68 Knots

“…a novel about adventure, exploration, self-discovery, teamwork and mystery.”

This edgy novel about a diverse group of teens who commandeer a sailboat and support themselves by pirating during one summer full of adventure and discovery, is also a subtle yet powerful novel of awakening, of coming to grips individually with the issues they face as they are on the cusp of adulthood. Written with restraint and authenticity, this powerful debut will appeal to older YA readers.

This book a whole lot of different to me and I love it because the plot is different from other YA novels especially when it’s about sailing. I don’t have a one tidbit knowledge on sailing but this book gave the imagination or at least a bit of what’s all sailing about. Literally. And I got something out of it and just beyond sailing.

It’s about life. Finding yourself in a vast ocean – just you, making your own decisions. The characters—I feel them. I someway or another I understand them because they have not experience what’s like to be on your own, having an “alone and just-do-it yourself time”. I figured out that once in a while, we should really have our own time to ourselves so that we know and we have a better understanding of who we are and how are we able to make things work out.

In my opinion, that’s what’s almost all the character learned and how, no matter what, has somehow satisfied their summer days in the Dreadnought.

And also, they discovered that deep inside them, there is something they have yet to know about themselves. They have an ability that they didn’t think they had before and have not able to use them—not for revenge or anything that comes down to bad things but they come to think that it’s better if they are happy and comfortable, confident as ever. That all because of their voyage or a little adventure around the coasts.

Met people. Different kinds of people. Same for us in reality. They had stories we’ve never heard of and would want to share with us.

Tough decisions, one friend’s betrayal. Love. Beliefs. Being dauntless. This book has got it!! This book can be a life changing to others because as I turned each of the pages and read them, there’s always a hidden message in it that I also think the characters in the book has understood. I didn’t really regret reading this book even if it took me a while finish it. I even came back to read when I abandoned it once, thinking I could not be possibly finish this. But I had. It’s wonderful!!!

Continue to sail our boats and search our dreams in this beautiful journey, and let’s get through every storm we come across and always look over the horizon of tomorrow for always future holds good things for us!! Ahoy!!

P.S. The mates the characters met in their adventure in the ocean, I think it in life it says a lot too. For me, I think, meeting and communication with people is important and that always welcome good people aboard will bring something good back to us after our hospitality to them and for letting them enter our ship—in reality that’ll be called blessings in our life.

How I wish i have a book club so I can have a discussion with them about the book. Here’s the website for the discussion questions: http://www.tanglewoodbooks.com/books/68knots.html

I was just thinking about The Cab’s song “Take My Hand” and this song reminds me of when the Dreadnought crew had to say their last words to each other, say their goodbyes before heading and surrendering the ship and meet Captain Fernandez and the rest on the shore. This reminds me of that. And – Arthur and Dawn together on shore saying goodbye to each other.

Take my hand and we will run away
Down to this place that I know
How did this night become the enemy?
It’s over, it’s over, it’s over

Another song that reminds me of Arthur and Dawn – “That 70′s Song”. It kinda reminds me of when Arthur and Dawn volunteered to stay the night on deck to do the look out.

You say the storm will pass, we’ll work it out
The road can get a little rough sometimes I’ll move it fast without a doubt
Our hearts will beat in separate rooms tonight, tonight

“The Way We Talk” by The Maine might be just the best song that fits for Arthur on Marietta, haha!! OR the first time he saw her or maybe the time when Arthur rejected her offer to stay on board and dive in the chilly water with the others, haha!!

Oh she’s fresh to death,
She’ll be the death of you,
Seduction leads to destruction.
Yeah she’s fresh to death,
She’ll be the death of me,
She’s fresh, she’s fresh but not so clean.