The ocean in my ears – Meagan Macvie

Disclaimer: I received this novel through a twitter giveaway. This in no way impacts my review.

Meri Miller lives in Soldotna, Alaska. Never heard of it? That’s because in Slowdotna the most riveting activities for a teenager are salmon fishing and grabbing a Big Gulp at the local 7-Eleven. More than anything, Meri wants to hop in her VW Bug and head somewhere exciting, like New York or L.A. or any city where going to the theater doesn’t only mean the movies. Everything is so scripted here–don’t have too much fun, date this guy because he’s older and popular, stay put because that’s what everyone else does.
But when her senior year should be all boys, SAT prep, and prom drama, Meri feels more and more distance between herself and the people she loves. Her grandma dies, her brother gets hurt, and even her best friend checks out to spend more time with some guy. As she struggles with family, grief, friends, and hormones, Meri must decide if she really is ready for the world beyond her backyard.
Meagan Macvie’s debut novel, The Ocean in My Ears, raises questions of love, purpose, and the power to choose your own future even when your future’s the thing that scares you the most.

As with most reviews, I enjoy assessing the cover art and how it relates to the story before beginning the in-depth review. I really enjoy this cover. The water-colors are beautiful and depict accurately the colors of nature in Alaska. The mountains and water in the background add to the natural scenery found there as well. Meri’s car is pictured on the cover, being mentioned throughout the book also, it is a nice tie-in. Now…on to the good part of this post, the review.

I grew up with an over-protective father, so I understood very well what Meri had felt. She was suffocated by her parents, never allowed to be on her own and discover herself as an individual. She is now in her senior year of high school and her entire life is about to change. Meri has always crushed on Joaquin, a local boy, but never had the nerve to tell him…or anyone for that matter. When her best friend takes her to a party, she meets Brett. Brett seems nice at first, but you quickly grow to despise him. Meri sees distance grow between her and her best friend throughout the year. It is difficult enough being a teenage girl with overbearing parents, now she has to add boy trouble and distance of friends into the mix.

When her grandma falls ill, her life seems to tumble downhill from there. Meri is stuck with many decisions, the most difficult being what to do about college. Alaska is all she has ever known and everyone she has ever known resides there. Will she decide to move away and blossom or stay and be around familiar places and people? Who will Meri decide to be with?

Many of us in high school face that same decision. I lived in the same house since I was about one year old. I went to the same school from pre-kindergarten until the day I graduated high school. When I was looking for colleges, I admit…I wanted to be far away from my dad. My dad and I had a love/hate relationship. My choice was made for me when my father suddenly passed away November of my senior year. Meri has the chance to make that herself. I connected so deeply with his novel, it brought back so many memories of the transition from simple, high school…to adulthood.  I think the first person point of view helps the reader to identify with Meri. The reader really gets a feel for who Meri is and what struggles she is going through.

The pace of the book changes. There are some places where the book moves a little slower, but never dull enough to make me want to put it down. I did finish this book in two days! I devoured it. Once I finished, I was left wondering…where will Meri’s life take her? The end ties in the meaning of the title perfectly! Such a great metaphor…the ocean.

Overall, this was a very well written and pleasant read. This is a wonderful, emotion-filled story that any woman may be able to relate to.