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Between Two Skies
Hurricane Katrina sets a teenage girl adrift. But a new life — and the promise of love — emerges in this rich, highly readable debut.
Bayou Perdu, a tiny fishing town way, way down in Louisiana, is home to sixteen-year-old Evangeline Riley. She has her best friends, Kendra and Danielle; her wise, beloved Mamere; and back-to-back titles in the under-sixteen fishing rodeo. But, dearest to her heart, she has the peace that only comes when she takes her skiff out to where there is nothing but sky and air and water and wings. It’s a small life, but it is Evangeline’s. And then the storm comes, and everything changes. Amid the chaos and pain and destruction comes Tru — a fellow refugee, a budding bluesman, a balm for Evangeline’s aching heart. Told in a strong, steady voice, with a keen sense of place and a vivid cast of characters, here is a novel that asks compelling questions about class and politics, exile and belonging, and the pain of being cast out of your home. But above all, this remarkable debut tells a gently woven love story, difficult to put down, impossible to forget.
What separates Evangeline's story from the myriad others that have come and gone in the wake of one of the nation's worst natural disasters is O'Sullivan's deft lyricism...O'Sullivan's light touch and restraint will allow readers to follow Evangeline as she stands howling into the wind that howled into her.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
O’Sullivan’s debut novel excels in its expressive language and the use of place: a colorful home, a city that contrasts what Evangeline has lost, and the aftermath of the storm that destroyed nearly everything she holds dear. Told in a strong, purposeful voice filled with controlled emotion and hope, the impact of Katrina on families is as compelling as Evangeline’s drive to regain her sense of self and belonging.
—Booklist (starred review)
This tale reminds readers that there were millions of people all over the gulf affected by [Hurricane Katrina] and that for many, the horror of the event was only beginning, not ending, when the skies cleared. A compelling novel with a tender romance, this debut is a great choice for teens who appreciated Jewell Parker Rhodes’s Ninth Ward or Denise Lewis Patrick’s Finding Someplace.
—School Library Journal
Bayou Perdu, a tiny fishing town way, way down in Louisiana, is home to sixteen-year-old Evangeline Riley. She has her best friends, Kendra and Danielle; her wise, beloved Mamere; and back-to-back titles in the under-sixteen fishing rodeo. But, dearest to her heart, she has the peace that only comes when she takes her skiff out to where there is nothing but sky and air and water and wings. It’s a small life, but it is Evangeline’s. And then the storm comes, and everything changes. Amid the chaos and pain and destruction comes Tru — a fellow refugee, a budding bluesman, a balm for Evangeline’s aching heart. Told in a strong, steady voice, with a keen sense of place and a vivid cast of characters, here is a novel that asks compelling questions about class and politics, exile and belonging, and the pain of being cast out of your home. But above all, this remarkable debut tells a gently woven love story, difficult to put down, impossible to forget.
What separates Evangeline's story from the myriad others that have come and gone in the wake of one of the nation's worst natural disasters is O'Sullivan's deft lyricism...O'Sullivan's light touch and restraint will allow readers to follow Evangeline as she stands howling into the wind that howled into her.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
O’Sullivan’s debut novel excels in its expressive language and the use of place: a colorful home, a city that contrasts what Evangeline has lost, and the aftermath of the storm that destroyed nearly everything she holds dear. Told in a strong, purposeful voice filled with controlled emotion and hope, the impact of Katrina on families is as compelling as Evangeline’s drive to regain her sense of self and belonging.
—Booklist (starred review)
This tale reminds readers that there were millions of people all over the gulf affected by [Hurricane Katrina] and that for many, the horror of the event was only beginning, not ending, when the skies cleared. A compelling novel with a tender romance, this debut is a great choice for teens who appreciated Jewell Parker Rhodes’s Ninth Ward or Denise Lewis Patrick’s Finding Someplace.
—School Library Journal
272 pages
First published April 25, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 231 reviews
November 30, 2016
Joanne O’Sullivan’s debut novel BETWEEN TWO SKIES offers a vivid story of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Sixteen-year-old Evangeline Riley is a resident of Bayou Perdu, Louisiana, a small fishing village. O’Sullivan’s lyric writing makes this world real. You can hear the zydeco music in the background. You can see the pelicans and feel the water. You can taste the beignets, charbroiled oysters saint and pepper crab and gumbo. Interweaving issues of class and race, Evangeline’s story explores themes of loss and displacement and how, despite pain and destruction, it is possible to discover yourself. I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book but we are so lucky this book will be available in Spring 2017 to everyone.
November 28, 2016
Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans? Not just the song by Louis Armstrong, but the actual place? The place with “inexpressible sweetness?” If you don't, you can experience it in Joanne O’Sullivan’s young adult novel, BETWEEN TWO SKIES.
O’Sullivan gives us a taste of pre-Katrina life in Bayou Perdu, LA for sixteen year old Evangeline Riley. This petite coastal village is rich with fishing, parades, gumbo, and teen Shrimp Queens. Quickly, Evangeline’s life is overtaken by evacuation in the path of the storm, displacement, disorientation, and the feeling of being "out place in your own skin.” In the aftermath, Evangeline and her family must rebuild not only their exterior and material life, but recover from interior and personal grief. Unlike a book that pulls you in because you have no idea what’s going to happen, this book starts under a known cloud of doom, and puts the reader squarely on Evangeline’s side before the cover is even cracked. It is filled with young love, moments between sisters, grandparent and parental bonds, and most significantly a depiction of the unique experience Katrina visited upon teens.
In addition to an engaging and poignant depiction of Evangeline’s tale, O’Sullivan treats us to the elegant presentation of salty-sweet characters in an engaging can’t-put-it down read. For someone who is looking for an expert portrayal of a teen experience within a universal crisis, this is a home run. You will learn the meaning of "an emptiness that is newness."
