3/5 Stars: ‘And the Ocean Was Our Sky’ is a Young Adult, Fantasy Retelling by Patrick Ness; ‘And the Ocean Was Our Sky’ is a homage to the American Literature Classic ‘Moby Dick’, an ancient war draws to a climax as a vengeful—and literally hard-nosed—sea captain seeks out a demonic killer. A world where ocean and sky are upturned, and it is a whale that tells their version of events. With a reversal of point of view comes Ness’ re-visioning of the patriarchal exploitation of the natural world, and of man’s destructive obsession to conquer what he falsely believes he is master of. The writing is as beautiful as you might expect, and its literary style, as well as some dark imagery, make it appropriate for older readers. The writing is clear and often lyrical, and the story moves with plenty of pace. Themes of personal identity and difficult moral choices are also familiar too. With their haunting, melancholy sense of the undersea world. Wrenching, dark, and powerful—no fluke, considering its model.