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Cercando l'onda
È Sam, appena arrivato dall'immensa Londra in un cottage sulle scogliere selvagge e meravigliose della Cornovaglia, a raccontarci la storia. L'ultima volta che era stato lì aveva quattro anni, il giorno in cui suo padre aveva perso la vita in una tempesta. Sam è esperto di fisica e meteorologia, sa bene come si forma un'onda, ma niente può prepararlo a ciò che la vita gli riserva nei prossimi mesi, all'attrazione irresistibile per Jade, l'inquieta e spericolata surfista sua vicina di casa, alla passione per il surf che travolgerà lui stesso. Jade insegue un'ossessione: quella di trovare e cavalcare un'onda enorme, come quella leggendaria immortalata in una cartolina del 1916, tra un gruppo di scogli che nessuno ha saputo più trovare. E mentre l'autunno foriero di tempeste si avvicina, la storia monta come un'onda profonda verso un finale mozzafiato. Non manca niente nell'orizzonte di crescita di Sam: l'amore, l'amicizia, il sesso, un rapporto forte ma conflittuale con la famiglia, il rapporto con la natura, l'incontro inaspettato con la morte. Un romanzo di formazione che recupera la dimensione del rito di passaggio, della sfida, dell'affrontare le proprie paure e conoscere i propri limiti, dell'allontanarsi da casa per entrare a far parte della tribù.
304 pages, Paperback
First published April 7, 2016
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848 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
May 22, 2016
Dit boek is de volle 5 sterren zeker waard. Het is een dik boek maar het hield mij in zijn greep de hele tijd. Ik heb zoveel geleerd over surfen en wat je wel en niet moet doen. God wat was dit een goed boek. Sam is zo'n leuk hoofdpersonage en je leeft zo erg met hem mee. Mijn hele recensie komt zsm op hebban te staan. Oh god I loved this...
September 6, 2016
Excuse me while I pick up all the tiny shards of my heart, as this book just took it and completely smashed it to smithereens.
Jade got me in trouble from day one.
When I started Kook, I wasn't sure what direction it was going to take. Was this a story of two broken characters and their journey toward something better? Was it going to be more contemporary and about a summer a group of teens spent together? Whatever I thought it might be, it was so much more.
Kook is the story of Sam, a newly relocated teen with a slight chip on his shoulder thanks to losing his dad in a hazy accident when he was young, and Jade, a girl who also lost a parent (though not how you'd expect) who surfs as a way to cope with her home life. Newly relocated near the water, Sam is closer to learning the true story of what happened to his dad, and also to discovering what his dad was working on when he died. This knowledge helps deepen his relationship with Jade, and takes them down a path that will forever change them. Sam starts out secretly learning to surf to impress Jade into thinking he's no longer a kook - a learner or wannabe. She's a bit guarded so it's not going to be that easy to persuade her. But Sam is pretty persistent and before long, he's somewhat of a regular to her group of surfer buddies.
This book feels deeply personal, as I imagine it is for the author. I had no idea the emotional pull it would have until it hit me like a ton of bricks. The story largely revolves around surfing and Sam's journey in learning, but ends up in a place you won't expect. It's a story of healing and being a teen, all at the same time. The teens in this book are definitely reckless and daring, for better or for worse.
Originally published abroad, Kook is stylized for the country it takes place in, meaning I had to look up some of what the terms mean in American English. That doesn't take away from the story, though! I hope you'll take a chance and check it out!
Jade got me in trouble from day one.
When I started Kook, I wasn't sure what direction it was going to take. Was this a story of two broken characters and their journey toward something better? Was it going to be more contemporary and about a summer a group of teens spent together? Whatever I thought it might be, it was so much more.
Kook is the story of Sam, a newly relocated teen with a slight chip on his shoulder thanks to losing his dad in a hazy accident when he was young, and Jade, a girl who also lost a parent (though not how you'd expect) who surfs as a way to cope with her home life. Newly relocated near the water, Sam is closer to learning the true story of what happened to his dad, and also to discovering what his dad was working on when he died. This knowledge helps deepen his relationship with Jade, and takes them down a path that will forever change them. Sam starts out secretly learning to surf to impress Jade into thinking he's no longer a kook - a learner or wannabe. She's a bit guarded so it's not going to be that easy to persuade her. But Sam is pretty persistent and before long, he's somewhat of a regular to her group of surfer buddies.
This book feels deeply personal, as I imagine it is for the author. I had no idea the emotional pull it would have until it hit me like a ton of bricks. The story largely revolves around surfing and Sam's journey in learning, but ends up in a place you won't expect. It's a story of healing and being a teen, all at the same time. The teens in this book are definitely reckless and daring, for better or for worse.
Originally published abroad, Kook is stylized for the country it takes place in, meaning I had to look up some of what the terms mean in American English. That doesn't take away from the story, though! I hope you'll take a chance and check it out!
February 21, 2017
3.5 stars. Kook is about a boy and a girl and their mutual desire to be destroyed by the ocean. It's set on the rugged beaches of England.
This book is such a love letter to the ocean that you just have to love it. I loved the descriptions The love interest is paralleled to the ocean. It sounds like a cheesy metaphor, but it really works.
This book is beautifully written in general. Christopher Vick has gorgeous, flowing prose, and he uses setting to the max. I loved the descriptions of the waves.
In terms of the romance and character work though, this book doesn't stand out much. Perhaps it's not supposed to. This story is about tragedy and growing up, not a specific character.
If you love the ocean like I do, this one is definitely worth a try. If not, I wouldn't bother.
This book is such a love letter to the ocean that you just have to love it. I loved the descriptions The love interest is paralleled to the ocean. It sounds like a cheesy metaphor, but it really works.
This book is beautifully written in general. Christopher Vick has gorgeous, flowing prose, and he uses setting to the max. I loved the descriptions of the waves.
In terms of the romance and character work though, this book doesn't stand out much. Perhaps it's not supposed to. This story is about tragedy and growing up, not a specific character.
If you love the ocean like I do, this one is definitely worth a try. If not, I wouldn't bother.
