Aria of the Sea [Import] [Hardcover]

Dia Calhoun (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 270 pages
• Publisher: WINSLOWHOUSE; Library Edition edition (November 28, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1890817252
• ISBN-13: 978-1890817251
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,411,774 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entirely Captivating!, August 5, 2003

By 

Gwen A Orel (Millburn, New Jersey United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Aria of the Sea (Paperback)

Don't be put off by the poetic cover and alternate world setting-- this book is very straightforward and immediately engrossing. I began reading it at a highway reststop on a long drive and ended up staying until I finished it!

With elements of a great school story (like Harry Potter!), "Fame"-- competition and talent among young people, and coming-of-age-- young Cerinthe feels responsible for her mother's death so avoids using her intuition as a healer-- this book is rich in detail and strong in character. The atmosphere of Faranor, the capital of the country, and the sea religion-- the Sea Maid is the goddess, and those who are gifted like Cerinthe hear her singing in a very literal way-- add to the power of the story and its themes. The dance is clearly ballet, and uses the same terms as ballet in our world, but dancers are called "daina" and "daine" rather than ballerina. Any child (or any person) with a calling, and maybe a choice between two callings, will find this story close to their heart. What do we sacrifice when we dedicate ourselves to a skill? Is it worth it? Sometimes the answer is very complicated!

A must-read for any girl or woman with an interest in dance, or in the arts. Cerinthe's growing maturity, and her beginning to understand the humanity of even her opponents, is very touching. Surprising and delightful book!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars VERY TOUCHING. GREAT BOOK., June 24, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Aria of the Sea (Hardcover)

As I have said, this book is very touching. The main charactor, Cerinthe Gale, has given up healing after what happened to her mother. Now, Cerinthe must finish the dream her mother had once told her and this was to dace at a royal school. She had a lot of trouble by some selfish and jelous classmates, but she had forfill the dream. Yet something is missing. She must choose what to do because the song of the sea maid stopped singing to her and she is so unhappy. She must choose who she will be before she too gives her life away, just like a girl she had once looked up to. Join Cerinthe in her journey of choices. And also if you're looking for some new vocabulary, this is your book. I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars aria of the sea, December 22, 2003

By 

kim (Galway,Ireland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Aria of the Sea (Paperback)

A thirteen year old girl named Cerinthe Gale lives on the island of Normost in the kingdom of windward .She has always dreamed of becoming a dancer ,and now her dream has come true. She has been accepted to the royal school of dance ,but will she regret the decision she has made? I'm talking about the book Aria Of The Sea .This book is good for just about any age ,but I suggest it mostly for the 10-15 age group .This is just because if your older it might be a little childish for you and if your younger you might have trouble understanding some things .Also because at times I found myself cringing at some rather unpleasant images,"the ragged edge of her shinbone thrust through the skin".I myself am 14 years old and I followed the book very clearly .
In my opinion I found that this book was marvelous. I think now its my new favorite book .I found it to be so great first of all because it has to do with dance and I'm obsessed with anything to do with dance .Also because it had a good plot ,filled with lots of surprises and there was a lot of things going on .It really kept my interest ,I found myself having to pull away from it many times ,because I had to go to bed or do my homework .So if anything I just said describes what you like in a book then this book is for you !and as Cerinthe would say "may fair winds be yours".