Staff Pick- Aquarium by David Vann

[Karen Redlich]

This book is outstanding because its use of description is so lively and interesting.

12 year old Caitlyn is obsessed with the local aquarium and compares every day things in life to fish and the sea.

I thought that the best example was the description of going to the cinema and how the audience is like a school of fish hovering inside a coral cave and looking outside to the bright ocean.

The story covers many themes, first love, sacrifice, abandonment and poverty-but the overall theme is of forgiveness and letting go of the past.

Caitlyn's mother transitions from being the most stable and solid character in the book to the least solid and stable, and the dialogue flows well and is very believable. Recommend highly :-)

[Lindach]

Will add to my to read list!