A review by deedireads
How to Build a Boat by Elaine Feeney

emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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My latest Booker Prize longlister, and while I see its merits, I’m not super surprised that we didn’t see this one on the shortlist. I was a little hot and cold on it; sometimes I felt super engaged and sometimes I felt the opposite. All in all, I think I am slightly to the positive side of neutral on it.

As you might expect, this is about what happens to characters as they learn to build a boat rather than how to actually build a boat, lol. But I also think it’s about characters searching for proverbial life rafts. That said, I’m not exactly sure how the two main plot lines tied together; they left me feeling like there was something unresolved even though that isn’t quite the case.

All in all, I think this book is stunning but a bit superficially. It has really stunning prose, especially the ending — if you love books that sing like poetry, this might be enough for you. I just didn’t necessarily feel as connected to it at a deeper level. Still, glad I read it!
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