An OCEAN IN IOWA: A NOVEL

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Summary: 'An Ocean in Iowa' Through the Eyes of an Iowan
Review: An Ocean in Iowa is Peter Hedge's second novel, and just like his first, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, he focuses on growing up in small town Iowa. Scotty Ocean is a seven-year-old in Des Moines, Iowa, and believes his year as being seven is going to be his best. However, soon after his birthday, Scotty's mom, an alcoholic and failed artist, leaves the house. Scotty remains at home with his strict father, who is a judge, and his two sisters. Scotty believes the real reason his mother left is because he didn't behave all the time, so he starts to do more work around the house in attempt to get her to come home. At school, however, he starts to act out in attempt to be popular. His popularity will die out after awhile, and this hits Scotty hard as well. Hedge's keeps the book sane with his humor and keen eye for detail. He focuses on the problems of a dysfunctional family through the eyes of a seven-year-old. There is a small battle for custody where the mother asks the kids to live with her in Iowa City for the summer. Then, the father buys a swimming pool because "they deserve it." It is a must read for anyone (old and young) in a dysfunctional family.
I really enjoyed reading this book. My parents are divorced and I am form Des Moines, so the themes hit home for me. From the school to what he did in his free time sounded like a mirror image of my childhood. When Scotty's eighth birthday rolled around, he was suddenly too old for things seven-year-olds did. There is humor, drama, and a spirit-lifting theme that every year can be the best if you truly believe.

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Summary: An Ocean In Iowa
Review: An Ocean In Iowa tells the story of Scotty Ocean, a seven year old boy living in West Des Moines, Iowa. As the book starts out, Scotty thinks that seven will his best year yet, but it turns out to be far from. His mother, a struggling artist, abandons the family to pursue her own interests. Scotty ,and his two sisters continue to live with Scotty's father , the judge. Even though neither are good parents, they are both made into likeable characters that the reader can identify with. The story, Told through a third person limited point of view gives the reader access to Scotty's thoughts and feelings thereby making him a more rounded character. All the trials and tribulations that Scotty goes through in this, what he thought would be the best year of his life, makes for a very interesting story and one that the reader is easily drawn into. Being from West Des Moines myself, I found it quite interesting how Mr. Hedges uses a lot of real places for his story.
The only thing that I didn't like about this book was Mr. Hedges inaccurate use of historical events, but with everything going on in the book, They are rather easy to ignore. I found this book to be an easy read, and one that I could very easily stay interested in. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of " whats Eating Gilbert Grape" or any of Peter Hedges other work.

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Summary: An excellent book
Review: Caitlin CahalanMarch 4, 1999 Book ReviewMrs. Anderson

Seventh Heaven in "Iowa" An Ocean in Iowa by Peter Hedges ***** 5 stars This novel is a fantastic story about the life of one young boy and I recommend it to everyone. "Seven is going to be my year." That is what Scotty Ocean announced at the beginning of Peter Hedges' novel An Ocean in Iowa. Scotty wants to be seven more than anything else in the world and the novel takes us through all of the ups and downs of being seven. The story is told from Scotty's point of view and it offers us insight into the mind of an innocent, wide-eyed little boy. The novel takes us back to the late sixties, the days of the moon landing, A Family Affair, and Bonanza. The story centers on the Ocean family, a group of different personalities living in the same house in rural Iowa. Although the story is told from Scotty's point of view, we are able to take a look into the minds and hearts of the rest of the family: his father, the Judge; his mother, Joan; and his two older sisters, Claire and Maggie. We are taken through a year in the life of the Oceans which also happens to Scotty's seventh year. This year happens to be the year Joan decides to leave the family. Suddenly, the Ocean children are left to live with their loving yet distant father. As the story unfolds, we see the Judge becoming more open to his children. We also see a development in Scotty's character. Peter Hedges has written a beautiful character that will capture your hearts the minute you are introduced to him. Scotty is convinced that being seven means being a man. ("Seven is old enough to tie his own shoes.") His character goes from a six-year boy who, in Scotty's own opinion, drove his mother away to a seven-year old man who can handle anything. Hedges adds humor to the somewhat serious nature of this novel. The reader cannot help but smile when Scotty paints a nude portrait of himself or when he refuses to take off his Minnesota Vikings helmet. The novel is written with an amazing amount of style, yet there is a simplicity to it which keeps us turning the pages. Perhaps the novel is a reminder of what childhood was like and what thoughts ran through our heads. One would think a seven-year-old character is too simple and unimportant to write a novel about. However, Scotty's character has complex thoughts, emotions, and adult ideas and visions. Scotty refuses to turn eight and he is willing to go to drastic measures to prevent it from occurring. Hedges has included a theme throughout the novel that implies that you can only be young once. He is challenging us to look at ourselves now and telling us to enjoy what we have right at this moment. We cannot stay in one place forever but, once we leave, we will always have the memories to look back on. Just as Scotty Ocean cannot be seven forever, we can be sure that he will have plenty of memories of being seven. Maybe it is time he realized that eight may be great after all.

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Summary: Charming.
Review: From the author of What's Eating Gilbert Grape, one of my favorite books, this is a story of a year in the life of a 7-year-old. Although it's 3rd person, it's told from his POV, and we understand more of what's going on than he does. A light read, it has its poignant moments. It's also a good one to read out loud to somebody, if you're so inclined. Charming overall. Most admirable is Hedges ability to tell a compelling story from a child's POV without lapsing into child-isms.

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Summary: A Story like A Painting
Review: I met Peter hedges in 1999 when he was the speaker at my husband's commencement dinner from Bennington College. He is as full of humor, hope, strength, and integrity as the characters in his books: "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" and "An Ocean in Iowa". I also think it is amazing that he wrote the screenplay for the movie rendition of "What's Eating Gilbert Grape", which was also fabulous.

These books reveal pieces of a complex and perceptive mind. I enjoyed the honesty and humor that he uses to tell about life. "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" is a story of survival, triumph, and renewal. I smiled and cried my way through.

While reading "An Ocean in Iowa" the characters came alive. By the first page I was captivated. I entered into Scotty Ocean's mind and world. Despite the sad context of the story this book brought me comfort because Peter Hedges kept Scotty's character so innocent, honest, and true to a child's world, integrity and perceptions. I giggled my way through the book.

I love the title!

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Summary: Good review from someone in Iowa
Review: Peter Hedge's novel, An Ocean in Iowa, has a new outlook on growing up. In Hedge's novel, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, he displayed what it is like for a 20 years old man to grow up. But in An Ocean in Iowa, Hedge's goes into great detail how a young seven years old boy deals with growing up and trying to go through his mother leaving his family.
An Ocean in Iowa is set in Des Moines, Iowa. For someone like me who is from Iowa, it is very interesting to read about the places because one can picture exactly what he's talking about if he/she has seen it. Although the book has a depressing story, Hedge's is still able to show some humor out of the situations. Hedge's did a very good job in going through everything that seven years old Scotty Ocean goes through as he struggles to get his mother to come back home. Scotty feels that his mother left because of him so he does chores everyday and tries every little thing that he thinks will make his mother come home again.
The book has a very interesting outlook on what it is like for a seven years old little boy to have his mother abandon his family. The book does get a little slow and boring at times but Hedge's mixes in some humor throughout the book, which makes the book a good read.

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Summary: Where's the plot?
Review: The author does a good job with the character's in the book. He really drew me in. I kept reading to see what was going to happen and then ... nothing did. The character's were great but the plot wasn't there. I was waiting for a climax, then all the sudden I was on the last page. Frustrating, because it could've been really good.

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Summary: Life through the eyes of a 7 year old
Review: This book was amazing. It tells the story of little Scotty Ocean, a boy who is dying to be seven. A little boy whose family is about to be pulled apart by his mother's drinking and life will forever change and in the end maybe will want to turn eight. If you read, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, you definitly not be dissapointed by An Ocean in Iowa.

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Summary: Good review from someone in Iowa
Review: This is one of those rare novels that actually reminds you--with occasional moments of devastating embarrassment, bouts of giddy laughter, and pangs of deep melancholy--just what it was to be a kid. As he proved in his brilliant first novel, "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" (and the screenplay for the wonderful film adaptation), and his highly-acclaimed 2003 independent film, "Pieces of April," Peter Hedges has mastered the delicate art of conjuring charming but utterly realistic characters and portraying, with great tenderness, the complicated dynamics of troubled families. From the discovery that one's family is not an invulnerable bastion of loving safety to the sudden, almost-mystical epiphanies of the erotic undercurrent running through all of life, Hedges has here captured, with breathtaking authenticity, the unique sensation of growing up. At the same time, the story is firmly and convincingly embedded in a specific time and place, suburban Iowa in the late 1960s. Hedges includes a rich but never distracting veneer of historical and pop culture references. He also peppers the narrative with certain toy and product names familiar to the era, something that does a great deal to convey both the growing commercialization of American society at the time and the innocence that once seemed an inherent part of the modern world's marketing machine--aimed primarily at the young, as so much advertising and entertainment is. In the end, one finds that "An Ocean in Iowa" is the antithesis of the plot-driven novel. Rather, it is something that is often more difficult to achieve without resulting to cheap melodrama or sentimentality: an engaging, evocative character study--or, as such stories always become for Hedges, a family study. Hedges has one simple goal: seeing young Scotty Ocean through his seventh year, and past all threatens him and his family, without permanent damage befalling the dreamer inside him. It is a testimony to his mastery of the novelist's craft that we worry, all the way to the end, whether Hedges can actually pull this off.