Ship Breaker ~Paolo Bacigalupi
–published 2010
–Little, Brown and Company
–326 pages
–ALA awarded 2011 Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature
–10/10
Hot on the heels of his multiple-award-winning debut novel, The Windup Girl, Paolo Bacigalupi turns his attention to the world of Young Adult fiction with his latest novel, Ship Breaker, a novel that is already taking the 2011 awards season by storm.
Ship Breaker, inspired in part by the actual industry for which it is named, follows a young teenage protagonist, Nailer, as he lives the hard and dangerous life of salvaging materials from derelict oil tankers, left over from the Accelerated Age. Nailer and the crew he works with live a thankless and poor existence, trusting to the Fates and hoping for a lucky strike that will allow them to rise above their squalid conditions. One night a “city killer” storm visits the beach, raining down death and destruction. The next day, as Nailer and his crew mate Pima search the area, they come across an unexpected boon: the wreckage of a clipper ship, filled with the kind of salvage that could make them rich beyond their wildest dreams. There is only one problem–a beautiful young girl has survived the crash and she needs help, the kind of help that can only mean one thing: danger! What is a boy to do?
Paolo Bacigalupi’s novel merges near-future science fiction with real world events and concerns, creating a story that explores important issues without ever sacrificing good story. On his website, Bacigalupi writes that Ship Breaker is:
While Ship Breaker does not shy away from showing the potential ravages of mankind’s destructive nature towards the environment, the novel is never preachy and Bacigalupi never loses sight of the story’s most endearing asset: hope. Bacigalupi is not kidding when he describes Ship Breaker as “a ripping adventure”. The reader experiences that from the very beginning, seeing the reality of ship breaking up close and personal through the eyes of young Nailer. Nailer’s existence, including a relationship with a dysfunctional and dangerous father, is intense from page one and the reader rarely has a chance to come up for air in what can only be described, damn the cliche, as a page-turner of a novel.
For my money the very best Young Adult novels are virtually indistinguishable from those written for adults. Ship Breaker, despite its young protagonists, could and should sit proudly in the ‘adult’ section of your local bookstore. What makes it special, however, is that it is a book I readily see young people relating to without ever feeling that they are being talked down to. There are a variety of things woven into the pages of Ship Breaker that speak to both young and old alike, thus it does not surprise me to have read and heard industry insiders praise this book as one of their favorites of the past year, in addition to bloggers such as myself.
Paolo Bacigalupi has become an author to look out for. His skill in creating socially aware, issue-conscious, atypical short stories has clearly translated to his long-form fiction, which bodes well for readers who hunger for entertaining fiction with multiple layers of exploration. In Ship Breaker, Bacigalupi has created a three-dimensional character who struggles with his own conscience and the morality of the society in which he has been raised as his world expands through the unplanned adventure he finds himself living. The “good” and “bad” characters who inhabit Ship Breaker do not remain comfortably in those molds. Instead the reader experiences the spectrum of humanity in each, even in the interesting half-man creatures (genetically-engineered man, canine, tiger creations).
Ship Breaker is a novel that is complete in its story telling, leaving the reader with a definitive resolution. And yet a story element or two remain on which Paolo Bacigalupi could build further adventures. While I often lament sequels, this is a case in which I sincerely hope that this isn’t the last I read of Nailer’s adventures.
This is one to pick up, folks. It really is everything you want a rewarding reading experience to be.
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James Wallace Harris pointed out this link from SF Signal, it is an interview with the author, Paolo Bacigalupi. It is non-spoiler and a must read. You can read the interview by clicking here.
This is on my to-read for February. Presenting Lenore is hosting a dystopian reading challenge and I’m saving this one…Glad to hear it’s worth the wait!
Since I loved The Windup Girl and you rated this book 10/10, I feel I was have to read this book as soon as possible. There’s always too much to read.
Jim: Isn’t that the truth. I haven’t read The Windup Girl, but I had read some of Paolo Bacigalupi’s short fiction prior to this and was suitably impressed.
I went back and forth for quite a while over whether or not to rate this a 9 or 10 and I finally just asked myself this question: “What, if anything, do I think could have been done better in this novel?” I couldn’t come up with anything that I would have liked to see change. The characters were interesting, he struck a perfect balance between action and social commentary without anything heavy-handed, the story was exactly the length it needed to be to tell the story he was trying to tell. It is a book that transcends the Young Adult category (no offense meant to YA books) and yet if I judge it purely by that measure it is an outstanding YA novel.
