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roseleaf24's review
2.0
Some parts of this book are engaging. Others are stunningly boring. The travel of the ship Jocosta from the New England coast to the South, around Cape Horn to the Pacific Northwest Coast, and then to China gave opportunity to a broader variety of racism than I've seen before in Newbery books. Example in notes.
kibbles15's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Gun violence, Death, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail
allyoop's review against another edition
3.0
As much as I enjoyed Cornelia Meigs’ 1922 honor (The Windy Hill) this one didn’t have quite the same effect. I still like her writing style, but I think it’s better suited for younger characters. She doesn't age them convincingly... or something. This book is centered around older teenagers, and I never got particularly attached to them. The action was good and the story was somewhat compelling. However, if I don’t fall for the characters and their plight, then the story is kind of a wash. It falls in that "eh" range for me.
Edit: I noticed some criticisms of racism and sexism against this book, and wanted to say I didn't get that feeling. (Granted, I may have missed something while I was "eh"ing through.) I wouldn't call the book completely clear of sexism or racism, but Cornelia Meigs is pretty good at making her characters have opinions, and keeping the narrator tone neutral. The characters are travelling across the world, and need adventure. They encounter villains of different races and friends of different races. Indians (of India) are the main bad guys before they finally hit China. I think that's more due to geography and trying to create some action. The point of the book is that these plucky teenagers want to prove themselves as a relevant force to the Chinese to save the shipyard, and the Chinese are the cool kids on the block. I didn’t see anything specific in the way that other early Newbery books have bugged me. As for sexism… well, I was pleased with how opinionated (borderline annoying, even) the few women characters were. No obedience here. That suited me fine for a book staged in the 1700s.
Edit: I noticed some criticisms of racism and sexism against this book, and wanted to say I didn't get that feeling. (Granted, I may have missed something while I was "eh"ing through.) I wouldn't call the book completely clear of sexism or racism, but Cornelia Meigs is pretty good at making her characters have opinions, and keeping the narrator tone neutral. The characters are travelling across the world, and need adventure. They encounter villains of different races and friends of different races. Indians (of India) are the main bad guys before they finally hit China. I think that's more due to geography and trying to create some action. The point of the book is that these plucky teenagers want to prove themselves as a relevant force to the Chinese to save the shipyard, and the Chinese are the cool kids on the block. I didn’t see anything specific in the way that other early Newbery books have bugged me. As for sexism… well, I was pleased with how opinionated (borderline annoying, even) the few women characters were. No obedience here. That suited me fine for a book staged in the 1700s.
tealmango's review
1.0
Read the full review here: http://newberyandbeyond.com/newbery-review-clearing-weather/
Clearing Weather tells the story of the years right after the Revolutionary War. Nicholas is in charge of his uncle’s failing business when he decides to build his own ship and set it off in search of riches. This is not a bad story; I found myself enjoying the plot in many places, but it’s full of racism and sexism. For that reason, I found this book unsalvageable.
Clearing Weather tells the story of the years right after the Revolutionary War. Nicholas is in charge of his uncle’s failing business when he decides to build his own ship and set it off in search of riches. This is not a bad story; I found myself enjoying the plot in many places, but it’s full of racism and sexism. For that reason, I found this book unsalvageable.
