Sea of Tears Review

Title : Sea of Tears

Author: Floella Benjamin

Release Date: 6^th October 2011

Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

Jasmine is a typical British born South London girl – smart, independent, plenty of attitude. But her parents are worried sick about the dangerous society in which they are raising their precious, only daughter. They are determined to move the family to Barbados for a quitter, safer life.

Jasmine is devastated – and when she starts school on the island she is even more miserable, bullied by other kids, who see her as an unwelcome outsider. All she can think about is finding a way to get back to Britain – and that’s when she spots the empty motor yacht…

What will happen to Jasmine, out at sea in a stolen boat? Can the fisherman’s son, Delvin, help her? Will Jasmine ever be happen in her paradise prison…?

Jasmine comes home one day to find her parents have made a life changing decision. Without consulting her they have decided to move to Barbados. From that moment on, Jasmine undertakes life threatening risks in order to make them change their mind and even when they move away, she continues to act recklessly and without thought in her attempts to get back to the UK. While being rejected by her new classmates and worrying her friends back home have forgotten her, Jasmine makes a new friend, Devlin. Will she finally learn to accept her new life?

Within this novel there are some amazingly vivid descriptions. However, at times I felt it was a little disjointed and I felt sad that the only time Jasmine spends in the UK is her dangerous escapades. Then suddenly, she is in Barbados and everything has changed. When Jasmine does get to Barbados, the fun starts but I felt it took this step to get the narrative off the ground.

I understood Jasmine’s feelings of displacement and anyone who has ever started a new school can understand that, let alone moving to a new country! For me though, Jasmine wasn’t the character that I identified with the most because she is often selfish in her behaviour and doesn’t think about how her actions affect others until the very end. Devlin is definitely my favourite character because he is strong enough to tell people what he believes and also offers Jasmine a friend when she needs it the most.

As well as offering an insight into Jasmine’s life, the book deals with the issues her parents face in dealing with a new way of life. As both children and adults face bullies in the playground and the workplace, Jasmine and her parents face day to day challenges with fitting in.

I would just suggest when reading this book that you persevere. It is really interesting and gives an insight into a different culture and way of life once Jasmine gets to Barbados. The book is lovely in its clear descriptions of the landscape and is a really beautiful read because of this. Jasmine definitely has a strong characterisation, at times I disliked her because of her reckless behaviour but she becomes more likeable as she begins to behave more sensibly. In fact, the happy ending of the book is really strong and throughout we see a huge development of character which makes the ending even more powerful.

3/5 A lonely girl becomes a great character.

The Radleys Review

Title: The Radleys

Author: Matt Haig

Release Date: 5^th July 2010

Publisher: Walker Books

Meet the Radleys: An entire family in identity crisis

Rowan: Never sleeps: wears factor 60 sunblock. It’s a fact: Rowan Radley is a freak.

Clara: Wants to turn vegan, but the lack of meat is making her sick. So is her family.

Dad: Midlife GP with a permanent headache. He’s thirsty: So thirsty.

Mum: Papers over the cracks in family suburbia. She wouldn’t lie to her kids… would she?

Enter Uncle Will – Cool, exciting, deadly, the prodigal uncle returns, trailing secrets in his wake.

And BLOOD. Quite a lot of sweet, sweet BLOOD.

The Radleys is a book about family life. The only difference is, the Radleys are a family of vampires and two quarters of the family doesn’t even know! Rowan and Clara’s parents, Helen and Peter, thought that keeping the family secret from them would be the best thing to do. They abstain from drinking blood and attempt a normal life, holding down normal jobs and having the neighbours round for tea (to share a meal, NOT as the meal). However, when Clara, a strict believer in animal rights, decides she is becoming a vegan, she doesn’t realise just how ill this will make her. A bad night out leads to more than she bargained for and the Radleys’ world is turned upside down. With the arrival of Uncle Will, Peter’s brother, come to assist in cleaning up the mess, things go from bad to worse. Can Rowan accept who and what he is? Can Clara get out of trouble? And what exactly has gone on between Helen and Will? How can things ever be made right?

This book is brilliant and will make you laugh out loud! A black comedy throughout, the story gives us insights into the difficulties the vampires face as well as the traumas the people around them have to suffer. Dealing with the general issues all teenagers face, such as trying to find love and parental worries, the book approaches teenage life in an innovative way while making you laugh constantly. But beware, this novel is not for the faint hearted (!) and involves blood drinking, blackmail and murder by the bucket.

All the characters are really complex and well developed, although my favourite is Rowan, possibly because he is the more sensitive one of the bunch and also gets the happy ending he really deserves. Uncle Will is also a brilliant character and closer to the blood sucking fiend of our nightmares than any of the others, he too gets an ending he deserves!  

Another one of those novels that I cannot recommend enough! Will challenge your ideas of what it means to be a vampire and also what it means to be human, as the characters are pushed to their limits by their instincts and the violent passions of others.

5/5 A brilliant black comedy- a must read!