The Pull of the Ocean (Hardcover)

by Jean-Claude Mourlevat (Author), Y. Maudet (Translator)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. A mute 10-year-old boy stars in this inventive modern-day play on Charles Perrault's Tom Thumb. Yann, the size of a toddler, is the youngest of seven sons of poor, sour parents and the only one who is not a twin ("Yann came last and alone. Like the period at the end of a sentence"). The lad silently communicates with his brothers, but never with his parents. One night, he overhears his parents bickering and awakens his siblings, letting them know that their father plans to harm them (the author reveals the actual content of the couple's conversation later). Yann then leads the three sets of twins out into the rainy darkness. The peripatetic story weaves together first-person accounts by each twin as well as individuals who have spotted or interacted with the children. Under Yann's direction (he navigates by turning his head in all directions and then pointing the way), the brothers traverse the French countryside, heading west toward the ocean. The story takes a dark turn before they are reunited with their seemingly softened parents. Yet Yann slips away once more, stowing away on a merchant marine ship to continue his journey west. The captain observes, "I had the sudden impression that this child wasn't real, that he had stepped right out of a fairy tale." Indeed, Mourlevat enchantingly blends the harshly real and the make-believe, with the latter tipping the balance as this effectively haunting, fluidly translated tale comes to a close. Ages 12-up. (Dec.)
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From School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 5–8—A well-crafted mystery awaits anyone reading this fabled jigsaw puzzle. Multiple narratives, each from the point of view of the cast of characters, meticulously reveal pieces of the puzzle while the story slowly unfolds. It is not until the end that one realizes the broader scope of what has happened. Tiny for his age, Yann Doutreleau gathers his three sets of twin brothers together to flee their dismal home after he hears their father's plans to kill them the next day. Malnourished and poorly clothed, the seven boys head out in stormy weather toward the ocean. Only Yann stands out as an oddity and they must carry him in a sack to avoid attention. On their journey, they cross paths with a list of unsuspecting characters, each strangely compassionate toward the boys' plight, each unknowingly contributing to a doomed adventure. Poverty and hardship echo throughout this modern "Tom Thumb" story, but it is ultimately the spirit of brotherhood that is the highlight of this tale. It is a memorable novel that readers will find engaging and intellectually satisfying.—Robyn Gioia, Bolles School, Ponte Vedra, FL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers; First American Edition edition (November 14, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385733488
• ISBN-13: 978-0385733489
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #318,657 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hero Journey for 7, December 20, 2006

By	Gwynne C. Spencer (Monmouth, Oregon) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you don't know the Perrault version of Tom Thumb (which I don't) you will enjoy this book for its plucky characters, spare narrative, and the satisfying ending that reminds the reader that some journeys are the same with different destinations. Little Yann is a cryptic character, and the forbearance and endurance of his older brothers (all twins) will delight you with its oddity. Echoes of other myths--seventh son, seven swans, Hansel and Gretel--entice the reader to engage with this odd little story at many levels. Middle School boys will love it, high school kids will be intrigued. Invites the reader to get out a map of France and follow the boys' journey.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, June 7, 2007

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

Yann is the seventh son, and the only one born alone. His six older brothers are three sets of twins. Yann has never really grown and he doesn't speak. Oddly, he communicates to his brothers much more accurately than they do to each other. When he wakes them up one night, explaining wordlessly that their father plans to harm them, they follow him without question.

Their journey is to the ocean, a place where they all anticipate feeling safe. With nothing but the clothes on their backs, Yann leads them from their home and into the unknown. Yann alone knows which path they are on, and that is enough for the others.

Each section is told by a different voice, the mom, the dad, each brother, people who help them, people who don't... The only person who knows the true and complete story is Yann, and we don't hear from him until nearly the end. Rest assured, there is a method to it all.

This is one of those stories where you just have to follow where it takes you. And the cool thing is, it doesn't feed you any judgments or ideas. I think every person who reads this will take something slightly different from it, and I really like that. I also really like the way it was written. I could see this being one of those required books that you actually really enjoy.

Reviewed by: Carrie Spellman

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautifully told story, April 18, 2007

By	Janeifer Drew (MI) - See all my reviews

The Pull of the Ocean is about seven, young brothers--three sets of twins and one very intelligent dwarf who cannot, or will not, speak. The story follows the brothers on their escape from an abusive father and unaffectionate mother. It is told through the eyes of the brothers and the many people who meet them on their journey to the Ocean. It is a re-telling of Tom Thumb, along with bits of a few other fairy tales.

The fellowship and love between the seven brothers is very loving, especially the care taken of Yann, the dwarf. The narrative is refreshingly simple and straightforward. It "pulls" you in until the satisfying close which is sure to bring a smile to your face, as it did mine.