triscuit807's review against another edition
4.0
I'm giving this one 4 stars in spite of some 1920s issues with race because the story was just that good. The setting is small town New England (probably Massachusetts), specifically a ship building town. It's early days post American Revolution and the country is far from united. There are Tories about who are engaged in undermining the new country (much as in The Codfish Musket which was set in the same period but on the frontier). The main protagonist is 20ish Nicholas Drury, nephew of a shipbuilder who has fallen on hard times. Drury comes up with a plan to save the firm: build a new ship in which the builders will have a stake rather than wages. Ranged against him is his uncle's former friend Cortland who has no desire to see any American enterprise succeed. Enter a dashing Frenchman, Etienne, and his dashing southern squire, Michael, and the shenanigans begin. On her maiden voyage the Jocasta sets sail first to the West Indies, then she deviates from her plan to sail to Europe and the Mediterranean and instead sails around the Horn for the Northwest to trade for furs with the Indians then onward to China. A voyage which was to be less than a year becomes twice that and everyone fears the Jocasta is lost. Is there racism in the book? Yes. There is a definite feeling that the First Peoples are both child-like, savage, and not to be trusted - given that no white speaks their language or attempts to do so, it's amazing any trade takes place. The Chinese are introduced first in a pirate attack and then in more hospitable quarters when trade begins. While Western European culture and initiative is lauded throughout, overall Chinese culture doesn't fare too badly. The most racist parts of the books are two of the three color plates, one depicting leering, snarling natives, the other leering, snarling Chinese pirates. But the depiction of Cortland is no better. It's as if the artist can depict villains only as leering and snarling. I read this for my 2017 Reading Challenge and my Newbery Challenge (Honor Book 1929).
angielisle's review
3.0
This 1929 Newbery Honor book attempts to illustrate the influence of ships on the building of America during and after the American Revolution.
The story itself feels worn and outdated; the plot was predictable to me even as a child which makes the book feel like it takes longer to read than it actually does. Granted, this book was easier to read than the last few Newbery books I have re-read. The language is modern; I said of Meigs' 1922 Newbery Honor book (The Windy Hill) that she reminded me of Mary Stewart in the way that she handles descriptions; that statement still applies with this book. That's her strong point - Meigs knew how to spin a description.
The problem is that some of her descriptions, while they may have been acceptable at the time of publication, are not acceptable in our evolving modern world. Like many books of this time, this story is disparaging toward Native Americans and Asians. On the other hand, this book also mentions how widespread trade was between North and South American natives and we catch a glimpse of China. But still, we watch white men invade territories that they have no jurisdiction over and we're supposed to sympathize with them when the native populations attempt to mete out their own law and order - law and order that is only depicted as ruthlessness and savagery to these white invaders. Strangely enough, this plot-line is paralleled with England's attempt to claim America.
Then, there's the depiction of women. A handful of comments scattered throughout the text reinforce the notion that a woman's rightful place is "in the home." Meanwhile, one female character laments that she can't be a sailor herself and, ultimately, it's the women who save the whole town's trade while all the credit goes to the men who took the women's wares out into the world.
This juxtaposition of information makes me wonder if Meigs intended this book to be a starting point for discussions about these issues? And, if used as such, this book has potential to inspire those conversations between parents and children/teachers and students. I don't know that I would want a child to read this book on their own and potentially take away some of these attitudes without getting those discussions.
The story itself feels worn and outdated; the plot was predictable to me even as a child which makes the book feel like it takes longer to read than it actually does. Granted, this book was easier to read than the last few Newbery books I have re-read. The language is modern; I said of Meigs' 1922 Newbery Honor book (The Windy Hill) that she reminded me of Mary Stewart in the way that she handles descriptions; that statement still applies with this book. That's her strong point - Meigs knew how to spin a description.
The problem is that some of her descriptions, while they may have been acceptable at the time of publication, are not acceptable in our evolving modern world. Like many books of this time, this story is disparaging toward Native Americans and Asians. On the other hand, this book also mentions how widespread trade was between North and South American natives and we catch a glimpse of China. But still, we watch white men invade territories that they have no jurisdiction over and we're supposed to sympathize with them when the native populations attempt to mete out their own law and order - law and order that is only depicted as ruthlessness and savagery to these white invaders. Strangely enough, this plot-line is paralleled with England's attempt to claim America.
Then, there's the depiction of women. A handful of comments scattered throughout the text reinforce the notion that a woman's rightful place is "in the home." Meanwhile, one female character laments that she can't be a sailor herself and, ultimately, it's the women who save the whole town's trade while all the credit goes to the men who took the women's wares out into the world.
This juxtaposition of information makes me wonder if Meigs intended this book to be a starting point for discussions about these issues? And, if used as such, this book has potential to inspire those conversations between parents and children/teachers and students. I don't know that I would want a child to read this book on their own and potentially take away some of these attitudes without getting those discussions.
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