Ratings

Content Ratings based on a 0-5 scale where
0 = no objectionable content and
5 = an excessive or disturbing level of content

Guide to Rating System

LANGUAGE

VIOLENCE

SEXUAL CONTENT

ADULT THEMES

2011 Printz Award Winner (The Michael L. Printz Award is an award for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature.)

Ratings Explanation:

Language: There was frequent use of h*** and 87 instances of d*** along with a few instances of the s*** word and a**. Diety was referenced a few times. Crude or insulting words used include bastard, screwed, pissed and licebiters.

Violence: The level of violence was high. Several characters throughout the story must fight for their lives. Nailer’s father violently abuses him. He lives in fear of his father. A boy had died after having become lost within the ducts of an old ship. A man threatens someone with a knife. Nailer faces death by drowning. A girl chooses to let a boy die instead of helping him. A threat is made, “I’ll come back and gut you while you’re sleeping.” Nailer is injured with a piece of metal through his chest. Tattoos were removed from a girl’s face with a knife. Mention of “Harvesters” who buy blood and body parts. A hurricane hits the area and bodies are found on the beach as well as on a damaged ship in the aftermath. Crabs feed off of the dead bodies. A girl’s fingers are cut for her rings. A boy and a girl’s palms are slashed in order to make a “blood oath” to one another. Pima and Nita were whistled at, slapped and pinched by some men. A girl’s fingers are broken as a warning. Nailer’s father taught him how to slit the throat of a goat to show him how to do the same to another person. Women fight with fists and machetes. Nailer knifes someone and kills her in self-defense which makes him throw up. Half-men are used as bodyguards, for killing, and for war. There is a fight between two ships using knives and guns. Nailer fights for his life as his father chases after him with a machete. A man is sucked into the ship’s gears system and dies.

Sexual Content: A girl kisses a boy in excitement over a “find”. A boy notices the slim form of a female. A boy and girl kiss. A reference is made to whores.

Adult Themes: The setting of the story is the post-apocalyptic Gulf Coast of the United States. Old ships scattered in the oily waters off the coast are “scavenged” for their copper and metal by the poor with little thought to their safety. Tattoos (labor marks) are put on the cheeks of workers. Alcohol use, hangovers, drug abuse along with severe physical abuse and death are frequent. Smoking cigarettes is mentioned. There are various religious beliefs mentioned. People sell body parts such as kidneys in order to survive. Women and girls even sell their “eggs”. Genetic engineering uses the DNA of man, dog, tiger and hyena to create “half-men”. These half-men have owners/patrons just like dogs. There is great disparity between the rich and poor. “The smell of sea and rot and crushed humanity was strong…”

Synopsis

Worldwide devastation has brought havoc to the Gulf Coast of the United States. Crawling through ducts of old ships and oil tankers and “scavenging” for copper and metal is dangerous work for Nailer, a teenage boy who risks his life daily in hopes of survival. When a strong storm brings the wreckage of a clipper ship to Bright Sands Beach, Nailer must decide to scavenge it or save its swank female owner. Will her promises of something better lure him away from his meager existence and his abusive father?

While this story was rather intense, violent, and frankly dark at times, I still found glimmers of hope in the main character Nailer. Despite all that he had going against him, his humanity stayed intact. In a world where brutality and self-preservation dominated, there were a few whose character was admirable. I found myself feeling depressed at times for Nailer and his friends. His abusive father really sickened me. The only thing Nailer and his friends had to give was their loyalty to one another. It meant everything. I found the genetic engineering disturbing along with the selling of body parts. There was no reverence for the human soul, which saddened me. It would be difficult to say that I enjoyed this book, but I did find it moving and thought provoking. The subject matter would definitely warrant a good discussion. Even though this book is recommended for grades 7 and up, I would only recommend it for a mature teen or young adult.