How to Build a Boat
AS SEEN ON BBC BETWEEN THE COVERS
by Elaine Feeney
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Pub Date 20 Apr 2023 | Archive Date 20 May 2023
Random House UK, Vintage | Harvill Secker
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Description
** LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2023 **
** SHORTLISTED FOR IRISH NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2023 **
**AS SEEN ON BBC BETWEEN THE COVERS**
Meet Jamie and his community on the west coast of Ireland, in the most uplifting and tender book of the year
'Heart-rending and delightful' LOUISE KENNEDY, no.1 bestselling author of Trespasses
'A gorgeous gift of a novel' DOUGLAS STUART, no.1 bestselling author of Shuggie Bain
Jamie O'Neill loves the colour red. He also loves tall trees, patterns, rain that comes with wind, the curvature of many objects, books with dust jackets, cats, rivers and Edgar Allan Poe. At age 13 there are two things he especially wants in life: to build a Perpetual Motion Machine, and to connect with his mother Noelle, who died when he was born. In his mind these things are intimately linked. And at his new school, where all else is disorientating and overwhelming, he finds two people who might just be able to help him.
How to Build a Boat is the story of how one boy and his mission transforms the lives of his teachers, Tess and Tadhg, and brings together a community. Written with tenderness and verve, it's about love, family and connection, the power of imagination, and how our greatest adventures never happen alone.
'Beautifully rendered and imagined' - Anne Enright
'A heart-stopping read' - Sinéad Gleeson
'Bursting with soul' - Lisa McInerney
'I can't wait for readers to fall in love' - Jan Carson
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781787303454 |
| PRICE | £16.99 (GBP) |
| PAGES | 320 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Nigel R, Reviewer
Mostly this is a story about Jamie. At the time this book starts he is 13 and about to start at a new school. Jamie's mother died when he was born and he is raised by his father and his grandmother. He has a number of obsessions which may well challenge how he is looked on at senior school. It is also quite obvious that he is very intelligent. He wants to design and build a perpetual motion machine and reconnect with his mother Noelle. Senior school brings him in to contact with two teachers in particular. Tess is someone who deals with pupils with additional needs. Tadhg is responsible for the school workshop classes.
Some of Jamie's narrative is really "stream of consciousness" as much as anything else however I found that very effective. I also found myself convinced by his dialogue. The parts narrated by Tess or Tadhg are more conventional. Indeed there are multiple threads at work here that I guess coalesce around Jamie. The story is about "How to Build a Boat" but so much more than that.
The main characters were excellent in my mind with Jamie, Tess and Tadhg all working very well. There are other somewhat more bit part players and generally they were fine. The relationships between the main characters were great. Tadhg and Jamie work together in more than the simply superficial sense of the word. There was a real Irish feel and lilt to the narrative here. The sense of place was also very well worked around the descriptive nature of both town and countryside (and school!). I have to say that I thought the epilogue was exceptionally well written - that was powerful and well crafted.
I actually read a previous book by the author. While it did interest me to some degree it never really held me so I was unsure whether I'd enjoy this one. This one on the other hand simply never let me go. While parts are unquestionably dark there is also a real feel of tenderness in this too. I also found some great humour in this as well - Jamie's first day at school would be an example of that. This is an unusual book to me but one I really enjoyed. The autism in this felt authentic to me although my experience is limited. This is different and moving - we should all read that sort of story from time to time. A 4.5 book rather than just a 4 I think.
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