THE LAST BOAT

by Michael Hite

On the morning of her centennial birthday, Amelia Moorland wakes from a recurring dream and instinctively knows she will be dead by the end of the day. For eighty years, she has been haunted by a tragedy that occurred in the cold waters of Nantucket Sound-and it is now time to break her silence.A rambunctious twenty-year-old in the early 1900s, Amelia follows her childhood friend, Samantha, onto the ferry from Nantucket. Samantha ties herself to her heavy suitcase, picks it up, and jumps into the ocean. Amelia dives after her and struggles to bring Samantha back to the surface. But Samantha is too heavy, and Amelia has no choice but to let her go. When the authorities open an investigation, no one believes Amelia's anguished account-and her reputation is ruined.Eighty years later, in an attempt to clear her name, Amelia recounts her story. From the early years of twentieth-century Nantucket, to New York City and the battlefields of World War I France, Amelia gives a detailed account of her extraordinary life, one filled with joy, disappointment, loss, and enduring love. But no one knows if Amelia's finally telling the truth-or permanently covering up a decades-long mystery.

Genres: Historical Fiction

250 pages, Paperback

First published July 20, 2007

Reviews

[SM Surber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting life experiences of a centenarian woman who spent much of her life on Nantucket. Rather a different read for me.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is beautiful. Hite's choice of using an old woman's perspective to tell the story of her life is smart and adds so much more "something" to the piece, than had it been written third person, or as the girl aged. You get the impression that Amelia is telling you to have a seat and just listen and it doesn't even occur to you not to do just that.

Whether we're supposed to believe Amelia is telling the truth about seeing her friend Samantha jump purposely off a ferry or not, I was convinced that Amelia had lived long enough to believe what she was relaying. And yes, while that disappearance is a dramatic element of the plot, this novel is so much more than just that. Amelia had parents and her parents had their own stories and parents as well. Hite gives us a strong sense of place and history and grounding for the Amelia which I enjoyed, whether that setting be in Nantucket or overseas during her time with the Red Cross.

In short, it's a wonderful piece. I really enjoyed it and this review can't possibly do it justice.
Read it!

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a diverting tale, told from the perspective of a woman on her 100th birthday, and what she knows will be the last day of her life. Set primarily in Nantucket - LOVE books set in NNE, so I'm always favorably disposed - we are a witness to life on the island in the early part of the last century which is idyllic, charming and yet sometimes harsh, as well as the horrors of the Great War in France. The central character, Amelia, is determined, on this her last day, to set the record straight about the facts surrounding an incident 80 years before which was a signal event in her life. Amelia is a charming, feisty and intriguing woman, and a great storyteller. The reader gets drawn into this suspenseful story of relationships and human behavior, with a dash of mysticism. HIGHLY recommend. This would be excellent for a book discussion group.

[Joanne Palin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book immensely. It was a historical fiction tale spanning the 20th century. However, it was unique in several ways. It was a flashback tale from a hundred-year-old woman who knows it is her last day of life. Through the story, she is trying to tell the story of her life but also clear her name about a suicide mystery. There is also a bit of telepathy between best friends.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intersting read set mostly on Nantucket cronicles the story of a 100 year old woman. Her life is an interesting one and is populated with a strange mix of folks. Barbara picked this up on Nantucket this summer. A first novel worth a read.