Charlotte Rogan

An easy book to read -- the story rarely bogs down, the descriptions are efficient, the characters are interesting. This story could have gotten bogged down with extraneous information, but that does not happen. The reader gets enough back story, slowly revealed, to create a picture, but not too much so that the interest stays piqued and curiousity pulls the reader along.

The story is framed by the "present" court case which again, reveals enough but never too much.

This would make an excellent book club read, or a comparative read with [b:Life of Pi|4214|Life of Pi|Yann Martel|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320562005s/4214.jpg|1392700] because both books ask questions about life/death, religion or worldview, and how people deal with very challenging circumstances.… (plus d'informations)

Book on CD narrated by Rebecca Gibbel
3.5***

In the summer of 1914, newly married Grace Winter and her husband Henry, set sail from London back to America. But after an explosion aboard ship, Grace is hurried aboard a lifeboat that is over capacity. As days go by with no sign of rescue it becomes clear that not all (if any) will survive. It comes down to a battle for leadership between the only able seaman aboard and a strong-willed matron skilled at persuasion.

Grace is not a completely reliable narrator. The majority of the story is told in flashback, as Grace is on trial for murder. At the suggestion of her attorneys, she recalls her experiences in the lifeboat, but she also reflects on how she met and married Henry.

Her observations about her fellow passengers are limited to a handful, mostly those of her class, save for the seaman, Mr Hardie. As their situation grows more dire, the survivors in the lifeboat are faced with decisions they never imagined having to make. There are times when I felt Grace was a weak woman content to let the wind blow her where it will. And other times when I felt she was manipulative and scheming. But then again, we have only Grace’s word for what happened. One thing is certain, though, Grace is a survivor.

Rebecca Gibbel does a fine job of narrating the audiobook. She sets a good pace and distinguishes the characters sufficiently to avoid confusion about who is speaking.… (plus d'informations)