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Normally Ozzie won‘t model books for me but he‘s sleepy so I made it happen. 😂

My 10th from the Booker longlist was wonderful! I came in with no expectations and was rewarded with an inspiring story. A novel about an autistic boy who misses the mother he never knew, working out a device for perpetual motion; and a school teacher in a bad marriage exhausted by her dysfunctional all-boys school, yet fully committed to it. A novel of the children of missing parents, some grown, stumbling through life. Recommended! #booker2023

This was a very tender story of family and community that didn‘t veer too far into the overly mawkish and sentimental as I feared it would. Feeney‘s background as a poet is very apparent in certain bits as some of the language was really breathtaking. Funnily enough, my least favorite bits were the ones in which they actually built the boat. 😂

I could review this book in just one word: "meh". It's easy to read, neither love it nor hate it, things happen but characters lack depth so you don't care. Ironically the most boring parts are the ones where they explain how to build a boat. Not sure if the author knows how to do it, but she definitely doesn't know how to explain the procedure. In a week I probably won't remember I read it

Oh, I just loved this book.

It is by no means perfect, I wish some of the characters had been fleshed out more. But it is a beautiful, quiet book. At its heart, a book about empathy and community, and one which made me feel deeply.

Cont'd thoughts in comments.

#BookerLonglist @BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain @BookwormM

#Booker23 10/13

Jamie is a vulnerable neurodiverse boy starting secondary school. He holds on to his own thruths in this new, sometimes scary and cruel environment. But he does meet nice people too and together they build a boat.
I liked Jamie and his perspective. I also liked the other characters but they didn‘t really come into their own. I would have liked to learn more about them. Nevertheless an original, less bleak Booker candidate!

2nd booker longlist bk is about an Irish boy Jamie who is starting senior school. He is a great character whose autism is his strength but in the bear pit of teenagers his vulnerability. 2 other characters then take the stage, Tess the English teacher trapped by her past + a last ivf attempt, and Tadhg the new woodwork teacher just over from the islands. The making of a curraich focuses their lives. Enjoyed this a lot, well told, sad + hopeful

Book #7 for our Booker longlist panel and we were very split on this one.

I enjoyed reading something that wasn‘t so bleak but it felt pretty mediocre for me. One dimensional characters way too many plot threads that simply disappeared into nothing and a romance thread that I eye-rolled my way through. You can read all our reviews here:

https://thereadersroom.org/2023/09/06/2023-booker-longlist-how-to-build-a-boat-b...

Jamie is neurodiverse and his Dad worries about him starting secondary school. For good reason, as it turns out, as the school has little understanding of Jamie‘s needs.

Two teachers come to his rescue (or do they rescue each other?) and a boat is built, although not the one that Jamie had in mind.

This was warm and (thinking of #camplitsy discussions yesterday!) empathetic without being cloying or mawkish. I *think* it should make my top 6.

I felt this was a novel that was generous but honest about whole cast of flawed characters, in a way that captured my empathy with making this a sob story or one where the characters could completely escape a reader‘s critique. It‘s honest about a whole raft of challenges and road blocks that are very real in so many people‘s lives, and is neither melodramatic, nor avoidant of the way these challenges impact our relationships and connections.

Third Booker list book for me. Centred on Jamie, an autistic boy starting a new secondary school. Trying to make sense of his experiences, he finds some friends (and the boat of the title) but also endures bullying and inflexible school environment.

For me, one of those books that time just slipped by as I read. 😍
@squirrelbrain @TheKidUpstairs, @BookwormM, @vlwelser, @JamieArc, @BarbaraBB, @sarahbarnes #Booker23

And he told me that I would be taken up to heaven anyway. I told him that I would rather not be, and he said, ah, well, it is not a choice you have, young man....

And when I asked about free will, he groaned, dipped his head and made no sound whatsoever. He did not even smile. And then asked, what will I do with you?

I suggested I go to Mr Foley's workshop to continue on the boat, and he shouted and said, it is not a question.

This has "gotten" out of hand...

A previous reader's frustrated editing/ commentary (in a library book!) ?

...but here's the thing, kiddo, there's no full picture, the picture is always filling, filling, let it, don't try to order it or organise it, listen to it, watch it fill.

Beautiful story of individual struggle and the communities that build us back up. A neurodivergent teen mourning his mother, an English teacher longing for a child & a carpentry teacher relocating to a new place. Feeney brings her poetry to their story and it is just gorgeous

I think this might break my heart but absolutely loving the first third...