ARA Review by JohnParten of Adrift

[JohnParten]

[Following is an OnlineBookClub.org ARA Review of the book, Adrift.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Title: Adrift
My Rating: 4 out of 5

The novel Adrift by Charlie Sheldon begins with a fire onboard a container ship, which we learn much later on, is named the "Seattle Express". The seas and conditions are treacherous and the tale is set in mid-winter with snow and ice. The action starts immediately with the format of the narration as "first-person".

The first chapter is from captain Steve's point of view. As the story unfolds, each subsequent chapter is written as a different character sees it. It is not long before the captain decides to signal SOS and abandon the ship. A decision that haunts him throughout the book. Now, separate threads in the book show how an old, family-run and somewhat battered, tug boat "Warhorse" sets out in an attempt to reach the stricken ship. Other other more modern, faster, company tug boats, stationed further afield, are racing to reach the vessel too to claim salvage and the lucrative prize. In addition to this, there is a background story, partially based on the author's previous book "Strong Heart". This involves concern and conflict that abound in the supporting native North American communities of Sol Doc harbour, port for the "Warhorse" tug boat. The tale is greatly embellished by the exploration of their traditions and beliefs. I have not read "Strong Heart", but the author cleverly weaves the outline into part of this story so as not to become an obstacle.

Without creating a spoiler, it is sufficient to summarise that we have three main threads, namely the ship's crew, the tug crew and the supporting community on land, which are inter-weaved at pace within 63 chapters to provide an entertaining read. There is a multitude of characters in the book, at least 23 on the ship, at least 11 on the tug and many more on land. The author has used just six characters to facilitate the storytelling, Steve and William for the ship, Louise and Travis for the tug, Myra and Pete for the community. Each chapter title is one of these names and their view extends the story a step further.

Pros:

Either the author is a very experienced sailor, or he has done extensive research or perhaps both. There is a great deal of detail to appreciate, which all adds to the realism. For example, in the first few chapters, we learn about survival suits. They keep you warm and are fully waterproof, but in these conditions, you should not take them off. Yes, you have to piss and even pooh in them! That's fine, except you might be strapped tightly in a covered lifeboat that can roll upside down for minutes on end. Sheldon leaves it to the reader's imagination as to where the body fluids and excrement ends up. Worse still, because of lack of time, not all castaways managed to bring their survival suits so a rota has to be set up to swap, so now you are in someone else's muck!

Limiting the account to just 6 characters allows the author to develop the personalities involved. For example, the bitter feelings and misunderstandings between Larry and Louise are well depicted. Also, the plight of Pete and his disadvantaged son Jimmie is sensitively treated. The reader is kept guessing how each thread of the story will end.

Many of the chapter endings are well thought out, urging the reader to read on. For example, chapter 5 leaves Louise wondering where she can find a sharp knife after arguing with Larry again.

Cons:

There were a lot of names to keep track of, and the short sharp chapters lead to an excessive amount of head swapping for the reader. You need an agile mind and a fair degree of concentration to cope. This is not the sort of book you put down and pick up again after a few days, hoping to continue where you left off.

Some aspects of the book seem to remain unresolved. For example, there was a hint of sabotage, but this was never fully explored. The critical matter of the Buckhorn mining rights and the lack of archaeological evidence seems to have been brushed under the carpet. The Russian passengers Oleg and Mattiew did not seem to play a major part in the story, why were they included?

I rate this book 4 out of 5. The attention to the nautical details and characterisations are exemplary. You really get a feeling of being onboard the vessels. I recognise that this style of storytelling requires a great deal of skill. However, to pull this off, I think there is a case to choose a plot with fewer characters.

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