And then I plunged right in. That being said, I was then thoroughly confused for the first part of the book. We begin by following two storylines involving a boy named Caden. In one, he is a normal high school boy who likes art and drawing. In the other story, he is a crew member on board a pirate ship with a captain, a navigator, and a talking parrot.
What is happening? I'm so lost! But of course I stuck with it, and very slowly the pieces began to fall into place. You realize that it's Shusterman's intentions to throw you into this confusing narrative, because that's how jumbled it feels in Caden's head. He begins to struggle in school and starts slipping away from his friends and family. His parents finally realize he needs help that they cannot give him and Caden is checked into a psychiatric institution for teens. It is heartbreaking.
However, through the fog of Caden's mind, the reader realizes the pirate ship scenario is Caden's way of trying to make sense of his illness and the people around him at the institution. How far into the abyss will he go?
An author's note at the end tells us that Challenger Deep was inspired by the similar journey of his son, Brendan, who supplies the illustrations in the novel. Such personal insight makes Caden's story feel authentic and we are pulled in tightly to his struggle. I found this book to be a surprising change of pace for Shusterman, who mostly traffics in sci-fi and fantasy, but I loved it. Shusterman never disappoints.
Review given in exchange for a digital ARC from Edelweiss. Book will be published in April 2015.
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