The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan

Interestingly enough, this story (fiction) takes place two years after the Titanic sank - and they refer to this in the book. This time, they apparently had enough lifeboats, unlike the Titanic, but the lifeboats were not made to the originally planned dimensions. So, even though they were supposed to be big enough to fit 40 people each - and the plaques in each boat stated that the capacity was 40 - the boats were actually made smaller. And then, of course, half the boats were on the side of the ship that was inaccessible so they couldn't be launched. So, a tragedy is born....

This was difficult to read for a few reasons. First, why do the wealthy "cut corners" to save money, allowing innocent people to suffer for their frugality and dishonesty! Secondly, when you have an overloaded lifeboat, already sitting too low in the water because it really doesn't fit 40 people, and other people are in the water begging to be saved - including a child with his dead mother....well, need I say more? Thirdly, it is difficult to read about people starving to death and becoming mentally unstable and doing things to each other they probably wouldn't dream of doing in any other situation.

So, this isn't exactly a cheerful book. ;) It was interesting though and I liked it. This is somewhat odd to me because normally I have to "connect" to at least one character in a book in order to really like it. I really didn't connect to anyone in this story. At times I admired Grace, but then....not so much. I respected Mr. Hardie and his "sea experience", but then I didn't. Mary Ann was annoying; Mrs. Grant and Hannah were suspicious; it was hard for me to keep the men straight. But yep, I liked it. Go figure.

I can't presume to know what I would do in a situation like this: 21 days in a lifeboat, starving, with people dying all around me - or being killed, eating raw fish and then raw birds. I hope I never do! True survivors make tough decisions to survive in these kind of conditions. Not sure I have that true survivor mentality.

I definitely didn't like Mrs. Grant and Hannah by the end of the story. By the time they got to court, I wanted them to pay for what they had done to Grace and Mr. Hardie, and the rest of the people in the boat by dividing it: divide and conquer. They were quite successful at it. Not that I liked some of Mr. Hardie's decisions either. Or Grace's.

Not bad for a first novel. ;)

Wendy's Rating ****