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In a nutshell: swashbuckling adventure, sometimes underwater
Race to the Bottom of the Sea is a well-written, thoroughly unusual, thought-provoking pirate story, and a rip-roaring adventure. Our hero 11-year old Fidelia Quail has grown up with the sea in her blood: ever since she was a baby she’s accompanied her marine biologist parents on their travels. In the book’s dramatic opening, she’s on the surface tracking sharks while her parents record life on the seabed, until their submarine – designed and built by Fidelia – is destroyed by the deadly ‘Undertow’. Still grieving, Fidelia is kidnapped by the notorious pirate Merrick the Monstrous and forced to build a diving suit that will allow her to retrieve his treasure, hidden in an undersea cave and believed cursed. It’s an ingenious mix of buccaneering, science and oceanography, with a surprise touch of romance too, and Fidelia is a one in a million hero. Great stuff and one to recommend to fans of Philip Reeve, Christopher Edge and Jonathan Stroud.
When her marine scientist parents are killed in a tragic accident, eleven-year-old Fidelia Quail is racked by grief - and guilt. It was a submarine of Fidelia's invention that her parents were in when they died, and it was she who pressed them to stay out longer when the raging Undertow was looming. But Fidelia is forced out of her mourning when she's kidnapped by Merrick the Monstrous, a pirate whose list of treasons stretches longer than a ribbon eel. Her task? Use her marine know-how to retrieve his treasure, lost on the ocean floor. But as Fidelia and the pirates close in on the prize with the navy hot on their heels, she realizes that Merrick doesn't expect to live long enough to enjoy his loot. Could something other than black-hearted greed be driving him? Will Fidelia be able to master the perils of the ocean without her parents - and piece together the mystery of Merrick the Monstrous before it's too late?
Eagar's novel never lags or loses heart, and it's irresistibly baited with a cursed treasure hoard, danger, and candy. Flashback chapters fill in important backstory on Merrick, and readers will adore Fidelia for the passionate and clever heroine she is. Refreshingly, women are as likely to captain a ship as plunder it in this fictional world, a small but enriching detail. Earnest and exciting, this swashbuckling voyage of self-discovery sparkles even when threatened by the stormiest seas. * Booklist, starred review *
This fantastical tale, set in an indeterminate time and place, is chock-full of humor and swaggering pirate adventure...An old-fashioned, rip-roaring adventure featuring a smart, independent girl. * Kirkus Reviews *
Set in a world that combines futuristic and historical elements to intriguing effect, this is an exciting maritime adventure with a strong, layered heroine. * Publishers Weekly, starred review *
From start to finish, this is a thrilling book - which fully lives up to its cover * The Daily Telegraph
Praise for Hour of the Bees
A spellbinding tale that deserves a chance to become a modern classic. Tightly plotted and elegantly written, this is an exceptional debut novel – Young Post
ISBN: 9781406377392
Publication date: 07/06/2018
Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
Format: Paperback
| ISBN: | 9781406377392 |
| Publication date: | 7th June 2018 |
| Author: | Lindsay Eagar |
| Publisher: | Walker Books Ltd |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 400 pages |
| Suitable for: | 11+ readers, 9+ readers |
| Genres: | Fantasy / Magical, Thrillers |
| Recommendations: | eBooks |
| Other Categories: | Summer Reading |
Hour of the Bees is Lindsay Eager's first novel. A classically trained pianist and un-classically trained rock guitarist, Lindsay lives in Utah with her young daughter.
More About Lindsay Eagar
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