"The Starboard Sea" is a wonderful first novel for Amber Dermont. It is the story of privilege, sorrow, pain, joy, love and a spot on first person narrative about life at a New England seaside prep school. Above all it is a book about the healing found in the joy of sailing. For a female author to get into the head of an eighteen year old boy is surely difficult, yet Dermont does so with ease, his voice and pain so real. The year is 1988; her main character is a fully believable New York teen, Jason Prosper. Jason has changed schools, and as he enters his senior year, he is deeply scarred by the suicide of his best friend and sailing partner, for which he feels he is responsible.
Jason's new school is Bellingham Academy, school know for its sailing skill. A few pages into the description of the school and I was convinced the setting of the fictional school was based on Tabor Academy which borders Sippican Harbor in Marion, Massachusetts. I was even more convinced with the mention of New Bedford; the description of the harbor in Marion is one I know so well, having sailing out of there for 25 years. Dermont knows her sailing terms and how to handle a boat. To have description so real, including a memorable hurricane, adds to the believability of the book.
Jason finds solace and begins to find himself through a relationship with Aiden, a troubled girl who responds to Jason's kindness and attention.
Bellingham is filled with damaged teens from dysfunctional wealthy families. The least believable characters are the completely detached faculty, who develop no relationship with their angst-filled wards.
"The Starboard Sea" is a beautifully written narrative of troubled teens, some who are destined to heal, despite the adults at the periphery of their lives, and others to go through a life devoid of meaning. One can almost see the handwriting on the wall. I highly recommend this book.
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