Review: The Wreckers
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3 stars. Taking it way back this week with The Wreckers, a Yearling classic published in ‘99. My husband recommended it as a beloved read from his childhood and I couldn't resist the "high seas adventure" promised. I was immediately shocked by the sheer technicality of a shipwreck - I feel like I would've understood this better had I possessed an intimate knowledge of boats and sailing - but slowly relaxed into a tale that reads like a story heard aloud by the fireplace.
This is the tale of John Spencer, a 14-year boy determined to take to the sea. He accompanies his father, owner of the Isle of the Skye, on a trade voyage, until they are violently shipwrecked off the coast of Cornwall, England. Waterlogged and alone, he witnesses something horrible, something inhumane and tragic. He discovers that the coast is home to a town of wreckers - those who wreck ships on purpose, murder the survivors, and steal the cargo.
It's a nonstop adventure from there - John makes enemies, and friends, and unravels the mystery of the town. He meets murderous monsters and treacherous villains and journeys across moors and through hidden caves. He makes daring escapes and good, heroic choices. It's all really ridiculous, and unlikely, and fun and scary. It was almost a relief to read this from a young person's eyes and recognize the heart and morality of the story. I could depend on the hero.
I can't go without a quiet cringe at one of the story's antagonists - the character of Stumps could be described as downright derogatory. The Americans with Disabilities Act had been around for almost 10 years when this was published - regardless, Lawrence should've known better. It made me uncomfortable - okay, more than uncomfortable - to see a character whose disability was used as an instrument of fear. To make him scarier. Not okay at all.
But this was a page-turning, action-packed adventure, for sure, and a nice, nostalgic break from the angst of adult reading. I might even describe it as a beach read. There's a lot of good luck and a lot of bad luck and an enduring sense that everything's going to be okay. Despite issues with character and plot, the writing is atmospheric and strong. It's a practically nonsensical swashbuckling adventure pre-Pirates of the Caribbean, and like Pirates, it works.