March 29, 2017
I actually have no words. Speechless. The author sends you on an amazing journey of a young teenager who has never even swam before in his life, he meets this amazing surfer chick who set a fire in him and he started to surf. It shows you how he grows from a small, London geek to a I-can't-live-without-the-sea. Drugs, getting into trouble, friendships, surfing, romance and heartbreak and grief. You get attached. Can't let go of the book. First book to ever make me literally cry. Like I mean, CRY. I usually just get teary eyed but with this book, full on tears, sobbing, I'm still a mess right now. In denial. It's just an amazing book, written perfectly and make you feel everything all at once. It just hits you.
June 30, 2016
4,5 ster
Hoe ik mijn gevoel na dit boek moet omschrijven weet ik niet eens. Het sleepte me mee, trok me onder en liet me niet meer los, net als zo'n monstergolf. Prachtig geschreven, maar wel met 1 echt minpuntje.
Een volledige recensie volgt binnenkort op www.thebookdiaries.nl
Hoe ik mijn gevoel na dit boek moet omschrijven weet ik niet eens. Het sleepte me mee, trok me onder en liet me niet meer los, net als zo'n monstergolf. Prachtig geschreven, maar wel met 1 echt minpuntje.
Een volledige recensie volgt binnenkort op www.thebookdiaries.nl
April 22, 2016
4.5 stars
I received a review copy from Maximum Pop! Books, but this does not affect my rating or opinions!
KOOK is a coming of age story like no other. Sam, brainy and pale, moves to Cornwall with his mother and half-sister from London, where he meets the beautiful force that is Jade. Jade introduces him to the ocean and her surfer friends, and the trouble starts from day one. Sam is drawn to the same waters that claimed his father ten years before, and they might just get him, too.
This book had me so fuming mad that I couldn’t read it in one sitting. (I did read it in less than two days, though.) It was frustrating to watch these teenagers do things I just knew would go south. I had to take breaks because of their recklessness. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to finish the book, but like a wave, it pushed me away just before it dragged me back in. I wanted to walk away, but it was like being in a car with a bunch of teenagers, watching as they drove towards a red light, screaming at the driver to pay attention, knowing that you were all about to hit a truck… Disaster was inevitable.
But here’s the thing, and it took me until about 75% of the book to figure it out. In real life, you don’t like everyone you meet. You don’t understand everything people do. You don’t agree with their actions. Vick didn’t set out to write a book about characters you love or root for; I imagine he wanted to write real people into existence, and he did. I didn’t like Jade a lot of the time, but there were parts of her that I loved and respected. Rag did things that I hated, but he wasn’t a bad person. Even G had redeeming qualities. Sometimes I liked the characters, sometimes I wanted them to stop being idiots (actually, most of the time), but I couldn’t help but root for them. There was a part of me that wanted to be there, with them in their moments of excitement, even when the rational part of me was shaking her head at their stupidity.
Only once I’d reached the end, tissues strewn all around, did I fully appreciate what Vicks had done. There was no other way for the book to end and be as incredibly real as it was. He’d written a masterpiece of a love story – with a girl and with the ocean, neither of which could be tamed. He’d put me inside the mind of a skinny, nerdy, teenage boy as he went through a rite of passage into a hardened, scary adulthood, where things don’t always work out and parents are humans who don’t know what to do.
If you liked Skins (and I mean, the good, old British Skins), then you’ll enjoy KOOK. You don’t even need to know much about surfing – enough is explained in the book to keep you floating along…and maybe even want to try it yourself. (But know that there is only one teacher.)
Honestly, be prepared to slam the book on the table and walk away. And maybe also keep some tissues handy, because this is a wild, dangerous ride, and there’s no way you’ll come out of it unscathed.
I received a review copy from Maximum Pop! Books, but this does not affect my rating or opinions!
KOOK is a coming of age story like no other. Sam, brainy and pale, moves to Cornwall with his mother and half-sister from London, where he meets the beautiful force that is Jade. Jade introduces him to the ocean and her surfer friends, and the trouble starts from day one. Sam is drawn to the same waters that claimed his father ten years before, and they might just get him, too.
This book had me so fuming mad that I couldn’t read it in one sitting. (I did read it in less than two days, though.) It was frustrating to watch these teenagers do things I just knew would go south. I had to take breaks because of their recklessness. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to finish the book, but like a wave, it pushed me away just before it dragged me back in. I wanted to walk away, but it was like being in a car with a bunch of teenagers, watching as they drove towards a red light, screaming at the driver to pay attention, knowing that you were all about to hit a truck… Disaster was inevitable.
But here’s the thing, and it took me until about 75% of the book to figure it out. In real life, you don’t like everyone you meet. You don’t understand everything people do. You don’t agree with their actions. Vick didn’t set out to write a book about characters you love or root for; I imagine he wanted to write real people into existence, and he did. I didn’t like Jade a lot of the time, but there were parts of her that I loved and respected. Rag did things that I hated, but he wasn’t a bad person. Even G had redeeming qualities. Sometimes I liked the characters, sometimes I wanted them to stop being idiots (actually, most of the time), but I couldn’t help but root for them. There was a part of me that wanted to be there, with them in their moments of excitement, even when the rational part of me was shaking her head at their stupidity.
Only once I’d reached the end, tissues strewn all around, did I fully appreciate what Vicks had done. There was no other way for the book to end and be as incredibly real as it was. He’d written a masterpiece of a love story – with a girl and with the ocean, neither of which could be tamed. He’d put me inside the mind of a skinny, nerdy, teenage boy as he went through a rite of passage into a hardened, scary adulthood, where things don’t always work out and parents are humans who don’t know what to do.
If you liked Skins (and I mean, the good, old British Skins), then you’ll enjoy KOOK. You don’t even need to know much about surfing – enough is explained in the book to keep you floating along…and maybe even want to try it yourself. (But know that there is only one teacher.)
Honestly, be prepared to slam the book on the table and walk away. And maybe also keep some tissues handy, because this is a wild, dangerous ride, and there’s no way you’ll come out of it unscathed.
May 26, 2016
En het is afgelopen...
Het is een geweldig boek wat iedereen zou moeten lezen!!
Het is een geweldig boek wat iedereen zou moeten lezen!!
