Book Review: "Safe from the Sea" by Peter Geye

Title: Safe from the Sea

Author: Peter Geye

Publisher: Unbridled Books

ISBN, PUB Date: 978-1609530082, October 1, 2010

Reviewed by: Libby for Author Exposure

Set both on the shores of Northern Minnesota and the waters of the Great Lakes, Safe from the Sea is a deeply moving story about family bonds, tragic secrets, and the power of forgiveness. In the midst of infertility treatments and the daily demands of entrepreneurship, Noah receives a call from his estranged father, Olaf. His father is ill and needs help winterizing his cabin in Northern Minnesota. Noah agrees to return home, only to learn that Olaf is in worse shape than Noah could ever imagine.

“Noah’s first impulse was to anger. But as he sat there alone, the seriousness of his father’s health now a certainty, his anger subsided, was replaced instead with an unnatural calm. There was a new light cast on his being there, one that complicated even as it made clearer.” (30)

This foreshadowing of the events to follow instantly grabs the reader’s attention. We learn that Olaf was only one of three survivors aboard a steel ship that shipwrecked in Lake Superior. Though the lake waters did not claim Olaf’s life, the wreck changed him and he returned to his family a different man. What exactly happened that fateful night? For over thirty years, Olaf has been carrying a secret about the events surrounding the sinking of the S.S. Ragnarok. He finally reveals the entire story to his son and together they begin to repair their relationship and seek redemption.

Safe from the Sea is a beautifully written, character-driven novel. The author’s words breathed life into the father and son characters. At times the tension between them was so great that I had to put the book down and catch my breath. You could feel the anger and resentment Noah directed toward his father.

Though secondary characters, I thought that the author could have further developed Noah's wife and mother. At first I did not care for Noah’s wife, Natalie. However, as her and Noah’s love story developed, so did my fondness of her. Similarly, not much of Noah’s mother was revealed until the end and I found myself yearning for more details about her. This minor criticism did not distract from my enjoyment of the overall story.

I recommend Safe from the Sea to readers who enjoy family dramas and literary fiction. It is a heart-wrenching portrayal of how a father and son’s broken relationship is repaired with love and forgiveness. Peter Geye is a very talented new author and I look forward to reading his next novel.
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We are so excited to announce Safe from the Sea is one of the Indie Next Picks for October as well as the Women's National Book Association Great Group Read selection for 2010!

Unbridled Books has generously offered us a giveaway copy of this featured title. Here are the
GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

- You must be a fan, follower or subscriber of Author Exposure
- Please leave a comment to enter into this giveaway
- This giveaway will be open for 2 weeks--it closes at midnight (EST) on October 15th
- We'll announce the winners the following day, October 16th
- Note, this giveaway is limited to Canadian and US Residents only