The Eyes of the Amaryllis

"Like things in fairy tales?" "No, child. I mean - that all the daily things we do, and all the things we can touch and see in this world, are only one part of what's there, and that there's another world all around us all the time that's mostly hidden from us." - the two Geneva Reades, herein "'A brig, [the Amaryllis] was, a big two-master. A beautiful thing to see. Your grandfather owned her, and he was her captain, too. He sailed her up and down the coast from Maine to the Caribbean.' 'Did you ever go along?' 'No, I never did. Women aren't welcome on trading ships, you know...and yet in a way I did go along. Look more closely there. Do you see the figurehead? ...It's a likeness of me. That's an amaryllis I'm holding. A big red lily from the islands.'" - the two Geneva Reades, herein "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it." - Song of Solomon 8:7 For thirty years, Jenny Reade's grandmother has lived alone, refusing all her son's offers to make a new home with him, away from the sea that swallowed his father's ship, the _Amaryllis_, within sight of the house when he was only a boy. For the elder Geneva Reade wanted no other life than the one she'd had with the Captain, and she couldn't accept that it was over. She has kept vigil alone, walking the beach at every high tide, waiting for some relic of the _Amaryllis_ to be washed ashore. But it isn't just chance she puts her faith in... The week before the story opens, Gran broke her ankle, and now her granddaughter Jenny is finally being allowed to spend a few weeks by the sea her father still fears as an ever-present reminder of his father's death. Gran finally lets Jenny into her confidence, because although she can still look after herself, she can't keep up her twice-daily searches without help. THE EYES OF THE AMARYLLIS is set in the nineteenth century, in the age of sail, although since it is so taken up with that timeless element, the sea, the story doesn't date much except when Gran and Jenny sometimes go through Gran's treasures, small and sometimes gaudy things brought from ports far away by the Captain long ago, or the occasional intrusions from the outside world. I've always liked this story, and now that I pause to consider *why* I like it, there are a number of reasons that I can't always explain. The writing is beautiful, while being very clear. The characters and their relationships are complex, with shades of grey that Jenny can't help noticing. Her Gran's fierce love and deep faith in her husband are very fine, and her strength and determination are like rock itself, but she chose to let her son go when he couldn't handle living with the sea as an ever-present reminder of witnessing his father's death. They love each other, but have a troubled relationship. Also, this isn't a simple, linear plot - there's also the story of Nicholas, who was like a surrogate elder son to the Reades, the sculptor who carved the _Amaryllis_' figurehead, and was lost a

We just completed reading this book in our third grade reading group, at an independent school in Brooklyn Heights, NY. Say the students, "It was the best book we ever read in reading group." I also found it amazing--so many themes, including the line between fantasy and reality, between the living and the dead, the sea and the land--memory, moving on after a great loss. This is not a "kid's" book at all--it's equally enjoyable for all ages. I highly recommend, as do my remarkable students.

In 6th grade my favorite teacher had our class read my favorite book, The Eyes of the Amaryllis. I liked this book so much that I told my best friend (in another class) that she had to read it. She did and she loved it. And to my teacher's surprise my whole class loved it too! This book will stick with you forever once you read it. The Eyes of the Amaryllis will keep you reading until you finish, and once you finish you will be in awe of what a wonderful book this is! I LOVE this book!

When I first read this book, I was blown away. I was only 11, but I could still grasp the power of the story. Jenny, an 11 year old girl is sent to live with her grandmother by the sea shore. The mystery begins. Jenny's grandmother tells her the story of her grandfather's death, the figure head of a ship washes up on the shore, and a mysterious man appears at their doorstep. A very grand mystery as well as an unforgettable love story. I recommend this book to anyone with a heart that beats and feels and loves.

This is the BEST BOOK I EVER READ! It is very well written.It is a story about a girl who comes to live with her grandmother bythe sea and then finds out she has been waiting for thirty years for a sign from her husband, whom she loved dearly, who died in a shipwreck just off the shore. It is a ghost story, but also a story of neverending love.