O’Sullivan gives us a taste of pre-Katrina life in Bayou Perdu, LA for sixteen year old Evangeline Riley. This petite coastal village is rich with fishing, parades, gumbo, and teen Shrimp Queens. Quickly, Evangeline’s life is overtaken by evacuation in the path of the storm, displacement, disorientation, and the feeling of being "out place in your own skin.” In the aftermath, Evangeline and her family must rebuild not only their exterior and material life, but recover from interior and personal grief. Unlike a book that pulls you in because you have no idea what’s going to happen, this book starts under a known cloud of doom, and puts the reader squarely on Evangeline’s side before the cover is even cracked. It is filled with young love, moments between sisters, grandparent and parental bonds, and most significantly a depiction of the unique experience Katrina visited upon teens.
In addition to an engaging and poignant depiction of Evangeline’s tale, O’Sullivan treats us to the elegant presentation of salty-sweet characters in an engaging can’t-put-it down read. For someone who is looking for an expert portrayal of a teen experience within a universal crisis, this is a home run. You will learn the meaning of "an emptiness that is newness."
April 24, 2017
Read this Review and more on my blog.The Book Return Blog
'Between Two Skies' is the story of Evangeline. She loves her Mamére (grandmother), her small Louisiana town, and being out on the water. This novel highlights her family's pain and struggles after Hurricane Katrina hits their small Louisiana town.
A Brief History of the Cajuns
The history of the Cajun people is central to the theme of 'Between Two Skies'. For that reason, I would like to briefly review their history .
I think most of us know that a sizable part of the population of southern Louisiana are Cajun. We all know that Cajun's are of French descent and have their own food,culture,and even language. Even though the Louisiana Purchase and the French and Indian War are touched upon in American history classes, I don't think most of us know what that has to do with how the Cajuns got to Louisiana.
Back in 1750 the English, France, and Spanish had all laid claim to parts of North America. The French colonies were collectively called 'New France'. The part of history that I think is not generally well-known is that at this point 'New France' occupied a large area of eastern Canada and what is now the central part of the U.S.
Like the English, the French had separate North
American colonies. These colonies were Canada, Hudson's Bay, Acadia ,Newfoundland (Plaisance), and Louisiana (this occupied a larger area then the present day state).
Then came the treaty of Utrecht. It was a series of peace treaties signed by Spain, Great Britain, France, Portugal, Savoy and the Dutch Republic to settle the War of Spanish Succession. In this treaty France gave the area of Acadia to the English (this today is the Maritime provinces, and parts of modern-day Quebec and Maine). The English agreed to allow the Acadians to stay. That is until the Acadians refused to sign an unconditional oath to Britain. As a result the British governor Charles Lawrence and the Nova Scotia Council ordered the Acadians to be expelled. They were sent to the British American colonies, England, and France. Families were often slit up and sent to separate destinations. A few ended just west of the Mississippi River in French colonized Louisiana. By 1764 many Acadians who were expelled to other areas began to resettle in Louisiana.
Through time the word Acadian became the word 'Cajun'. Up until the early twentieth century the Cajun's were somewhat isolated. This resulted in the Cajuns developing their own unique culture and dialect.
In 1847 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow published the epic poem Evangeline. 'Evangeline' told the story of the displaced Acadians. 'Evangeline' was extremely well received at the time and helped to bring awareness of the Expulsions of the Acadians.
My Review of 'Between Two Skies'
Evangeline of 'Between Two Skies' is named after the Evangeline of Wadsworth's poem. 'Between Two Skies' begins in 2005 right before Hurricane Katrina hits the Gulf coast. The story then progresses to Evangeline's life during and after the storm.
A story is often enjoyed more and is more meaningful when the reader can relate to the book's characters.
Evangeline was one of those characters for me. This novel captures perfectly the underlying edge of living in a hurricane prone area during hurricane season. Something I've ever read in a novel before.Another element of the story that I connected with was Evangeline's Cajun background. This is the first YA love I have read where the main character is an American of French decent. Even though my own maternal grandmother was of Québécois decent and not Cajun, Evangeline's Mamére and her sayings reminded me a lot of my Mémé.
Beyond the connection that I had to Evangeline's story, I found this to be one of the most well written and multi-layered YA books that I have ever read. I find many of YA novels have similar themes and characters. 'Between Two Skies' does not. It tells the story of an ordinary sixteen year old girl whose life is turned upside down when she is forced from her home. Just this makes an amazing story. 'Between Two Skies' is so much more though. It parallels this Evangeline's story with the Evangeline of Longfellow's poem. Both are driven from their homes under terrible circumstances but they each try to make the best of their circumstances.
There is some romance in this novel. At first I wasn't sure it was a necessary part of the story. However, as the book went on, I realized the romance in the 'Between Two Skies' parallels the romance of the Evangeline in the Longfellow poem.
The imagery in this book is just amazing. For example there is a scene is the book where
Evangeline explains that when she is out in her boat that she is 'Between Two Skies'. The real sky and the sky's reflection in the water.
(Also, this cover!!!)
My Final Judgement
I really think this book is amazing. The prose is one of the best I have read in a long time. The storyline was complex and multi-dimensional. The story it's self positive and inspiring. I can't wait for Joanne O'Sullivan next novel. If this is here début novel, I can't wait to see what she does next.This review was originally posted on The Book return...
'Between Two Skies' is the story of Evangeline. She loves her Mamére (grandmother), her small Louisiana town, and being out on the water. This novel highlights her family's pain and struggles after Hurricane Katrina hits their small Louisiana town.
A Brief History of the Cajuns
The history of the Cajun people is central to the theme of 'Between Two Skies'. For that reason, I would like to briefly review their history .
I think most of us know that a sizable part of the population of southern Louisiana are Cajun. We all know that Cajun's are of French descent and have their own food,culture,and even language. Even though the Louisiana Purchase and the French and Indian War are touched upon in American history classes, I don't think most of us know what that has to do with how the Cajuns got to Louisiana.
Back in 1750 the English, France, and Spanish had all laid claim to parts of North America. The French colonies were collectively called 'New France'. The part of history that I think is not generally well-known is that at this point 'New France' occupied a large area of eastern Canada and what is now the central part of the U.S.
Like the English, the French had separate North
American colonies. These colonies were Canada, Hudson's Bay, Acadia ,Newfoundland (Plaisance), and Louisiana (this occupied a larger area then the present day state).
Then came the treaty of Utrecht. It was a series of peace treaties signed by Spain, Great Britain, France, Portugal, Savoy and the Dutch Republic to settle the War of Spanish Succession. In this treaty France gave the area of Acadia to the English (this today is the Maritime provinces, and parts of modern-day Quebec and Maine). The English agreed to allow the Acadians to stay. That is until the Acadians refused to sign an unconditional oath to Britain. As a result the British governor Charles Lawrence and the Nova Scotia Council ordered the Acadians to be expelled. They were sent to the British American colonies, England, and France. Families were often slit up and sent to separate destinations. A few ended just west of the Mississippi River in French colonized Louisiana. By 1764 many Acadians who were expelled to other areas began to resettle in Louisiana.
Through time the word Acadian became the word 'Cajun'. Up until the early twentieth century the Cajun's were somewhat isolated. This resulted in the Cajuns developing their own unique culture and dialect.
In 1847 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow published the epic poem Evangeline. 'Evangeline' told the story of the displaced Acadians. 'Evangeline' was extremely well received at the time and helped to bring awareness of the Expulsions of the Acadians.
My Review of 'Between Two Skies'
Evangeline of 'Between Two Skies' is named after the Evangeline of Wadsworth's poem. 'Between Two Skies' begins in 2005 right before Hurricane Katrina hits the Gulf coast. The story then progresses to Evangeline's life during and after the storm.
A story is often enjoyed more and is more meaningful when the reader can relate to the book's characters.
Evangeline was one of those characters for me. This novel captures perfectly the underlying edge of living in a hurricane prone area during hurricane season. Something I've ever read in a novel before.Another element of the story that I connected with was Evangeline's Cajun background. This is the first YA love I have read where the main character is an American of French decent. Even though my own maternal grandmother was of Québécois decent and not Cajun, Evangeline's Mamére and her sayings reminded me a lot of my Mémé.
Beyond the connection that I had to Evangeline's story, I found this to be one of the most well written and multi-layered YA books that I have ever read. I find many of YA novels have similar themes and characters. 'Between Two Skies' does not. It tells the story of an ordinary sixteen year old girl whose life is turned upside down when she is forced from her home. Just this makes an amazing story. 'Between Two Skies' is so much more though. It parallels this Evangeline's story with the Evangeline of Longfellow's poem. Both are driven from their homes under terrible circumstances but they each try to make the best of their circumstances.
There is some romance in this novel. At first I wasn't sure it was a necessary part of the story. However, as the book went on, I realized the romance in the 'Between Two Skies' parallels the romance of the Evangeline in the Longfellow poem.
The imagery in this book is just amazing. For example there is a scene is the book where
Evangeline explains that when she is out in her boat that she is 'Between Two Skies'. The real sky and the sky's reflection in the water.
(Also, this cover!!!)
My Final Judgement
I really think this book is amazing. The prose is one of the best I have read in a long time. The storyline was complex and multi-dimensional. The story it's self positive and inspiring. I can't wait for Joanne O'Sullivan next novel. If this is here début novel, I can't wait to see what she does next.This review was originally posted on The Book return...
March 25, 2017
Between Two Skies pulls you into a compelling narrative that brings to life Evangeline's journey and the journeys of other hurricane refugee families. Families and friendships that were splintered and transformed after Katrina. Told from Evangeline's point-of-view, O'Sullivan masterfully weaves in the stories of other refugees through compelling dialogue and events that shine a light on the difficult circumstances of those displaced by the storm. The backdrop of Cajun culture brings a diversity to the story that will be fresh for many readers. From gumbo to spices to language to the fishing industry, readers will fall in love with all things Louisiana. My favorite relationship was between the two Evangelines, the main character and her grandmother, Mamere. The young teen / grandparent paradigm of solving conflict and bridging the divide between parents and their angsty kids is deftly crafted and heart-warming. And there's a literary allegory referenced throughout the poem and woven tightly into the ending.Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's first epic poem, Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie serves as a metaphorical journey mirroring Evangeline's own displacement. Simply beautiful. I loved this one.Between Two Skies
April 5, 2017
From what I can tell this is O'Sullivan's debut novel, a fact which makes its easy, natural rhythms even more impressive. She tells an individual, heartfelt story about one family's experience fleeing Katrina in a low-key, restrained manner that seems counterintuitive but is, in fact, the perfect vehicle through which the reader can get to know Evangeline and her world. In a lot of ways, the rhythms of the book echo those of Evangeline -- she's still a kid but, even in crisis, she's contained and instinctively confident, moving slowly toward her dreams with only occasional doubts.
Evangeline is a delightful character, and those around her are equally sharply drawn, from her friends (both in ATL and Louisiana) to her family, particularly a cousin in New Orleans, her sister, who struggles mightily with the changes wrought by Katrina, and her grandmother, who O'Sullivan manages to render a wise, gentle matriarch without allowing her to collapse into cliche.
I'm doing a terrible job really describing this book so here's the tl; dr version: it's quietly, gently, comfortably great.
Evangeline is a delightful character, and those around her are equally sharply drawn, from her friends (both in ATL and Louisiana) to her family, particularly a cousin in New Orleans, her sister, who struggles mightily with the changes wrought by Katrina, and her grandmother, who O'Sullivan manages to render a wise, gentle matriarch without allowing her to collapse into cliche.
I'm doing a terrible job really describing this book so here's the tl; dr version: it's quietly, gently, comfortably great.
April 25, 2017
I received an advanced reading copy of BETWEEN TWO SKIES and am so happy I did! Joanne's a fellow North Carolinian, but the book doesn't take place in NC. Instead it captivates the beautiful Louisiana skies. I was captured right away by the writing, the landscape of Bayou Perdu, and the characters. Evangeline and Tru were exactly who I wanted them to be. This story paints an authentic picture of the struggles brought on by Hurricane Katrina but without the broad strokes. We get to focus on the details - first love, friendship, family. All of which are upturned by this mighty storm. And did I mention Longfellow? This is a read that'll stick. Five stars!
December 18, 2016
A beautiful debut, with such vivid descriptions of the Louisiana setting and the destruction of Katrina. A love letter to Bayou Perdu, and the sweet, musical love story of Evangeline and Tru.
March 15, 2017
I really loved this beautifully written story. Evangeline and her family must evacuate southern Louisiana in advance of Hurricane Katrina. Her family ends up in Atlanta while her friends end up scattered across the country. Add in a slow burn romance, a broken heart, and the death of Evangeline's beloved grandmother, and you've got the makings of an introspective, heartfelt story.
April 11, 2017
One of my favorite YA titles of the year.
I have always been fascinated by the city of New Orleans and the area surrounding it, and am forever changed by seeing the devastation Katrina caused the entire coastal area. I remember so clearly exactly what I was doing when the news of Hurricane Katrina came, when we heard what was coming toward the Gulf Coast in August 2005. I was hugely pregnant and home with my husband and his high school best friend, who had lived in New Orleans for years and was visiting his parents near us in Wisconsin. We watched the TV coverage non-stop and spent so much time with our friend as he was displaced from his longtime home. We experienced the "Katrina-refugee" story through him, a 30-something affluent single adult who was fortunate enough to have a safe and comfortable place to live while the storm raged and the clean-up took place. We listened to him as he told us about his friends and their stories, and looked at the pictures he sent us of his house and the ravaged places we had visited when we went to see him several years before. We returned to New Orleans several years later to attend his wedding, and marveled at the rebuilding that had brought the city back to a semblance of normal, but mourned the loss of so much else.
I have read numerous books about Katrina and post-Katrina Louisiana, but I have never before read a book about Katrina from a teenager's perspective. I am so very happy that when I did, it was this one. Evangeline captured my heart and wouldn't let me go until I had finished the book, less than 18 hours later. I first heard about this title from a post by the author on the Nerdy Book Club blog (link at the end of my post), and immediately requested it from Net Galley to review for my library. I am so happy to have had the additional insight from the author during that pre-reading experience, and thoroughly agree with her that "stories that place the intricacies of the heart at their center" have a place on the shelves. "Between Two Skies" is the perfect story to explain the horrors of Katrina and the beauty of the bayou to a generation of teens who barely remember the tragedy, or who have never visited this area of the US - much like stories like "Nine, Ten" and "Towers Falling" bring the horror of 9/11 told through a sensitive lens to a new generation. These stories need to be told, and YA and middle grade fiction is how these stories will best reach children of today and tomorrow.
Nerdy Book Club post: https://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/2...
I received a digital ARC of this title for review - all opinions are my own.
I have always been fascinated by the city of New Orleans and the area surrounding it, and am forever changed by seeing the devastation Katrina caused the entire coastal area. I remember so clearly exactly what I was doing when the news of Hurricane Katrina came, when we heard what was coming toward the Gulf Coast in August 2005. I was hugely pregnant and home with my husband and his high school best friend, who had lived in New Orleans for years and was visiting his parents near us in Wisconsin. We watched the TV coverage non-stop and spent so much time with our friend as he was displaced from his longtime home. We experienced the "Katrina-refugee" story through him, a 30-something affluent single adult who was fortunate enough to have a safe and comfortable place to live while the storm raged and the clean-up took place. We listened to him as he told us about his friends and their stories, and looked at the pictures he sent us of his house and the ravaged places we had visited when we went to see him several years before. We returned to New Orleans several years later to attend his wedding, and marveled at the rebuilding that had brought the city back to a semblance of normal, but mourned the loss of so much else.
I have read numerous books about Katrina and post-Katrina Louisiana, but I have never before read a book about Katrina from a teenager's perspective. I am so very happy that when I did, it was this one. Evangeline captured my heart and wouldn't let me go until I had finished the book, less than 18 hours later. I first heard about this title from a post by the author on the Nerdy Book Club blog (link at the end of my post), and immediately requested it from Net Galley to review for my library. I am so happy to have had the additional insight from the author during that pre-reading experience, and thoroughly agree with her that "stories that place the intricacies of the heart at their center" have a place on the shelves. "Between Two Skies" is the perfect story to explain the horrors of Katrina and the beauty of the bayou to a generation of teens who barely remember the tragedy, or who have never visited this area of the US - much like stories like "Nine, Ten" and "Towers Falling" bring the horror of 9/11 told through a sensitive lens to a new generation. These stories need to be told, and YA and middle grade fiction is how these stories will best reach children of today and tomorrow.
Nerdy Book Club post: https://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/2...
I received a digital ARC of this title for review - all opinions are my own.
February 5, 2017
Beautifully written, heartbreakingly real. O'Sullivan nails teen romance. A realistic reminder of the devastation of Katrina and its effects on families, especially young teens.
February 7, 2017
Firstly, can we take a moment to appreciate the gorgeousness that is this cover? Okay, good.
Between Two Skies is a beautiful, heartfelt debut about pre- and post-Katrina. I absolutely love books that wholly transport you to a different place. You can feel New Orleans - the salty air, the music - and will become entirely absorbed. And Evangeline Riley? What a heroine. You'll fall in love with her almost instantly. Some of her lines had me in stitches. Really, this novel has everything I wanted: lyrical writing, young love, and family bonds. I highly recommend it.
Between Two Skies is a beautiful, heartfelt debut about pre- and post-Katrina. I absolutely love books that wholly transport you to a different place. You can feel New Orleans - the salty air, the music - and will become entirely absorbed. And Evangeline Riley? What a heroine. You'll fall in love with her almost instantly. Some of her lines had me in stitches. Really, this novel has everything I wanted: lyrical writing, young love, and family bonds. I highly recommend it.
January 16, 2017
Joanne O'Sullivan's tale of a young woman, Evangeline, facing life post-Katrina is poignant and touching. Though the novel can be seen as a love story, it also serves as a narrative about growing up and learning the roles of family and how they change. Overall, an excellent quick read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Dive into Evangeline's world--you won't regret it.
June 5, 2017
Evangeline is about to turn 16 years old and she is excited of how her life will change. She is a normal girl who helps her family at the diner and likes to listen to her grandmother's stories and memories. Diferently of her sister Mandy who dreams of being Queen of the Orange Festival in the small town where they live, Evangeline only wants to stay invisible..
The city lives on fishing and the fairs and festivals related to it. One of these days, she saves a boy stuck on a sandbar near one of the isolated islands in the area.
Tru is a gentle and polite boy who enchants Evangeline's different way. Both talk and when arriving at the pier Evangeline is impressed by the way the boy acts. Since she is very shy, she does not try to get closer to him.
Hurricane Katrina threatens the area and the family is forced to stay in a hotel in a more distant city, and in this moment all dynamics of life will change dramatically for these people.
What I found most interesting besides the clear and light writing of the author was the way she reported the anguish experienced by each person who was forced to leave and leave all their life behind to survive this natural tragedy. I had never read any book talking about this subject and I could feel the pain of every person who saw everything being destroyed by the force of the waters and the winds.
The forced change led the family to face new problems and Evangeline faced a life in a new city and school, where people looked upon her as a strange refugee.
The book focuses on the figure of the protagonist but also presents the reaction of the other members of the family and other people they meet along the way.
It's a book about resilience, about how Phoenix resurfaced from the waters and not from the ashes. Moreover, to my delight still has a very beautiful background romance and several simple details and symbolisms showing how everyone faced the problems they have lived.
Highlight for the moment where the title and the cover are explained.
Highly recommended
5 / 5stars
The city lives on fishing and the fairs and festivals related to it. One of these days, she saves a boy stuck on a sandbar near one of the isolated islands in the area.
Tru is a gentle and polite boy who enchants Evangeline's different way. Both talk and when arriving at the pier Evangeline is impressed by the way the boy acts. Since she is very shy, she does not try to get closer to him.
Hurricane Katrina threatens the area and the family is forced to stay in a hotel in a more distant city, and in this moment all dynamics of life will change dramatically for these people.
What I found most interesting besides the clear and light writing of the author was the way she reported the anguish experienced by each person who was forced to leave and leave all their life behind to survive this natural tragedy. I had never read any book talking about this subject and I could feel the pain of every person who saw everything being destroyed by the force of the waters and the winds.
The forced change led the family to face new problems and Evangeline faced a life in a new city and school, where people looked upon her as a strange refugee.
The book focuses on the figure of the protagonist but also presents the reaction of the other members of the family and other people they meet along the way.
It's a book about resilience, about how Phoenix resurfaced from the waters and not from the ashes. Moreover, to my delight still has a very beautiful background romance and several simple details and symbolisms showing how everyone faced the problems they have lived.
Highlight for the moment where the title and the cover are explained.
Highly recommended
5 / 5stars
June 1, 2024
All the feels. All the emotions. All the uncertainties of life well portrayed. I am still crying over the loss of the family here. But yes, life is about moving on.
May 2, 2017
Check out this and other reviews on my young adult book blog, Here's to Happy Endings!
Between Two Skies takes us inside the life of a girl who had a happy life before Hurricane Katrina hit, and the aftermath that she is forced to deal with after the storm. This book is heartbreaking, yet inspiring, at the same time, making it an ideal read for anyone who either has experienced loss from that terrible storm, or those who are interested in learning more about it.
This beautiful story begins with a small family in Bayou Perdu, which is a really small fishing town in Louisiana. This is the home of the main character in the book, Evangeline Riley, and her parents, grandmother, and older sister. While they do form quite the close-knit family, they their differences and arguments, same as any other family. Evangeline's mother owns a popular diner in the town, and her father works on boats to catch fish and shrimp - both of them bringing in an income that takes care of their little family. Plus Evangeline gets to help out on the water, fishing and just spending peaceful afternoons surrounded by what she loved most.
After a festival one day, Evangeline meets Tru, a boy she has to rescue when his boat becomes stuck. Instantly drawn to him, Evangeline hopes to see him again, and realizes that it might just be possible, since he is the cousin of one of the kids she knows.
When the news of the impending hurricane - which will become known as Hurricane Katrina, stirs up some fear in the townspeople, some of them choose to evacuate, while others seem to think that they will be fine. After all, they've seen some pretty nasty storms before, so they should be alright.
When evacuation becomes mandatory, Evangeline and her family drive up to stay with family in Atlanta, Georgia - safely away from the storm and the destruction that it is bringing to their small fishing town. Watching the damage on the news from far away, Evangeline and her family see everything that they've ever known and worked for completely flooded, destroyed, and torn away from them. Not to mention that Evangeline hasn't heard from her best friend Danielle, and has no idea whether or not she got out before Hurricane Katrina hit Bayou Perdu.
And Evangeline wonders if she is ever going to see Tru again.
When she starts at a new school, she meets up with some new kids and she makes friends with them, and then the unthinkable happens - Tru winds up going to the same school as Evangeline. Though the odds, the two of them manage to get together and start spending time with each other, with a blossoming relationship forming - making Evangeline feel as though everything is going to be just fine.
And then things start to change again for Evangeline - Tru is whisked away from her because of something with his family, and she has no way to get in touch with him to find out where he's gone. Her mother and father are arguing often - her mother wants to stay in Atlanta, and believes that it is the best place for the family, but her father wants to take a FEMA trailer and go back to Bayou Perdu, where he can go back to his job as a fisherman and do what he loves. Torn between wanting to stay with her mother and her sister, who is suffering from the move to Atlanta in the first place, and going back with her father to the place she knows and loves, she wishes more than ever that she could have the chance to find Tru and be happy again.
The entire novel was written in a writing style that really grabbed my attention and made me want to keep reading - I grew to really love Evangeline's character and couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen with her family. She knew what she wanted - she was happiest in her small fishing town and when the hurricane hit, she was devastated to see everything that she loved completely gone. But she managed to make the most out of everything she was faced with, and eventually she was able to begin piecing her life back together, bit by bit.
Evangeline's romance with Tru was not a strong, in-your-face kind of relationship - it was more of a subtle and romantic kind, and it was slow to form, but you knew great things were going to happen along the way. The two of them were sweet together, and it was heartbreaking when Tru was taken away by his family. Watching Evangeline do everything she could to find him was inspiring, as she was determined to find the one that she was falling in love with, despite all of the bad things going on around her.
I really loved this novel - it made me feel so many emotions that it really was the kind of book that I will remember always. Learning about Hurricane Katrina through the eyes of a small family who was right in the middle of the destruction and had to deal with how bad it actually was is definitely an eye-opener. The author clearly has a wonderful talent for taking a horrible event and allowing the reader to see that even though all of that, true love can really shine through.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review - Thank you!
Between Two Skies takes us inside the life of a girl who had a happy life before Hurricane Katrina hit, and the aftermath that she is forced to deal with after the storm. This book is heartbreaking, yet inspiring, at the same time, making it an ideal read for anyone who either has experienced loss from that terrible storm, or those who are interested in learning more about it.
This beautiful story begins with a small family in Bayou Perdu, which is a really small fishing town in Louisiana. This is the home of the main character in the book, Evangeline Riley, and her parents, grandmother, and older sister. While they do form quite the close-knit family, they their differences and arguments, same as any other family. Evangeline's mother owns a popular diner in the town, and her father works on boats to catch fish and shrimp - both of them bringing in an income that takes care of their little family. Plus Evangeline gets to help out on the water, fishing and just spending peaceful afternoons surrounded by what she loved most.
"Thoughts come to me when I'm on the water. It's clear who I am out here. Not who I am compared to anyone else. Out here feels like the truth to me, the simple truth. earth, air, sky, water. A natural rhythm to life. This is our place in the world, and I know my place in it. The exact opposite of high school, where pretty much everything and everyone feels fake all the time."
After a festival one day, Evangeline meets Tru, a boy she has to rescue when his boat becomes stuck. Instantly drawn to him, Evangeline hopes to see him again, and realizes that it might just be possible, since he is the cousin of one of the kids she knows.
When the news of the impending hurricane - which will become known as Hurricane Katrina, stirs up some fear in the townspeople, some of them choose to evacuate, while others seem to think that they will be fine. After all, they've seen some pretty nasty storms before, so they should be alright.
When evacuation becomes mandatory, Evangeline and her family drive up to stay with family in Atlanta, Georgia - safely away from the storm and the destruction that it is bringing to their small fishing town. Watching the damage on the news from far away, Evangeline and her family see everything that they've ever known and worked for completely flooded, destroyed, and torn away from them. Not to mention that Evangeline hasn't heard from her best friend Danielle, and has no idea whether or not she got out before Hurricane Katrina hit Bayou Perdu.
And Evangeline wonders if she is ever going to see Tru again.
"I want to rewind to the day before my sixteenth birthday, when my whole life stretched out before me, sparkling like the sun on the clear water of a back-bayou channel. When my life had a rhythm and I knew my place in it."
When she starts at a new school, she meets up with some new kids and she makes friends with them, and then the unthinkable happens - Tru winds up going to the same school as Evangeline. Though the odds, the two of them manage to get together and start spending time with each other, with a blossoming relationship forming - making Evangeline feel as though everything is going to be just fine.
And then things start to change again for Evangeline - Tru is whisked away from her because of something with his family, and she has no way to get in touch with him to find out where he's gone. Her mother and father are arguing often - her mother wants to stay in Atlanta, and believes that it is the best place for the family, but her father wants to take a FEMA trailer and go back to Bayou Perdu, where he can go back to his job as a fisherman and do what he loves. Torn between wanting to stay with her mother and her sister, who is suffering from the move to Atlanta in the first place, and going back with her father to the place she knows and loves, she wishes more than ever that she could have the chance to find Tru and be happy again.
"All I know is that when I look into my future, it's not here. It's in the place where I know myself: out there in that limitless place between two skies. Back home."
The entire novel was written in a writing style that really grabbed my attention and made me want to keep reading - I grew to really love Evangeline's character and couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen with her family. She knew what she wanted - she was happiest in her small fishing town and when the hurricane hit, she was devastated to see everything that she loved completely gone. But she managed to make the most out of everything she was faced with, and eventually she was able to begin piecing her life back together, bit by bit.
Evangeline's romance with Tru was not a strong, in-your-face kind of relationship - it was more of a subtle and romantic kind, and it was slow to form, but you knew great things were going to happen along the way. The two of them were sweet together, and it was heartbreaking when Tru was taken away by his family. Watching Evangeline do everything she could to find him was inspiring, as she was determined to find the one that she was falling in love with, despite all of the bad things going on around her.
I really loved this novel - it made me feel so many emotions that it really was the kind of book that I will remember always. Learning about Hurricane Katrina through the eyes of a small family who was right in the middle of the destruction and had to deal with how bad it actually was is definitely an eye-opener. The author clearly has a wonderful talent for taking a horrible event and allowing the reader to see that even though all of that, true love can really shine through.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review - Thank you!
May 5, 2017
"Between Two Skies" is a tale of love and loss set in the time of Hurricane Katrina. Though I was not the target demographic, I thoroughly enjoyed the tale of Evangeline and her family navigating the loss of home after the storm and how they fall apart and come together again through so much suffering.
Two asides which help elucidate my connection to this young adult novel, both of which relate to travel experiences while on sabbatical from work:
My first sabbatical took place on the heels of Katrina, I did not grasp the ramifications of the storm to local communities and the spirit of New Orleans when I was boarding my plane to Mexico. While there, person after person expressed their sadness and regret to me for the people of Louisiana and disgust at the reaction of the government. It was through the kindness of people in other cultures, that I began to fully understand what was happening at home. And over the last 10 years, I have visited and worked with people from that great state that have shared their stories of hardship and hope that have made it even more visceral and real for me. This sweet novel brought back that rush of feelings and seemed to capture that same essence that my friends have relayed to me over the last decade.
The second connection was on my most recent sabbatical in which I traveled to the Atlantic states of Canada to trace part of my family roots. Though I was most excited about Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, I dug into Acadian culture in New Brunswick and was duly rewarded by the people I met and shared stories with and by getting a greater understanding of the forced relocation of these beautiful people to the Louisiana territory. Coincidentally, I also read Evangeline by Longfellow, for whom the main character in O'Sullivan's book is named and through which various threads are relayed throughout the story. Her use of that reference further established the beautiful characters in the novel.
This was a truly enjoyable read and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in YA literature, those that are interested in the life and culture of Louisiana pre and post-Katrina, or those that like tender stories of love and loss.
Two asides which help elucidate my connection to this young adult novel, both of which relate to travel experiences while on sabbatical from work:
My first sabbatical took place on the heels of Katrina, I did not grasp the ramifications of the storm to local communities and the spirit of New Orleans when I was boarding my plane to Mexico. While there, person after person expressed their sadness and regret to me for the people of Louisiana and disgust at the reaction of the government. It was through the kindness of people in other cultures, that I began to fully understand what was happening at home. And over the last 10 years, I have visited and worked with people from that great state that have shared their stories of hardship and hope that have made it even more visceral and real for me. This sweet novel brought back that rush of feelings and seemed to capture that same essence that my friends have relayed to me over the last decade.
The second connection was on my most recent sabbatical in which I traveled to the Atlantic states of Canada to trace part of my family roots. Though I was most excited about Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, I dug into Acadian culture in New Brunswick and was duly rewarded by the people I met and shared stories with and by getting a greater understanding of the forced relocation of these beautiful people to the Louisiana territory. Coincidentally, I also read Evangeline by Longfellow, for whom the main character in O'Sullivan's book is named and through which various threads are relayed throughout the story. Her use of that reference further established the beautiful characters in the novel.
This was a truly enjoyable read and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in YA literature, those that are interested in the life and culture of Louisiana pre and post-Katrina, or those that like tender stories of love and loss.
March 29, 2018
This was a really good book about hurricane Katrina and it gave us some insight on what it could have felt like to go through hurricane Katrina.
May 1, 2017
I loved this book.
February 7, 2017
This is an utterly beautiful, sometimes heartbreaking and other times sweet novel about a 16 year old girl, her hometown that she loves and falling in love for the first time. It is set before, during and after Hurricane Katrina in a place hard hit-coastal Louisiana.
This book made me feel as if I were there and feeling the ups and downs along with the characters. I loved that the story ended realistically but also with a lot of hope for the future.
I will be looking at more of this author's work.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.
This book made me feel as if I were there and feeling the ups and downs along with the characters. I loved that the story ended realistically but also with a lot of hope for the future.
I will be looking at more of this author's work.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.
February 7, 2019
THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING AND ALMOST BROKE ME IN HALF. The characters and the family and the relationships were just ahhhhh. And then also there were some parts that I related to cause I myself went through a flood. Plus it said Houston about a thousand times which we love.
November 7, 2016
Good story that help young adults how tragic Hurricane Katrina was to so many. While it didn't belabor the situation it showed how it uprooted so many people.
February 8, 2019
This is a beautiful book about family, first love, displacement, and depression.
August 14, 2019
Evangeline is happy in her small town in southern Louisiana. She helps her mom at the family diner and she has a love of fishing thanks to her dad. When a storm starts brewing in the Gulf, no one thinks too much of it. But this storm isn’t like others. Evangeline’s family decide to evacuate to Georgia before the hurricane makes landfall.
The hurricane is Katrina. But that isn’t what the book focuses on. Rather, we gain some insight to how it feels to be displaced unexpectedly and without a timeline for things going back to normal. Every member of the family struggles with adapting to their new life.
This feels honest and complex. Of course this couldn’t be proper YA without a love interest, but it doesn’t feel trite (until the very, very end).
My daughter liked this one which made it more fun for me to read.
The hurricane is Katrina. But that isn’t what the book focuses on. Rather, we gain some insight to how it feels to be displaced unexpectedly and without a timeline for things going back to normal. Every member of the family struggles with adapting to their new life.
This feels honest and complex. Of course this couldn’t be proper YA without a love interest, but it doesn’t feel trite (until the very, very end).
My daughter liked this one which made it more fun for me to read.
May 27, 2017
This is a love letter to Louisiana, its bayous, shrimpers and teenagers. You’d expect a hurricane story to focus on the raging storm, but Between Two Skies shares the lives of the Riley family before and after Katrina. 16-year-old Evangeline loves Bayou Perdu, shrimping, and life in general. She meets Tru, son of another fisherman just before Katrina hits. Then, everything is blown apart by the storm. Between Two Skies shares how life can be changed for the good or for the worse after a disaster. And, if you’ve forgotten, what it’s like to fall in love. While it’s rated YA, it would be a great read for Middle Graders.
May 4, 2017
I loved this book, the story of Evangeline, whose life is upended by Hurricane Katrina. This is a wonderful story about displacement, love, and hope, full time f rich and interesting characters who keep you turning the pages. A wonderful debut!
January 5, 2017
This is good realistic fiction with a big chunk of romance for teens. It is about a young teen girl who loves life on the bayou. But, her family is displaced by Hurricane Katrina and life becomes pretty crazy. Evangeline handles things as well as she can, but things are tough. A good read for 8th - 10th graders.
August 21, 2017
This book was very well written. It handles topics like family, trauma, high-school, and just being a teen in general, in a very realistic and solid way. I loved watching Evangeline grow into her person. I could relate a lot, being a teenager myself. I know how she feels about certain things, I love how she knew what she wanted. One thing that made me a little bit uncertain was how she executed her choices. She tended to be disrespectful, though it was still very realistic and nothing was over the top. I just felt like that didn't set a good example for teenagers. I loved how her counselor at school talked to her (or listened actually) about her thoughts and her feelings. I feel like we all need to be like that counselor, and listen to those we know are hurting from past or present situations. We have open doors everywhere if we just look. :) Evangeline was a very real character, with a very real heart, and a very real story. It was incredible how the author captured all that true-ness and grit in just a short novel! There are so many more things I can say about this book and it's characters, but I'm short on time and this is all I can muster atm.
Enjoyed this so much.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgally! :)
Enjoyed this so much.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgally! :)
July 1, 2017
Evangeline Riley is 16 years old and living life in a small town near New Orleans. It might not be the best life, but it isn't the worst. Then Hurricane Katrina hits and her life changes forever. Her family relocates to Atlanta. They all try to adjust, but find it isn't that easy. When they return home, everything gets even more complicated.
July 10, 2018
Precious book about loss and longing. The story centers around Evangeline, a 16 year old whose family is displaced by Hurricane Katrina. It was a reminder to me of what happens when people lose everything and are stranded far from home. We often think, “Oh, they’ve started a new life and it’s better than the one they left.” But there are the tugs of home that linger in the heart.
September 9, 2022
Second reading: this book gave me chills all over again. The turmoil Evangeline experiences within less than a year is more than some can handle. Understanding the meaning of home and who family is pull me through this story. I want to reach in and hug Evangeline, tell her life will always have hurricanes but being a survivor is what's important.
A relatable story for anyone who lives on the Gulf Coast. My heart went out to Evangeline as she lived through the ups and downs of post-Katrina life. This novel put me through a rollercoaster of emotions, and I would happily read it all again. Blessedly, I have never been displaced by a hurricane or lost my home and everything inside it to one, but the sense of Louisiana as home and the bond of disaster are feelings I could really connect to. I loved diving deep into Evangeline's thoughts and understanding the love and loss she experiences and learning how she copes with it all. For Hurricane Katrina I was a senior in high school, which caused Evangeline's and Mandy's stories as a junior and a senior to hit close to home. I particularly love the honest roles family and friend splayed in the whole story for Evangeline.
The book is not broken up into traditional chapters but more sections based on what happens in Evangeline's life. I appreciate that aspect. Some real teen issues are brought up here such as teen sex and smoking marijuana, but they are dealt maturely and responsibly, which only made the characters stronger and more respectable for me.
A relatable story for anyone who lives on the Gulf Coast. My heart went out to Evangeline as she lived through the ups and downs of post-Katrina life. This novel put me through a rollercoaster of emotions, and I would happily read it all again. Blessedly, I have never been displaced by a hurricane or lost my home and everything inside it to one, but the sense of Louisiana as home and the bond of disaster are feelings I could really connect to. I loved diving deep into Evangeline's thoughts and understanding the love and loss she experiences and learning how she copes with it all. For Hurricane Katrina I was a senior in high school, which caused Evangeline's and Mandy's stories as a junior and a senior to hit close to home. I particularly love the honest roles family and friend splayed in the whole story for Evangeline.
The book is not broken up into traditional chapters but more sections based on what happens in Evangeline's life. I appreciate that aspect. Some real teen issues are brought up here such as teen sex and smoking marijuana, but they are dealt maturely and responsibly, which only made the characters stronger and more respectable for me.
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