3.0
The Riddle of the Sea
ByPublisher Description
A gripping sea adventure featuring a lost father and a cursed ship makes for an outstanding debut by an exciting new author.
When Ravian's father doesn't return home from sea for his son's birthday, Ravian is certain he must be in danger. Hearing tales of a cursed ship that captures fishermen, Ravian goes in search of his father accompanied by his only friend Marvin the seagull. Before long, the pair find themselves trapped on the ship with only a kindly boy and a bad-tempered pirate for company. The ensuing voyage is beset with battles with giant squid and fierce storms, and Ravian despairs of every finding his father.
At once, a gripping fantasy adventure and a thoughtful story of friendship and overcoming fears, THE RIDDLE OF THE SEA is a hugely entertaining debut from an exciting young author. The book features stunning cover and black-and-white illustrations by acclaimed illustrator Karl James Mountford, and is translated from Dutch by Laura Watkinson, Carnegie-Medal 2020 short-listed translator of Lampie by Annet Schaap.
When Ravian's father doesn't return home from sea for his son's birthday, Ravian is certain he must be in danger. Hearing tales of a cursed ship that captures fishermen, Ravian goes in search of his father accompanied by his only friend Marvin the seagull. Before long, the pair find themselves trapped on the ship with only a kindly boy and a bad-tempered pirate for company. The ensuing voyage is beset with battles with giant squid and fierce storms, and Ravian despairs of every finding his father.
At once, a gripping fantasy adventure and a thoughtful story of friendship and overcoming fears, THE RIDDLE OF THE SEA is a hugely entertaining debut from an exciting young author. The book features stunning cover and black-and-white illustrations by acclaimed illustrator Karl James Mountford, and is translated from Dutch by Laura Watkinson, Carnegie-Medal 2020 short-listed translator of Lampie by Annet Schaap.
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesThe Riddle of the Sea Reviews
3.0
“Short and a fun time.”
“It’s an okay read—fun parts, but also some things bugged me.
Mainly, I liked Ravian and how he ends up on the cursed ship with Marvin, Banks and the other boy. Those middle bits, when Ravian is bound by the ship’s curse, the pirate is rough but there’s tension, storms, a sense of danger—those worked well. They felt exciting and kept me interested.
But the parts before and after? Less so. The conflicts often resolve too easily, which makes things feel a little shallow and unrealistic—especially after everything that happens in the middle. The ending has a woman on the beach, but I didn’t really see what purpose she served in the story—it felt like she was there only because of her looks, not her character.
Overall, good for a lighter adventure, especially for younger readers. But for me it didn’t quite hit deeper.”
About Jonne Kramer
Jonne Kramer studied creative writing at the University of Westminster in London. She currently lives in Amsterdam where she teaches creative writing in primary and secondary schools. The Riddle of the Sea is her debut novel. This heartwarming story was nominated for several prestigious prizes, including the Hotze de Roos-prize (for best Children's Book Debut) and the Dutch Children's Jury Prize.
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