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Drawing the Ocean
A gifted painter, Sadie comes from California to Connecticut determined to fit in at her new school. Yet her first attempt at making friends in the new town backfires when she reaches out to the loner everyone calls Fryin' Ryan, the very last person who can help her achieve her dream. And to further complicate matters, her twin brother, Ollie, keeps appearing to her, seeming to want something. Her twin brother, who died when they were twelve.
- GenresYoung AdultTeen
176 pages, Hardcover
First published October 3, 2006
About the author
Carolyn MacCullough
13 books689 followersCarolyn MacCullough received her MFA in creative writing from the New School and lives with her husband in Brooklyn.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
November 8, 2016
I enjoyed this book, but it felt a little predictable. New girl comes to town, meets the outcast boy but is then drawn into the in crowd, new girl chooses to be outcast boy’s friend. While the characterization is strong, the roles the characters play in the story are standard. Sadie, the main character, lets events sweep her along rather than standing up for what she wants, whether that’s doing what her new friend Lila finds interesting or going along with her parents’ occasionally unreasonable dicta. Lila is a “mean girl,” queen bee of the popular kids, cruel to her once-best-friend Erica because the girl has become boring. Travis is a popular football player without much else going for him. Ryan is weird, wears weird t-shirts, is an outcast, but is also the most interesting person Sadie meets. The twist here is that Sadie keeps seeing her dead twin brother Ollie, but he’s never the catalyst for anything except Sadie occasionally talking to herself and looking weird.
The characters have moments in which they break out of the norm, but those moments are rare. I never felt comfortable about Lila, and the discovery that her home life is a wreck and that she’s deeply insecure didn’t go far enough to make me like her. Her treatment of Erica in particular was nasty—and who’s to say she wouldn’t turn that on Sadie eventually? Sadie herself is sort of a non-entity except when Ryan challenges her, and those moments made for much of what interested me in the story.
MacCullough is a skilled stylist, and this is an interesting book, but in the end it doesn’t rise above the ordinary.
The characters have moments in which they break out of the norm, but those moments are rare. I never felt comfortable about Lila, and the discovery that her home life is a wreck and that she’s deeply insecure didn’t go far enough to make me like her. Her treatment of Erica in particular was nasty—and who’s to say she wouldn’t turn that on Sadie eventually? Sadie herself is sort of a non-entity except when Ryan challenges her, and those moments made for much of what interested me in the story.
MacCullough is a skilled stylist, and this is an interesting book, but in the end it doesn’t rise above the ordinary.
June 19, 2018
This was pretty good. What I liked about it is not only the writing style and the characters, her friendship with Ryan and Lila, but its about Sadie and her guilt over her brother's death and what she's going through throughout the story. Wish this was a little longer though.
March 2, 2018
Drawing the Ocean is Carolyn MacCullough's third novel. Like her others it is geared toward a teen audience. But, like most of the books I review here, I can argue confidently that the writing has enough depth to entertain even snobs who refuse to pick up a YA or Children's novel under any circumstances.On to the actual review:
After moving to a new town with her parents, Sadie is desperate to fit in. Even if certain aspects of her personality seem determined to keep Sadie from calling herself normal with any degree of honesty.
Sixteen-year-old Sadie is a gifted painter. She spends part of every day at the beach, trying to draw the ocean for her twin brother, Ollie. Sometimes Ollie will pop up to keep her company and offer advice. The problem: Ollie died four years ago.
Soon enough, Sadie makes friends Lila, a girl with her own problems to deal with. She also catches the eye of Travis Hartshorn, the popular boy everyone loves. But, in midst of all this, Sadie continually finds herself reaching out to a loner known to the rest of the school as Fryin' Ryan, begging the question is being normal more important than being a friend?
At its core, Drawing the Ocean is a story about choices. About how certain choices can change everything in an instant. And how the right choice isn't always the easy one. MacCullough writes about all of these dilemmas masterfully. In addition, she also tackles the issue of dealing with a death in the family. As the story progresses, she shows how Sadie and her family are trying to move on. This becomes an underlying theme throughout the rest of the novel.
MacCullough manages to creates a compelling story without making it melodramatic. In fact, the prose is surprisingly understated. The writing style is what I'd usually call a quiet book; the kind that would be read in a hushed voice instead of a booming one. The novel is also written in the present tense, which gives the narrative a unique quality (even though more and more authors are adopting this stylistic device lately).
