August 12

‘Ship breaker’ by Paolo Bacigalupi

Set at a future time when oil is a rare saleable commodity, grounded oil tankers are taken apart by groups of workers who struggle to survive. Nailer, a teenage boy, works with one such crew searching for copper wiring. The harsh realities of this life, from his abusive father, to his hand to mouth existence, echo the worst poverty in the present day third world. In fact, parts of this story could also be read as though it was happening right now on the South-west coast of India, where ship breaking is prevalent. When an accident leads Nailer to discover an exquisite clipper ship beached during a recent hurricane, and the lone survivor, a beautiful and wealthy girl, Nailer finds himself at a crossroads. Should he strip the ship and live a life of relative wealth, or rescue the girl, Nita, at great risk to himself and hope she’ll lead him to a better life.
An excellent dystopian read for YA, ‘Ship breaker’ deals with themes of survival, family and kinship, and how a truly selfless loyalty can transcend everything else. Highly recommended. Mrs O.
To reserve ‘Ship breaker’, click here.

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Posted August 12, 2011 by marjk in category Adventure stories, Teacher Reviews

About the Author

Teacher-librarian at Aquinas College, Southport, Gold Coast, Australia

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