Review: Great character-driven story of life at sea (and ashore!)
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 17, 2013
The Sapphire Sea by David Andrews:Allan Shortland is a sailor at the top of his game, having spent years in the oil industry as an engineer and First Mate. We find him in the beginning of The Sapphire Sea coming home to Australia to work on a boat of the same name. The tension begins to build when we learn that his ex-wife, Sally, still lives in Australia, and is still in love with her ex-husband, regretting their earlier split. And Allan has changed from the man he once was, more willing to open up to Sally and anticipate her needs.I did think this book was going to be more of a thriller, so I was pretty surprised to find many romantic elements. The character-driven story circles around the lives of Allan, Sally, and the other men from the Sapphire Sea, and we see many of them struggle with heavy drink and the loneliness that seems to accompany these prolonged leaves from home. We, the readers, are definitely rooting for Allan and Sally to get back together, and when they do, are excited about the prospect of their future together, as well as becoming very interested in the world of off-shore drilling.David Andrews writes incredibly intelligently, showcasing his own background as an engineer and his ability to teach others about complex maritime concepts. The story-line moves fluidly between all of the characters, and we are drawn into their thoughts and emotions. Much of the story is interspersed with detailed descriptions of oil rigs and their attendant equipment, providing a fascinating look into both the Australian seaman’s culture and the world of big oil while still being accessible to the layman (like me!).For anyone interested in the sea, this book is for you! Looking forward to more of Mr. Andrews’ novels.