A fascinating book, based on a true story about a failed ocean trip. On their way to New Zealand and approaching the Galapagos, the British seafarers Maurice and Maralyn get shipwrecked and spend 174 days on a life raft drifting in the Pacific. Their story is told so well by journalist Sophie Elmhirst that it makes you question whether there is any point in reading fiction. Elmhirst’s language is so understated, but her style is so powerful that it manages to create several metaphorical levels on top of this story of adventure and survival.
The first several parts of the book read like a thriller; the last two chapters of the book are heartbreaking. A sea voyage becomes a metaphor for marriage, partnership, love, and death. It is a must-read if you need a trigger to reflect on your own choices and your own voyages…
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