More important than the actual plot, though, are the characters that MacCullough has created here. This novel is sparsely populated so that each character matters and is able to become unique. In addition to the storyline, this is a novel that takes a close look at character interactions. She evokes the high school experience in a way that is subtle enough to resonate with everyone.
The characters that MacCullough has created are real, there's no other way to say it. They're not the caricatures or cartoon-like characters that are common in comedic novels. They're not flat. These character are simply authentic, real. That is partly due to MacCullough's writing style. She focuses on the essential details, the little things people notice themselves in the real world, instead of trying to describe everything. In this way, the novel comes to life not necessarily as it would be in real life, but as a reader would see it in real life. (No review of this novel should stop before saying that Sadie and Ryan might be two of the best characters ever written.)
In summary, this is a great book with beautiful prose, a compelling story, and amazing characters. And it's one of my all-time favorites. Ever.
You can find this review and more on my blog Miss Print
After moving to a new town with her parents, Sadie is desperate to fit in. Even if certain aspects of her personality seem determined to keep Sadie from calling herself normal with any degree of honesty.
Sixteen-year-old Sadie is a gifted painter. She spends part of every day at the beach, trying to draw the ocean for her twin brother, Ollie. Sometimes Ollie will pop up to keep her company and offer advice. The problem: Ollie died four years ago.
Soon enough, Sadie makes friends Lila, a girl with her own problems to deal with. She also catches the eye of Travis Hartshorn, the popular boy everyone loves. But, in midst of all this, Sadie continually finds herself reaching out to a loner known to the rest of the school as Fryin' Ryan, begging the question is being normal more important than being a friend?
At its core, Drawing the Ocean is a story about choices. About how certain choices can change everything in an instant. And how the right choice isn't always the easy one. MacCullough writes about all of these dilemmas masterfully. In addition, she also tackles the issue of dealing with a death in the family. As the story progresses, she shows how Sadie and her family are trying to move on. This becomes an underlying theme throughout the rest of the novel.
MacCullough manages to creates a compelling story without making it melodramatic. In fact, the prose is surprisingly understated. The writing style is what I'd usually call a quiet book; the kind that would be read in a hushed voice instead of a booming one. The novel is also written in the present tense, which gives the narrative a unique quality (even though more and more authors are adopting this stylistic device lately).
More important than the actual plot, though, are the characters that MacCullough has created here. This novel is sparsely populated so that each character matters and is able to become unique. In addition to the storyline, this is a novel that takes a close look at character interactions. She evokes the high school experience in a way that is subtle enough to resonate with everyone.
The characters that MacCullough has created are real, there's no other way to say it. They're not the caricatures or cartoon-like characters that are common in comedic novels. They're not flat. These character are simply authentic, real. That is partly due to MacCullough's writing style. She focuses on the essential details, the little things people notice themselves in the real world, instead of trying to describe everything. In this way, the novel comes to life not necessarily as it would be in real life, but as a reader would see it in real life. (No review of this novel should stop before saying that Sadie and Ryan might be two of the best characters ever written.)
In summary, this is a great book with beautiful prose, a compelling story, and amazing characters. And it's one of my all-time favorites. Ever.
You can find this review and more on my blog Miss Print
May 17, 2015
This is really great.
Drawing the Ocean is about Sadie, who has just moved across the country and is worried about fitting in at her new school, especially given two factors working against her: the degree to which she likes art (totally uncool, right?) and the fact that she sometimes speaks to her dead brother in public. It feels real, in a way that a lot of YA books (especially ones about issues) don't. It's quiet and contemplative. It isn't populated by caricatures. It has a lot of subtext, a lot of facial cues, a lot that's hinted at and left to the reader to put together. And the ending is fantastic, smart and challenging and surprising, while showcasing a tiny, hugely important moment.
It's just so short. I wanted so much more story.
Drawing the Ocean is about Sadie, who has just moved across the country and is worried about fitting in at her new school, especially given two factors working against her: the degree to which she likes art (totally uncool, right?) and the fact that she sometimes speaks to her dead brother in public. It feels real, in a way that a lot of YA books (especially ones about issues) don't. It's quiet and contemplative. It isn't populated by caricatures. It has a lot of subtext, a lot of facial cues, a lot that's hinted at and left to the reader to put together. And the ending is fantastic, smart and challenging and surprising, while showcasing a tiny, hugely important moment.
