From Publishers Weekly
Temple (Taste of Salt; Grab Hands and Run) revisits contemporary Haiti in her latest novel. Governmental oppression has created dire conditions for Paulie and her relatives, who are followers of ousted president Aristide. They plan to leave their beloved town of Belle Fleuve for "Mee-ya-mee, U.S.A." as soon as Uncle completes work on their boat, the Chache Lavi (Seek Life). But when the brutal macoute regime kills her friend Jean-Desir, Paulie realizes that she must do more than flee, and she sets upon a dangerous course to make her community's plight known. Temple writes with great feeling, presenting difficult subject matter through the eyes of her fragile and ultimately courageous heroine. In spite of the terrible events enveloping her, the characterization of Paulie resonates with tenderness. Unfortunately, the author's political leanings and calls for social justice assert themselves a little too heavily in the final third of the book, stifling both plot and character development. Portions of this volume echo Taste of Salt, which was so gripping in its raw, emotional intensity; however, the novel initially impassions but then fails to satisfy. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
Grade 6-9?Paulie has lived her entire life in the tiny Haitian community of Belle Fleuve with Grann Adeline and her uncle, the village coffin maker. By 1993, two years after the military overthrow of popularly elected Jean-Bertrand Aristide, Uncle is being kept all too busy burying victims of brute violence and starving children. He decides it is time to leave their beloved homeland and turns his talents to boat building. Paulie helps in the clandestine project, as do their neighbors, all of whom contribute supplies and support, hoping to secure passage on the completed vessel, aptly named Seek Life. In an action-packed escape, they set sail just as the macoutes are coming to confiscate the boat. This is a powerful novel that seeks to put a human face on the political and social turmoil within the troubled island nation. This is where Temple is at her best. In an elegant prose style, she captures the lyrical cadence of Creole speech and paints an affecting portrait of a proud, resourceful people trying to survive in the face of lawlessness and tyranny. She gets bogged down a bit in the discussions of social justice and the redistribution of wealth, which occasionally overwhelm the narrative. There are a few unbelievably fortuitous turns of events, but overall, Tonight, by Sea tells a compelling story that needs to be told. Whether these brave people indeed find life, or even shelter, on American soil remains to be seen.?Luann Toth, School Library Journal
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
