About the Book:
Aceh, Indonesia. December 2004. Ruslan, an Indonesian boy, and Sarah, an American girl, are brought together in the aftermath of the devastating tsunami. Ruslan is searching for his missing father, while Sarah is trying to get medical treatment for her sick brother. Together they travel through the destruction, barely believing all that they see.
The Killing Sea is a high-stakes survival story that puts a human face on a terrible tragedy. Richard Lewis, who lives in Indonesia, was there during the tsunami and worked as a relief worker in Aceh in the days and weeks following it. This novel is based on his firsthand experiences.
Praise for The Killing Sea:
“This is an amazing story of the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable suffering, and a phenomenal survival tale as well.” - Katie Boehmer, Goodreads Review
My Thoughts:
Richard Lewis’ The Killing Sea is a survivalist story that chronicles the experiences of two teenagers navigating the aftermath of the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami that ravaged the Aceh coast of northern Sumatra in late December 2004.
This book didn’t work for me, but that’s not surprising, as The Killing Sea is middle-grade fiction, and I am old enough to remember the event on which it is based. Lewis’ plot relies on coincidence and lacks nuanced themes, but that’s not uncommon in books written for younger teens, and I don’t think it’s fair to judge the title through an adult lens.
Candidly, books like this would have appealed to me as a younger reader. Almost every chapter ends in a hook, and that unresolved tension would have captivated my imagination. I’d have been fascinated by Lewis’ descriptions of Aceh culture and amused by Surf Cat’s ability not only to survive, but thrive in the aftermath of such a devastating natural disaster.
Recommended to younger readers with an interest in disaster, action, and adventure fiction.
Richard Lewis | Simon & Schuster | Novel Published 2006
Unsolicited Review from Personal Collection
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