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rachael_perry's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
We finished it! It was dark and wonderful. Emmett wanted me to read it a lot more often than I thought to reach for it. He definitely has a taste in books. He has already picked out the next one. I haven’t read Gary Paulsen since middle school, so seeing this was fairly recent, his last published before he passed, I was glad he picked it.
papayastar's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
akp123's review against another edition
3.0
this was a fine book, I don't really have any strong opinions about it other than some of the instances where he really should have died but didn't (like with the dolphins)
ruffian23's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
orchid_2023's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
a_mingled_yarn's review against another edition
Content warnings are not a joke & I could not handle the dead toddler
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
alice982's review against another edition
2.0
I can't really make up my mind when it comes to this book. It had a lot of potential but fell flat in the end.
I liked the storytelling and the way it was written. But the fauna makes it really unclear where this is set since it seems to be an unclear mix between scandinavia and north america.
There was barely any progress in the book, and nothing really changed. There was no climax or big event and the ending didn't really feel like an ending at all. I feel like all the events were so similar that they came across as different versions of the same event. There was also never really any build up, which made it seem like Leif was never in any danger at all. There was no mention of cold despite him being in a cold climate, which was odd.
This book could have been so much more than it ended up as. It would be really interesting if for example the boat broke and he had to survive in the forest and make fires, fight off animals and protect himself against harsh weather. Maybe even encounter other people. But instead ha just rowed on until the end if the book. I understand that the book is targeted towards children, but I'd like to think that they would also expect way more to happen in the book.
Ps. I read the audiobook and really liked the narration, but I found it really annoying that the narrator kept pronouncing Leif as leaf :')
I liked the storytelling and the way it was written. But the fauna makes it really unclear where this is set since it seems to be an unclear mix between scandinavia and north america.
There was barely any progress in the book, and nothing really changed. There was no climax or big event and the ending didn't really feel like an ending at all. I feel like all the events were so similar that they came across as different versions of the same event. There was also never really any build up, which made it seem like Leif was never in any danger at all. There was no mention of cold despite him being in a cold climate, which was odd.
This book could have been so much more than it ended up as. It would be really interesting if for example the boat broke and he had to survive in the forest and make fires, fight off animals and protect himself against harsh weather. Maybe even encounter other people. But instead ha just rowed on until the end if the book. I understand that the book is targeted towards children, but I'd like to think that they would also expect way more to happen in the book.
Ps. I read the audiobook and really liked the narration, but I found it really annoying that the narrator kept pronouncing Leif as leaf :')
chanelchapters's review against another edition
3.0
3.25
A boy, his boat, and the drive to survive.
“Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.
Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”
Reminds me of The Life of Pi.
A boy, his boat, and the drive to survive.
“Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.
Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”
Reminds me of The Life of Pi.