989 reviews for:

Small Boat

Vincent Delecroix

4.17 AVERAGE

sarah_richmond's review against another edition

5.0

---

“At this height, at least, there's no risk of seeing their anoraks squashed close together and children vomiting and crying, and it's pretty much what the good Lord must see from up there - the world like a radar screen to him with straight lines, dotted lines and quadrilaterals, except he does nothing, he doesn't send help, he lets them sink, which is pretty much what I did, too. But curiously, when it's the Good Lord, even though - I've been told - he possesses far more resources than the French navy does - no one seems to find that scandalous, though you might say that these poor people, at that moment drifting on the sea at night, are far more in His hands than in mine”. 

Brilliant book, brilliant translation. One of the best European windows into the refugee / migrant crisis I’ve ever read. A psychological cat and mouse of finger pointing- who is to blame for any of the socio-economic crises currently plaguing us, how can we exonerate our own souls. The 2025 International Booker shortlist continues to soar. 

clajanere's review against another edition

4.25

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

mikeybzc's review against another edition

4.0

dark medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

kyichu's review against another edition

3.5

reflective tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

blue_irises's review against another edition

5.0

---

sort of genius. no idea how it didn't win the international booker

havesomepatty's review against another edition

2.0

challenging dark slow-paced

helenaavery's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

lindavadgaard's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

dreaminfables's review against another edition

5.0

reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

cristinalpzhnz's review against another edition

5.0

---

You need to read this book.