In some ways I found myself making a comparing it to what Heinlein did in his juvenile novels–a comparison I am no doubt alone in and am most likely only making because I’ve read Starman Jones and The Rolling Stones very recently. The comparison being that Heinlein took what he knew (he had a lot of knowledge about astrogation, military life, etc.) and he incorporated those things into his juvenile books in a manner that was never dumbing it down to his audience and yet did not slow down the book in any way. I felt like Bacigalupi did that with Ship Breaker. He knows and has a passion for social/environmental issues and he was able to incorporate those things into the novel (and information about the ship breaking industry) without it slowing down or detracting from the story. This all might be a stretch as far as comparisons go, but it stood out to me as I read.
My library has the audio version on order and I have went ahead and placed a hold on it as I know my wife will enjoy this one and she tears through the audio books on her drive to and from work every day.
Mrs. DeRaps: Please make sure and come back after you’ve read it and let me know your thoughts, and link to your review if you do one. I’ll be interested in your impressions.
Thanks for the review. I’m reading Windup Girl now and enjoying it. How much of a YA book is this? I’m always looking for new books to entice my 10 year old but given some of the themes in windup girl I’m hesitant to hand him a Bacigalupi without reading it first myself. I’m trying to figure out to what “the kind of help that can only mean one thing:danger” is euphemistically referring.
ejly: without spoiling anything, Nailer’s dad is physically abusive and quite mean and while Bacigalupi doesn’t get into all the gory details of this, it is treated as a serious subject. And there is a bit of language in the story as well. There isn’t any sex in the story, so the “danger” does not refer to that.
I think I might like Bacigalupi’s YA stuff, as I found some of his grown up stuff (a few short stories & Windup Girl) a little over the top for me and graphic.
This one was one of my very favourite reads from last year. I too would love to meet Nailer and his friends again.
I also like Heinlein, so this sounds interesting. It also resounds with on of the themes in my current series. Please visit my blog and leave a comment. Thanks!
David: Thanks for visiting, I’ll check out your site.
Darren: That would be nice, wouldn’t it?
Redhead: I would certainly not consider this a graphic story, despite it having some serious themes.
This book sounds so fantastic…I hadn’t even heard of it until recently. Just a few weeks ago actually. And ever since then I’ve been dying to pick it up. I really like the cover of it too…it’s simple enough, but something about it really appeals to me. Great review as always, Carl!
Chris: That is the exact same thing that happened to me. The book came out several months ago and I heard nothing about it until it started cropping up on Best Of lists here a few weeks back. I actually thought of you when I was reading it, thinking that although we don’t read a ton of the same books, that this one would be one that you would really enjoy.
I like rusty things, so the cover appealed to me as well.
just picked this up from the library yesterday.. excited to start in on it, more so after hearing your take.
L
L: I hope you enjoy it. Please make sure and come back and let me know and/or link to your review of it.
how strange.. the cover caught my eye too… maybe i can relate to old and rusty huh? heh. Made my mind jump back to how good so many book covers are and how a cover can be the deciding difference of buying it or not! pathetic but true!
Deslily: This is a YA book that I think you would enjoy as well. I’m right there with you. Unless I hear about a book from someone else and it excites my interest, or the author is already someone I’ve read and liked, the cover IS the deciding factor for me more often than not. And since I am rarely disappointed it just reinforces that method of judgment.
Ok, now I definitely need to get this book. It’s already on my to-read list, but this review just sealed it 🙂
Maria (and everyone else): You should check out this interview with Paolo Bacigalupi. No Ship Breaker spoilers, but wow is it good:
http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/nonfiction/the-redemption-of-paolo-bacigalupi/
Thanks for the interview link and thoughts on suitability of the book for kid reading.
I will have to read this – I’d like to compare it to Yoshimura’s Shipwrecks – the summaries remind me of that one.
ejly: I would recommend that you go and read the interview I linked to in the comment just above yours. I think you would enjoy it.
Nathan Lowell’s HALF SHARE has finally been published, and my copy has arrived. I’m in the middle of two other books or I’d already have started it. If you haven’t read his first book in the series, QUARTER SHARE, it should be at the top of your list.
I’m confused Richard, I see a list of several more stories in this series on Amazon and a list of awards he has won for them and yet they only show the two books you mention. The others talk about podcasts. Are the other stories in this series only out in audio versions right now? Either way, they sound great. My only problem is that I have many, many books that should be and are at the top of my list! LOL! Its a good problem to have, I guess.
I just got a copy of Hospital Station that I ordered from ebay earlier this week and I might be putting that at the top of my list…although I’m going to try and finish the other books that I am reading first.
The entire series was first done as a series of novel-length audio/podcasts. They became successful enough that Ridan decided to publish them in ink-on-paper editions, the first being QUARTER SHARE, the second HALF SHARE. Depending on sales, Ridan will continue to publish the books. For those who like audio format, they can all be had now. I just prefer a book whose physical pages I can turn… but that’s no surprise.
