The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan ~ Book Review

Grace Winter is 22 and on trial for her life.  A young newlywed who has just become a widow, Grace never thought she would be in this place in her life.   In 1914, a couple years after the sinking of the Titanic, Grace and her new husband are on another beautiful ocean liner headed to America so that Grace can meet Henry's family.  But then the unthinkable happens and there is a huge explosion.  As the boat sinks Henry is able to get Grace onto one of the lifeboats but in the process he is lost.  It soon becomes apparent that the lifeboat is filled to over capacity.  Now their survival is dependent upon whom to trust with the hard decisions.  As the days drag on and hopes for rescue start to dwindle, starvation starts setting in and clear minded thinking becomes harder, some must lose their lives in order for some to live.  But who will it be and who will decide?

Wow, this is one of those books that left me thinking for days afterward.  It is a page turner, for sure, and grabbed me from the very beginning.  A psychological horror story, it is about the very nature of survival and explores how we would make tough, life altering decisions when all is on the line, who we trust and why, and what we would sacrifice.  It is deep and complex and yet I seemed to fly through it.   Grace is an interesting character and the story is told in her voice.  The story is nerve wracking, suspenseful and challenges the reader to examine their moral standing when their very survival depends upon those decisions.  It is at times not an easy story to read and yet I kept plowing through because I had to know what happened.  Throughout the story, I couldn't help but think "what would I do?".  I could say I would take the moral high road as I sit comfortably on my couch, but if I really placed myself into the lifeboat what would I really do as things become more and more desperate?  A very good read and one I'll be reading again as there are so many layers to peel away with this story.

Rated this a 9.5/10.