Ingo Review

So, today I'm reviewing Ingo by Helen Dunmore. This book was first published in England, and then here in the U.S. It's juvenile fiction.

Blurb (as per Helen Dunmore's site):
Sapphire and her brother Conor live on the Cornish coast in a cottage on the cliff-tops. One day just after Midsummer Eve, their lives change for ever when their father disappears while out in his boat one evening.
Everyone else thinks he has drowned, especially when his upturned boat, the Peggy Gordon, is found wedged between rocks at the foot of the cliffs a few miles down the coast. But Sapphire and Conor believe he is still alive, and they make a vow never to give up their search until they find him.
Through their quest for their father Sapphire and Conor discover that they have the power to enter the mysterious world of Ingo. They meet a Mer brother and sister, Faro and Elvira, and voyage deeper and deeper into the world beneath the sea, where you travel by surfing currents and must learn the ways of dolphins, sharks and whales. Soon they are drawn far away from their life in the Air. Sapphire and Conor learn that although they are human, they also have Mer ancestry. When they are in Ingo their Mer blood grows strong, and they have powers they never knew they possessed .


My Review:
Ingo was a pretty good book, overall. I liked the characters and the level of mystery. I felt that a lot could be done to improve the writing. One thing that really threw me off was her swear replacement. I remember that one character got mad at the main character, and he said something like, "I don't care at all about #%$*&@* Ingo!" In the book, Dunmore actually used an ansterisk, a pounce sign, etc. I read this book a few years ago and it didn't seem so out of place, but several weeks ago when I reread it it threw me off.
Another thing; this may just be me being an idiot, but I couldn't figure out how old the main character, Sapphire was. She was somewhere between ten and twelve, but I can't tell exactly how old. That kept me always wondering throughout the whole book.
I love the plot of this book. If the writing were better, and if it were YA, it would be wonderful. When I say that it should be YA,  I mean that the characters should be older and also with a bit of romance. If it were YA, I think this book would attract a larger audience-even though it's already won several prizes. It's a good fantasy read  if you're looking for something with an entertaining and ingenious plot, but not such strong character development and the like.


***3 stars


Current Music: None, surprisingly
Current Mood: A bit sleepy


I probably won't be able to post tomorrow. I'm going on a trip until Tuesday night.


RR