- Paperback
- Publisher: Winslow Pr (September 2000)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1890817325
- ISBN-13: 978-1890817329
- Shipping Weight: 503 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
Product Details |
Product Description
From School Library Journal
Grade 6-9-Against great odds, 13-year-old Cerinthe Gale, a commoner from the outer regions of the kingdom, is chosen to study at the Royal School of Dance of Windward. She feels that she is on the way to fulfilling the dreams that her late mother had for her. This is important, for Cerinthe feels responsible for her death. As her mother lay desperately ill, the girl, a beginning folk healer, treated her with a dangerous drug, and the woman died. At the dance school, she meets Elliana, a wealthy and talented classmate who takes an immediate dislike to Cerinthe. As the rivalry between these two builds to its devastating climax, Cerinthe struggles to understand why she does not find fulfillment in dancing, and why she no longer hears the song of the Goddess Sea Maid. Ultimately, this is a story about recognizing and responding to one's calling. It is only when a reckless wager ends in a horrible accident that Cerinthe chooses to use her gifts as a healer and saves the life of her nemesis. She is then able to see that her real passion is for caring for the sick. This is a powerful message, which flows naturally out of the story line without ever being didactic. This fine story has elements of fantasy reminiscent of Monica Furlong's Wise Child (1989) and its sequel Juniper (1991, both Knopf; o.p.) as well as realistic descriptions of dance practice and performance.
Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"Compelling." -- Publishers Weekly
"This [is a] wondrous tale of competition, self-discovery, and forgiveness . . . Characters in this novel are memorable and true, flesh and blood to readers." -- Voice of Youth Advocates
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
"This [is a] wondrous tale of competition, self-discovery, and forgiveness . . . Characters in this novel are memorable and true, flesh and blood to readers." -- Voice of Youth Advocates
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Nothing Special,
By Kate Morgan (US) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Aria Of The Sea (Paperback)
While I thought this book was okay, it was a definite let-down. Other then the big dancing school, every thing seemed so stero-typical. The bully, the girl, the way her mother died. I felt as if it was some thing a 10 y.o. could have made up and written down. Nothing more. Not a winner. ~Atalanta
5.0 out of 5 stars
aria of the sea,
By kim (Galway,Ireland) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Aria of the Sea (Paperback)
A thirteen year old girl named Cerinthe Gale lives on the island of Normost in the kingdom of windward .She has always dreamed of becoming a dancer ,and now her dream has come true. She has been accepted to the royal school of dance ,but will she regret the decision she has made? I'm talking about the book Aria Of The Sea .This book is good for just about any age ,but I suggest it mostly for the 10-15 age group .This is just because if your older it might be a little childish for you and if your younger you might have trouble understanding some things .Also because at times I found myself cringing at some rather unpleasant images,"the ragged edge of her shinbone thrust through the skin".I myself am 14 years old and I followed the book very clearly .In my opinion I found that this book was marvelous. I think now its my new favorite book .I found it to be so great first of all because it has to do with dance and I'm obsessed with anything to do with dance .Also because it had a good plot ,filled with lots of surprises and there was a lot of things going on .It really kept my interest ,I found myself having to pull away from it many times ,because I had to go to bed or do my homework .So if anything I just said describes what you like in a book then this book is for you !and as Cerinthe would say "may fair winds be yours".
5.0 out of 5 stars
Entirely Captivating!,
By
This review is from: Aria Of The Sea (Paperback)
Don't be put off by the poetic cover and alternate world setting-- this book is very straightforward and immediately engrossing. I began reading it at a highway reststop on a long drive and ended up staying until I finished it!With elements of a great school story (like Harry Potter!), "Fame"-- competition and talent among young people, and coming-of-age-- young Cerinthe feels responsible for her mother's death so avoids using her intuition as a healer-- this book is rich in detail and strong in character. The atmosphere of Faranor, the capital of the country, and the sea religion-- the Sea Maid is the goddess, and those who are gifted like Cerinthe hear her singing in a very literal way-- add to the power of the story and its themes. The dance is clearly ballet, and uses the same terms as ballet in our world, but dancers are called "daina" and "daine" rather than ballerina. Any child (or any person) with a calling, and maybe a choice between two callings, will find this story close to their heart. What do we sacrifice when we dedicate ourselves to a skill? Is it worth it? Sometimes the answer is very complicated! A must-read for any girl or woman with an interest in dance, or in the arts. Cerinthe's growing maturity, and her beginning to understand the humanity of even her opponents, is very touching. Surprising and delightful book!
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
Most recent customer reviews |
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
