How to Build a Boat cover art

How to Build a Boat

AS SEEN ON BBC BETWEEN THE COVERS

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How to Build a Boat

By: Elaine Feeney
Narrated by: Ciaran O'Brien
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Longlisted for the Booker Prize 2023.

A deeply moving novel about a boy and his dream, from the prize-winning author of As You Were

Jamie O'Neill loves the colour red. He also loves tall trees, patterns, rain that comes with wind, the curvature of many objects, books with dust jackets, cats, rivers and Edgar Allan Poe. At age 13 there are two things he especially wants in life: to build a Perpetual Motion Machine, and to connect with his mother Noelle, who died when he was born. In his mind these things are intimately linked. And at his new school, where all else is disorientating and overwhelming, he finds two people who might just be able to help him.

How to Build a Boat is the story of how one boy and his mission transforms the lives of his teachers, Tess and Tadhg, and brings together a community. Written with tenderness and verve, it's about love, family and connection, the power of imagination, and how our greatest adventures never happen alone.

©2023 Elaine Feeney (P)2023 Penguin Audio Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Small Town & Rural World Literature Heartfelt

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Critic reviews

"One of those rare books that leaves you feeling less lonely. An uplifting tale of community, healing and the small connections that can change a life. A gorgeous gift of a novel, hopeful and full of humanity." (Douglas Stuart, Booker Prize winning author of Shuggie Bain)

"A heart-stopping read and a stunning, resonant exploration of a community, a motherless boy and living an authentic life." (Sinéad Gleeson)

"What a gorgeous book. Unsentimental but generous, sharp as a teacher's side-eye and bursting with soul." (Lisa McInerney)
All stars
Most relevant  
Such a touching read with a great plot. Listened to the whole thing in just over a day - couldn’t stop!

Fabulous

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Equivalent of unputdownable. A must listen for parents, teachers - and anyone involved with caring for those that western culture deems as ‘different’ - as long as they are ready to reassess and change.

Superb

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Thoroughly enjoyed this gem. Storytelling at its very best. Highly recommend it.
Bravo Bravo.... Elaine.
👏🌟👏

BRILLIANT

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excellent storytelling especially from each characters perspective. Additionally the descriptions were really vivid. Finally really enjoyable read & flow.

description of characters & storytelling

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This was recommended on Between the Covers TV programme otherwise I would probably not have picked it from the title. However it is a beautifully told story of a neuro diverse teenager trying to make sense of his world. I absolutely loved it and was so sorry that it took so little time to finish it.

A wonderfully written story

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Great reading of a story that grows on the reader / listener. The development of the boat - just solid

Kindly portrayal of humankind

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The characters were very real, it was well written and carefully crafted, however I felt quite anxious listening to it, there were a few joyous moments but definitely not an uplifting story of that's what you're looking for.

A good but not jolly

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A story about life, love, death, heartbreak and the emotions we all keep down. Beautifully narrated.

Real characters you can identify with

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If you love Irish literature, narrated in an Irish dialect and set in Ireland then you are bound to like this. At first , I had a sense of Deja-vu as the narrator played a role in the Audible version of another Booker 2924 longlisted novel ‘Bee Sting’ . There are some similarities between the two books although this one is a much shorter work. The two female protagonists were brought up by dysfunctional fathers and ‘made good’ . But the real gem of this novel is Jamie who the author portrays so accurately with his autistic tendencies and high IQ yet so unable to interpret everyday life.

Worthwhile read

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Really enjoyed this book. It was not always easy to listen to but that was part of the story as I’m the background building the boat held everything and everyone together. Excellent ending with some great observations on how we are forged by our formative years and how things don’t always work out easily. But we do have choices and life can be good.

A Story about life and growth

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