Orphans of the Tide, by Struan Murray, HarperCollins, Dec. 14, 2021, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 8-12)
A young inventor’s world is turned upside down when she finds a live boy inside the belly of a whale in Orphans of the Tide, by Struan Murray.
The City is the only home that Ellie has ever known. She’s always been told that there is nothing to see beyond the shores of her small, salty island.
That is, until a mysterious boy washes in with the tide, trapped inside the belly of a whale.
The citizens of the City believe he’s ruled by the Enemy — the legendary god who drowned the whole world — come again to cause untold chaos. Only Ellie believes that the boy is innocent.
To save him, Ellie must prove that he’s not who they think he is — even if that means revealing her own dangerous secret. —Synopsis provided by HarperCollins
Orphans of the Tide is a fantasy novel with splashes of steampunk throughout. The story takes place in a city that has survived the death of the gods. But the city has paid a price. Much of it has been reclaimed by the sea. And what is left is plagued by the threat of the Enemy, who could be anyone, anywhere.
Ellie is an orphan but has made a name for herself as an inventor and repairer of inventions her late mother created.
The city and these creations are fascinating, and it would have been nice — though not imperative — if author Struan Murray had expanded on them a bit more. As it is, they almost feel like characters that weren’t fully realized.
What has been fully realized are the characters. Ellie, her friend Anna and Seth (the mysterious boy) are lovely characters whose relationships with each other ring true. Also, well-developed is the Enemy, who is cunning and creepy.
The pacing and energy throughout Orphans of the Tide is strong, moving the story forward with action and emotion.
Orphans of the Tide is the first book of a trilogy that should appeal to a wide cross-section of readers.
