Reviews

And the Ocean Was Our Sky by Patrick Ness

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lexyg's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

I love Patrick Ness, but I didn’t love this book! I’m so glad it was a short one because I wasn’t interested, I kept reading waiting, hoping it would get better, but in the end I was confused, and sadly kinda bored.

laroris's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5 stars

dlberglund's review against another edition

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3.0

I didn't like Moby Dick in high school, and have no interest in giving it another chance. But an illustrated retelling from the perspective of a whale, by Patrick Ness who has written some amazing books? I'm in, I thought.
It was okay. It made some unexpected turns, and unexpected decisions about whales and magical realism. And though the message (spoiler: “the devils we make will destroy us all”) was pretty powerful, I wasn't so much on board with some of the wrap up of the plot. Interesting, but not amazing.

scrow1022's review against another edition

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5.0

Beautifully and movingly illustrated, gave depth to what otherwise might have seemed slightingly slim and more easily overlooked. But I loved his approach to this inversion of Moby Dick and felt it very true to elements of the original, while pulling out certain themes more strongly (futility of war & enmity; the hope, however faint, to do better). But in the end with the same sense of tragedy.

alyssakwriter's review against another edition

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3.0

I was super interested to read this book when I heard about it. Patrick Ness didn't disappoint! The story he created was unique and it really made me as a reader think. I took it as a different version to Moby Dick, one that centered on the whales themselves. Ness created a world where the whales have an advanced civilization where they create technology that specifically meets their needs. Because for all we know, they could.