When I was asked to review this book I jumped at the chance because the blurb really sold it for me. Its about Jay Murchison who is not very popular, but on his 16th birthday he receives his very first mobile phone and thought that it could be the start of a change. Jay’s life does change when Saphnie, a girl he does not know, texts his new phone by mistake. After an awkward introduction the two of them start to get along and become friends. Both characters have problems in their lives and they discuss and help each other out.
First off to me this is a very original coming of age story and not something that I have read about before. As soon as I started I couldn’t stop listening to the story, I actually listened to this book in one sitting because I was so gripped by it. Jay is such an engaging and relatable character. I could really feel the isolation in his life and I did feel for him throughout the book, especially at the end. Throughout the book Jay shows and goes through a range of emotions and you are with him all the way, by the end you feel like you know Jay personally.
I know people will say that all coming of age books are the same, and they are all about one person falling in love with another person. However to me this is not a love story but a story about friendship and how you can find friends in the most unlikely places and even if someone is miles away they can still help and listen to your problems. To me this book is also about aloneness, at the beginning all Jay is craving for is attention and friendship. This book really delves into Jay’s mind and you get a real insight to how a teenager like Jay thinks.
To be honest all the characters in this book are fully developed and fleshed out. In some contemporary books only the main two characters are the ones that are fully written, while the other characters are very two dimensional, however this book doesn’t do that. The author has obviously put a lot of thought and effort into making all the characters in the book relastic and relatable to the reader.
The writing in To Hear The Ocean Sigh is exquisite. I know I didn’t technically read the book, but I found myself just stopping what I was doing and just listen and take in the words because they were beautiful. Bryant A. Loney knows how to write and knows how to write like a teenager. They think like a teenager and ask and answer the questions that most teenagers are thinking. I’m not a teenager anymore but I could fully relate to this story and its characters. I will definitely be checking out Bryant A. Loney other works.
I would recommend To Hear The Ocean Sigh to anyone who wants to read a different and original coming of age story. This book is ideally for people who are probably teenagers or older because some of the themes that are explored in this book.Someone who wants to read a realistic story about teenagers, then this book is a must read. I know I will be buying a copy of this book to keep just so I can read this over and over again because I can never see myself getting bored of it.
I would rate this book 4/5 stars.
I just want to say that I received a free audiobook copy from Wes at Verona Booksellers, to write an honest review. This review is my own and honest thoughts on the book and not that of anyone else.
Mike Reads 