Adventure, mystery, and danger await readers in Polaris, by Michael Northrop. This novel transports literary adventure-seekers to the early 19th century aboard a sea vessel on a mission to explore the unknown. It becomes swiftly apparent to the reader, however, that something has gone horribly, fatally wrong on this voyage. Through a series of sinister circumstances, only the youngest and most inexperienced of the ship’s crew are left to guide the vessel safely to port. As if natural dangers were not enough, it appears that something unnatural is working against them.
Polaris is a horror novel that brings to mind the classic monster flicks of the 1950s and 60s. The author skillfully uses all the tools of spookiness and mystery to set the atmosphere of the story and increase the suspense as readers wait to see what will happen next. The author’s deft utilization of isolation and the unknown as a source of tension works brilliantly to deliver a story that is horrific while at the same not so bloody that it would put the novel out of reach of its young target audience.
The characters in this novel will particularly appeal to an older elementary or young junior high audience, since the ship is, by necessity, crewed by teenagers for almost the entirety of the book. The conflicts that the characters have with one another are different due to the setting, but are based on the same emotions and motivations that teens and tweens will find familiar in their own everyday relationships. The story is told from the point of view of several alternating characters throughout the book, and this is an effective storytelling device that lets readers see all sides of an issue. It helps to reveal the important truth that just because someone has a different opinion or way of doing things doesn’t mean that they are devoid of good intentions. The struggles that the characters go through are all the more difficult because of their youth and the fact that they are physically not as strong as adults, and young readers who see them score a victory over some of these trials may draw a measure of encouragement about overcoming obstacles in their own lives.
In addition to its beautifully woven story, Polaris delivers an interesting look into the workings of a sailing ship of the time. Details about the layout and function of various pieces of the ship, the role of crew members, and some tidbits about history at the time are given in the story in such a way that the reader does not feel like they are being taught, but rather that they are being given pieces essential to understanding the story. Upon finishing the book, however, an observant reader will notice that the author imparted to them quite a bit of ship trivia and even a little science and engineering, such as it was in the early 1800s.
Polaris is a rare gem of a book that combines a good story, strongly-developed characters and relationships, and just a little bit of learning. I highly recommend it, especially for kids who like a rousing adventure story.
This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Scholastic Press (A Scholastic Imprint)
Content Analysis:
Profanity/Language: 7 religious exclamations.
Violence/Gore: A few verbal threats; report of children fighting; a few reports of men whipped, flogged, or hanged as punishment; a few reports of past deaths; report of a character killed in an explosion; characters hear, but do not see, a fight in which men are shot or stabbed to death; characters encounter spooky shadows or noises or have a creepy sense of being watched a few times; a few instances of accidental cuts while using knives; a ship is damaged by weather; a character suffers a bad cut, leading to bleeding and infection; characters encounter grotesque creatures and flee or fight with them a few times (no graphic violence); characters consider throwing someone overboard; an animal is killed, and a character examines its body; a fight in which a monster is wounded and a character is forcibly carried off; a character is killed in an explosion (not graphic); a character knocks another character out; a character considers shooting another character; a vehicle is destroyed.
Sex/Nudity: None
Mature Subject Matter:
Mutiny; death (family, friends); discrimination against women; practice of selling children into indentured servitude (mention); slavery (mention); piracy (mention); poverty and class injustice.
Alcohol / Drug Use:
Mention of chewing tobacco; mention of an adult character drinking in the past.