Read
December 14, 2024This was not for me at all. I only read it because it's on the list of books my pupils can read for my class, but I couldn't care less about it tbh 😅, so I also don't think it would be fair of me to rate it
March 9, 2016
3.5 Stars
This is a book review for an upcoming YA release called Kook. I would like to thank the Twitter account Maximum Pop Books, HarperCollins Publishers and the author Chris Vick for giving me a copy of the novel for read and review.
Kook blurb:
A heart-pounding love story that grips like a riptide, and doesn’t let go…
Fifteen-year old Sam has moved from the big city to the coast – stuck there with his mum and sister on the edge of nowhere.
Then he meets beautiful but damaged surfer-girl Jade. Soon he’s in love with her, and with surfing itself. But Jade is driven by an obsession: finding and riding a legendary huge wave no one has ever ridden.
As the weeks wear on, their relationship barrels forward with the force of a deep-water wave – into a storm, to danger … and to heartbreak.
First of all, the cover is gorgeous as well as exciting. It sets the tone for the novel which revolves around a group of young people surfing on the Cornish coast. I've been to Cornwall hundreds of times for holidays and love the county a lot. It is quite difficult to find a novel for teens that revolves around surfing. The book itself was a good length, I managed to read it within a couple of hours.
What gripped me the most was when Sam and Jade started surfing the waves off the coast, the descriptions of how they rode the waves I felt gave an accurate and detailed portrayal into both the excitement and danger of surfing.
At times within the novel, I felt a little uncomfortable with the drinking/drug scenes. I've never ever been involved in things like that. I felt that for the potential reader, there should be a warning on the back cover or in the front few pages of the book warning about those scenes so that it doesn't make any readers feel uncomfortable.
The plot was refreshing and caused me quite a lot of excitement. Jade's dangerous obsession thrown together with new boy Sam creates a story that I will remember long after reading Kook. The ending I found emotional and I did feel a few tears prickling in my eyes. I don't want to spoil things but one important lesson that I will take with me after reading Kook will be cherish the people and the things you love because you never know what just might happen to you.
I would read another book by this author, I am excited for when Kook is released in stores. I feel that teen readers looking for a reading escape from well-used plotlines will pick up this one.
Once again, I would like to thank Maximum Pop Books for sending a copy of the novel to me, the first one I've ever won!
Overall rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Would I recommend to others?- Yes.
This is a book review for an upcoming YA release called Kook. I would like to thank the Twitter account Maximum Pop Books, HarperCollins Publishers and the author Chris Vick for giving me a copy of the novel for read and review.
Kook blurb:
A heart-pounding love story that grips like a riptide, and doesn’t let go…
Fifteen-year old Sam has moved from the big city to the coast – stuck there with his mum and sister on the edge of nowhere.
Then he meets beautiful but damaged surfer-girl Jade. Soon he’s in love with her, and with surfing itself. But Jade is driven by an obsession: finding and riding a legendary huge wave no one has ever ridden.
As the weeks wear on, their relationship barrels forward with the force of a deep-water wave – into a storm, to danger … and to heartbreak.
First of all, the cover is gorgeous as well as exciting. It sets the tone for the novel which revolves around a group of young people surfing on the Cornish coast. I've been to Cornwall hundreds of times for holidays and love the county a lot. It is quite difficult to find a novel for teens that revolves around surfing. The book itself was a good length, I managed to read it within a couple of hours.
What gripped me the most was when Sam and Jade started surfing the waves off the coast, the descriptions of how they rode the waves I felt gave an accurate and detailed portrayal into both the excitement and danger of surfing.
At times within the novel, I felt a little uncomfortable with the drinking/drug scenes. I've never ever been involved in things like that. I felt that for the potential reader, there should be a warning on the back cover or in the front few pages of the book warning about those scenes so that it doesn't make any readers feel uncomfortable.
The plot was refreshing and caused me quite a lot of excitement. Jade's dangerous obsession thrown together with new boy Sam creates a story that I will remember long after reading Kook. The ending I found emotional and I did feel a few tears prickling in my eyes. I don't want to spoil things but one important lesson that I will take with me after reading Kook will be cherish the people and the things you love because you never know what just might happen to you.
I would read another book by this author, I am excited for when Kook is released in stores. I feel that teen readers looking for a reading escape from well-used plotlines will pick up this one.
Once again, I would like to thank Maximum Pop Books for sending a copy of the novel to me, the first one I've ever won!
Overall rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Would I recommend to others?- Yes.
March 31, 2016
I'm waiting for a book to make me feel something.... but, no, NOTHING! Gah. It's hard to tell now if it is me or the book. This was okay, but didn't blow me away. Full review to come.
May 27, 2016
Surf! Gaat over duidelijk over surfen! Het verhaal gaat over de vijftienjarige Sam, die van de grote stad verhuist naar Cornwall. Daar ontmoet hij de tevens vijftienjarige Jade, die zijn buurmeisje is. Niet alleen is Jade knap, maar ze is ook nog een goede surfer. Alleen kan Sam nog niet surfen, hij is namelijk een kook (= een beginner, iemand die graag een surfer wil worden).
Er is één ding dat Jade héél graag wil, namelijk surfen bij Duivelshoorns, een legendarische plek waar de grootste golven komen. Sam gaat opzoek naar de beruchte Duivelshoorns. Maar hoe goed idee is het om te surfen bij de beruchte golven van Duivelshoorn?
Mijn eerste indruk van Surf! was dit boek moet ik lezen! Mijn vader heeft vroeger ook gesurft, windsurfen weliswaar, maar het woord surfen komt er in voor dus dat leek mij wel super leuk om over te lezen. Dus ik heb mij ingeschreven voor het Hebban Buzzboek! En met geluk want ik heb hem nu thuis en hij is gelezen met plezier!
Als allereerst vind ik dat de cover wel iets heeft. Het is niet de meest uitgebreide cover, maar toch vind ik hem wel mooi. Het straalt echt iets uit van het boek. De kleuren vind ik ook erg goed bij de inhoud van het boek passen! Ik ben blij dat we niet dezelfde cover hebben als de Engelse versie. Die vind ik niet zo goed als deze cover. Simpel, maar mooi.
De eerste helft van het boek vond ik nogal mwah. Ik had nog niet het gevoel dat ik er volledig in kwam, maar dat had ook te maken met de examens. Maar toen ik klaar was met de examens toen kreeg ik wel meer zin om surf! te lezen.
