Official Review: Across the Ocean by Hawa Crickmore

[Tanaya]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Across the Ocean" by Hawa Crickmore.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Across the Ocean, a novel by Hawa L. Crickmore, is a blend of modern-day and historical fiction.

The first part of the novel takes place in England, in the year 2015. Martin is a twenty-eight-year-old cage fighter with feelings for a woman named Celia. When Martin goes to a restaurant by himself, he and a stranger named Leroy, a mixed race man from the States, agree to share a table. During their conversation, Martin reveals that his parents are dead and that he has no siblings. After a strong bond develops between the two, it is soon discovered that Martin is in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant, for which Leroy proves to be a match. From there, Crickmore takes the reader back in time to trace Martin and Leroy’s fascinating family history.

The novel, which is less than a hundred pages long, is divided into four parts, based mostly on the difference in setting and time period. After setting up the premise of the novel, part two takes place in Ghana and part three in mid-1800s England. Part four returns to the present and neatly ties everything together, drawing the plot to a satisfying conclusion. The historical sections of the novel tell the story of Kunyaa, a mother who struggles to survive after being taken captive, and the fate of her sons in the slave trade.

The historical sections were my favorite aspect of the novel. I wanted those stories to be fleshed out more, especially the forbidden romances. The author did an effective job of connecting the modern characters and relationships to the past. The novel is fast paced, which I appreciated because it was a quick read and it was easy to keep track of what was going on. However, the fast-paced nature of the novel was also to its detriment. At the beginning, it is established that Martin and Celia are interested in each other, but she has a boyfriend. A few pages later they are dating, without much time spent conveying how this transition in the nature of their relationship came about. This is the case with most of the relationships in the novel, such as between Martin and Leroy, who go from being two strangers at a restaurant on one page and soon afterward are described as having a brotherly bond without the reader getting to see this bond naturally develop. The author is certainly capable of great description and often fills us in on how these relationships function: “...she was the only person who could see the part of him that was soft, loving, and caring. In the ring, however, he behaved as a wounded lion, fighting with phenomenal aggression…”

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. The dialogue didn’t always sound natural. Overall, the novel would greatly benefit from professional editing. It is an ambitious concept that was quite enthralling. I would easily give this book 4 out of 4 stars if it were better edited and successfully fleshed out to show the development of the characters’ relationships. The premise has so much potential, and I enjoyed peering through the lens of the author’s wondrous imagination.

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Across the Ocean
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Like Tanaya's review? Post a comment saying so!

[The Researcher]

The book sounds interesting. Yes the forbidden romances do pique the interest. Too bad it has so many editing errors

[LINA M-EMBER AMA]

The historical portion is what also piques my interest especially the part of the slave trade. Even though it carries some editing errors I would not mind a read.

[kandscreeley]

I love a quick read every once in a while, but I think the unnatural dialogue would get to me. Thanks for the review, though.

[Aimy]

It seems like the author has quite masterfully crafted the story by weaving together the past and the present.

[morde]

A fast paced tale keeps me attentive all through. I'll have a look at it.

[juliusotinyo]

I love stories that talk of some past connection between regular day people. Your review was a pleasure to read.

[Reuben 92]

I like the idea of exploring the family history behind two people but it does sound like the book could do with a bit more editing to get it up to scratch! I enjoyed your summary, thanks!

[Irene C]

Thanks for this review. As you say, the premise sounds interesting even with the writing flaws, so I'll check it out for that.