The Starboard Sea by Amber Dermont

‘Devastated by the suicide of his prep-school roommate and disdaining the trappings of his affluent Manhattan life, Jason transfers to another school and bonds with a troubled classmate whose subsequent death compels Jason to uncover the truth, in a tale set against a backdrop of the 1987 stock market collapse’.

This novel is, without doubt, one of the best I have read thus far in 2012. Starboard Sea is an examination of a young man’s foray into the risks and pleasures of adulthood. At times tragic, at other times hopeful, Jason’s story is full of poignancy, painful self-discovery, and reminders how complicated this journey to adulthood can be. Although this novel is most definitely not a ‘beach read’, this haunting novel, complete with unforgettable descriptions of sailing, is not to be missed”.