There are not words enough to describe how much I loved this book. It has everything. A clever, twisty plot; the most beautiful descriptions imaginable; a setting that you just want to be part of; and characters and relationships that break your heart, and then mend it again.

This is the third book of Lucy Clarke’s that I’ve read, and with each one, I found myself in awe of her writing skills. The narrative seems effortless, and this pulls the reader deep inside the story. We can see what the characters see, feel the emotions they feel. It’s so freaking good!

This is the story of Lana, a young woman who, with her lifelong best friend Kitty, goes travelling on the other side of the world. They meet the crew of a yacht called The Blue in The Phillipines and quickly decide to become a part of that crew. There are seven characters in total: Lana, Kitty, Denny, Aaron, Shell, Heinrich, and Joseph. For the first part of their journey, everything is great. They stick close to the coast, finding remote diving areas and beautiful islands. But, in the second part, when The Blue is to be sailed from The Phillipines to Palau, something terrible happens, and a member of the crew goes overboard. But which crew member? And what really happened?

Life on board quickly becomes unbearable for Lana. She seems to be the only person concerned over what happened that drunken night at the helm of the yacht. She is desperate to find the truth. When the crew disembark in Palau, Lana is the only member who doesn’t rejoin the boat.

The book flicks between Now and Then. In the Now, Lana hears a radio announcement that The Blue has sunk and its crew are missing. We see her waiting with other family members to find out if there are any survivors.

There is so much more to the plot than this. I didn’t want to give too much away. The suspense and fear aboard the yacht when they are miles away from land and trapped on the boat is fab. I could feel Lana’s unease. I thought this book examined how easily the truth can become distorted when you are stuck on a boat where you can’t take more than fifteen paces from one side to the other. That feeling of claustrophobia is extraordinary.

The thing I really need to write about, though, is Lucy Clarke’s descriptive prowess. The sun-kissed islands of The Phillipines, the clear water with shoals of fish and hard coral make the reader want to be a part of it. When the crew are relaxed and enjoying themselves at the beginning, I found myself dreaming about finding a yacht and hopping aboard. It reads like a paradise. Similarly, the descriptions of the rough crossing when the weather turns bad (incidentally, at the same time as they lose the crew member) make you really glad you aren’t there. The tension between the crew members creates a tension in the reader. It’s clever.

I loved this book. I can think of nothing I would change. Fantastic!

Everyone! It has a mystery that keeps you guessing throughout. And the prose is out of this world.

Lucy Clarke's writing style. It seems so effortless, yet it is so polished and beautiful. I loved the way she kept us unsure about each of the characters, as well. We didn't feel at ease for the second part of the journey, and I liked that.

Read 'The Sea-Sisters' which is Lucy Clarke's first book, and I haven't read it. I've read two others of hers, though, and they were equally fantastic.

Happy. Excited, like I wanted to tell the world about this book.

Lucy Clarke is an incredible writer. I recommend her to everyone.

It's fantastic!

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Created May 02, 2021 at 8:34am • Submit your own review...