Toen ik dit boek las vond ik Jade echt heel raar. Met haar blowen enzo. Maar ik kon wel met haar leven. Uiteindelijk vind ik haar wel oké. Ze is een relschopper, maar ze geeft uiteindelijk veel om Sam en daar gaat het om. Aan de andere hand vond ik Sam echt een heel leuk character! Misschien komt het vooral omdat hij geïnteresseerd is in natuurkunde wat overeenkomt met mezelf!
Het verhaal vond wel leuk om over te lezen. Een onderwerp waar ik nog weinig over heb gelezen! Ik vond het ook leuk om meer over surfen te leren. En welke aspecten echt belangrijk zijn zoals het heel lang je adem in moeten houden.
Het achtergrondverhaal van Sam vind ik ook goed passen bij het boek. Het geeft net een boost meer om verder te lezen! Het wekt wel interesse en vooral met de oude zeekaarten, maar naar mijn mening mocht er nog wel wat meer verteld worden over zijn vader!
Het einde vond ik echt heel jammer. Maar ik kan er wel mee leven. Toch wel jammer dat het zo moet eindige, maar wel weer een goede twist in het verhaal! Houdt het een beetje origineel ook al doet het zoveel pijn.
De schrijfstijl is niet te moeilijk en je kan makkelijk door het boek heen komen. Heerlijk om dit boek te lezen! Even kunnen genieten van de geweldige Sam! Leuk boek over surfen en angsten uit de weg gaan. Ik krijg nu zelf ook de neiging om te gaan surfen!
Goed boek kan niet beter. Jammer van het einde, maar dat geeft niet! Soms moet er iets gebeuren om op je benen te blijven staan en te laten zien dat de werkelijkheid er nog steeds is! Ik ben heel blij dat ik dit boek mocht lezen! En hopelijk schrijft Chris Vick nog meer van deze geweldige boeken!
Er is één ding dat Jade héél graag wil, namelijk surfen bij Duivelshoorns, een legendarische plek waar de grootste golven komen. Sam gaat opzoek naar de beruchte Duivelshoorns. Maar hoe goed idee is het om te surfen bij de beruchte golven van Duivelshoorn?
Mijn eerste indruk van Surf! was dit boek moet ik lezen! Mijn vader heeft vroeger ook gesurft, windsurfen weliswaar, maar het woord surfen komt er in voor dus dat leek mij wel super leuk om over te lezen. Dus ik heb mij ingeschreven voor het Hebban Buzzboek! En met geluk want ik heb hem nu thuis en hij is gelezen met plezier!
Als allereerst vind ik dat de cover wel iets heeft. Het is niet de meest uitgebreide cover, maar toch vind ik hem wel mooi. Het straalt echt iets uit van het boek. De kleuren vind ik ook erg goed bij de inhoud van het boek passen! Ik ben blij dat we niet dezelfde cover hebben als de Engelse versie. Die vind ik niet zo goed als deze cover. Simpel, maar mooi.
De eerste helft van het boek vond ik nogal mwah. Ik had nog niet het gevoel dat ik er volledig in kwam, maar dat had ook te maken met de examens. Maar toen ik klaar was met de examens toen kreeg ik wel meer zin om surf! te lezen.
Toen ik dit boek las vond ik Jade echt heel raar. Met haar blowen enzo. Maar ik kon wel met haar leven. Uiteindelijk vind ik haar wel oké. Ze is een relschopper, maar ze geeft uiteindelijk veel om Sam en daar gaat het om. Aan de andere hand vond ik Sam echt een heel leuk character! Misschien komt het vooral omdat hij geïnteresseerd is in natuurkunde wat overeenkomt met mezelf!
Het verhaal vond wel leuk om over te lezen. Een onderwerp waar ik nog weinig over heb gelezen! Ik vond het ook leuk om meer over surfen te leren. En welke aspecten echt belangrijk zijn zoals het heel lang je adem in moeten houden.
Het achtergrondverhaal van Sam vind ik ook goed passen bij het boek. Het geeft net een boost meer om verder te lezen! Het wekt wel interesse en vooral met de oude zeekaarten, maar naar mijn mening mocht er nog wel wat meer verteld worden over zijn vader!
Het einde vond ik echt heel jammer. Maar ik kan er wel mee leven. Toch wel jammer dat het zo moet eindige, maar wel weer een goede twist in het verhaal! Houdt het een beetje origineel ook al doet het zoveel pijn.
De schrijfstijl is niet te moeilijk en je kan makkelijk door het boek heen komen. Heerlijk om dit boek te lezen! Even kunnen genieten van de geweldige Sam! Leuk boek over surfen en angsten uit de weg gaan. Ik krijg nu zelf ook de neiging om te gaan surfen!
Goed boek kan niet beter. Jammer van het einde, maar dat geeft niet! Soms moet er iets gebeuren om op je benen te blijven staan en te laten zien dat de werkelijkheid er nog steeds is! Ik ben heel blij dat ik dit boek mocht lezen! En hopelijk schrijft Chris Vick nog meer van deze geweldige boeken!
February 6, 2017
Review Posted on Reading Lark 1/6/17: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2017/...
Surfing is one of those things that will always hold magic for me. As a youth, I was fascinated by watching surfers take control of their board and become one with the sea. While I never learned to surf, I always dreamed about it and thought that maybe one day I'd give it a try. I still think about in the back of my mind and perhaps in the future I'll take some lessons, but for now I am content to read about it. The surfing element and the Cornwall setting lured me to this novel.
Kook focuses on Sam, a teen who has largely grown up in London, surrounded by city streets, traffic, and noise. His mother left Cornwall with him when he was young after his father dies tragically in a surfing accident. Sam isn't a strong swimmer and mainly views the sea as the reason he grew up without his Dad, but things change when the family moves back to Cornwall. Sam's grandmother has cancer and she wants to reconnect with him before she dies. This is a lot to place on the shoulders of a fifteen year old, but Sam largely handles the situation well.
