Envisioned as a "nocturne," Steve Amick's playful, multilayered novel
expansively retells Eugene Field's famed verse "Wynken, Blynken, and
Nod."
In the fishing village of Scheveningen in 1889, three men build and
secretly launch an unorthodox fishing vessel, departing from the long
tradition of netting herring using massive boats and large crews.
Collaborating in this venture are Wynken van Winkel, a cavalier joker
and opium addict currently AWOL from the Aceh War in Sumatra; Ned
Nodder, a seasoned fisherman trying to support his family while plagued
by narcolepsy and prophetic dreams; and Luuk Blenkin, a scattered young
troubadour failing at love and searching for his place in the world.
As formally innovative as the "picarooner" this mismatched trio
construct, the narrative lifts off into the fantastical, flitting
between reality and irreality. Sparked by lines of the "Dutch lullaby,"
the inexplicable adventure unfolds--and along the way, we learn of
Wynken's romantic recklessness, his broken relationship with his father,
and the tragedies of war that scarred and changed him. We witness Ned's
unconventional path toward matrimony, as well as the painful loss that
made his marriage a true union. We follow Luuk's fumblings for purpose
and fulfillment beyond the disgrace that befell his family and marred
both his outlook and his prospects.
In the spirit of a nocturne, Steve Amick envelops his characters in the
world of night and dreams. Lyrical, historical, surprising, magical,
heartwarming, and heartbreaking, You Shall See the Beautiful Things
will make readers look at the stars--and herring--in a new light.
