. Despite drawbacks, this book will appeal to fans of survival adventures like Gary Paulsen's Hatchet
5. CONNECTIONS
* 7th Grade SCIENCE - This novel, along with Plum-Ucci's THE SHE have sections that would be great read-alouds when studying earthquakes and tsunamis. The dramatic retelling of what happens would help students visualize the physical process. (pp. 18-42)
* 6th Grade SOCIAL STUDIES - Indonesia is not only a country torn apart by a natural disaster, but also one which is torn apart by a civil war fought by a dictatorial military government and rebel armies. THE KILLING SEA addresses both, along with the customs of the country's Muslim people. This novel would be an outstanding read-aloud while studying Indonesia.
* 6th-8th ELA - Structurally, THE KILLING SEA makes a good example of telling a story by starting with two main characters together, then splitting them in two by using alternating chapters, and bringing them together just before the climax and resolution. It is realistic fiction that also shows the importance of research. There are some really good examples of how to weave factual information (pp. 12-15, 32, 58-59 about tsunamis, the ocean, and leeches) into a fictional piece.
