Book Review: Ship Breaker

Author: Paolo Bacigalupi

Paolo Bacigalupi’s writing has appeared in High Country News, Salon.com, The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, and Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine. It has been anthologized in various “Year’s Best” collections of short science fiction and fantasy, nominated for three Nebula and five Hugo Awards, and won the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award for best sf short story of the year.

His debut novel THE WINDUP GIRL was named by TIME Magazine as one of the ten best novels of 2009, and was nominated for both the Hugo and Nebula Award. His short story collection PUMP SIX AND OTHER STORIES was a 2008 LOCUS Award winner for Best Collection and also named a Best Book of the Year by Publishers Weekly. His most recent novel, SHIP BREAKER, has just been released from Little, Brown. He currently lives in Western Colorado with his wife and son, where he is working on a new novel.

Pedigree / Awards

- 2011 Locus YA Winner

Dust Jacket Summary

In America's Gulf Coast region, where grounded oil tankers are being broken down for parts, Nailer, a teenage boy, works the light crew, scavenging for copper wiring just to make quota--and hopefully live to see another day. But when, by luck or chance, he discovers an exquisite clipper ship beached during a recent hurricane, Nailer faces the most important decision of his life: Strip the ship for all it's worth or rescue its lone survivor, a beautiful and wealthy girl who could lead him to a better life. . . .

In this powerful novel, award-winning author Paolo Bacigalupi delivers a thrilling, fast-paced adventure set in a vivid and raw, uncertain future.

Review

In the universe of Ship Breaker, the world’s economy has disintegrated, digital technology has almost faded out, carbon fuel sources have become depleted and environmental disasters abound. People have been reduced the basic element of the haves and the have-nots. There is no real middle class to speak of.

Ship Breaker takes on the American’s Gulf Coast that involves a community whose main purpose is to tear apart grounded ships for their salvage. Life is mostly brutal in this society, especially if you are unable to meet your quota.

Ship Breaker is significantly toned down from The Windup Girl as the target audience is Young Adult. This doesn’t mean the themes have less of an impact but are presented in a different manner. For me, the main topic is the huge difference between the rich and the very poor. The novel is in many respects is a fish out water type of story. A rich teenager, Lucky Girl, is dropped into this desperate society and she must learn to survive in order to return home. There are numerous arguments between Nailer and Lucky Girl about how the rich take advantage of the poor and how the poor are used by the rich.

In between the social lessons there is a lot of action sequences that will keep young readers entertained. There is even an old fashioned ship to ship battle like in any good pirate movie.

Last Word

Even though many of the same themes of The Windup Girl are explored in Ship Breaker, the novel stands on its own. It provides more action sequences that will hold the readers attention but there is underlying social commentary that will give you something to ponder after the novel is finished. Mr. Bacigalupi is two for two in the damn good novel category; I am highly anticipating any future volumes from this author.

                                                           My Rating