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David Litwack
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The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky Kindle Edition

by David Litwack (Author), Lane Diamond (Editor) Format: Kindle Edition
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 217 ratings
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A thought-provoking look at the line between faith and fantasy, fanatics and followers, and religion and reason.

  • GOLD MEDAL: Florida Authors and Publishers Association - 2015 - Adult Fiction: General
  • FINALIST: Readers’ Favorite Book Awards - 2014 - Fiction: General
  • WINNER: Pinnacle Book Achievement Award - Best Fantasy
  • WINNER: Awesome Indies Seal of Excellence

~~~

Helena and Jason, two damaged souls and children of the Republic, are reunited when a tiny boat from the Blessed Lands crashes onto the rocks near Helena’s home after an impossible journey across the forbidden ocean. On board is a single passenger, a nine-year-old girl named Kailani, who calls herself The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky.

But is the mysterious child simply a troubled little girl longing to return home? Or is she a powerful prophet sent to unravel the fabric of a godless Republic, as the outlaw leader of an illegal religious sect would have them believe? Whatever the answer, it will change them all forever... and perhaps their world as well.

EVOLVED PUBLISHING PRESENTS a compelling literary saga of a young girl plucked from the sea under mysterious circumstances, from the multiple-award-winning author of “The Seekers” series, Along the Watchtower, and The Time That’s Given. [DRM-Free]

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  1. Print length
    409 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    May 3, 2014
  5. File size
    2263 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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From the Publisher

upmarket literary, religion, culture, reason and faith, speculative, alternative history

upmarket literary, religion, culture, reason and faith, speculative, alternative history

upmarket literary, religion, culture, reason and faith, speculative, alternative history

upmarket literary, religion, culture, reason and faith, speculative, alternative history

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Author David Litwack gracefully weaves together his message with alternating threads of the fantastic and the realistic... The reader will find wisdom and grace in this beautifully written story..." - San Francisco Review Book Review
"...a fully imagined, gripping read..." - Kirkus Reviews
"... an enthralling look at an alternative world... thought-provoking, beautifully written and highly entertaining." - Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

The characters in this story... warmed my heart, wet my eyes, and - in the case of Benjamin - made me shudder. It was,,, a thought-provoking look at the line between faith and fantasy, fanatics and followers, and religion and reason. It's also just a really good read. - Lisa Senftleben
"David Litwack's sweeping novel The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky is a powerful story that follows the journey of a mysterious but charming little girl whose mere presence seems to have changed the lives of those people around her... Superbly imagined with a tense plot which makes it difficult to put down..." - the GreatReads!
"... keeps you on the edge from one page to the next as you wait to discover the reason behind [Kailani's] sudden appearance in the land of the soulless... in the end, the truth is very awe-inspiring and most deserving." - Faridah Nassozi for Readers' Favorite

From the Author

In the wake of centuries of religiously motivated war, reason and spirit have been separated by decree--the faithful consigned to the Blessed Lands while, across an ocean, those who believe in a rational universe make the Republic their home. What happens when the ancient boundaries are transgressed? When Kailani, a nine-year-old girl from the Blessed Lands, sails across the Forbidden Sea and crashes upon the Republic's shore, she changes the lives of all she meets.
The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky is a literary journey exploring the clash between reason and faith, and the power of hope and love.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00K434HRU
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Evolved Publishing LLC; 1st edition (May 3, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 3, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2263 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 409 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 217 ratings

About the author

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David Litwack

David Litwack

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The urge to write first struck at age sixteen when working on a newsletter at a youth encampment in the woods of northern Maine. It may have been the wild night when lightning flashed at sunset followed by the northern lights rippling after dark. Or maybe it was the newsletter's editor, a girl with eyes the color of the ocean. But he was inspired to write about the blurry line between reality and the fantastic.

Using two fingers and lots of white-out, he religiously typed five pages a day throughout college and well into his twenties. Then life intervened. He paused to raise two sons and pursue a career, in the process -- and without prior plan -- becoming a well-known entrepreneur in the software industry, founding several successful companies. When he found time again to daydream, the urge to write returned.

David now lives in Seattle, Cape Cod, Florida, and anywhere else that catches hisfancy. He no longer limits himself to five pages a day and is thankful every keystroke for the invention of the word processor.

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
217 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Tiffany Murphy
5.0 out of 5 stars I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of this book from ...
Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2016
Verified Purchase
I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review and honestly, thought I'd already done so. Somehow, this book got lost in the shuffle and, now that I've read it, I can honestly say that I missed out!!
This book had me hooked from the first sentence and I found myself lost in the world that David has created. I fell in love with the main characters from the beginning but they weren't the only aspects that made this book spectacular. David obviously put a lot of thought and work into each character and each of their personality traits. He managed to portray the struggle within that each person carried and how that affected the way they reacted and interacted with each other. Benjamin was so well written, with his intense desire to do the right thing at any cost but being misguided as far as what that right thing would be. He was such a conflicted person and I felt so sorry for him. Jason and Helene had so much to struggle with as they tried to find the best way to help Kailani without getting into trouble themselves and the difficulties between Helena and her mother. The story line was seamless, and everything progressed in a way that didn't drag out too long or try to hurry you to the ending. I enjoyed every moment of reading this book and was a little sad to see it end because I wanted to find out what would happen to Jason and Helena, Kailani, and her parents, really all involved. This wasn't the first book I've read by this author and I dearly hope that it's not going to be the last.
4 people found this helpful
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sky searcher
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting plot idea
Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2015
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I couldn't get invested in the characters. The basic idea, that idealists and pragmatists live in separate continents, is interesting. The characters have no real understanding or appreciation of the other side. the plot concerns the eventual realization that you need both aspects, and I liked that.
One person found this helpful
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Don Kidwell
4.0 out of 5 stars I don't typically read fantasy books, but this one is worthy of accolades
Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2015
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Exceptionally well-written alternate history book pitting those of the Blessed Lands (which many think of as zealots) against the 'rational' Republic complete with "the statue of the Lady of Reason with her torch held high." Imagery reminded me some of Christianity versus the Roman Empire way back when together with the trials we're experiencing regarding our own border problems given this passage "Some were asylum seekers, others missionaries. Occasionally, armed insurgents had hidden among them." A challenging book, a good read and am taking this final passage from the book to heart "The best we can do for those who are gone is to pass our love on to the living."
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Arlene Kay
5.0 out of 5 stars And a child shall lead them
Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2014
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Suppose the world was sharply divided into two competing societies--based on reason or religion? Could any one being, let alone a child, bridge this divide and reconcile the parties? Author David Litwack imagines such a situation in his beautifully written, delicately wrought study of Kailani, a mysterious girl who emerges from the sea and proceeds to change everything. Anyone who reads the headlines can identify the parallels with our own time, but Litwack probes deeply into his characters and avoids the temptation to create one-dimensional caricatures. By revealing both their human frailties and capacity for doing good, he allows the reader to identify with and understand the emotions and reactions of the principal players . After finishing this well-paced, introspective book, one is forced to consider how he/she would fare in a similar situation. Surrendering to the established order is easier and less disruptive than questioning bedrock assumptions even if it deadens the spirit and suppresses the soul. Litwack's novel clears a high hurdle--it both entertains and makes us think.
One person found this helpful
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J. Sterling
5.0 out of 5 stars Without giving the plot away this is not a simple good versus bad story
Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2014
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The book is about a young 9 year girl who mysteriously comes from a neighboring land. She illegally entered the Rational Country from the Spiritual Country. She is befriended by a local young woman and her boyfriend. The book is centered on the mysterious girl’s adventures with her two adult friends.
Without giving the plot away this is not a simple good versus bad story, rather a conflict between two contrasting ideologies. The author cleverly takes some fairly predictable scenarios and puts a nice twist to them.
I have read all of David Litwack’s books and this one is in the same vein as his first, There Comes a Prophet.
I would recommend this book particularly to young people. It provides an excellent forum for the constant struggle between the rational and visceral, as well as the contrasting deductive and inductive thought processes.
I enjoyed reading the book.

Charles F. Sterling 7/15/14
2 people found this helpful
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Jan
3.0 out of 5 stars Cute story
Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2016
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Fun easy read with a fun ending.
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Teri
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2015
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New author to me. I'll be looking for more of David Litwack.
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KristiDNYC
2.0 out of 5 stars Boring
Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2015
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Ugh. Confusing and bland, I guess I'm not the target audience for this book, because obviously some other people loved it. Halfway through the book it got slightly better, but I really struggled to finish it.

I didn't care of any of the main characters. The difference between the two worlds (spiritual vs. material/pragmatic) was too weak. The main character (Kailani) was one-dimensional.

Based on an interesting concept, this book should have been so much better.
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Lissa
4.0 out of 5 stars The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 4, 2019
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An interesting read. Different from my usual reads. It took me several chapters to really get into the story but once I had I found it gripping and easy to read.
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RaiH
3.0 out of 5 stars Good but slow at times
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 14, 2015
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The story centres around a young girl, Kailani, who washed ashore the republic, an island separated from her home, the Blessed Land, both physically by the ocean and by the way of life of the people. People of the republic live by science and reason, while the people of the Blessed Land believe in the spirit, myth and fantasy. Both places are very strict with enforcing their ideals. When two young adults, Jason and Helena find the girl, they're moved to keep her safe. The authorities however are determined to keep her isolated from society. Helena and Jason find a solution, they can take her to a farm which is a sanctuary of sorts for those that need emotional healing. Kailani can stay there until a tribunal to decide if she can stay in the republic. Meanwhile there are those from the Blessed Lands who want her home.

Kailani's character is quite endearing, but there is an impression she is of importance, even she herself believes she has been 'sent' to improve relations between the two islands. However, this is never truly realised. By the end the truce between sides is given little more credence than a few lines that everything is fine. The mystery surrounding the little girl who calls herself the Daughter of the sea and sky and her almost prophet like status on the farm turns out to be of little significance.

I did enjoy this book overall, it's a light read delving into the debate between reason and religion, though I'd say the spiritual side comes off more favourably. It does have some nice moments with the three protagonists, but I found it quite slow going in parts. I had to make myself go on a couple of times. I was also left wondering if the whole situation with Kailani couldn't have been solved much more quickly and with less drama had certain characters just opened up more. Why didn't Helena and Jason try harder to find out who this little girl belonged to? And why didn't one character who clearly knew who she was just tell them what he knew? It left me feeling the tension in the book was slightly false.
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Mrs. Linda Cunningham
4.0 out of 5 stars The daughter of the sea and the sky.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 24, 2014
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An interesting book. Title sounded slightly mystical. An easy read and has a deeper meaning beneath the ease of the writing. Enjoyed it.
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BS
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 14, 2016
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Strange but very readable. An odd, not entirely believable, futuristic scenario inhabited by believable characters.
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