Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

Naomi | Howell High School, Grade 11

Rating: **

The Old Man and the Sea takes place in Havana, Cuba, where an old man named Santiago has a consistent battle in regards to fishing. He is accompanied by a young boy named Manolin who watches over him and helps him launch and retrieve his boat. He has yet to catch a fish in 84 days, so he sets out once again, hoping to be luckier. On his journey at sea, Santiago comes in contact with a massive marlin, who he decides he will devote his life to catching. The marlin's size pulls Santiago boat farther from shore, and prevents him from reeling in the line. The pair battle for days straight, with Santiago's determination remaining high even though is is quite old and tired. The book continues to describe the many challenges Santiago faces in accomplishing his goal, some of which involve sharks, lack of food, and being stranded from land.

Though the book may seem like it would be a thrilling story of a man's fight to stay alive at sea, it's really quite the opposite. The language of the book is superior, buts its actual context deems itself to be sort of repetitive. Overall, I'd say that the story itself is interesting, yet the author prolonged it a bit too much, making readers feel bored after reading the same cycle of events. All in all, I think I'd give the book about 2 stars, and probably wouldn't recommend that teens read it.