Dark Water Rising [Hardcover]

Marian Hale (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

A poignant coming-of-age novel set during the Galveston Storm of 1900

 

I looked south toward the gulf, trying to keep an eye on the stalking sea. Wild waves rose up like a great hand and wrenched loose the Pagoda’s long staircase, sending planks tumbling through the air. With horror I watched the end of one twin building sway and dip into the surf.

I yelled at Josiah, but my words disappeared on the wind. I grabbed his arm, pointed, and we stood together, shoulder to shoulder, mouths gaping, watching the impossible.

Like a wounded Goliath, the great bathhouse shuddered, folded in on its long legs, and collapsed into the sea. 

 

Galveston, Texas, may be the booming city of the twentieth century, but to Seth it is the end of a dream. He wants to be a carpenter like his father, but the family has moved so Seth can become a doctor.

Just as things begin to look up for Seth, a storm warning is raised one sweltering afternoon. A north wind always brings change, but no one could have imagined anything like this.

The acclaimed author of The Truth About Sparrows has crafted an unforgettable story set during the Galveston Storm of 1900.

 

Dark Water Rising is a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up–Seth's family has just moved to Galveston, TX, and the 17-year-old is discontented with his life. His mother makes him look after his little sister, his younger brothers are completely annoying, and his father wants him to go to college rather than let him follow his dream of being a carpenter. Still, things get off to a pretty good start. His uncle finds him a summer job as a carpenter's helper, he meets a girl he likes, and Galveston is a fun place to live. However, on September 8, 1900, everything changes when a deadly storm devastates the area. This coming-of-age story describes how Seth struggles to reach safety, works for his own survival and that of others, and comes to terms with change and loss. Readers feel his concern over his loved ones during the horrifying hours when no one knows who has survived. Through his eyes, they see the destruction caused by one of the worst storms in U.S. history. Hale has captured well the essence of this natural disaster by using numerous personal accounts and journals and molding them into Seth's narrative. Fact and fiction are blended effortlessly together in an exciting read that leaves readers with a sense of hope. An author's note includes photos of the hurricane's aftermath.–Janet Hilbun, Texas Woman's University, Denton
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

In early September 1900, the booming town of Galveston, Texas, was nearly obliterated by a storm that is now credited with killing nearly 8,000 inhabitants. Hale's novel brings the drama and post-traumatic stress of the storm to life and also paints a vivid picture of the city before the tragedy. Sixteen-year-old Seth is a newcomer to Galveston. He would like to pursue his father's trade, master carpenter, but his family has relocated to Galveston to give Seth and his siblings an opportunity for higher education. Hale makes clear the tension such family expectations create for Seth, and through Seth's eyes, gives readers a glimpse of race relations at the time as Seth works on a construction job with an African American youth. The subplots fit smoothly within the overarching story of the horrific storm and the difficulties of recovering both physically and emotionally from its devastation. Character development is as vital here as the historical facts, and because the pace is quick and descriptions are sharp and focused, the book will draw even reluctant readers. With some romance, a few appropriately grisly moments, and a very credible protagonist, this fine example of historical fiction has something for almost everyone. Francisca Goldsmith
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); First Edition edition (September 19, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805075852
• ISBN-13: 978-0805075854
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #884,248 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Novel of the 1900 Galveston Storm puts you in the middle of the story, September 29, 2006

By 

Deborah "Constant Reader" (Texas, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dark Water Rising (Hardcover)

After enjoying the author's first novel, The Truth About Sparrows, I wasn't sure I wanted to read yet another book about the great Galveston storm of 1900. I've visited Galveston often and heard the stories all my life, so I wondered whether this novel could offer anything fresh. But within a few pages of Dark Water Rising, I was hooked and finished the novel in one sitting.

Seventeen-year-old Seth, the oldest of four children, resents moving to Galveston with his family on a hot August day in 1900. His father hopes the move will push Seth closer to a dream of going to medical school. The trouble is, that's Papa's dream, not Seth's. Seth wants to become a master carpenter, just like Papa.

With the help of their Uncle Nate, Seth and his family settle into life in Galveston. Seth soon forms a friendship with Ben, son of his uncle's caretaker, despite barriers of race and position. In the hot, airless days that lead up to the storm, Seth finds work on a construction project, samples the delights of life on the Galveston Boardwalk, and argues with his father about his future.

This story shines with realism and historical detail. On every page, the reader experiences the sights, smells, textures, sounds, and mood of life in the bustling, turn-of-the-century island boomtown. As I was reading it, I was tempted to get in my car and drive to Galveston so I could walk along the beach and imagine the town as it existed in August of 1900.

Just as Seth settles into his new job and starts accepting life in Galveston, the first storm warning flags go up. Seth and Ben are separated from other members of the family, and they experience a day and night of terror as a hurricane changes life forever on Galveston island.

It's in the aftermath of the storm that this story will grip readers. Seth and Ben walk the streets of Galveston, searching for survivors and family members. The devastation is everywhere, and the reader experiences it through the senses of Seth as he struggles to find his place in the unfamiliar world that is life after the storm.

Although this is a story of the Galveston storm, it is also Seth's story of growth, finding his own place in the world, and understanding his relationships with friends and family. The author balances the historical story with the fictional story of Seth in a perfect blend that keeps the reader turning pages until the satisfying end. Long after you close the book, you'll remember the poignant but personal stories of these characters.

Readers of any age, adult and child alike, will be drawn into this memorable story about a devastating natural disaster. I've spent a lot of time in Galveston, and have weathered my share of hurricanes, but this story let me experience one particular storm better than any other book I've read about the event.

This is a great book for classroom use, and can be used with equal success for middle grade as well as high school readers. While Seth is a teen, his younger siblings and friends also shine in this story, so it will appeal to a variety of student readers. It would make a great read-aloud book, although your students will be reluctant to have you stop and you may find yourself reading more than one chapter aloud at a time. There's an extensive author's note at the end with more information about the storm.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Story, June 27, 2008

By 

Shelly Kelly (On the Island) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dark Water Rising (Hardcover)

Too often historical fiction concerning the 1900 Storm is riddled with inaccuracies presented as fact or suffers from weak characters and a forced plot to incorporate the Storm. Marian Hale surpasses all of this.

I fell in love with the Braeden family and even though I knew what was coming next, Ms. Hale wrote it in such beautiful, flowing language I found myself looking forward to the rest of the story.

Ms. Hale treated her characters with respect and honesty--especially Seth's observations and relationship with Ezra and Ben--without resorting to exaggeration.

On a personal level, I appreciated Ms. Hale's ability to incorporate many real-life characters and situations of the first hand accounts reproduced in my own publication, Through a Night of Horrors: Voices from the 1900 Galveston Storm. I easily recognized familiar settings and stories experienced by Seth and the Braeden family, and found a loving tug at my heart that Ms. Hale had given so much thought and attention to bring them into her novel seamlessly.

Under my ever-searching intense eyes I found only only one teensy historical error that can easily be overlooked. This is a Galveston I recognize, with factual history blended smoothly in a way that propertly sets the touching story and characters.

I highly recommend this novel for use and will be giving it to my own 4th grade daugther to read - especially since she's not interested in reading mine just yet. Thank you Ms. Hale for an excellent novel.

5.0 out of 5 stars fantastic, February 2, 2011

By 

Paige Wood "pete" (Saginaw, Michigan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dark Water Rising (Paperback)

another great historical fiction by this author. Having lived in galveston for several years, i was able to vividal recall each street, store and hotel mentioned; a wonderful reminder. Read the first 10 chapters in my first sitting, loved the family, and Seth the main character. Solid book, recommend for all ages.