On his first day in Cornwall, Sam meets his beautiful neighbor, Jade. She lives to surf and dreams of finding an elusive wave called "The Horns". Nobody knows exactly where the wave forms, but the one thing is certain is that nobody has ridden it and lived to tell the tale. Jade is convinced she will make history be conquering the legendary wave. She enlists Sam to help her track it as he's a science nerd and the spawn of an oceanographer. The pair bond over the sand, salt, and sea air while they track waves and Sam learns to surf.
The setting of this one was gorgeous and haunting. I craved a trip to Cornwall a little more as I read each chapter. I kept having flashes from the show, Poldark, in my mind as Sam and Jade traipsed throughout the countryside. I also found the British slang to be both fun and frustrating. I ended up googling quite a few terms as I had no idea what they meant. The frustration stemmed from losing my reading flow, but it was well worth it to learn about another culture.
I don't want to go into too much more detail about the plot and spoil anything, but I was enthralled with the setting and the complex nature of these characters. Youth often makes us stupid as we feel invincible and don't always measure the consequences of our actions before diving headfirst into adventure. Growing up isn't easy and at times it's downright painful. Vick captures the tumultuous beauty of coming of age, falling in love, and heartache in this novel. Vick also manages to breathe such life into the ocean that it acts as a character in many ways. The waves and the sea drive so much of the plot and character interactions. It was a nice symbolic image to parallel with Sam's life.
One Last Gripe: It took me awhile to warm up to Sam and Jade.
Favorite Thing About This Book: The surfing aspect
First Sentence: Jade got me in trouble from day one.
Favorite Character: Jade
Least Favorite Character: Big G
Surfing is one of those things that will always hold magic for me. As a youth, I was fascinated by watching surfers take control of their board and become one with the sea. While I never learned to surf, I always dreamed about it and thought that maybe one day I'd give it a try. I still think about in the back of my mind and perhaps in the future I'll take some lessons, but for now I am content to read about it. The surfing element and the Cornwall setting lured me to this novel.
Kook focuses on Sam, a teen who has largely grown up in London, surrounded by city streets, traffic, and noise. His mother left Cornwall with him when he was young after his father dies tragically in a surfing accident. Sam isn't a strong swimmer and mainly views the sea as the reason he grew up without his Dad, but things change when the family moves back to Cornwall. Sam's grandmother has cancer and she wants to reconnect with him before she dies. This is a lot to place on the shoulders of a fifteen year old, but Sam largely handles the situation well.
On his first day in Cornwall, Sam meets his beautiful neighbor, Jade. She lives to surf and dreams of finding an elusive wave called "The Horns". Nobody knows exactly where the wave forms, but the one thing is certain is that nobody has ridden it and lived to tell the tale. Jade is convinced she will make history be conquering the legendary wave. She enlists Sam to help her track it as he's a science nerd and the spawn of an oceanographer. The pair bond over the sand, salt, and sea air while they track waves and Sam learns to surf.
The setting of this one was gorgeous and haunting. I craved a trip to Cornwall a little more as I read each chapter. I kept having flashes from the show, Poldark, in my mind as Sam and Jade traipsed throughout the countryside. I also found the British slang to be both fun and frustrating. I ended up googling quite a few terms as I had no idea what they meant. The frustration stemmed from losing my reading flow, but it was well worth it to learn about another culture.
I don't want to go into too much more detail about the plot and spoil anything, but I was enthralled with the setting and the complex nature of these characters. Youth often makes us stupid as we feel invincible and don't always measure the consequences of our actions before diving headfirst into adventure. Growing up isn't easy and at times it's downright painful. Vick captures the tumultuous beauty of coming of age, falling in love, and heartache in this novel. Vick also manages to breathe such life into the ocean that it acts as a character in many ways. The waves and the sea drive so much of the plot and character interactions. It was a nice symbolic image to parallel with Sam's life.
One Last Gripe: It took me awhile to warm up to Sam and Jade.
Favorite Thing About This Book: The surfing aspect
First Sentence: Jade got me in trouble from day one.
Favorite Character: Jade
Least Favorite Character: Big G
June 17, 2016
Recensione completa: https://cioccolatoelibri.wordpress.co...
Questa è la storia di un ragazzo, Sam, che si trasferisce in Cornovaglia e scopre, all'improvviso, il surf. Come poteva, a Londra, capire cosa si stesse perdendo non avvicinandosi al mare? Sam non sapeva neanche nuotare, prima di infilarsi una muta e salire su una tavola.
Quella che lo spinge a provare è Jade, una ragazza problematica, ma bellissima. Lei ed il suo gruppo di amici sono totalmente fuori di testa, vivono una vita senza regole e pensano solo alle onde.
Grazie a Jade, Sam scopre cos'è l'amore, cosa significa volare e cosa vuol dire la parola "libertà".
Quanto tutto questo può essere "sano"?
Poco, se si pensa che a volte la spensieratezza può sfociare nel pericolo.
Sam, Jade e gli altri scoprono che esiste un posto chiamato "Corna del diavolo" dove, durante una tempesta perfetta, ci sono le migliori onde che si possano desiderare. Potrebbero finire su tutti i giornali, potrebbero spopolare su internet... ma quanto è rischioso andare lì? Molto.
Questo libro mi è piaciuto davvero tanto, in ogni sua sfumatura. Da una parte vediamo il rapporto madre-figlio, quando c'è già stato un morto in famiglia per colpa del mare e non si vuole assolutamente che ce ne sia un altro, dall'altra la scoperta del mondo e l'uscita da una campana di vetro. Il rapporto tra Sam e Jade è davvero problematico: lei non è una ragazza qualunque. Jade non appartiene a nessuno e può dirti che ti ama, ma lei ama tutti. Sam, invece, non può fare a meno di affezionarsi a lei perché non ha mai conosciuto nessuno di lontanamente simile a quella ragazza.
Questa è una storia triste, purtroppo. Triste e meravigliosa.
Questa è la storia di un ragazzo, Sam, che si trasferisce in Cornovaglia e scopre, all'improvviso, il surf. Come poteva, a Londra, capire cosa si stesse perdendo non avvicinandosi al mare? Sam non sapeva neanche nuotare, prima di infilarsi una muta e salire su una tavola.
Quella che lo spinge a provare è Jade, una ragazza problematica, ma bellissima. Lei ed il suo gruppo di amici sono totalmente fuori di testa, vivono una vita senza regole e pensano solo alle onde.
