Girl at Sea by Maureen Johnson
Clio Ford, 17, lives with her mother but gets stuck with her father and his crew for the summer, exploring the Mediterranean in search for an artifact. There’s her father’s new professor girlfriend Julia and her teen daughter Elsa, Julia’s research assistant Aidan, and her father’s friend Martin.
In close quarters on a luxury yacht, forced to share a bedroom with Elsa, Clio has been given cook duty. Her father tells her it’s not a party cruise, it’s a working vacation. Clio befriends Elsa, mourns the loss of her planned summer which included her art store-working crush Ollie back home, and grapples with her feelings for Aidan, who Elsa has declared will be her summer fling. There are a few flashbacks that reveal what the artifact is and Clio eventually discovers what exactly they’re searching for, a huge archaeological discovery.
We also find out how Clio’s parents separated and get glimpses at Clio’s earlier childhood, which included a hit board game that she co-created with her father. Overall – a fun read, good for summer. The humour and sarcasm worked for me and it went by quickly.
4/5
A dialogue teaser:
Everyone aboard gets assigned a com device and a number.
Clio pulled the tiny orange com from her pocket and looked on the back for Aidan’s number.
“Number Four,” she said. “You’re needed upstairs.”
Silence. Then a crackle and Clio’s father’s voice. “Number Five? Did you need Number Four?”
“Uh, yeah. Copy that,” Clio said, looking at Elsa and shrugging. “We need Number Four. He has something of Number Six’s. We have Three approval. Over?”
Elsa tumbled to her side and laughed into her pile of clothes. Clio held up a hand to quiet her.
“Okay, Five,” her father said. “Four’s on his way.”
“Roger, One. Over and out.” [pp. 83/84 hardcover]
HarperTeen, 2007
Maureen Johnson’s site
