Review: Pacifica

Author: Kristen Simmons

Published On: 3/6/18

Publisher: Tor Teen

Page Count: 378

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis (Found on Goodreads):

When Marin and Ross meet in dangerous Shoreling territory he sees a way to get 

his friend back and she sees her ticket home. The ransom a president’s son would 

command could feed her people for years and restore her family’s legacy. But 

somewhere in the middle of the ocean, Marin must decide if her heart can handle 

handing over the only person who has ever seen her as more than a pirate.

More people need to be talking about this book. It's relevant to our climate and

issues we are having today. It has characters who have gone through things you

wouldn`t wish upon your biggest enemy. This is a tough book to talk about and

Kristen does such a phenomenal job. This is such a personal book for her to

write as you can see from having the authors note right at the beginning.

I devoured this book in less than a week. If it wasn`t for work I would have stayed

up all night to read. After reading this book i researched the Trash Islands that are

mentioned in the novel. It truly is scary to think that in real life we have these giant

trash icebergs floating out in our seas. Seas that we as humans have a responsibility

to take care of. The riots and relocation program that is the main plot of the story

really hits close to real life again in regards to how we treated Japanese-Americas

during WW2. The internment camps we made are similar to those in the book

that Ross`s father is pushing for.

We have Ross the rich boy whose dad is President and is trying to “solve” the

issues of his country. He is encouraging the relocation idea of the slum areas

of the area. Ross is this athletic star who befriends Adam when everyone else

is against the non rich guy going to their fancy school. Ross grows a lot as a

character in this one which was nice to see. It was this reality check for him

that people in real life should wake up and see.

Adam`s dad is the VP and is from those slums that Ross`s dad is so deadest

on getting rid of. Adam stands on the same side as his father. There has to be

another way to help people than just send them out to an island of doctored

photographs.

Marin Knows the truth as the synopsis says. She sailed during her childhood

and never once saw an island described the way the government says.

Nothing but water and trash for miles.

Corsario (Pirate) blood runs through Marin`s veins and she is now stuck

escorting the rich boy on a mission to rescue Adam after he screwed up

at a riot. See Ross wanted adventure, he wanted to go down and get up

and close and personal with the people rioting against the relocation program.

He drug Adam along and ended up losing him after trying to escape. Marin just

happened to be the girl in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Like I said in the beginning this is a hard book to write about but go pick

yourself up a copy. Then check out how you can help make a difference

in our world before something like this dystopian style book could

become our reality.

~TTFN

Ashley