Across the Risen Sea
Bren MacDibble
Allen&Unwin
Pub. 2020

July 20, 2021

Across The Risen Sea by Bren MacDibble is a lovely book about two young people, Neoma and Jaguar, or Jag for short.

This book is written from the perspective of Neoma. The story begins at the beach where they take turns swimming and find some unexpected visitors that have come from the Valley of the Sun. They live in a small community on the high ground living gentle lives until they meet some people who speak a very strange language.

Jag is regularly afraid of stuff, but never leaves Neoma to face things alone. He’s good at drawing and will think with his head before doing things, though sometimes those things never happen.

Jag’s father Sorren and mother used to live in the city where two of her sons died but when they came to Ockery Island at the time of the risen sea, Jag’s mother died while giving birth to Jag in their new home. This guy reminds me of a strong sidekick who gets scared and nervous about many things though he has a strong fear of sharks.

Neoma is not afraid to do things and will do them before thinking of the consequences. She loves to have fun and adventure and never backs down from a challenge. Noema is loyal and brave. She has a mother who came to the island when Marta – the head – was almost alone and the risen sea was rising. She reminds me of a fearless warrior not afraid to do anything.

If one is a doer there is a possibility that they will mess up. I have to tell you that Neoma does mess up, more than once, and soon finds herself in a web of secrecy. But she faces her problems and has to travel across the sea on a solo mission to find and save Jag from the siblings.

Neoma and Jag face a series of challenges in this book such as travelling across the risen sea, fishing, scavenging, getting a visit from strange people and many more. They do not know what will happen in the future but keep pushing on.

I enjoy how Across the Risen Sea is written clearly and in a calm way. The storyline, though, is the opposite and is really exciting and many awesome things happen. In the beginning, I got to meet many of the wonderful characters, especially Neoma and Jag.

If Bren MacDibble’s aim was to create an exciting and daring book, she achieved it. She wrote the book in very simple words and kept it low-key, but as I read the story I could visualise the scenes clearly in my head and it was just a great book to read.

Finally, I’d like to recommend this book to young readers, as the wording is not difficult and the story is great but overall to anyone willing to try a little sailing across the risen sea.

• Sana Sharma is 12 and lives in Hamilton.