It's just so short. I wanted so much more story.
April 19, 2022
Even though it was a teen fiction book, I really enjoyed the very real storyline.
May 25, 2009
Sadie: Just moved here from California, is sixteen, loves art and hopes to finally be part of the in-crowd when she begins school.
Ryan: or Fryin' Ryan, thinks Sadie is a mermaid, loves poetry, carries a briefcase around and is a total geek that no-one likes, except Sadie–And she only talks to him when no-one is around.
Lila: pretty popular girl who wants to act. She befriends Sadie and introduces her to all sorts of things teens should never do, smoking pot, and (ouch) teaching her to drive in secret (even though sadie's parents are against it.)
Erika: Lila's spoiled brat friend who has her eye on Travis.
Travis: cute jock who becomes Sadie's boyfriend. He's really awesome and romantic,…except when his friends are around.
Sadie's parents: are loving but worried and don't want Sadie to attend driver's ed, no matter how she begs.
Now that the stage is set, the story begins. Sadie's new life is full of twists and turns, a whole bunch of firsts and descisions. Oh, I forgot.
Ollie: Sadie's brother, who helps her through the embarassing moments and spurs her on in his cheerful twelve-year-old way…Even though he's dead.
this book is totally awesome. not the usual type I'd go for, but I still really like it. Ten stars and four thumbs up! A must-read.
Ryan: or Fryin' Ryan, thinks Sadie is a mermaid, loves poetry, carries a briefcase around and is a total geek that no-one likes, except Sadie–And she only talks to him when no-one is around.
Lila: pretty popular girl who wants to act. She befriends Sadie and introduces her to all sorts of things teens should never do, smoking pot, and (ouch) teaching her to drive in secret (even though sadie's parents are against it.)
Erika: Lila's spoiled brat friend who has her eye on Travis.
Travis: cute jock who becomes Sadie's boyfriend. He's really awesome and romantic,…except when his friends are around.
Sadie's parents: are loving but worried and don't want Sadie to attend driver's ed, no matter how she begs.
Now that the stage is set, the story begins. Sadie's new life is full of twists and turns, a whole bunch of firsts and descisions. Oh, I forgot.
Ollie: Sadie's brother, who helps her through the embarassing moments and spurs her on in his cheerful twelve-year-old way…Even though he's dead.
this book is totally awesome. not the usual type I'd go for, but I still really like it. Ten stars and four thumbs up! A must-read.
March 3, 2016
I liked this. I don't remember much else at this point. It's a quiet kind of book, which I like sometimes. But it did feel a little unfinished. I think.
Read
March 5, 2009Her twin brother died when they are 12 but she can still see him. He helps her live her life and stay true to herself.
May 5, 2010
Really amazing book, kind of weird but still very good
August 25, 2015
A very interesting book and a very sad story. Read it a few years ago, and I loved it!
May 8, 2022
This was. YA book, so I wasn’t sure I would like it. It was a beautiful coming off age story with all of the teen angst we can all identify with from our own youth.
January 8, 2023
Lots of potential, characters relationships seemed too convenient and out of nowhere for the main character.
November 16, 2012
Reviewed by Marta Morrison for TeensReadToo.com
I really enjoyed reading this wonderful book.
DRAWING THE OCEAN is the story of Sadie, a high school student, whose family moves from California to the East Coast. Sadie is an artist who loves to draw the ocean, hence the title of the book. It is almost a spiritual thing for her.
She is very nervous about starting a new high school. You know, she is worried about being behind in her studies and having last month's hair. She should be nervous, though, because she keeps seeing and conversing with a ghost.
It is the ghost of her twin brother who had been killed four years earlier in a car accident. Sadie blames herself, and the subject of her brother is a forbidden one in her family. She meets a strange young man while drawing on the beach and later finds out that he is the outcast at the high school with the name "Frying Ryan." She also draws the eye of the hot football star, Travis.
Soon Sadie has a choice to make about who she wants to be. She can recreate herself, but does she want to be cool or kind?