Grazie a Jade, Sam scopre cos'è l'amore, cosa significa volare e cosa vuol dire la parola "libertà".
Quanto tutto questo può essere "sano"?
Poco, se si pensa che a volte la spensieratezza può sfociare nel pericolo.
Sam, Jade e gli altri scoprono che esiste un posto chiamato "Corna del diavolo" dove, durante una tempesta perfetta, ci sono le migliori onde che si possano desiderare. Potrebbero finire su tutti i giornali, potrebbero spopolare su internet... ma quanto è rischioso andare lì? Molto.
Questo libro mi è piaciuto davvero tanto, in ogni sua sfumatura. Da una parte vediamo il rapporto madre-figlio, quando c'è già stato un morto in famiglia per colpa del mare e non si vuole assolutamente che ce ne sia un altro, dall'altra la scoperta del mondo e l'uscita da una campana di vetro. Il rapporto tra Sam e Jade è davvero problematico: lei non è una ragazza qualunque. Jade non appartiene a nessuno e può dirti che ti ama, ma lei ama tutti. Sam, invece, non può fare a meno di affezionarsi a lei perché non ha mai conosciuto nessuno di lontanamente simile a quella ragazza.
Questa è una storia triste, purtroppo. Triste e meravigliosa.
May 28, 2016
Dit boek heb ik gelezen voor de #hebbanbuzz.
''Kook'' (surftaal: Een beginner, iemand die graag een surfer wil worden! (blz 7)
De vijftienjarige Sam verhuist met zijn moeder en zusje van Londen naar Cornwall.
Daar komen ze naast het meisje Jade te wonen, die samen met haar vader en de hond, Sam's enige buren zijn.
Jade kan fantastisch goed surfen en ze lijkt voor niks of niemand bang!
Zij en haar surfende vrienden vinden Sam maar een ''kook''!
Sam heeft last van watervrees, maar wil graag indruk maken op de stoere Jade.
Indruk op haar maken, kan maar op 1 manier:
Leren surfen!
Sam begint te houden van het surfen en het vinden van de perfecte golf.
Jade wil surfen op Duivelshoorns, waar de waanzinnigste golven zijn en waar nooit iemand eerder heeft gesurft!
Er is alleen 1 probleem, niemand weet exact waar ''Duivelshoorns'' zich bevind.
Als Sam per toeval achter de locatie komt, zijn hij en zijn vrienden vast besloten om daar te gaan surfen!
Moeten ze dat nou wel doen, surfen bij de ''Duivelshoorns''..?
Ik heb genoten van ''Surf''!
Al kwam het boek een beetje traag op gang, vanaf het moment dat Sam wil gaan surfen en het ook echt gaat doen, kon ik het boek niet meer neerleggen en werd ik meegesleurd!
Door het boek heen zitten ook enkele thema's verwerkt, familie, liefde, vriendschap, tiener problemen.
De reden dat Sam zich niet prettig voelt in het water en er zelfs wat angstig voor is, ligt wat voor de hand.
Je hebt al gauw door hoe de vork in steel zit.
Maar het boek blijft boeien!
De plottwist op het einde had ik niet zien aankomen en daar werd ik ook door verrast!
Dit boek heeft mij wel gegrepen als een ''Monstergolf''!
''Kook'' (surftaal: Een beginner, iemand die graag een surfer wil worden! (blz 7)
De vijftienjarige Sam verhuist met zijn moeder en zusje van Londen naar Cornwall.
Daar komen ze naast het meisje Jade te wonen, die samen met haar vader en de hond, Sam's enige buren zijn.
Jade kan fantastisch goed surfen en ze lijkt voor niks of niemand bang!
Zij en haar surfende vrienden vinden Sam maar een ''kook''!
Sam heeft last van watervrees, maar wil graag indruk maken op de stoere Jade.
Indruk op haar maken, kan maar op 1 manier:
Leren surfen!
Sam begint te houden van het surfen en het vinden van de perfecte golf.
Jade wil surfen op Duivelshoorns, waar de waanzinnigste golven zijn en waar nooit iemand eerder heeft gesurft!
Er is alleen 1 probleem, niemand weet exact waar ''Duivelshoorns'' zich bevind.
Als Sam per toeval achter de locatie komt, zijn hij en zijn vrienden vast besloten om daar te gaan surfen!
Moeten ze dat nou wel doen, surfen bij de ''Duivelshoorns''..?
Ik heb genoten van ''Surf''!
Al kwam het boek een beetje traag op gang, vanaf het moment dat Sam wil gaan surfen en het ook echt gaat doen, kon ik het boek niet meer neerleggen en werd ik meegesleurd!
Door het boek heen zitten ook enkele thema's verwerkt, familie, liefde, vriendschap, tiener problemen.
De reden dat Sam zich niet prettig voelt in het water en er zelfs wat angstig voor is, ligt wat voor de hand.
Je hebt al gauw door hoe de vork in steel zit.
Maar het boek blijft boeien!
De plottwist op het einde had ik niet zien aankomen en daar werd ik ook door verrast!
Dit boek heeft mij wel gegrepen als een ''Monstergolf''!
July 27, 2019
I feel like I learned so much about surfing from reading this book. It’s a wonderful marriage of surfing, science, and teen rite of passage. The descriptions were vivid and Vicks really sold Cornwall (although it’s Cornwall, it sells itself), there were some great characters too.
But if there were any flaws, it was in certain characters. Big G felt like an unresolved story, there was no backstory for why he was the way he was. Tegan felt pointless, a crux to use for Sam’s mother demanding him home and nothing more. And I couldn’t stand Jade, she was some kind of Manic Pixie Dream Girl but with no real personality. I couldn’t see the draw for Sam.
The way the story played out was good, but I kept hoping Sam would bond better with at least Rag and Skip. I kept hoping for either resolution or a twist with Sam’s father. When he discovered the waves he was chasing connected to his dad, I really thought there would be more insight into what happened to him. And with the correlation between Sam, Jade, and the sea, and that tangling together with his father, I thought it would have a stronger tie in.
