Girl of the Southern Sea
By Michelle Kadarusman
My Review:
Michelle Kadarusman’s latest novel takes the reader to Indonesia where gifted student, Nia, longs to attend high school and get an education. Instead, she spends her days helping her father run a food cart and raising her younger brother.
Nia graduated middle school and had big dreams to be a writer one day. However, her family is poor and cannot afford the school fees for high school. Nia’s writing dreams are dashed as she is faced with the reality that she must care for her younger brother and help earn money through the family’s food cart. An unexpected change of fortune sets Nia on a path to a different future, but she has to decide if it is the future she wants.
Nia and her family live in the slums of Jakarta, Indonesia. Nia’s mother died during the birth of her younger brother. Her father drinks too much, including the profits from their daily takings and stays out late at night. Therefore, it is up to Nia to get her brother to school and make sure the food cart is ready for daily sales. Faced with all these adult responsibilities there is no time or opportunity for Nia to continue with her education. However, when Nia has the time, she enjoys writing stories about a mythical princess that she shares with her brother.
The lives of the people are woven together as they each try to make the best of their situation. The characters in Nia’s daily life subtly show the hardships that surround the everyday people in Nia’s life. They include her best friend Yuli, who also can no longer go to school and helps look after her own brother. The local street vendor, Mumma Tutti, who keeps a close eye out for Nia. Even the bar owner, Jango, who makes money as best he can through liquor sales.
One day Nia’s luck changes unexpectedly. An accident results in Nia escaping without a scratch and the community believing her to have good luck. Her food cart becomes popular, sales rise and a new friend, Oskar, helps to spread the story about her good magic banana fritters. The story of good magic continues but Nia begins to uncover some secrets about her father. Including a secret agreement he made that she is expected to commit to. Things begin to unravel and Nia must draw on all her strength to make grown up decisions that allow her to live the life she wants to live.
The easy to read narrative and short chapter style encourages the reader to consider adult topics such as responsibility, family, persistence and hard work. Girl of the Southern Sea is particularly suitable for the 12+ age group as it does have some adult themes.
Girl of the Southern Sea by Michelle Kadarusman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Michelle Kadarusman’s latest novel takes the reader to Indonesia where gifted student, Nia, longs to attend high school and get an education. Instead, she spends her days helping her father run a food cart and raising her younger brother.
Nia graduated middle school and had big dreams to be a writer one day. However, her family is poor and cannot afford the school fees for high school. Nia’s writing dreams are dashed as she is faced with the reality that she must care for her younger brother and help earn money through the family’s food cart. An unexpected change of fortune sets Nia on a path to a different future, but she has to decide if it is the future she wants.
Nia and her family live in the slums of Jakarta, Indonesia. Nia’s mother died during the birth of her younger brother. Her father drinks too much, including the profits from their daily takings and stays out late at night. Therefore, it is up to Nia to get her brother to school and make sure the food cart is ready for daily sales. Faced with all these adult responsibilities there is no time or opportunity for Nia to continue with her education. However, when Nia has the time, she enjoys writing stories about a mythical princess that she shares with her brother.
The lives of the people are woven together as they each try to make the best of their situation. The characters in Nia’s daily life subtly show the hardships that surround the everyday people in Nia’s life. They include her best friend Yuli, who also can no longer go to school and helps look after her own brother. The local street vendor, Mumma Tutti, who keeps a close eye out for Nia. Even the bar owner, Jango, who makes money as best he can through liquor sales.
One day Nia’s luck changes unexpectedly. An accident results in Nia escaping without a scratch and the community believing her to have good luck. Her food cart becomes popular, sales rise and a new friend, Oskar, helps to spread the story about her good magic banana fritters. The story of good magic continues but Nia begins to uncover some secrets about her father. Including a secret agreement he made that she is expected to commit to. Things begin to unravel and Nia must draw on all her strength to make grown up decisions that allow her to live the life she wants to live.
The easy to read narrative and short chapter style encourages the reader to consider adult topics such as responsibility, family, persistence and hard work. Girl of the Southern Sea is particularly suitable for the 12+ age group as it does have some adult themes.
View all my reviews
Strongly recommend you read this YA fiction if you enjoy stories of perseverance and persistence.
From the publisher UNIVERSITY QUEENSLAND PRESS
A gifted student, Nia longs to attend high school so she can follow her dream and become a writer. She has notebooks filled with stories she’s created about the mythological Dewi Kadita, Princess of the Southern Sea. But her family has barely enough money for food, let alone an education, so Nia’s days are spent running their food cart and raising her younger brother.
Following a miraculous escape from a bus accident, Nia is gifted with good-luck magic. Or at least that’s what everyone’s saying. Soon their family business is booming and there might even be enough money to return to school. But how long can her good luck last?
When a secret promise threatens everything she’s hoped for, Nia must find a way to break the mould and write her own future.
A gifted student, Nia longs to attend high school so she can follow her dream and become a writer. She has notebooks filled with stories she’s created about the mythological Dewi Kadita, Princess of the Southern Sea. But her family has barely enough money for food, let alone an education, so Nia’s days are spent running their food cart and raising her younger brother.
Following a miraculous escape from a bus accident, Nia is gifted with good-luck magic. Or at least that’s what everyone’s saying. Soon their family business is booming and there might even be enough money to return to school. But how long can her good luck last?
When a secret promise threatens everything she’s hoped for, Nia must find a way to break the mould and write her own future.
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Girl of the Southern Sea by Michelle KadarusmanMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Michelle Kadarusman’s latest novel takes the reader to Indonesia where gifted student, Nia, longs to attend high school and get an education. Instead, she spends her days helping her father run a food cart and raising her younger brother.
Nia graduated middle school and had big dreams to be a writer one day. However, her family is poor and cannot afford the school fees for high school. Nia’s writing dreams are dashed as she is faced with the reality that she must care for her younger brother and help earn money through the family’s food cart. An unexpected change of fortune sets Nia on a path to a different future, but she has to decide if it is the future she wants.
Nia and her family live in the slums of Jakarta, Indonesia. Nia’s mother died during the birth of her younger brother. Her father drinks too much, including the profits from their daily takings and stays out late at night. Therefore, it is up to Nia to get her brother to school and make sure the food cart is ready for daily sales. Faced with all these adult responsibilities there is no time or opportunity for Nia to continue with her education. However, when Nia has the time, she enjoys writing stories about a mythical princess that she shares with her brother.
The lives of the people are woven together as they each try to make the best of their situation. The characters in Nia’s daily life subtly show the hardships that surround the everyday people in Nia’s life. They include her best friend Yuli, who also can no longer go to school and helps look after her own brother. The local street vendor, Mumma Tutti, who keeps a close eye out for Nia. Even the bar owner, Jango, who makes money as best he can through liquor sales.
One day Nia’s luck changes unexpectedly. An accident results in Nia escaping without a scratch and the community believing her to have good luck. Her food cart becomes popular, sales rise and a new friend, Oskar, helps to spread the story about her good magic banana fritters. The story of good magic continues but Nia begins to uncover some secrets about her father. Including a secret agreement he made that she is expected to commit to. Things begin to unravel and Nia must draw on all her strength to make grown up decisions that allow her to live the life she wants to live.
The easy to read narrative and short chapter style encourages the reader to consider adult topics such as responsibility, family, persistence and hard work. Girl of the Southern Sea is particularly suitable for the 12+ age group as it does have some adult themes.
View all my reviews
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