That explains it, Richard, thanks. I prefer physical books as well, but like listening to audio books when I drive. I can’t concentrate on them as well at home though. Someday I’ll have a car that I can actually plug a 21st century device into and then I’ll be able to download podcasts and listen to them while I drive. Which I’d love to be able to do know as I’ve been enjoying Jonathan Strahan and Gary K. Wolfe’s “Notes from Coode Street” podcasts, as well as those of a friend of mine (Blue Collar Coaching and the Chiefs Fan Podcast)
I have this on my hold list at the library; it is in a pretty high demand right now. I saw the author at the Southern Festival of Books last year and enjoyed his talk. can’t wait to get this book!
Melanie: That is cool that you got to hear him talk. Events like that are too few and far between for me, unfortunately. I imagine it is in high demand after winning the ALA award. Hope you get it soon and that you enjoy it.
I got this one for Christmas and I am very excited to finally find the time to read it!
Trisha: What a great gift! Please come back and let me know what you thought of it when you are done.
He has been on my radar, but now I have a new one to look for since I haven’t read The Windup Girl. Thanks, Carl!
Jenclair: I almost picked up a copy of The Windup Girl yesterday, but I need to read down my pile a bit first. This one is definitely worth reading though, I hope you can track it down sometime.
As I told L, over on her post, this book has been on my list of to reads for many months. After I read you review, I thought to myself, yet again…I need to read this book; it sounds great, AND I like that the book seems to be a fantastic YA read that does not dumb down its audience. The other Bacigalupi book that has been on my list for many moons is his Pump Six. As I told L, I really need to get these books into my home otherwise I may not ever remember to read them.
I’m going to go pick up either the Pump Six collection or The Windup Girl tomorrow. I’ve got a big BN coupon burning a whole in my pocket.
So the question of the day is which book did you buy Pump Six collection or The Windup Girl. You posted this on the 28th and have yet to tell us !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂
Anyways I just finished the book and loved it as well. My rating is a 9 out of 10 because I did have a few problems with it but I really liked it a lot. I had a smile of satisfaction as I turned the last page which always tells me I’ve had a wonderful reading experience.
As for it being a YA novel, I say whatever! It’s just a damn fine novel period that any adult or kid can enjoy just like To Kill A Mocking Bird for example. Just because the novel stars kids shouldn’t mean it’s YA automaticly. Of course YA is very trendy right now and I would image it would sell better there than in the Scifi section or Adult fiction section of the books stores right now.
SPOILERS !!!
Things I loved. The interaction of Nailer with so many strong women characters. The interaction between the triangle of Nailer, Tool and Lucky Girl. Tool’s deadpan words of wisdom just cracked me up. It was like he was Mr. Miahgee from the Karate Kid movies spotting out words of ancient wisdom. I liked the nice blosoming of romance between Nailer and Lucky Girl. It never felt rushed or phony. I love the grayness of both the ” good and bad ” characters that Nailer interacted with. Lastly I loved the Enviromental issues raised by the author.
Things that knocked it down a peg for me. I didn’t feel that the book really started in earnest until Nailer and Pima discovered Lucky Girl which didn’t happen until page 90. Too much backstory for Nailer IMHO. I didn’t care for the alcohol use by the young people but as you know alcohol/drug use is a hot button issue for me. Lastly, the future is just so dark. So many novels right now are written so darkly. It’s just a cycle I hope from this novel to novels like The Road. I hope in another 5 years we will have some more light ” hope ” filled novels. I understand ” hope ” is a big thing of this story it’s just such a dark future if you know what I mean.
Again those are just minor quibbles. I defiently feel this novel is award worthy, more so than another recent YA book that I loved, The Graveyard Book. Please don’t tell Mr. Palmer I said that.
Lastly as for further stories. I fall into a different category than the posters above. I feel Nailer and Nita’s story is done. The “person” I want to read about is Tool. He’s the character at the end of this story I want to know more about more so than the young kids. I read the interview link above and it sounds like that is what the author has planned which brings a smile to my face.
Thanks for the review and the book loan Carl. You’re a great friend and it’s much appreciated.
Jeff: I used my lottery pick Barnes and Noble coupon and bought the Pump Six collection, which I planned to read this past weekend before changing my mind and going with Metatropolis. But soon, soon.
Glad to know you enjoyed it nearly as much as I did. See, sometimes I can pick a winner. Ha!
OKAY, POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOLLOW!!!
