Author: Gary Paulsen
Genre: historical fiction
Similar books: The Wolf's Boy by Susan Williams Beckhorn
Where the World Ends by Geraldine McCaughrean
Rating:
Summary (provided by publisher): This stunning novel from the survival story master, set along a rugged coastline centuries ago, does for the ocean what Hatchet does for the woods, as it relates the story of a young person’s battle to stay alive against the odds, where the high seas meet a coastal wilderness.
When a deadly plague reaches the small fish camp where he lives, an orphan named Leif is forced to take to the water in a cedar canoe. He flees northward, following a wild, fjord-riven shore, navigating from one danger to the next, unsure of his destination. Yet the deeper into his journey he paddles, the closer he comes to his truest self as he connects to “the heartbeat of the ocean . . . the pulse of the sea.” With hints of Nordic mythology and an irresistible narrative pull, Northwind is Gary Paulsen at his captivating, adventuresome best.
My opinion: Knowing that this is one of Paulsen's final books puts extra pressure on this narrative. We want it to be perfect. Of course it isn't but it is a solid read. While the heavily historic setting makes it a harder sell for some middle grade readers, it is very atmospheric. And it's about more than just the drive for survival. Leif spends much of his journey reflecting on his place in the world and what it means to truly live. For a kid into survival stories, this is worth a read. And for the adult who grew up on Hatchet, this book is a nicely contemplative bookend to Paulsen's career.
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