DARK WATER RISING by Marian Hale

Seventeen-year-old Seth and his family have just moved to Galveston, and Seth is generally frustrated with life and his parents’ expectations for him. He is tired of looking after his little sister and has no interest in his father’s plans for him to attend college. Things begin looking up when he finds a job he really enjoys, working as a carpenter’s helper. When the famous 1900 hurricane hits, Seth must be strong as his world is turned upside down and he grapples with feelings of loss, surrounded by death and destruction in the aftermath of the storm. By the end of the story, having developed a stronger sense of self, Seth is finally able to tell his father his true feelings about what he wants to do with his life.

Since Hurricane Katrina, there has been an increased interest in hurricanes and the havoc they wreak. The small community where I work has been impacted by hurricane twice in the past three years. While talking to community members about the storms, there always seems to be a fascination with what it would be like to stay behind and witness the storm firsthand. Marian Hale provides a glimpse of what that might be like, and it will likely make anyone think twice about staying behind.