I’m with you all the way on the things you enjoyed. Couldn’t agree more. I’m really hopeful that Bacigalupi will make good on his interview comments and do a story featuring Tool this next time around. I’ll be first in line to buy that book, for sure. I thought Paolo did a great job making all the characters dimensional. Even his abusive father, while by and large a bad guy, had a glimmer of humanity that made you feel for him at the same time as largely hating him.
I understand about the dark things, although I don’t know that this novel would have had the same impact without them. This is very much a novel of the times, and the dark reality of the ship breakers isn’t so much based on a dark future but a very dark present, and part of that darkness is the drug culture as well. Unlike some novels, I don’t think Bacigalupi was glamorizing that in any way, just demonstrating one of the things that the downtrodden sometimes do in order to cope with the world. I didn’t think the novel started slow like you did, I was pretty much hooked from the moment he fell into the oil. I liked the back story because it gave a better idea of who the ship breakers were, again based somewhat on the reality of the actual profession. It definitely kicked it up a notch right where you said, but I didn’t find it slow before then.
I certainly prefer to alternate darker and lighter, or pessimistic vs. hopeful, novels. I enjoy post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction (if well told) but that isn’t what I want to be reading on a consistent basis, that is for sure.
I’m sure “Mr. Palmer” will forgive you. I don’t think I could compare it fairly to The Graveyard Book. I LOVE that book and think it richly deserves its awards. Every time I read or listen to it I am in awe of the story being told. That being said, I would be thrilled to see Ship Breaker get that same kind of recognition. In the end I like GB better because it is a novel I could read again and again and again. I could see myself reading Ship Breaker again, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t see it being the kind of dear old friend that Graveyard Book has turned out to be.
Bacigalupi certainly has some big shoes to fill with his next YA novel and I think it is wise to go in a different direction rather than trying to continue Nita and Nailer’s story. As I said to you the other day, I would love to see this as a trilogy, with the final book bringing together elements of Ship Breaker and his next book. That would be pretty cool.
You’re welcome, glad you enjoyed it. Hope you have fun with Among Others as well. Definitely a change of pace from this one.
Ah! I don’t disagree with you about GB vs SB. I like GB a lot more than SB I just think for the serious subject matter interwoven with the story I give it the nod over GB. You took my statement the wrong way.
I compare it to the Oscars and the Best Picture picture catergory. I always have my pick of who should win based on my idea of merit and craft and then there’s who I would want to win based on my undefineable love of a film. Rarely do those two come together except in a case like LOTR.
I pick SB to win the Oscar but in heart the award goes to GB because that is the book I to can read over and over again. We are on the same page in over love of GB buddy!
I’m just getting in the swing of things for Oscar season. 🙂
As for the darkness hey don’t get me wrong I get it for the subject matter it’s just I between this and all the Vampire stories in the YA section of the book store it’s a very dark place right now. Then again the High School years are dark times anyhow.
I’m am cracking into Among Others tonight! I can’t wait.
I’m sure I did. That’s what you get for drinking on a Monday night. I would be really disappointed not to see Ship Breaker on the nominations lists for Hugo and Nebula and Locus this year. Not sure if it would deserve a win as I don’t know what else it would be up against, but like you mentioned earlier, this isn’t so much a YA novel as it is just a darn good novel, period.
Evidently you are in full Oscar mania! I know you don’t really get into watching it much, nor do I unless films like LOTR are up to win. I don’t have any interest at all in it this year. There are some decent films nominated, but still. I don’t think I can stomach the nonsense this year.
I couldn’t agree with you more about the darkness. You go into a Borders store and the teen section looks like one giant vampire love fest. Is it me or does EVERY cover look like they were created by the same company? Not that some of them aren’t nicely done, but hey, how about a bit of variety. I don’t see how any book could stand out in the midst of all the sameness. Ugh!!!
I’m there with you on the Ugh!-ness of the lack of variety on book covers in the YA section.
Ya know I used to love watching the Oscars but the last 5 years I just soured on it. I have no desire to watch it again this year which is sad because there is a time in my life where I wouldn’t miss it for anything.
Ship Breaker better get remembered when the award seasons role around. It certainly better get nominated by all 3 of those awrd groups and hopefully many other groups.
You’ll have to let me know how the audio version is as well when you get it from the library.
Jeff S: I will. I want Mary to listen to it as I think she’ll enjoy the story. I’m number 7 in line, I believe.
I still have to get to his WindUp Girl, but I have just read this and really enjoyed it. Perfect adventure story if you ask me.
I was going to read Windup Girl but the more I read about some of the more graphic sexual assault in it the less inclined I became to read it.
Ship Breaker is indeed a perfect adventure story and I am looking forward to the sequel.