Beyond the Bright Sea Summary
Lauren Wolk

Beyond the Bright Sea Overview

Beyond the Bright Sea is a historical novel that follows twelve-year-old Crow on a journey of self discovery. When she learns that the local islanders keep their distance from her because they believe she originated from an island that housed a leper colony, she is determined to prove otherwise. Meanwhile, Osh, the man who has raised her from infancy, struggles with Crow's desire to find her "real" parents. With the help of Osh and Miss Maggie, an islander who serves as a mother figure, Crow digs up and pieces together clues to find answers about the birth family she seeks. Along the way, she encounters friends from her mother's past, discovers a long lost brother, rescues a man in need, and helps capture a violent thief who threatens to take everything she holds dear. The novel explores themes of family identity, intimacy vs. isolation, fear, generosity, and greed.