Ness, Ty and their cousin Sophie live on a small island in a community dominated by superstition, fear and loss. The people of Dunnett have turned their back on the sea that once sustained them, and on their past. They eke out a subsistance living, shunning modern ways and technology.
When a stranger is washed up on the beach — unconscious, all but dead — Ness, Ty and Sophie are forced to question the world they know and to make a difficult choice. Ness chooses to follow the sea currents she feels running in her blood — risking everything to help the sea-wreck stranger.
‘The most satisfying young adult book for me this year... Mackenzie’s prose is outstanding’ – New Zealand Herald
‘I love Ness, her story, her strength, and her passionate intensity. A sea-wrecked stranger, an island of dark secrets and a heroine who isn’t afraid to discover the difficult truth make for a gripping, unputdownable read.’ – Kirsty Murray
‘The sense of ‘protagonist versus the world’ will appeal to adolescent readers. Present tense gives the story a breathlessness to complement the themes of fear and paranoia. The Sea-Wreck Stranger’s best achievement is in its dealing with environmental themes. Its sense of place, and the suggestion that nature is bigger than us, underlie the narrative like an extra presence or character.’ – Australian Bookseller & Publisher
