The Starboard Sea Audiobook

" holden caufield revisited, but more. well-written, somewhat disturbing. "

" 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. "

" "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. "

" 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..... "

" 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. "

" 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. "

" Unhappy and sad, but good. "

" 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. "

" rich kids get away with killing a girl during a hazing "

" 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. "

" Always a let down when a book is compared to one of my favs, The Great Gatsny. "

" 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. "

" Good summer read...I read it mostly because of the sailing references since my son was on a sailing team...Good story! "

" For some reason, I love books set at preppy boarding schools. This was a good one-- interesting plotting and pacing. "

" beautifully written. wrenching. "

" Decent book. Explores some interesting topics, but narrator can get really terse and unexciting sometimes. "

" Prep school, bullying, searching for identity and meaning...a well done book on familiar themes... "

" Ok, kind of an updated version of Catcher in the Rye - ish.... "

" 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. "

" A decent young adult read (although I don't think it's billed as ya). It was no "A Separate Peace." "