The Ocean Inside [Paperback]

Janna McMahan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2009

Life changes in an instant. One day, Emmett and Lauren Sullivan's biggest worries revolve around the escalating taxes on their gorgeous Victorian beach house on Pawley's Island, South Carolina. The next, they're facing a devastating crisis. Emmett and Lauren have always been a team, working together to raise their daughters in this beautiful, tranquil spot on the edge of the Deep South. Now, with all their attention focused on nine-year-old Ainslie, they barely notice as their older daughter, Sloan, drifts away from them toward a reckless path that could tear the family apart. Deeply evocative and beautifully rendered, "The Ocean Inside" explores what it means to hope, to love, and to fight for what matters most, even in the face of overwhelming odds.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

McMahan's debut novel is a vividly drawn but uneven love letter to coastal South Carolina. Emmett and Lauren Sullivan's lifestyle has never matched their upper-crust neighbors', but they've been comfortable raising their daughters in their money pit of an ancestral home. Then their nine-year-old daughter, Ainslie, is stricken with a rare form of cancer, and the family is plunged into chaos. Suddenly Emmett is battling a recalcitrant insurance company; the stress of caring for a sick child full-time begins to take its toll on Lauren; and 18-year-old Sloan's college plans are in jeopardy. As the parents' financial and emotional problems consume the family, Sloan finds escape with a new boyfriend whose preppy good looks and moneyed charm mask a dangerous streak. McMahan's descriptions of the Lowcountry and its unique climate and customs jump off the page, but her characters and plot have trouble matching the wealth of scenery. There's emotional sincerity and depth, and ample talent for description and pacing, but the eventual payoff and resolution, though unconventional, falls slightly flat. (Apr.)
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From Booklist

McMahan’s second novel is an easily accessible exploration of what can stretch the average upper-middle-class American family to just shy of its breaking point, and what they might do once they get there. Told from the perspective of each of the four members of the family, with an occasional chapter by a friend, this novel tells the story of the Sullivans’ experience when the youngest family member is diagnosed with cancer. It is the story not just of the medical fight but also of an infuriating battle with the insurance industry. The heavy-handed “it could happen to anyone” message is impossible to miss, but the characters are well drawn. Emmett, the father, comes from just enough family money to feel financially untouchable. His wife is an overinvolved stay-at-home mother. Sloan, the teenage older sister, falls in with a bad crowd while her distracted parents barely notice her. Finally, nine-year-old cancer victim Ainslie is wise before her time, allowing all to unfold around her. This book does not cover any new ground, but the story is gripping and the characters all too real. --Debi Lewis

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Kensington Books; 1 Original edition (April 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758221975
• ISBN-13: 978-0758221971
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,616,877 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Janna McMahan's debut novel, CALLING HOME, was a "Need to Read" selection in Target Stores across the nation. It received high praise from critics and readers alike for action-packed plot, lively, well-developed characters and detailed Kentucky culture and landscape.

Her second novel, THE OCEAN INSIDE, set along the South Carolina coast, was nominated as the Southern Independent Bookseller Association's Book of the Year. Publisher's Weekly found it "vividly drawn." PW writes, "McMahan's descriptions of the Lowcountry and its unique climate and customs jump off the page."

In November 2009 McMahan's novella, "Decorations" was included in the holiday anthology SNOW ANGELS, a New York Times, USA Today and Publisher's Weekly bestseller.

McMahan's short fiction has won numerous awards and been published in journals, magazines and newspapers. Most recently her unpublished short story collection, SURFACE TENSION, was selected as a finalist for the Flannery O'Connor Fiction Award.

She has also published many dozen personal essays and articles on visual and literary art. Her most recent essay, "The Worst Bad Neighbor," is included in the anthology WE ALL LIVE DOWNSTREAM by Motes Books.

McMahan gives public readings of her work and often speaks about the business of writing and publishing. For more information on this intriguing new author, or to request a speaking engagement, visit: www.JannaMcMahan.com.

Follow this author on www.facebook.com/jannamcmahan (Janna McMahan fan page) and at http://twitter.com/#!/JannaMc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Read, July 13, 2009

By 

K. Davis (Columbia, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Ocean Inside (Paperback)

The moment I started this book, I could not put it down. The story begins at once and never lets you loose. The chapters flowed together and did not drag with unimportant filler. Reading the book moves even faster as the story line progresses. I wanted to know what was next, I was living the story. I could not put it down. The characers were real and believable. At times, I felt I could have known this family from my community and been apart of their lives. The story has a purpose and at the end of the book, I was satisfied with the conclusion. (This does not always happen at the end of a book!)This is a book I have told my family and friends is a must read. I am now a big fan of Janna McMahan.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A new talent, March 6, 2010

By 

Patricia Kay "author and avid reader" (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Ocean Inside (Paperback)

I have thoroughly enjoyed the two books of McMahan's that I've read, and I've passed them on to my sister, who enjoys good women's fiction, too. THE OCEAN INSIDE is the story of what happens to a family when tragedy strikes. It's the kind of story anyone can relate to, and the fact that it's beautifully written certainly helps. I appreciated McMahan's ability to keep the story moving and not to get bogged down into melodrama, although I agree with the reviewer who said the fight with the insurance company was a bit heavy-handed. Still, I understood why. Too often, our lives are controlled by forces we can't fight, and this was but one example of what can happen to people who are at the mercy of insurance companies and their bottom-line mentality. I'm looking forward to reading more of McMahan's books and hope she has a long and successful career. RECOMMENDATION: an enjoyable read for anyone who likes stories with family themes.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent novel, April 29, 2009

By 

Susan Crane "Tennis778" (Columbia, SC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Ocean Inside (Paperback)

What a great novel from Janna McMahan. This is a wonderfully written story about a family's struggle with children's cancer and a young girl's coming of age. The story, set in the South Carolina town, Pawley's Island, has lots of South Carolina references. The story is told from all of the characters points of view and you feel their worry, pain and heartache. The characters are very real and human. You experience their struggles and begin to understand what families have to go through when cancer is diagnosed. Within each character the reader can find a part of themselves. Pick up a copy and take out to the beach with you this summer. But take plenty of sunscreen, because you won't want to put it down. Also, take a look at her first novel Calling Home as well.