Those things didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the story though, I loved hearing about how they chased waves, how it was a sense of euphoria, the feeling of surfing itself caught up in the descriptions... but they are what stop me giving this 5 stars
But if there were any flaws, it was in certain characters. Big G felt like an unresolved story, there was no backstory for why he was the way he was. Tegan felt pointless, a crux to use for Sam’s mother demanding him home and nothing more. And I couldn’t stand Jade, she was some kind of Manic Pixie Dream Girl but with no real personality. I couldn’t see the draw for Sam.
The way the story played out was good, but I kept hoping Sam would bond better with at least Rag and Skip. I kept hoping for either resolution or a twist with Sam’s father. When he discovered the waves he was chasing connected to his dad, I really thought there would be more insight into what happened to him. And with the correlation between Sam, Jade, and the sea, and that tangling together with his father, I thought it would have a stronger tie in.
Those things didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the story though, I loved hearing about how they chased waves, how it was a sense of euphoria, the feeling of surfing itself caught up in the descriptions... but they are what stop me giving this 5 stars
February 3, 2017
In un libro solitamente cerco la passione, voglio che i sentimenti, le emozioni dei personaggi vengano ben spiegati che il paesaggio venga ben descritto, tutto quello che ho trovato in questo libro. Quando l'ho comprato non avevo grandi aspettative, ma pagina dopo pagina, capitolo dopo capitolo mi sono ricreduta, rivelandosi uno dei libri più emozionanti e avvincenti che abbia mai letto. Consigliato per chi vuole spaziare con la fantasia
August 17, 2016
Honestly, it is a testament to the story that I managed to finish this one in spite of my reservations. And that even knowing how it was likely to end, based on the synopsis. I was interested in the portrayal of surfing, but that was mostly it. I didn't particularly find the characters interesting, which was definitely to the story's detriment.
July 21, 2016
Heel mooi young adult boek. Goed vertaald, mooi opgebouwd, voor iedereen een plezier om te lezen. Je krijgt bijna zin om te surfen. In ieder geval om eens in Cornwell een kijkje te gaan nemen. Ik bewaar dit boek zeker voor als Rinke oud genoeg is om het te lezen.
Met dank aan Ineke van Gottmer die me dit boek tipte.
Met dank aan Ineke van Gottmer die me dit boek tipte.
August 4, 2016
Ik ben bijna constant laaiend enthousiast over de boeken die ik lees deze vakantie en deze doet daar niet voor onder. Wat een boek. Personages die je zo elke beschreven golf ziet pakken, foute keuzes waar je ze zo graag voor wilt behoeden. En dat die emoties. <3. prachtboek.
June 5, 2016
Holy crap, that ending!
I didn't really like this book when I just started reading it, but in the end I was completely in tears.
I didn't really like this book when I just started reading it, but in the end I was completely in tears.
June 30, 2016
Oehhhh dat einde is wel bevredigend. Volledige recensie binnenkort op www.myperfectbooklife.blogspot.nl
~ woesjjjj ~
~ woesjjjj ~
January 1, 2020
It gave me a real insight on surfing and its dangers and hazards. Omg it might even make you cry.
June 10, 2017
This book is the best I've read in a long while, it seriously made me tear up and all.
April 18, 2025
As a surfer, the yearning I got for the life they were living is insane. I loved every second of it, especially as he learned to surf, but then she died??!!!! I did NOT see that coming and this is quite possibly the saddest book I’ve ever read, I can’t stop crying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2017
If you want a turbulent YA book about the sea, then this is definitely IT.
Oh my, it was so powerful.
Oh my, it was so powerful.
September 4, 2016
3.75 stelle.
Allora: ho molte cose da dire riguardo a questo titolo.
Partiamo dal presupposto che questo libro mi ispirava, in quanto sembrava una storia d'amore affascinante e l'idea della misteriosa onda cavalcata nel 1927 mi aveva fatto dire: "Wow, che idea!"
Ed, in effetti, l'idea era bella.
Ma, già dalle prime pagine mi sono ritrovata a dire :<< è la copia rivisitata di " Cercando Alaska ", di John Green ">> e, in effetti, la storia è quella.
Cambia solamente l'argomento, non si parla più di ragazzi in un college, ma di ragazzi appassionati di surf.
E la cosa mi ha fatta arrabbiare, anche perche " Cercando Alaska " è il mio libro preferito ed era molto più profondo - a mio parere - di questo.
Il protagonista Sam, era, in tutto e per tutto, un ragazzino capriccioso e lo stereotipo del teenager ribelle ( ed era pure impiccione ), che voleva fare di tutto per far colpo su quella ragazza bellissima che era la co-protagonista.
Lei, però, aveva i suoi motivi per essere ribelle, lui diciamo che voleva solamente fare il figo ( esattamente come ogni ragazzo al giorno d'oggi ).
La cosa che, però, mi ha più schifata è che bere, farsi le canne e drogarsi occupava molta parte del libro.
Si presupponeva che lo sballo dovesse essere il fare surf - e, si, nella descrizione di questo sport nel libro, si vede la passione dell'autore per il mare e la Cornovaglia - ma sono rimasta delusa da come il protagonista non dimostrasse affatto un po' di buon senso ma, anzi, fosse la rappresentazione dell'irresponsabilità.
Non viene insegnato praticamente nulla, anzi.
Questo libro è pieno di cattivi stereotipi e, alle volte, avrei voluto avere il protagonista tra le mani.
La co-protagonista, invece, non è un cattivo personaggio, dopotutto.
è una ragazza con una vita non facile, ma si vede la grande passione che ha per il mare.
MA. GRANDE MA.
Ci sono anche delle note positive: innanzitutto, ho adorato i personaggi di Big G., della nonna del ragazzo e di Skip.
Big G. dimostra di essere più grande e riflessivo degli altri e, se non fosse stato per lui, forse avrei mollato questo libro e non l'avrei finito. Ho davvero ammirato la sua forza di volontà e il suo carattere. è il mio personaggio preferito, si.
La nonna è stato quel tipo di personaggio che ti fa dire " Tu si che hai un'idea della vita ".
Ha dato molti insegnamenti - anche implicitamente - a Sam e a me e ringrazio il colpo di genio che ha permesso la sua creazione, perchè è un personaggio degno di nota.
Infine, c'è Skip.
