The Fisherman's Son
Marilyn Peake
(Reviewer - Rebecca Brown)
2004 Double Dragon Publishing
ISBN: 1554042003

A brave young boy lives on an island & befriends a dolphin.

In this fantasy adventure set in the past, 12 year old Wiley sets out to find a priest to take care of his mother's last rites. His angry & drunk father has already left.

Along the way, as Wiley walks through the forest to the nearest village, a white rabbit shows him a patch of strawberries & soon he is asleep. Upon waking he sees a vision of a beautiful woman who leads him to a lake & bids him quench his thirst from a goblet that is inscribed with “Drink deeply by land and sea. Earth comes only once”, & Wiley's life is changed forever.

After meeting a dolphin who allows him to swim underwater, Wiley takes part in an extraordinary adventure through which he & the dolphin accomplish an incredible rescue mission. Along the way, Wiley & his friend encounter both real & imaginary creatures in the ocean depths surrounding Wiley's home.

For readers 9-12, The Fisherman's Son, is a complex tale simply written, with fascinating detail & unblinking reality borrowing from legends & sagas deep within our collective memories.

Youngsters will undoubtedly enjoy this story of a boy from a poor & troubled home, seeking adventure & solace & finding some degree of dignity & happiness.

More from Marilyn Peake: The City Of The Golden Sun
(07/13/03)

Rebecca