68 Knots: A Novel [Hardcover]

Michael Robert Evans (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 15, 2007

This edgy novel about a diverse group of teens who commandeer a sailboat and support themselves by pirating during one summer full of adventure and discovery, is also a subtle yet powerful novel of awakening, of coming to grips individually with the issues they face as they are on the cusp of adulthood. Written with restraint and authenticity, this powerful debut will appeal to older YA readers.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 356 pages
• Publisher: Tanglewood Press; 1 edition (April 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933718145
• ISBN-13: 978-1933718149
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,636,773 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, October 1, 2007

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 68 Knots: A Novel (Hardcover)

Eight teenagers are ready for the summer of a lifetime - as part of a Leadership Cruise on board the schooner Dreadnought. But when the camp owner commits suicide just a few days into the cruise, rather than go back home, the teens decide to take charge of the ship themselves. They tie knots into a piece of rope, one knot for each day of summer remaining, and then set off to enjoy their 68 days of freedom.

The journey is not always easy, and they face many challenges along the way - including struggles for leadership, failed romances, storms, desertions, damages to the ship, and diminishing food supplies. But it's not all difficult, and they manage to have several fun adventures as well, such as trying to rescue a whale, searching for buried treasure, raiding yachts, racing other boats, and going hunting for seals.

The teens may not have had the summer experience they were expecting, but they are all undoubtedly changed by their time aboard the Dreadnought, as new friendships and relationships are formed, and they all begin to question their own futures.

68 KNOTS is a very fun read, and I really enjoyed it. The characters are interesting and diverse (although a couple of them have rather annoying habits), and the book is full of great details about sailing a ship. Even though the crew of the Dreadnought gets into some pretty sticky situations, anyone who reads this is bound to want to go out and experience the same summer at sea as these kids - I know I do!

Reviewed by: Andie Z.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for young sailors!, October 8, 2007

By 

D. Green (Grosse Ile, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 68 Knots: A Novel (Hardcover)

An exciting adventure including life lessons, drama - and sailing! We have purchased a number of copies to donate to the youth sailing league at our yacht club. A wonderful addition to any young adult's library.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Summer Read Full of Self-Discovery, Life-Lessons, and Fun!, August 12, 2011

By 

Tessa-ftbotbblog - See all my reviews

This review is from: 68 Knots: A Novel (Hardcover)

This is a perfect read for the summer, and it will have you feeling as if you are right alongside these eight teens as they sail away their summer. Arthur, Dawn, Joy, Jesse, Bill, Marietta, Crystal, and Logan all came together for a common goal, but each of them were still so different. This book has something for everyone. Filled with romance, adventure, mystery, and life lessons, 68 Knots will appeal to teens of all ages. I recommend it for teens fourteen and up, as this book does contain some mature content.

I really enjoyed how each teen had a story to tell. Some of them shared early on, while others only fed small tidbits to those they felt closest to. In the end though, these eight teens would be friends for life and would do anything for each other. How do you go through what they did, and not stay friends? Each had diverse backgrounds, but as the story progressed, I would learn a little bit more about what lives each of them came from. They might all be from different worlds, but in the end, all they wanted was to have the summer of their lives.

It was also so much fun to read about the trouble that these guys got into! I was shocked, with my mouth hanging open, by what they did at times. What can you expect from eight teens that have the summer all to themselves though? Whether it was stealing lobsters from lobster traps, going skinny dipping in the ocean, or searching for lost treasure, they were always up for trying new things. However, this summer wasn't all fun and games for them, as they still had to face serious consequences when they arrived home.

The title, 68 Knots, holds a great deal of significance in the story as well. In the beginning, Arthur, who appoints himself as captain, cuts and hangs sixty-eight knots of rope in the cabin. Each knot stands for the days they have left till their time on the Dreadnought must come to an end. As each day passes, Arthur undoes a knot, counting down to the last one. It was interesting to see how the teens grew over the course of their trip. With each passing knot, Arthur, Dawn, Joy, Jesse, Bill, Marietta, Crystal, and Logan all slowly developed and truly found themselves. By the time they came back home, they were different people.

The story of 68 Knots was a bit hard to believe in the beginning. After Captain McKinley commits suicide, the teens are on their own. Well, it was all a bit hard to grasp at first. I think that if things were taken a bit more slowly, then it would have given me some more time to adjust to all that was going on. However, it was also nice to be plunged right into the story, and forced to feel just as confused and lost as they did.

68 Knots is a thrilling tale of eight teens' adventure of a lifetime, which turns into much more than that. A wonderful standalone novel that will have you wondering what you can make out of life. Join Arthur, Dawn, Joy, Jesse, Bill, Marietta, Crystal, and Logan as they set out to have the summer of their lives in, 68 Knots!

-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf...
Until Next Time, Keep Reading!