The Lobster Kings

The Lobster Kings is written by Alexi Zentner is a fictional semi-fantastical story about Loosewood Island located between Canada and the US.  The book revolves around the history of the Kings family.

Cordelia Kings is the daughter of Woody Kings, and comes from a long line of Kings which can trace their ancestry back to the original Lobster fisher of the islands Brumfit Kings three hundred years earlier.  Cordelia’s only wish is to follow in her father’s footsteps, living on the sea which calls to her and fishing for lobster. 

The Kings live with both a gift and a curse.  Brumfit was promised by the sea to always have the bounty of the sea and never want for lobsters.  In return the sea will claim the first born son of every Kings family.  With so much of her history wrapped up in myth, Cordelia never quite knows the line between truth and fiction.  Woody, her father believes every tale of their family ancestry wholeheartedly.  He delights in telling them to his family. 

The story begins with Cordelia as a pre-teen and the oldest of three girls when her little brother is born.  Instantly Cordelia as her father’s favorite feels a jealousy in having to share her father, the sea and her inheritance with her little brother who does not feel the call to the sea as she does. 

The Lobster Kings is a tumultuous tale of both the beauty and the tragedy which is being a part of the sea.  There is a roller coaster of emotions as we follow through the story with Cordelia as a young girl and as she enters into adulthood and is finding he own as a hardworking 30 year old with her own lobster boat. Cordelia's challenges range from her fight for inheritance of the sea to keeping meth out of her town.

My only complaint was that in the beginning of the book, I wasn’t sure that the narration was still following Cordelia in youth between chapters.  However, as the story went on, I found myself so vested into the characters that I felt joy and sorrow with them and even had tears in my eyes in several places.

I give this book 5/5 stars.  I loved the connection of grandiose description in relation to the Brumfitt paintings.  I love the way that myth was interwoven with life in a way that it couldn’t be true…  and yet…  it just might be.   I also loved the way that Zentner created realistic characters, realistic struggle and real growth in the story.  I highly recommend this story for anyone interested in the sea, fishing, woman empowering, mythology, fantasy, fiction, adventure, suspense, family, etc.

*I received this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review.