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eikenlady's review against another edition
4.0
I actually really liked this. The character was interesting, the storyline was interesting. Okay...the typo of "somethng" on page 205 annoyed the living daylights out of me, but content-wise it was good.
kbrownreads's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book about a summer romance. I reccomend [b:How to Build a House|2023177|How to Build a House|Dana Reinhardt|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320395191s/2023177.jpg|2027632] to all who loved this book.
yungokssss's review against another edition
4.0
Aww! This was really cute, and I absolutely adored it!
nssutton's review against another edition
4.0
i'd always avoided maureen johnson's books because the covers are so chick lit it physically hurts me to look at them. but she was so deadpan and hilarious at the njla convention that i just had to give it a shot. so glad i did! totally my favorite kind of storytelling, right down to the incredibly stubborn main character.
ecmsquared's review against another edition
2.0
Clio is sooooo annoying but y’know what I support annoying teenage girls. Unfortunately I cannot support thirsting after a boy who wears flip flops.
snarkywench's review against another edition
2.0
aureen Johnson Challenge Book 3 – I quite confess that I don’t get the attraction of her writing yet. While the author contains considerable enthusiasm in her words, her characterisation and generally plotting are rather simplistic. More introspection, less whining and more grounding is needed. The whimsical nature of the adventures on the boat were great as were the issues between father and daughter. In fact, the latter could have made a better focus rather than the “treasure” that all the characters were looking for.
You finish Girl at Sea not feeling as though you have learnt anything more that surface level for any of the characters. Sure all of them have minor or major revelation but none of the sharing is really followed up on. It’s more like an uber basic YA plan - big revelation here, some URST here and voila! The problem is, it’s hard to care about any of these unlikeable, self-involved people and so revelations are next to meaningless.
The “kidnapping” near the end of the novel was particularly on the nose. It served little purpose other than to make me question why any of this story really need to be set on a boat. There’s a lack of depth to Maureen Johnson’s writing that makes it difficult for me to relate or empathise with her characters and yet I will continue to try and “get” the fascination. Until then I will just have to continue to love Maureen Johnson via her blogs as her pages don’t (currently) suffice.
You finish Girl at Sea not feeling as though you have learnt anything more that surface level for any of the characters. Sure all of them have minor or major revelation but none of the sharing is really followed up on. It’s more like an uber basic YA plan - big revelation here, some URST here and voila! The problem is, it’s hard to care about any of these unlikeable, self-involved people and so revelations are next to meaningless.
The “kidnapping” near the end of the novel was particularly on the nose. It served little purpose other than to make me question why any of this story really need to be set on a boat. There’s a lack of depth to Maureen Johnson’s writing that makes it difficult for me to relate or empathise with her characters and yet I will continue to try and “get” the fascination. Until then I will just have to continue to love Maureen Johnson via her blogs as her pages don’t (currently) suffice.
milkweedwitch's review against another edition
4.0
Ok. I have to comment on the cover. WTF? That girl on the cover could never, ever be Clio. I’ve noticed a pattern with Maureen Johnson’s books: Find a picture of a pretty, slim girl (with no face). Put her in tight pants and a tank top. Add in a few pieces of plot-related decorative flourishes. And Voila! A cover girl that has nothing at all to do with the strong heroines Johnson writes. (At least Suite Scarlet seems to have broken this pattern)
I’m probably overreacting, but this really bothers me. This cover is so generic that it short-changes what’s inside. I’m glad I didn’t judge this book (or 13 Little Blue Envelopes) by its cover. If I had, I likely would have assumed the novel would have been another formulaic teen romance drama. Which it definitely is NOT. If I wasn’t lazy, I’d start a petition to stop this cover design travesty. :)
Ok, onto more serious matters... Girl at Sea has a great pace and likable characters. There’s a bit of everything here: mystery, romance, drama. It was a great book to read while stuck in winter misery.
I’m quickly growing into a huge Maureen Johnson fan, almost entirely because of her heroines. Johnson does not write stereotypical teen girls- they are all fully fleshed out young women with diverse talents, desires, and motivations (which is why the covers bother me so much). Clio is highly relatable, even though many girls probably can’t even imagine living the life Clio has cruising around the Mediterranean. But Clio’s feelings, her relationships, her fears, and her weaknesses are all very real. The exotic locale is just that: a setting. It adds interest to the story, but does not serve to alienate readers. While most readers might not be able to imagine how it would feel to jump off the deck of a yacht into the dark sea, most can probably relate to being hurt by a friend or fighting with a parent.
Another thing I like about Johnson’s heroines is that they have romantic interests but do not need to be rescued. Clio does not need a boyfriend or a kiss to complete her. Clio needs to find something inside her- even though crushes and first kisses seem to take priority in her life, it’s not really what she’s looking for. While Clio gets what she wants in the love department, the other things she gets, the things she didn't know she was looking for, are so much more
meaningful, satisfying, and life changing.
The inclusion of old letters keeps the mystery going and clues readers in on details related to the secret search that Clio is not yet aware of.
I highly recommend this book.
I’m probably overreacting, but this really bothers me. This cover is so generic that it short-changes what’s inside. I’m glad I didn’t judge this book (or 13 Little Blue Envelopes) by its cover. If I had, I likely would have assumed the novel would have been another formulaic teen romance drama. Which it definitely is NOT. If I wasn’t lazy, I’d start a petition to stop this cover design travesty. :)
Ok, onto more serious matters... Girl at Sea has a great pace and likable characters. There’s a bit of everything here: mystery, romance, drama. It was a great book to read while stuck in winter misery.
I’m quickly growing into a huge Maureen Johnson fan, almost entirely because of her heroines. Johnson does not write stereotypical teen girls- they are all fully fleshed out young women with diverse talents, desires, and motivations (which is why the covers bother me so much). Clio is highly relatable, even though many girls probably can’t even imagine living the life Clio has cruising around the Mediterranean. But Clio’s feelings, her relationships, her fears, and her weaknesses are all very real. The exotic locale is just that: a setting. It adds interest to the story, but does not serve to alienate readers. While most readers might not be able to imagine how it would feel to jump off the deck of a yacht into the dark sea, most can probably relate to being hurt by a friend or fighting with a parent.
Another thing I like about Johnson’s heroines is that they have romantic interests but do not need to be rescued. Clio does not need a boyfriend or a kiss to complete her. Clio needs to find something inside her- even though crushes and first kisses seem to take priority in her life, it’s not really what she’s looking for. While Clio gets what she wants in the love department, the other things she gets, the things she didn't know she was looking for, are so much more
meaningful, satisfying, and life changing.
The inclusion of old letters keeps the mystery going and clues readers in on details related to the secret search that Clio is not yet aware of.
I highly recommend this book.
hijinx_abound's review against another edition
3.0
As kids, we don't always get all the information about our parents. When there is a split, we often see one side. When one parent is suddenly gone, they are easy to blame.
This book was a bit zany and at times the flashbacks seemed unnecessary. Overall it's a story about connection, familial and otherwise as well as how easy you can hurt others. Cute easy book.
This book was a bit zany and at times the flashbacks seemed unnecessary. Overall it's a story about connection, familial and otherwise as well as how easy you can hurt others. Cute easy book.
l_e_a_n_a's review
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
floorflawless's review against another edition
I'm not feeling it, it's just not for me I guess... So unfortunate because I really loved some other books by Maureen Johnson :(