A Crack in the Sea by H. M. Bouwman (review)
Buy Issue for $25 at JHUP- A Crack in the Sea by H. M. Bouwman
Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-399-54519-1 $16.99
E-book ed. ISBN 978-0-399-54520-7 $10.99
Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 6-9
This bold, thoughtful novel is set in a second world that houses people driven from our world by emergency. The primary communities that exist there are the Islanders, who stay put, and the Raftworlders, who explore a vast freshwater seascape. Three separate stories intersect with this second world: a story of a slave ship from 1781, whose African captives are saved after being thrown overboard by magical twins who use their ability to walk underwater to lead people to safety; a harrowing tale of a small Vietnamese group trying to escape their war-torn country in the late [End Page 165] twentieth century; and an account of siblings from the Islander population, Pip and Kinchen, one of whom has a special gift that might aid the Raftworld king in an obsessive pursuit that could put all of his people in danger. Bouwman ably weaves these threads together into a curious, haunting whole that references oppression, family, magic, and a human desperation for safety that transcends time and place. In spite of magical additions like krakens to the mix, this is a deeply respectful, careful novel that in no way diminishes what led these people to the second world; an afterword provides real life context for both the slave ship and the Vietnamese escape attempt. Detailed black and white illustrations invite contemplation and work well to highlight key moments in the novel, adding artistic flair to the already lyrical story.
