Clio needs to find something inside her- even though crushes and first kisses seem to take priority in her life, it’s not really what she’s looking for. Clio does not need a boyfriend or a kiss to complete her. While most readers might not be able to imagine how it would feel to jump off the deck of a yacht into the dark sea, most can probably relate to being hurt by a friend or fighting with a parent.Īnother thing I like about Johnson’s heroines is that they have romantic interests but do not need to be rescued. It adds interest to the story, but does not serve to alienate readers. The exotic locale is just that: a setting. But Clio’s feelings, her relationships, her fears, and her weaknesses are all very real. Clio is highly relatable, even though many girls probably can’t even imagine living the life Clio has cruising around the Mediterranean. Johnson does not write stereotypical teen girls- they are all fully fleshed out young women with diverse talents, desires, and motivations (which is why the covers bother me so much). I’m quickly growing into a huge Maureen Johnson fan, almost entirely because of her heroines. It was a great book to read while stuck in winter misery.

There’s a bit of everything here: mystery, romance, drama. Girl at Sea has a great pace and likable characters. If I wasn’t lazy, I’d start a petition to stop this cover design travesty. If I had, I likely would have assumed the novel would have been another formulaic teen romance drama. I’m glad I didn’t judge this book (or 13 Little Blue Envelopes) by its cover. This cover is so generic that it short-changes what’s inside. I’m probably overreacting, but this really bothers me. (At least Suite Scarlet seems to have broken this pattern) And Voila! A cover girl that has nothing at all to do with the strong heroines Johnson writes. Add in a few pieces of plot-related decorative flourishes. I’ve noticed a pattern with Maureen Johnson’s books: Find a picture of a pretty, slim girl (with no face).

WTF? That girl on the cover could never, ever be Clio.

Girl at Sea by Maureen Johnson