The Lobster Kings: A Novel

The Lobster Kings is a magical, mystical, mythical tale of the Kings family on the remote Loosewood Island, somewhere between Maine and Canada.
The Kings are, and have always been, lobstermen, men of the sea. Legend holds that the original inhabitant of the island was an artist named Brumfitt Kings whose wife came to him out of the sea. In return for his gift and the bounty of the sea for all time, the Kings must make one sacrifice.
I found the characters believable and interesting, the story compelling, and the "touch" of Alexi Zentner magical. The weaving in of the present day story with the history of the painting of Brumfitt Kings made it all the more engaging. Job well done, Mr. Zentner.

This story is an age old story of a family business, a legacy that is changing because, well, time and history change. Although, the setting on the east coast island of Loosewood is very idyllic and seemingly typical of a lobster community, the reader gets the sense that this way of life is hanging on by a thread. The King family has a long lobster heritage and Woody King is the patriarch in this tight knit lobster town. He struggles with the changes going on, in particular, outside forces and bad influences like drug trade. Also, he is aging and he must decide who carries on the business. Cordelia, his daughter, is very passionate about lobster fishing and would love to be at the helm of the family business ,but will she be given the opportunity? There are some unique characters that keep the story lively and fresh, such as: Brumfitt, the original King who settled 300 yrs ago
the rest of the King clan
Kenny Treat, sternman, cute and strong
As the story unfolds on the island, we see the struggles that everyone is going through . It is not an easy life and the changes happening are having an effect on the King family and the entire community. How it all plays out makes for a great saga. It was a pleasure to receive a free copy for preview.

Enjoyed this novel even more than Zentner's first novel Touch. An emotional journey about a family, their livelihood and struggles.

I never read Shakespeare when I was young, other than Romeo and Juliet (9th grade English) and Taming of the Shrew (because I wanted to see how well it matched the Taylor-Burton film which was not very well at all). So when someone says a story is based on Hamlet, The Tempest... whatever... and that it's a tragedy, I just have to take them at their word.

This is, by the author's own admission, based on King Lear and set on a small island somewhere in the waters between Maine and Nova Scotia -- between the US and Canada -- changeable as to its national identity but utterly certain of its identity as a place where lobster is fished and always has been and will ever be. The progenitor or the Kings family, Brumfitt Kings, settled on the island nearly 300 years earlier as a fisherman and his family continues both as fishermen and as the kings of the island in more than just name to the present day. Of the present family, eldest daughter Cordelia works very hard at being her Daddy's favorite, his successor, at being the one who will take over from him when the time comes. This is both a tale of family history and relationships and one of changing times when meth-addled fishermen from a neighboring harbor begin poaching on the waters of Loosewood Island..

But aside from what the story is about, the reader should know that Alexi Zentner tells a story very, very well. I was captivated by his style from the very first pages and remained captivated to the very end. I will definitely read his previous novel and look for anything that might come in the future.

For me this is the first 5 star book of the year -- and we're more than half through. I'm pretty stingy with my stars so that's saying something, I think.

For those who enjoyed The Story of Edgar Sawtelle you will LOVE The Lobster Kings -- and your heart will not be broken at the end!

Picked up this novel on my recent trip to Canada and it was the perfect book for my long flight home. The characters really came to life and I didn't know what was going to happen next.

Decent read. Wouldn't call it a masterpiece.

The Lobster Kings is written by Alexi Zentner is a fictional semi-fantastical story about Loosewood Island located between Canada and the US. The book revolves around the history of the Kings family.

Cordelia Kings is the daughter of Woody Kings, and comes from a long line of Kings which can trace their ancestry back to the original Lobster fisher of the islands Brumfitt Kings three hundred years earlier. Cordelia’s only wish is to follow in her father’s footsteps, living on the sea which calls to her and fishing for lobster.

The Kings live with both a gift and a curse. Brumfit was promised by the sea to always have the bounty of the sea and never want for lobsters. In return the sea will claim the first born son of every Kings family. With so much of her history wrapped up in myth, Cordelia never quite knows the line between truth and fiction. Woody, her father believes every tale of their family ancestry whole- heartedly. He delights in telling them to his family.

The story begins with Cordelia as a pre-teen and the oldest of three girls when her little brother is born. Instantly Cordelia as her father’s favorite feels a jealousy in having to share her father, the sea and her inheritance with her little brother who does not feel the call to the sea as she does.

The Lobster Kings is a tumultuous tale of both the beauty and the tragedy which is being a part of the sea. There is a roller coaster of emotions as we follow through the story with Cordelia as a young girl and as she enters into adulthood and is finding he own as a hardworking 30 year old with her own lobster boat. Cordelia's challenges range from her fight for inheritance of the sea to keeping meth out of her town.

My only complaint was that in the beginning of the book, I wasn’t sure that the narration was still following Cordelia in youth between chapters. However, as the story went on, I found myself so vested into the characters that I felt joy and sorrow with them and even had tears in my eyes in several places.

I give this book 5/5 stars. I loved the connection of grandiose description in relation to the Brumfitt paintings. I love the way that myth was interwoven with life in a way that it couldn’t be true… and yet… it just might be. I also loved the way that Zentner created realistic characters, realistic struggle and real growth in the story. I highly recommend this story for anyone interested in the sea, fishing, woman empowering, mythology, fantasy, fiction, adventure, suspense, family, etc.

*I received this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Excellent book. I have to force myself to put it down at night so I am not up until 3:00 AM reading it.

Took me into the unfamiliar world of generations of lobster/fisherman. Descriptions of water and island life were superb...along with the anguish of being a girl/woman in a man's world. Would definitely recommend it & have already.

Loosewood Island is a fishing town claimed both by the US and Canada. Originally founded in the 1700's by fishermen and painter Brumfitt Kings. This story follows his current day descendants, mainly Cordelia Kings and he father and sisters. interspersed with events in the day to day life of Cordelia are references to Brumfitt paintings that reveal his story and connect them to the day to day life of Cordelia and the other inhabitants of Loosewood Island. The writing and the story wee well done but i didn't feel any strong connection to the main character. An interesting look at a small close knit community of Lobsterman with some drama caused by a turf war with a group from the mainland.