Plot Summary

The Great Wide Sea

M. H. Herlong
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The Great Wide Sea

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2008

Book Brief

M. H. Herlong

The Great Wide Sea

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2008
Book Details
Pages

304

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Bahamas • 2000s

Theme
Publication Year

2008

Audience

YA

Recommended Reading Age

10-14 years

Lexile Level

660L

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Super Short Summary

In The Great Wide Sea by M. H. Herlong, sixteen-year-old Ben Byron, along with his younger brothers Gerry and Dylan, struggle to cope with their mother’s death while spending a year sailing with their father, who mysteriously vanishes one morning. As they continue their journey, the brothers develop theories about their father's disappearance and navigate their grief, demonstrating resilience and connection.

Adventurous

Emotional

Suspenseful

Melancholic

Contemplative

Reviews & Readership

4.2

2,229 ratings

68%

Loved it

22%

Mixed feelings

10%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

M. H. Herlong's The Great Wide Sea captivates with its strong narrative of survival and family dynamics, engaging readers through authentic characters and an intense plot. While praised for its emotional depth and realistic portrayal of nautical life, some find the ending predictable and certain plot elements improbable. Overall, a compelling read for young adults.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Great Wide Sea?

The ideal reader for M. H. Herlong's The Great Wide Sea is a young adult who enjoys adventurous, emotionally charged narratives. Comparable to readers of Gary Paulsen's Hatchet and Sharon Creech's Walk Two Moons, fans of survival stories and family dynamics mixed with introspective growth will find this book captivating.

4.2

2,229 ratings

68%

Loved it

22%

Mixed feelings

10%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

304

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Bahamas • 2000s

Theme
Publication Year

2008

Audience

YA

Recommended Reading Age

10-14 years

Lexile Level

660L

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