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Editorial Review Book Description
Moon Tide Monterey takes place near Monterey Bay, California. Arthur Trevaller, the powerful father of Cami, is against her plan for her future.While running on Carmel Beach, Cami finds a starving harbor seal pup in a rocky grotto. She meets Sky, a marine biology intern sent to assess the animal, and begins to learn more about the tiny creatures. She decides to join a volunteer center to learn about marine mammal rescue and medical treatment. Fishermen carry on their struggle to keep hooked salmon from bands of aggressive sea lions.An armed craft runs drugs into Monterey from ships off shore.And someone is shooting sea lions.Meaning to turn them over to the Coast Guard, Cami and Sky search for the animal killers.Their courage enhances the developing bond between them, and even Arthur must come to recognize the strength of his daughter's character. Download Description
Moon Tide Monterey takes place near Monterey Bay, California. Arthur Trevaller, the powerful father of Cami, is against her plan for her future.While running on Carmel Beach, Cami finds a starving harbor seal pup in a rocky grotto. She meets Sky, a marine biology intern sent to assess the animal, and begins to learn more about the tiny creatures. She decides to join a volunteer center to learn about marine mammal rescue and medical treatment.Fishermen carry on their struggle to keep hooked salmon from bands of aggressive sea lions.An armed craft runs drugs into Monterey from ships off shore.And someone is shooting sea lions.Meaning to turn them over to the Coast Guard, Cami and Sky search for the animal killers.Their courage enhances the developing bond between them, and even Arthur must come to recognize the strength of his daughter's character. ... Read moreCustomer Reviews (3) 
Engaging
Cami Trevaller, like many American young people recently graduated from high school, is drifting in life. The daughter of affluent businessman Arthur and former hippy Arlene, she feels trapped in her life. Her father expects her to go to Stanford, and then on to Harvard Business School just like he did and just like her sister Nina is doing now. Problem is Cami isn't sure that's what she wants to do. But she isn't sure what her alternatives are, either. The funny thing about life, which Barry Johnson captures perfectly in "Moon Tide Monterey," is that forces beyond our control often decide what we should do for us. And that is what happens to Cami one day as she wonders along the California beach. Hearing the disconsolate cries of a stranded harbor seal, Cami's investigation and subsequent rescue of the little creature leads her to a stint as a volunteer at the Marine Mammal Center, a non-profit organization devoted to saving California's marine life. This decision isn't completely altruistic, of course, since Cami's encounter with a handsome marine biology major named Sky partly influences her newfound loyalty to marine mammals, but she soon discovers that the work transcends mere physical attraction.
Between visits with Happy (the aforementioned harbor seal), Cami must deal with increasing tensions at home with her parents over the Marine Mammal Center. All of the people Trevaller works with are enormously friendly and caring, and it isn't too long before our heroine begins to harbor a secret longing to chuck plans for business school in favor of a career as a marine biologist or veterinarian, a career that promises fulfillment over financial security. Capitalist and hypercompetitive Daddy can't stand the idea of such nonsense, however, and works behind the scenes to separate his daughter from the enviros working down at the Center. Cami, undeterred by her father's increasing attentions, spends more and more time rescuing hapless sea creatures. Some of the missions are quite dangerous, especially the investigation Sky and Cami undertake to discover who is responsible for shooting sea lions. Fisherman in the area routinely employ drastic measures to protect their catches from roving sea lions--Johnson introduces us to Jorge Arguento, the captain of a fishing vessel working in the area, in order to show us the techniques local fishermen use--but outright killing of animals brings down the rage of nearly everyone in the area. Cami's involvement in bringing the savages responsible to justice results in a denouement involving both a criminal act and a family reconciliation.
I consider "Moon Tide Monterey" one of the better publish it yourself novels I have had the pleasure of reading over the past several months. The background information on Barry Johnson mentions that novelist Frederick Manfred recommended the author for an Endowment for the Arts Award in Writing while Johnson was a student at the University of South Dakota. I can see why. While the basic storyline of "Moon Tide Monterey" isn't particularly original (How many of these "lost girl/boy finds direction in life from an unexpected quarter" have we seen over the years? Quite a few.), the author carries it off quite well here. Cami Trevaller and her father Arthur receive more development than any of the other characters, but that's acceptable considering that these two are the protagonist and antagonist of the story. Most importantly, and I'm still surprised that I caught on to this facet of the novel considering how passively I read most books, is how the stranded harbor seal pup Happy symbolizes the odyssey Cami undergoes throughout the novel.
When Cami discovers Happy on the rocks, both seal and girl are lost--cast adrift, if you will--from their parents. In some respects the event that separated Happy from her mother, a massive storm, echoes the emotional and physical turmoil Cami underwent during her adolescence, turmoil involving drugs and a bad experience with a relationship. Both seal and girl end up at the Marine Mammal Center, futures still uncertain but with the potential for improvement. As the novel draws to a close, Cami and Happy find fulfillment. The seal returns to the sea fully grown, healthy, and ready to live life. Too, Cami has grown, is healthy, and is ready to live her own life independent of the control of her parents. Arthur and Arlene Trevaller show up to watch Happy return to the sea, showing their change in attitude concerning their daughter's decision, but just as Cami is seeing Happy off so too are Arthur and Arlene seeing their own daughter strike out on her own. Neat, huh? Maybe I should have majored in English. Anyone can write a novel with nothing more than superficialities to propel the story to its conclusion. Barry Johnson goes much further by imbuing "Moon Tide Monterey" with some intriguing symbolism, always the sign of a talented writer.
My only quibbles with Johnson's book are minor. For example, I wish he had spent more time examining Arlene Trevaller. The novel describes her as a former hippy, a real flower power type back in the day, but we don't really see any of that in the story. Wouldn't her character provide a strong counterbalance to Arthur's raging capitalistic nature? Too, Cami's sister Nina, who followed her father's instructions without questioning his wisdom, pops in from time to time to chat with her sister without making a noticeable contribution to the story. A longer novel might have allowed the author to flesh out these characters, along with a few other minor players, in greater depth. I'll close by saying I quite enjoyed this novel, enough to give it five stars, and hope Barry Johnson continues writing.
An inspiring story of self-discovery and animal preservation
Moon Tide Monterey works wonderfully on two different levels: first, as the story of one young lady's struggle to move out from under the overbearing thumb of a father intent on plotting her future, and second, as a story emphasizing the importance of the work being done to rescue and protect marine mammals suffering at the hands of man.I would have liked a little more plot development in terms of one particular subplot, but this is only one small complaint pertaining to this very impressive novel (and, it may well be that I just didn't pick up on this plot element when it was first brought to light).
It is the summer following Cami Trevaller's graduation from high school, and she is unsure of her future plans.Her well-to-do father, though, has long made his own plans for his daughter: like her older sister, she will matriculate at Stanford, go on to Harvard Business School, and return to help run the family business.Walking along the beach one day, Cami hears and finally locates a young, starving seal pup and, with the help of a volunteer from The Marine Mammal Center, helps save "Happy's" life.It is a wonderful experience for her, and she soon begins volunteering at the Center herself; at the same time, she begins to develop a relationship with Sky, a young marine biology intern working there.Cami finds her volunteer work exceedingly rewarding; for the first time in her life, she feels she is doing something inherently good and important.Sadly, all animals cannot be saved - foremost among these are an increasing number of seals shot multiple times in the local environs of Monterey Bay.Fishermen have been known to shoot seals interfering with their fishing, but these seals have been killed with automatic weapons.Cami, Sky, and a couple more volunteers take it upon themselves to find those responsible for the crime.Little do they know that the men in question are guilty of far more than mere possession and use of automatic weapons, and this places Cami in great danger.
All the while that Cami is working at The Marine Mammal Center, she is growing farther apart from her overbearing father, who disapproves of her priority choices, and growing closer to Sky.Complicating these relational equations is the fact that Cami has been hurt before.I think that this is the one element of the story that could have used further development; for my part, its true significance did not sink in until the latter stages of the novel.The interpersonal aspects of the story work very well, though, particularly those between overprotective father and independent-minded daughter; in addition, the budding relationship between Cami and Sky is handled in an effectively subtle manner.
For me, though, the descriptions of animal rescues form the most exciting and memorable aspects of the novel.Any animal lover cannot but be inspired by the work of The Marine Mammal Center and its group of volunteers who put the welfare of the area's sea lions, seals, and other marine animals above materialistic pursuits and, in many ways, their own well-being.The description of a live rescue at sea (a very restless sea) is particularly awe-inspiring.As a former marine mammal rescue volunteer himself, Barry Johnson is able to describe this kind of work quite realistically and, in so doing, convey the commitment and unheralded heroism of those who dedicate their lives to the rescue of animals suffering at the hands of human beings.More importantly, he is able to convey the importance of such work to those fortunate enough to read and enjoy Moon Tide Monterey.
A girl finds herself and direction helping sea creatures
The California coast is host to many people and a wide variety of large sea mammals. As is the case with any ecosystem, there is a predator-prey dynamic, leading to some of the mammals being critically injured. Some of the human activity also conflicts with the actions of the mammals, also leading to injury. Fortunately, there are organizations whose purpose is to rescue injured animals and nurse them back to health before they are released back into the wild.
This story begins with a girl of eighteen who is in the midst of a slight rebellion against her wealthy father walking on the beach. He wants her to proceed through a college business track, recapitulating his life. At this point, she knows that she does not want to follow that track, but has no clear direction as to where she will go. During her walk, she comes upon a baby seal that is almost starved. She contacts the mammal rescue service and in the time that elapses until they get there, she grows attached to the seal. She then travels back to their base with the seal and the rescuers and helps feed the baby seal. This triggers something in her and within a few days, she is volunteering at the mammal rescue center and considering the study of sea mammal biology.
Her father does not agree, and although they don't ever reach the level of the shouting match, it is clear that there is a great deal of tension. She also begins to have feelings for a young man who works at the center, and she begins battling some of her other internal demons. She had been raped earlier and finds it difficult to touch and be touched by a man. Nevertheless, the commitment that she sees in the center proves to be a driving force, and she is able to overcome her problems.
The local fishermen have problems with sea lions, which wait until they catch a fish and then steal it from them. To the sea lions, which are too slow to catch the fish otherwise, it is an easy meal. However, the fishermen are not amused and someone is illegally slaughtering them with automatic weapons. The mammal center workers devise a way to identify the culprits and it works. However, the men are drug dealers who ultimately try to take revenge through rape and kidnapping.
It came as no surprise that the author has worked as a sea mammal rescuer. The story was too real to be written by anyone lacking such experience. The character of the father was handled exactly right. While he is domineering, it is not in the oppressive sense. He is a man who has succeeded in business and wants his children to be successful as well. The level of rebellion of the daughter was also handled in the right way. While she is rebellious and has been involved with drugs, she is a smart girl, so her rebellion is not out of control. If either of these characters had been more dramatic, the quality of the book would have suffered.
All is worked out in the end, both father and daughter have to go through some serious trauma before they can reconcile and walk quietly down the beach enjoying each other's company. The ending was an obvious one, but the journey there makes that fact irrelevant.
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