The Raft

The Raft
author: S. A. Bodeen
published by: Feiwel & Friends
released: August 21st 2012
my rating: 5 out of 5 stars











Robie is an experienced traveler. She's taken the flight from Honolulu to the Midway Atoll, a group of Pacific islands where her parents live, many times. When she has to get to Midway in a hurry after a visit with her aunt in Hawaii, she gets on the next cargo flight at the last minute. She knows the pilot, but on this flight, there's a new co-pilot named Max. All systems are go until a storm hits during the flight. The only passenger, Robie doesn't panic until the engine suddenly cuts out and Max shouts at her to put on a life jacket. They are over miles of Pacific Ocean. She sees Max struggle with a raft.

And then . . . she's in the water. Fighting for her life. Max pulls her onto the raft, and that's when the real terror begins. They have no water. Their only food is a bag of Skittles. There are sharks. There is an island. But there's no sign of help on the way.

First of all, this book is the reason I'm not to eager to board a plane again anytime soon (or get my nose pierced).
The summary really made me want to read this book and to be honest the cover as well. When I finally picked it up it sucked me in from page one and I read it in probably two hours. It's a fast paced book as well and has only 231 pages, so it's a very quick read. Also there was no part in this book, where I was bored, which was a fear of mine before I started reading it.

Since the main plot consists of their survival on the raft, there's not really much to say except that I loved it. I don't know what it's really like to try to survive in the ocean, but the way it's described here sounds very convincing and realistic.
And the plot twist in this book! Looking back, it may have been obvious but I did not expect what happened at all and was totally surprised. I had to sit there for a moment and process what just happened, but then it started to make sense and I seriously don't know how I managed to miss it.

Except for a short part in the beginning and the ending the two main characters are the only people we meet.
Robie was an amazing character, I absolutely loved her. She has no idea what to do in her situation, which is totally understandable and tries to figure everything out regardless. I like how she isn't fearless and doesn't stay completely calm all the time but instead is scared and almost giving up in some parts, but is still tough (if that makes any sense at all) and does her best to get a grip and manage the situation the best she can.
I didn't know what to think of Max and I still don't know if I like him yet. He is older than Robie, but doesn't do that much and sleeps or is unconscious a lot, but since that get explained later on I was OK with that.

If the plot line of this book interested you even just a little, you should read it and will not be disappointed. Maybe not read it on a plane or ship, but otherwise I think this is a book everyone will enjoy. I'm already looking forward to reading more books from this author.