This is a short story with a lot of emotional punch. I strongly recommend this book!
I really enjoyed reading this wonderful book.
DRAWING THE OCEAN is the story of Sadie, a high school student, whose family moves from California to the East Coast. Sadie is an artist who loves to draw the ocean, hence the title of the book. It is almost a spiritual thing for her.
She is very nervous about starting a new high school. You know, she is worried about being behind in her studies and having last month's hair. She should be nervous, though, because she keeps seeing and conversing with a ghost.
It is the ghost of her twin brother who had been killed four years earlier in a car accident. Sadie blames herself, and the subject of her brother is a forbidden one in her family. She meets a strange young man while drawing on the beach and later finds out that he is the outcast at the high school with the name "Frying Ryan." She also draws the eye of the hot football star, Travis.
Soon Sadie has a choice to make about who she wants to be. She can recreate herself, but does she want to be cool or kind?
This is a short story with a lot of emotional punch. I strongly recommend this book!
April 15, 2011
This book has the 3 things all books should have, a compelling story, beautifully written words and wonderful characters. To begin the story feel real since Carolyn brings to life so much real details. All the characters matter in this book and go one with the other. The message in the book is Choice, making the right or wrong call and how it affects you afterwards.
Story is centered around Sadie, she has been relocated to a new town. Like all kids in a new town you want to fit in your new school. Sadie is a very talented painter and goes down to the beach to paint the ocean. While she is there she tends to be visited by her twin brother who passed away 4 years ago. She begins to make friends at school and one friend in particular might not be the choice everyone expects from her. Fryin' Ryan is a outcast and well Sadie questions what is normal and if it should matter as far as choosing your friends.
Im a now a fan of Carolyn and plan to read more of her novels.
review link: http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2011...
Story is centered around Sadie, she has been relocated to a new town. Like all kids in a new town you want to fit in your new school. Sadie is a very talented painter and goes down to the beach to paint the ocean. While she is there she tends to be visited by her twin brother who passed away 4 years ago. She begins to make friends at school and one friend in particular might not be the choice everyone expects from her. Fryin' Ryan is a outcast and well Sadie questions what is normal and if it should matter as far as choosing your friends.
Im a now a fan of Carolyn and plan to read more of her novels.
review link: http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2011...
November 25, 2011
This is a beautifully told story, full of the awkwardnesses of discovering who you are and then being true to that. Sadie must come to terms with a tragedy that literally haunts her. This was handled so movingly that I cried more than once. At times cowardly and at others courageous, she is always sympathetic and usually likable.
I fell in love Ryan. He's the type of guy I hung out with in school, and I wished that I could hop through the pages to sit with him during lunch.
Lila, though cold at first, really grew on me. She became a true friend.
Sadie's parents, especially her mother, could be so irritating. The reason was completely understandable though. Still, I was glad that Sadie found the courage to say what she needed to say; the whole family needed that.
This was an incredible book that, despite its occasional sadness, was a true pleasure to read.
I fell in love Ryan. He's the type of guy I hung out with in school, and I wished that I could hop through the pages to sit with him during lunch.
Lila, though cold at first, really grew on me. She became a true friend.
Sadie's parents, especially her mother, could be so irritating. The reason was completely understandable though. Still, I was glad that Sadie found the courage to say what she needed to say; the whole family needed that.
This was an incredible book that, despite its occasional sadness, was a true pleasure to read.
August 10, 2012
Sadie lost her twin brother Ollie when they were 12. He wanted her to join him down at the beach where she could draw and paint the ocean. Sadie, annoyed with her brother, told him that you could never paint the ocean because it was always changing. Moments later, regret, pain and loss set in. However, as Sadie goes through the next few years, Ollie's ghost appears - keeping her soul company. Soon the family has moved to a new town, a new school - where Sadie can just blend in and try to have a normal life. The first person she meets is Ryan (Fryin' Ryan as the kids at school call him) - who is a wonderfully written character. As Sadie begins to fit in at her new school... she needs to make a choice on what is real and what is simply a facade. Very well written.