Allora, all'inizio mi era abbastanza indifferente ma, poi, l'ho apprezzato.
Skip ha capito molte cose ed è cresciuto nel corso del libro ( cosa che Sam farà solo alla fine ), dando anche un bell'insegnamento al protagonista sul finale.
Inoltre, la frase " La paura rende il lupo più grande ", penso che mi starà a cuore ancora per molto.
Ognuno la interpreta a suo modo, quando la legge e, per me, ha avuto un grandissimo significato.
Spero che ci troverete anche voi il vostro.
è stata una lettura bella, per certi versi, meno per altri.
In ogni caso, consiglio di leggerlo, se volete farvi la vostra idea del libro ( perchè io ho espresso solo la mia sincera opinione ).
" La paura rende il lupo più grande ".
Allora: ho molte cose da dire riguardo a questo titolo.
Partiamo dal presupposto che questo libro mi ispirava, in quanto sembrava una storia d'amore affascinante e l'idea della misteriosa onda cavalcata nel 1927 mi aveva fatto dire: "Wow, che idea!"
Ed, in effetti, l'idea era bella.
Ma, già dalle prime pagine mi sono ritrovata a dire :<< è la copia rivisitata di " Cercando Alaska ", di John Green ">> e, in effetti, la storia è quella.
Cambia solamente l'argomento, non si parla più di ragazzi in un college, ma di ragazzi appassionati di surf.
E la cosa mi ha fatta arrabbiare, anche perche " Cercando Alaska " è il mio libro preferito ed era molto più profondo - a mio parere - di questo.
Il protagonista Sam, era, in tutto e per tutto, un ragazzino capriccioso e lo stereotipo del teenager ribelle ( ed era pure impiccione ), che voleva fare di tutto per far colpo su quella ragazza bellissima che era la co-protagonista.
Lei, però, aveva i suoi motivi per essere ribelle, lui diciamo che voleva solamente fare il figo ( esattamente come ogni ragazzo al giorno d'oggi ).
La cosa che, però, mi ha più schifata è che bere, farsi le canne e drogarsi occupava molta parte del libro.
Si presupponeva che lo sballo dovesse essere il fare surf - e, si, nella descrizione di questo sport nel libro, si vede la passione dell'autore per il mare e la Cornovaglia - ma sono rimasta delusa da come il protagonista non dimostrasse affatto un po' di buon senso ma, anzi, fosse la rappresentazione dell'irresponsabilità.
Non viene insegnato praticamente nulla, anzi.
Questo libro è pieno di cattivi stereotipi e, alle volte, avrei voluto avere il protagonista tra le mani.
La co-protagonista, invece, non è un cattivo personaggio, dopotutto.
è una ragazza con una vita non facile, ma si vede la grande passione che ha per il mare.
MA. GRANDE MA.
Ci sono anche delle note positive: innanzitutto, ho adorato i personaggi di Big G., della nonna del ragazzo e di Skip.
Big G. dimostra di essere più grande e riflessivo degli altri e, se non fosse stato per lui, forse avrei mollato questo libro e non l'avrei finito. Ho davvero ammirato la sua forza di volontà e il suo carattere. è il mio personaggio preferito, si.
La nonna è stato quel tipo di personaggio che ti fa dire " Tu si che hai un'idea della vita ".
Ha dato molti insegnamenti - anche implicitamente - a Sam e a me e ringrazio il colpo di genio che ha permesso la sua creazione, perchè è un personaggio degno di nota.
Infine, c'è Skip.
Allora, all'inizio mi era abbastanza indifferente ma, poi, l'ho apprezzato.
Skip ha capito molte cose ed è cresciuto nel corso del libro ( cosa che Sam farà solo alla fine ), dando anche un bell'insegnamento al protagonista sul finale.
Inoltre, la frase " La paura rende il lupo più grande ", penso che mi starà a cuore ancora per molto.
Ognuno la interpreta a suo modo, quando la legge e, per me, ha avuto un grandissimo significato.
Spero che ci troverete anche voi il vostro.
è stata una lettura bella, per certi versi, meno per altri.
In ogni caso, consiglio di leggerlo, se volete farvi la vostra idea del libro ( perchè io ho espresso solo la mia sincera opinione ).
" La paura rende il lupo più grande ".
December 26, 2016
This book has it all. I mean it. Breathtaking Cornish landscapes, action that will make your heart skip a beat, love, loss, life lessons and heartbreaking ending. I simply enjoyed all the descriptions in which the author said a lot not using too many words. I loved all the full stops that made my heart stop or start beating faster. I am still a bit overwhelmed. Thank you Chris Vick for this unforgettable surfing story. Perfect with 'Sound / Teack' by Headland playing in the background.
August 23, 2025
Aanrader voor de surfer, en de niet surfer. The new kid in town ontmoet het lokale surfmeisje met grote dromen over grote golven. Ze gaan het avontuur samen aan. De kick van het surfen is voelbaar als er over geschreven wordt en de ontluikende relatie ontwikkelt puberaal en liefdevol... Goed geschreven verhaal met veeel dynamiek.
December 18, 2017
Mooi boek! Toch weer zitten janken. Het is goed te merken dat de schrijver zelf surft want de ervaringen die hij beschrijft begrijp je denk ik alleen als je ze zelf hebt meegemaakt. De titel is ook lekker duidelijk! Surf! Driekwart van het boek worden namelijk golven beschreven, planken benoemd en het surfweer besproken. Als je surfen niet interessant vind, pak dit boek niet op. Als je het wel interessant vindt lees vooral dit boek! Surfen, rebelse jongeren, kampvuurtjes aan de zee en een liefdesverhaal er doorheen geweven. Ingrediënten voor een lekker vakantieboek!
Volle recensie: https://brightbluebooks.wordpress.com...
Volle recensie: https://brightbluebooks.wordpress.com...
May 20, 2016
This swept me along easily. Although I'm not a fan of the flippant way the book treats teenage drug and alcohol use (or, now that I think about it, its breezing over Sam's cracking under peer pressure and his often ill-advised decisions made for plainly stupid reasons), the story is full of heart and suspense and the characters feel very real. The last part of the novel can be predicted from the start, but is also beautifully written. Pretty good read, all in all.
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