Review Detail

Landlubbers and sea lovers alike will enjoy taking a trip with this Girl At Sea. Maureen Johnson once again successfully blends comedy and drama to create an intriguing, realistic story.

The Girl in question is Clio, who wears her heart and her scars on her sleeve. When she was eleven years old, she and her father created a board game called Dive! that took off.

A few years later, so did her father.

Fast forward five years. Now a high school junior, Clio was gearing up to work at a cool art supply store when her father contacts her. He wants her to come with him on a ten-week trip to the Mediterranean, but he won't tell her exactly where or why they're going.

Reluctantly, she goes along, only to discover they aren't alone. She must bunk with a sassy Swedish-English girl named Elsa whose mother is assisting Clio's father with his research. Her father's best friend Martin and a college boy named Aidan are also on board. As Clio's travels take her farther from home, they may or may not bring her closer to her father - and to herself.

Clio is a remarkable character. She's artsy. She's feisty. She's cool, but she doesn't know it. (That may just make her cooler.) She knows what she likes but isn't quite sure what she wants. She has a boldness about her, yet she's not really impulsive. Clio has a backbone, and even when she's vulnerable, she fights to stand on her own two feet. Her unique streak is a mile wide and she's got a knack for witty comebacks. I absolutely love her voice. Johnson's distinctive writing style really makes Clio shine.

Undeniably entertaining, Girl at Sea will not only please Maureen Johnson's loyal readers but should also be appreciated by anyone searching for a witty narrative and a memorable journey.