Wow, what a magnificent strong and beautiful story this was!

I already had spotted this book a while ago at Library #3 but just wasn’t sure, but when I saw it again at Library #2… I just had to pick it up. I read the book in Dutch, but want to share my review with you all so English it is.

In this book we meet two people, one is a man named Benjamin who works at the lighthouse. He is a silent man who likes the solitude and loves to paint. One day a boat crashes on the rocks and he is there to save people. One of these people is a boy named Allen. This event will connect them forever and I just adored it so much. You could just see the connection between them. I couldn’t wait for them to meet again, I just wondered how long it would be. Well, quite long, but in the mean time the story doesn’t disappoint as we see how Allen lives his life. We see him at his grandparents, at school, we see how he keeps looking at the painting he got when he was a kid and I loved how he picked up painting/drawing.

And then the adventure really starts and Ben and Allen meet again. Both are older, but both are very happy to see the other. Ben is happy for the company, kept all of Allen’s letters (and we even find out why he never send any back), and Allen is happy to be back with Ben, with the solitude, the quiet. I loved seeing these two together and the puffin added to the story was a wonderful addition. I knew it would be there given the title, but it was a question when or how it would be introduced.

The war part broke my heart and I was so worried either of them would die. Ben because he is old, but Allen because he was part of the war. I wanted them to reunite again, be together again.

The ending was just the best thing ever and while I didn’t cry it was still pretty emotional. The ending made me smile because it was just the best way to end this book.

And the art, WOW, Benji Davies has done it once again. I love love love his art and he is one of my favourite artists and he has outdone himself in this gorgeous book. I loved the ships, the boats, the birds, and all other things.

All in all, haha I could probably talk for hours about this beautiful book, but I will end it here with a big: READ THIS! Highly recommended~