The Plover has a lot of elements that I really like. It's the story of a sea voyage, written with aplomb in an additive prose style, whose optimistic theme is the connectedness of all people and creatures. One character has a vision of a nation called Pacifica, which gives Doyle a chance to describe the Pacific Ocean from an interesting new perspective. Each chapter has a nice little woodcut illustration.
Unfortunately, though, the characters and the plot are underdeveloped. The Plover is the kind of novel where every character has a quirky trait -- the large silent deckhand, the finance minister who makes up words, the father with the long thin beard, the young girl who can communicate with birds -- and is completely defined by that trait. Not much happens in the plot, and what does happen depends on coincidences and "magic realism." None of this would be a problem if the outlandish elements interacted and added up to something, but they don't. Plus there's very little sailing talk.
Unfortunately, though, the characters and the plot are underdeveloped. The Plover is the kind of novel where every character has a quirky trait -- the large silent deckhand, the finance minister who makes up words, the father with the long thin beard, the young girl who can communicate with birds -- and is completely defined by that trait. Not much happens in the plot, and what does happen depends on coincidences and "magic realism." None of this would be a problem if the outlandish elements interacted and added up to something, but they don't. Plus there's very little sailing talk.
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