The Stranger in the Lifeboat A Novel

One of the most engaging books I’ve ever read. Truly hard to put down.

Do you believe in the existence of God and how often do you question his very existence? What can I say, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was gripped onto it from the very beginning. Though, when I start off, I found the book to be quite funny and was laughing, but as I progressed further into the chapters, it turned into this emotional rollercoaster, which got me pounding over a lot of things. As for the plot, An Yacht named Galaxy owned by Jason Lambert has sunk. 10 stranger trying to survive are adrift on a raft, short on food, water and hope. When they spot a man floating in the water and pull him on board. This man claims he can save them but how? And who is he? Should they trust him? And how did the Yacht really sink? (Ok, I know I sound like the jacket of the book) but trust me, the more blind you go into this book, the more you are going to enjoy it. The book is not a mystery or thriller, but it kept me guessing till the very end. I also liked the way the author has classified the book into Sea, Land and News, where most of the story is told to us by Benji, one of the survivors on the raft. Apart from this, the book also focuses on hope, faith, love, death and spirituality which I guess is very much a part of every Mitch Albom books. The book also got me reflecting on minor things like the mere existence of fresh drinking water, which, when we have in abundance we tend to waste but when in shortage, a mere thought can get us craving or for that matter, the thought of death, which we try are best not to acknowledge and always brush aside. Overall this book was an easy and quick one to read. If you are in a mood for some thought provoking and some soul searching or even if you are not and just looking for your next read, I highly recommend this one because like me you too will enjoy reading it. A big Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing this ARC.

I've been a fan of Mitch Albom's for more than a decade now and was incredibly excited to receive an advanced copy of this book. (Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group, UK) But unfortunately, whereas his previous works hinted at the concept of God and focused more on belief and hope, this book focuses more on God as a being/deity. The story also felt off as though it didn't matter what was being told as long as the message was clear. It felt forced. But the book can be easily read in one sitting and is uplifting and very quotable in certain places. I'm pretty sure that a lot of people will find hope and solace in this book too. 2.5/5

"It had survived. And witnessing survival can make us believe in our own." I fell in love with Mitch Albom's writing when I first read his book, Tuesdays with Morrie; since then, I've read every single book that he published afterwards because I just keep wanting for more. That's why when I found out that he has a new book coming out this year, I immediately put it on my to-read list and decided to read it right away when it's finally released. I went into this book not knowing what it's going to be about—I didn't even read the blurb beforehand; but somehow, I was instantly hooked right from the very first chapter, when the stranger who's pulled into the lifeboat claims that he is the Lord. I was very intrigued and I had a lot of questions in my mind—which urged me to quickly flip to the next page and read the rest of this thought-provoking story. "But out here, adrift, you realize how often we take our placement on this earth for granted." The story is told through three different kinds of chapters: the first one is the Sea, written from the perspective of our main character, Benji, one of nine people who managed to get in the lifeboat after the ship exploded. The second one is the Land, where Inspector LeFleur tries to unravel the mystery behind a notebook he discovered from a lifeboat washed ashore on the beach in Montserrat—one year after the explosion. The last one is the News, which make reports on the ship explosion and covered the identities and stories of the guests aboard that luxury yacht. I absolutely love the way this story is written because the chapters are short and each one always ends in a way that makes me want to know more. This book managed to keep me on the edge of my seat from start to finish and made me curious about all the mysteries regarding the characters and what really happened. The author revealed the mystery little by little, which increased the tension and intrigued me even further. There are also so many unexpected twists and turns in the plot that makes my jaw drop—which I obviously won't reveal in this review to avoid spoilers. The scenes when people in the lifeboat started dying one by one was extremely intense and gripping as well; it feels as if I was in the lifeboat with them witnessing all the horrific scenes that are happening at sea. Now, let's talk about the characters. Among all of the survivors on the lifeboat, I think Geri is my favorite because she's so smart and resourceful. I truly admire her courage and skills which helped the others to survive longer. As for our main character, Benji, is a rather complex character because through his writing, he seems to have experienced a lot of hardships in life and struggles with something within himself. When the truth was finally revealed, it turns out Benji did a lot of things that came as a shock to me. Another main character in this book is Jarty LeFleur, the chief inspector of Montserrat where the lifeboat was found. Jarty decided not to believe in God anymore after his child drowned at sea—which is why finding Benji's notebook and reading his story about meeting the Lord fascinated him. I love how Benji's story managed to relieve Jarty from his emotional pain and enable him to let go of the past. And of course, the Lord's character is the most intriguing one among all. There are so many thought-provoking paragraphs that made me ponder and reflect. One of my favorite scenes is when the Lord challenged their beliefs; asking the survivors if they believe in Him when He gave them what they wanted. This part made me reflect There are also moments when the Lord's actions were questionable. It is left unexplained until the end, which is sometimes what we experience in real life when we don't fully understand why God allow certain things (bad things) to happen. "It is a unique suffering to be denied the thing your body most craves." "This was the story he told himself, and the stories we tell ourselves long enough become our truths." This book totally gripped my attention from start to finish and definitely a page-turner! This is also a pretty quick read—especially with the short chapters, but they really pack a punch! I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful writing, all the intense moments, and the mysteries behind the characters. Reading this book reminded me a little bit of Life of Pi—which is also one of my favorite books, because it involves the struggle of surviving at sea. Even though the story has a religious aspect to it, I think people will still be able to enjoy it whether they are a believer or not—especially those who love Mitch Albom's writing. Mitch Albom has been one of my auto-buy authors and I'm looking forward to read more of his works in the future! 😊 "At that moment, I sensed my insignificance more than at any other moment in my life. It takes so much to make you feel big in this world. It only takes an ocean to make you feel tiny." "In the end, there is the sea and the land and the news that happens between them. To spread that news, we tell each other stories. Sometimes the stories are about survival. And sometimes, those stories, like the presence of the Lord, are hard to believe. Unless believing is what makes them true." Read my full review here: http://www.thebookielooker.com/2021/1...

It would be a bit unfair to call myself a religious person. While I was a child, sure. But as an adult, not so much. I don't know if I believe in God, or the traditional idea of God anyway. Even with that, I still really enjoyed this book. What would you do if you were in a desperate, trying time, calling to God for help, and he appeared? Regardless of if you are religious, spiritual, or simply just looking for a good book, The Stranger in the Lifeboat makes for an entertaining and easy read. There are three points of view with this story, Benji (Sea), LeFleur (Land), and News (told from a reporter), with slightly different timelines. It is an easy story to immerse yourself into without feeling too overwhelmed or too uninterested in what's happening.