Jason Prosper grew up in the elite world of Manhattan penthouses, Maine summer estates, old-boy prep schools, and exclusive sailing clubs. A smart, athletic teenager, Jason maintains a healthy, humorous disdain for the trappings of affluence, preferring to spend afternoons sailing with Cal, his best friend and boarding-school roommate. When Cal commits suicide during their junior year at Kensington Prep, Jason is devastated by the loss and transfers to Bellingham Academy. There, he meets Aidan, a fellow student with her own troubled past, and they embark on a tender, awkward, deeply emotional relationship. When a major hurricane hits the New England coast, the destruction it causes brings with it another upheaval in Jason’s life, forcing him to make sense of a terrible secret that has been buried by the boys he considers his friends. Set against the backdrop of the 1987 stock market collapse, The Starboard Sea is an examination of the abuses of class privilege, the mutability of sexual desire, the thrill and risk of competitive sailing, and the adult cost of teenage recklessness. It is a powerful and provocative novel about a young man finding his moral center, trying to forgive himself, and accepting the gift of love.
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"This is a coming of age story about uber-rich kids at a third rate New England boarding school. Jason Prosper, the protagonist and sailor-extraordinaire (I thought I knew how to spell that, but I DIDN'T!), transfers to Bellingham after a tragic suicide by his roommate, sailing mate, and best friend. More tragedy awaits in the new school. The books paints a pretty grim picture of these nearly lord-of-the-flies kids. I did enjoy all the sailing references. As for the title, one character suggests it as a new sailing lingo term - meaning "the right sea, the true sea, or finding the best path in life.""
— Robin (4 out of 5 stars)
" holden caufield revisited, but more. well-written, somewhat disturbing. "
— Leslie, 2/19/2014" I liked this book - in part because I was a senior in high school the same year as its main character Jason Prosper - but also because he is deeply flawed, constantly disappointing, and yet still eminently likable. Some parts of the book could be better developed, but overall I thought it was a great read. "
— Melinda, 2/12/2014" "The Starboard Sea" is a more sensitive, less trivial high brow East Coast equivalent to Less Than Zero, the plight of the alienated wealthy young man in the 80s. The prep school setting and sailing references reflect a fascinating world of the elite 1% and what makes this novel so readable is its engrossing portrayal of the intersection of class privilege and adolescence. It's hard not to feel sympathy toward the characters and despite their wealth, what they seem to lack. "
— Edward, 2/9/2014" one of those books that i don't know how to rate. i really enjoyed reading it. and i think it was well written esp. all the sailing details. but at the end, none of the characters seemed at all real or original. and i kept thinking about all those "less than zero" late 80's rich teen movies..... "
— Leah, 2/2/2014" Reading a book that had been so favorably reviewed (twice!) in the New York Times which was written by a former student of mine about a prep school that had a number of similarities with the one where she went and I still teach was a an odd experience. My unease with the sailing scenes was confirmed by two coaches whom I consulted. "
— Lisa, 1/24/2014" I really enjoyed this book. I started out thinking I wouldn't like it because of the setting and the many nautical references I couldn't understand. The more I read, the more I couldn't stop reading. Amber Dermont has a way with words that captures your attention. Her phrases, imagery, choice of words... It all blended together in a combination that worked perfectly. And it wasn't just her words, but also her ideas, her storyline that really pulled me in. One of the better books I've read in quite a while. "
— Melissa, 1/24/2014" Unhappy and sad, but good. "
— Jennifer, 1/20/2014" I can't figure out why the reviewers raved about this book. I found it to be not particularly well written and thought most of the characters were cardboard stereotypes. It might appeal to sailors as there is much discussion of sailing terms and strategies. "
— Ann, 1/4/2014" rich kids get away with killing a girl during a hazing "
— Louie, 1/1/2014" Loved this book so much. Like almost any book based at boarding schools but this one is realistic yet subtle with a great lead protagonist. "
— Lincoln, 12/15/2013" Always a let down when a book is compared to one of my favs, The Great Gatsny. "
— Cresta, 12/9/2013" Loved this book so much. I really can't tell you what a wonderful surprising story this is. It stays with you even after you've finished and it makes you want to live by the ocean so you can wake up each day to the vision that Amber Dermont so artfully lays out for you. "
— Patricia, 10/1/2013" Good summer read...I read it mostly because of the sailing references since my son was on a sailing team...Good story! "
— Carole, 8/21/2013" For some reason, I love books set at preppy boarding schools. This was a good one-- interesting plotting and pacing. "
— Amy, 8/9/2013" beautifully written. wrenching. "
— Marylove, 7/28/2013" Decent book. Explores some interesting topics, but narrator can get really terse and unexciting sometimes. "
— Shelley, 5/28/2013" Prep school, bullying, searching for identity and meaning...a well done book on familiar themes... "
— Jeanne, 5/5/2013" Ok, kind of an updated version of Catcher in the Rye - ish.... "
— Beth, 2/16/2013" At parts boring. The plot meanders at a leisurely pace around a boy in prep school whose best friends kill themselves (one after another). Ultimately it's a grim story about finding oneself and coming of age. "
— Jolene, 3/2/2012" A decent young adult read (although I don't think it's billed as ya). It was no "A Separate Peace." "
— Megan, 2/25/2012Amber Dermont received her MFA in fiction from the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Her short stories have appeared in numerous literary magazines and anthologies, including Best American Nonrequired Reading 2005, Zoetrope: All-Story, and Best New American Voices 2006. She currently serves as an associate professor of English and creative writing at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia and is also the author of the story collection Damage Control.
Alexander Cendese is a New York–based actor and narrator whose credits include roles on and off Broadway, in films, and on popular television shows, including Law & Order: SVU and All My Children. He holds a BFA from the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama.