The English Book Review Competition Winner’s Entry (Academic Year 2025/2026)
Agatha Josephine Sidarta – X PARIWISATA
Book Review
Book Identity
Title : Undertow
Author : Michael Buckly
Publisher : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
Publication Year : 2015
Summary
Lyric Walker is a sixteen-year-old girl living in Coney Island, New York, with her human family—or so she believes. Three years earlier, the arrival of sea-creatures known as the Alphas turned the once-lively island into a heavily militarized and violent zone. As part of a presidential integration program, Alpha teenagers begin attending Lyric’s school. Lyric is unexpectedly assigned to work with Fathom, the Alpha crown prince, in an effort to make him seem more human. As time goes on, Lyric falls in love with him. Later the public discovers that she and her mother are actually Alphas. As humans prepare to eliminate the Alphas, the Alphas themselves brace for an inevitable war that threatens both species.
Review
The book Undertow by Michael Buckley is a unique book with an original concept. The author successfully incorporates various elements, such as romance, friendship, family, betrayal, sadness, and social issues like prejudice.
The first few chapters of the book are vague, leaving the readers wondering what the focus is about. The story gradually becomes more detailed as it unfolds. Buckley’s writing style is fast-paced with natural transitions between scenes and no major time skips. The book uses only one point of view: Lyric’s. This makes the story easier to
understand. Through Lyric, Buckley talks about modern issues such as discrimination, identity crises, domestic violence, state violence, and bullying.
No matter what the characters are doing, there’s always more going on in the book. They could be fighting, running away from their families, or mourning someone. These moments of conflict reveal the harsh reality of a militarized society. This idea is clearly expressed in the line, “Stubbornness is no match for tear gas.” This quote shows how Lyric is starting to understand reality. She is observant and realistic, understanding that ideals and emotions mean little when faced with violence and power.
Strengths and weaknesses
Like any novel, Undertow has good and bad aspects that influence the reader’s experience. Some of its strengths are:
First, the relevant social commentary. The book talks about modern social issues such as prejudice, discrimination, and identity crises. Second, the writing style is fast-paced. It is quick-moving, with short chapters and smooth transitions. The story doesn’t have a major time skip, which makes it exciting and keeps readers interested. Third, the story is easy to follow and emotionally focused because it is told from Lyric’s point of view. This makes the story more suspenseful because readers only know what Lyric knows.
However, while the novel is strong in many ways, it also has some areas that could be improved, such as :
Firstly, this book requires readers to have a high level of imagination, which not everyone has. One of the main topics of the book is the Alpha species, which are sea creatures. Many of these are completely made up and are hard to picture because there aren’t any real-life examples to base them on. These creatures don’t look like the animals people are used to, so readers have to use their imagination to understand what they look like, how they act, and where they live. Some readers may have a hard time fully enjoying the story or seeing the important scenes clearly, especially during exciting, action-packed moments. Another problem is the pacing, especially towards the end of the book. The story is exciting because it moves fast, but the big events in the story happens too quickly in the last chapters. This makes the most exciting part of the story feel rushed. Lastly, the beginning of the book is confusing. It is vague and not well developed. This makes it hard for some readers, including me, to enjoy it.
Conclusion
Overall, Undertow is a novel that is well worth reading, particularly for readers who enjoy fast-paced stories with meaningful themes. Its unique idea, interesting story, and discussion of social issues such as prejudice, identity, and power make it more than just a typical young adult novel. The book is easy to read because the chapters move quickly and there is always something going on. You can likely finish the book in one sitting. Readers who like to use their imagination will really like the fictional sea creatures. However, future readers should know that the story ends in a way that makes you want to read the next book right away.
