My Rating- 5 Stars
Synopsis- Fourteen-year old Lissa is snatched from her home and finds herself a slave on a trading ship traveling on a waterless ocean of nothing but gray dust. A feisty, curious and intelligent girl, her desire to explore the ship earns her the hatred of the cruel first officer, Farq.
Fascinated by the ocean of dust, Lissa becomes embroiled in its mysteries, sensing things that the crew cannot, while cryptic whispers in her head are leading her toward a destiny linked to the dust itself. Only one man aboard can help her make sense of her new talent, but can she trust him? All is not as it seems, and she must unravel the clues before it’s too late.
When a sinister plot casts her adrift on the barren ocean, her best friend is left in the hands of the treacherous crew. Everything hinges upon her courage, quick wits, and her ability to master her new talent
My Review- Trying to save a young rich boy from harm , Lissa is unexpectedly caught up in more trouble than she bargained for. Along with another boy, pete, they are sold as slaves on a ship sailing out on the magical and mysterious Ocean of Dust. she is soon sent to the galley to cook and serve the crew but her adventure does not end there. Hounded by the spiteful Alice, beaten by the crew and the Deck Master Farq, she struggles to find her feet. Not only does she have all that to contend with, the Dust Ocean makes her ill. Lissa must learn the secrets of the Dust Ocean if she is to find out why it makes her ill, why she can see colours where others cant and why the creatures who live in the ocean have taken an interest in her.
The Ocean of Dust is not only a great adventure but a tale of courage and friendship and discovery.
Lissa is a beautiful character to follow and from the very first page you are drawn to her. I connected with her on an emotional level. When she was hurt or miserable or happy, then so was I. Halfway through the book I found myself near tears at what she was put through at the nasty hands of Alice and Farq. With every battle she won, I literally cheered for her (gaining some very strange looks from my partner). The supporting characters developed Lissa's personality perfectly. She is fiercely protective of her friends and fights for them even while she is in grave danger. Branda is caring, Pete is humourous and even the cranky old Navigator and Cook brought the story to life.
I hated knowing that the story had to come to an end, and I hope for a sequel to this lovely story. To follow Lissa's adventures and discover new villains and friends with her is something I look forward to. Graeme Ing is a fantastic story teller and even though Ocean of Dust is aimed at a young audience I believe people of all ages can connect with this book and the characters in it. There is truly something for everyone! Whats next Mr Ing, please don't keep us waiting!