June 25, 2008
This is one of the books which 'explains' why I read YA. Will LJ properly soon, but this was beautifully written, had interesting characters who seemed as if they might be stereotypes, but turned out to be much more interesting. I loved that Sadie's friend Lila looked like a typical Queen Bee Mean Girl type, and then there was a lot of tension developed around what kind of friends each of them would be to the other. Also loved the fact that there was no big revelation about whether Ollie really was making appearances or whether it was "merely" a twin closeness thing, and there wasn't a big, over-done resolution of Sadie's grief at the end.
June 8, 2014
Actual rating: 2.5/5 stars.
Sadie just moved from California to the East Coast. She lives in a nice house on the beach and has an attic studio for her painting. She tries to fit in and be normal, but it's a little hard when her brother Ollie keeps appearing. Even though he's been dead for four years.
Well, let's just say I was expecting more from this book. Mostly it was just bland and generic, but a few of the characters really stood out to me. The ending was well done, too. Everything else was just... a little tame. Well, except for the pot smoking party.... that was not tame.
Sadie just moved from California to the East Coast. She lives in a nice house on the beach and has an attic studio for her painting. She tries to fit in and be normal, but it's a little hard when her brother Ollie keeps appearing. Even though he's been dead for four years.
Well, let's just say I was expecting more from this book. Mostly it was just bland and generic, but a few of the characters really stood out to me. The ending was well done, too. Everything else was just... a little tame. Well, except for the pot smoking party.... that was not tame.
September 4, 2008
The author basically wrote this book because she was fascinated by the concept of twins, and wondered how one would do if the other was no longer around. I think this book was more about a high school girl's experience in choosing between right and popular, all while trying to fit in. There are lots of ambiguous characters who you aren't sure if you like or not throughout the book. Definitely intriguing, and I liked some of the author's wording because it made me laugh out loud.
July 14, 2010
This book, although short, was actually pretty good. It could have been longer and didn't really give much insight into what changes she really embarks on in discovering herself. What it did offer was a very nicely written story of a girl settling into a new life in a new city and discovering her true identity through the social aspects of school and through the personal feelings she sorts through in order to come to terms with her brother's death.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2011
This was an excellent look into death, loss and second chances without being too in your face and preachy. It was such a gentle telling of loss, like a feather, instead of a boulder to my emotions. It's not a deep book, but it's still a nice, quiet read.
Sixteen-year-old Sadie still lives in the aftermath of her twin brother's death four years later. She has the chance to start over at a new school and fit in. This is her journey, and I like the decisions she makes.
July 25, 2012
This book was adorable. It's not perfect and it's not legendary but it's one of those books that makes me smile. I loved the characters and most of the situations. And Ryan was the perfect boy. It made me really miss all my high school friends who were crazy and out there, thinking about books and situations, making jokes that only you understand.
I also loved how sometimes Sadie thought in colors. :) Wonderful idea!!
I also loved how sometimes Sadie thought in colors. :) Wonderful idea!!
June 19, 2011
This one sounded better than it actually was. Sadie's life was filled with teen angst and not really interesting even though she saw her dead brother. The most interesting character was Ryan and only because he strove to not fit in by calling all sorts of attention to himself, but in a really weird way. All in all this one was utterly predictable.
October 22, 2011
This was good, although I've seen it done before and better. It's almost like the author was visibly trying her best to write something that would win the Caldicott award--and because of that it simply didn't feel real. However, desipte that slight ring of falsness, the book still managed to be touching.
October 30, 2020
Whenever I think of the Ocean, I think of this book, I almost cried when I was reading it, so sad. Whenever I go to the Library I go to where it always is and pull it out. Then I just stare at the cover and read the inside flap a few times.
October 9, 2012
I liked how the book was not centered around her still seeing her brother, even though it contributed to the story a lot. Also I thought the ending felt rushed, but other then that this was a really good book.
December 31, 2012
I liked this book, which is well written and compelling. It's slim, though, and felt to me like it could have been fleshed out more. It reminded me a bit of a Sarah Dessen book, except Dessen develops her characters and plots more fully.
September 18, 2014
I started this book thinking the main character was much younger than she was, which skewed everything for me. and i felt like the book would be too short to get any feels going, but i got quite emotional towards the end. despite myself i ended up quite liking this.
March 26, 2016
I read this book as part of the YA/MG Book Battle, and my piece can be found here.
April 10, 2008
A powerful quiet read for all ages. One of those young adult books that cross all age lines. I really enjoyed this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews