The story begins with Sapphy’s father’s disappearance, leaving his family devastated. This terrible incident affects Sapphy deeply as she has a very close relationship with her father. Yet, she and her brother, Conor, both share the belief that their father is not dead, but is somewhere waiting for them to find him.
A year later, Sapphy and Conor have moved on with their lives though they remember their promise to keep looking for their father. Their mom has taken a job with long hours and has a new man, Roger, in her life. When Conor starts to leave home for long periods of time without telling anyone, Sapphy begins to worry and attempts to find out what he is doing. She soon finds the mystical underwater world of Ingo and its many mysteries. But, Ingo changes Sapphy in an irreversible way. When Roger, who is a diver, gets into danger in Ingo, it is up to Sapphy and Conor to help him get out of it.
Sapphy is the narrator of the novel. She has long, dark hair and appears to be about nine or ten years of age. Sapphy is hot-tempered, unpredictable, and impulsive, ““We flare up like the Midsummer Bonfire, lose our tempers and say things we should never say. Sometimes we don’t know what we’re going to do until we’ve done it. ” (Pg. 6) Sapphy does, however, have a considerate, brave, and caring side. She always has a love for the sea, and her feeling grows stronger as she learns about Ingo and realizes that she is in fact half Mer (those who live in Ingo). Sapphy’s fascination with Ingo and her independence make her unlike the normal “Air” (earth) girl.
Conor is Sapphy’s older brother by two years. Like her, he has dark hair. His temperament is the opposite of Sapphy, being sensible and level-headed. Conor is also blunt, and always tells the truth no matter how much it will hurt anyone. Conor plays the role of the big brother who always tries to protect Sapphy. Conor is essential to the story as he is the first to be introduced to Ingo and, therefore, leads Sapphy to discover Ingo. Like Sapphy, Conor’s physical appearance is normal, but he has “Mer” capabilities.
Faro is from Mer. He is about Conor’s age. He quickly becomes a good friend of Sapphy. Faro has a teasing nature and detests the Air. He is an important character as he helps and guides Sapphy in Ingo. Faro, as with other Mer characters such as Elvira, is not realistic physically or in behavior as he has a tail, lives underwater, and gets very angry at actions such as those of the divers that seem natural to “Air” people.
Characters such as Roger and Sapphy and Conor’s mom are normal and they behave like “real” people. Sapphy’s mom is a stereotype of the typical busy, single mom.
I enjoy the main characters because of their unique personalities. But, in particular, I admire Sapphy and Conor because they always kept faith that their father is still alive and they are determined to find him.
The main theme of this novel is Sapphy’s struggle between the two worlds – “Air” and Ingo. Sapphy is confused about living two lives which are both changing rapidly. As these two opposite worlds intertwine, Sapphy struggles to keep her life in balance. Family is another major theme. Sapphy’s family is almost torn apart by events, but the strong bond they have with each other lead them to support and encourage one another as they go through their difficulties. In the end, despite their adversities, they stick together as a unit. Growing up is an important theme in the novel because as Sapphy matures and overcomes obstacles, her character develops and becomes wiser. Sapphy becomes increasingly mature and wiser as she overcomes obstacles. Throughout the story, the author stresses the theme of the environment. Through the character of Faro, Dunmore makes the point that the environment is threatened by the reckless actions of human beings living in the world of “Air”.
I enjoy Ingo because the story captivates me. The detail that Dunmore writes to describe Ingo allows me to visualize Ingo vividly. Sapphy has taught me to persevere and be strong when facing difficult times. I can identify with Sapphy’s position in which she wants to go back to the past when everything was simple. I have had similar experiences, but to a lesser degree, as I have yearned to go back to the past to fix a mistake or mishap. From this novel, I have learned how important family is and how it is essential to have a close relationship with my family. I have also found out that people are not always what they seem. In the novel, Sapphy appears to be just a little shy girl but, inside, she is an independent, confident girl who saves Roger and the other divers’ lives.
I give this book a four and a half star. It is enchanting and magical, while at the same time, there is an underlying message of family values and environment. I do, however, find certain parts of the story a little confusing and could have been explained better. Still, it is overall a great read and, at the end, you will want to read the rest of the series. I would recommend Ingo to ten to twelve-year olds as some parts may prove to be a little more difficult for children younger than ten to understand.
A year later, Sapphy and Conor have moved on with their lives though they remember their promise to keep looking for their father. Their mom has taken a job with long hours and has a new man, Roger, in her life. When Conor starts to leave home for long periods of time without telling anyone, Sapphy begins to worry and attempts to find out what he is doing. She soon finds the mystical underwater world of Ingo and its many mysteries. But, Ingo changes Sapphy in an irreversible way. When Roger, who is a diver, gets into danger in Ingo, it is up to Sapphy and Conor to help him get out of it.
Sapphy is the narrator of the novel. She has long, dark hair and appears to be about nine or ten years of age. Sapphy is hot-tempered, unpredictable, and impulsive, ““We flare up like the Midsummer Bonfire, lose our tempers and say things we should never say. Sometimes we don’t know what we’re going to do until we’ve done it. ” (Pg. 6) Sapphy does, however, have a considerate, brave, and caring side. She always has a love for the sea, and her feeling grows stronger as she learns about Ingo and realizes that she is in fact half Mer (those who live in Ingo). Sapphy’s fascination with Ingo and her independence make her unlike the normal “Air” (earth) girl.
Conor is Sapphy’s older brother by two years. Like her, he has dark hair. His temperament is the opposite of Sapphy, being sensible and level-headed. Conor is also blunt, and always tells the truth no matter how much it will hurt anyone. Conor plays the role of the big brother who always tries to protect Sapphy. Conor is essential to the story as he is the first to be introduced to Ingo and, therefore, leads Sapphy to discover Ingo. Like Sapphy, Conor’s physical appearance is normal, but he has “Mer” capabilities.
Faro is from Mer. He is about Conor’s age. He quickly becomes a good friend of Sapphy. Faro has a teasing nature and detests the Air. He is an important character as he helps and guides Sapphy in Ingo. Faro, as with other Mer characters such as Elvira, is not realistic physically or in behavior as he has a tail, lives underwater, and gets very angry at actions such as those of the divers that seem natural to “Air” people.
Characters such as Roger and Sapphy and Conor’s mom are normal and they behave like “real” people. Sapphy’s mom is a stereotype of the typical busy, single mom.
I enjoy the main characters because of their unique personalities. But, in particular, I admire Sapphy and Conor because they always kept faith that their father is still alive and they are determined to find him.
The main theme of this novel is Sapphy’s struggle between the two worlds – “Air” and Ingo. Sapphy is confused about living two lives which are both changing rapidly. As these two opposite worlds intertwine, Sapphy struggles to keep her life in balance. Family is another major theme. Sapphy’s family is almost torn apart by events, but the strong bond they have with each other lead them to support and encourage one another as they go through their difficulties. In the end, despite their adversities, they stick together as a unit. Growing up is an important theme in the novel because as Sapphy matures and overcomes obstacles, her character develops and becomes wiser. Sapphy becomes increasingly mature and wiser as she overcomes obstacles. Throughout the story, the author stresses the theme of the environment. Through the character of Faro, Dunmore makes the point that the environment is threatened by the reckless actions of human beings living in the world of “Air”.
I enjoy Ingo because the story captivates me. The detail that Dunmore writes to describe Ingo allows me to visualize Ingo vividly. Sapphy has taught me to persevere and be strong when facing difficult times. I can identify with Sapphy’s position in which she wants to go back to the past when everything was simple. I have had similar experiences, but to a lesser degree, as I have yearned to go back to the past to fix a mistake or mishap. From this novel, I have learned how important family is and how it is essential to have a close relationship with my family. I have also found out that people are not always what they seem. In the novel, Sapphy appears to be just a little shy girl but, inside, she is an independent, confident girl who saves Roger and the other divers’ lives.
I give this book a four and a half star. It is enchanting and magical, while at the same time, there is an underlying message of family values and environment. I do, however, find certain parts of the story a little confusing and could have been explained better. Still, it is overall a great read and, at the end, you will want to read the rest of the series. I would recommend Ingo to ten to twelve-year olds as some parts may prove to be a little more difficult for children younger than ten to understand.
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