View source for One Boat by Jonathan Buckley

{{infobox1
|title=One Boat
|author=Jonathan Buckley
|reviewer=Heather Magee
|genre=Literary Fiction
|summary= A meditative, episodic novella which felt almost dreamlike, due in part to the oneiric digressions of the analytical narrator as well as the idyllic Greek coastal setting she frequents and uses to reckon with her own thoughts and feelings.
|rating=4
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=168
|publisher=Fitzcarraldo Editions
|date=March 2025
|isbn=978-1804271766
|website=https://www.jonathan-buckley.co.uk/
|cover=1804271764
|aznuk=1804271764
|aznus=1804271764
}}

''One Boat'' is a deeply introspective novella that defies traditional narrative structure, drawing the reader into a contemplative realm of philosophical musings and fragmented memories flowing from our narrator and protagonist, Teresa. Set against the evocative backdrop of a small coastal Greek town, this work masterfully captures the magic of its setting and its power to provoke profound introspection. Teresa herself recognises these qualities as the reason she has visited it after the death of both her parents. Prompted by her mourning, her narrative voice is meditative and deeply self-aware, inviting the reader into her labyrinthine cogitations. It is a book that not only requires but inspires depth of thought, since its narrative structure is fragmentary and ironically relies on analepsis for its propulsion.

The past itself becomes a central theme, playing out on three levels: the events of nine years prior when Teresa's mother died, the happenings during her second visit to the Greek town, and a slightly more fictionalised past—one that seems both real and imagined. As the narrator poignantly observes, ''the person of today is buried in the person of tomorrow'' encapsulating the transformative yet haunting nature of memory.

Teresa is a lawyer whose professional preoccupation with questions of guilt and responsibility subtly shapes the narrative. Although she feels she has not directly chosen her profession, her innate methodical nature lends itself to the book's clever conceit of note-taking, which serves as both a narrative device and a time marker. Like a case being built, the novella presents letters, names, and episodic chapters that reveal fragments of different characters and their impact on the narrator's life, as well as their relation to one another. There is hardly any linear progression; instead, readers are invited to piece together the narrative puzzle themselves.

There is a subtle but unmistakable echo of Greek tragedy within these pages, hinted at through Teresa's tentative analysis of The Iliad, often carrying the epic around with her. Rather than talking about a Tragedy in the singular, perhaps it would be more fitting to talk about multiple small tragedies which Teresa encounters through sonder, as she reflects on the hidden depths of the people around her. The tragic elements of these depths sometimes require excavation, but sometimes reveal themselves by chance, as is the case with John, a man she happens to take a walk with on her first visit. Recognising grief in her eyes, John tells Teresa of his murdered nephew and his wish for revenge. Each inhabitant—from Teresa to the townsfolk—is imbued with a quiet dignity, their lives shaped by the tragedies, desires and longings of both their present and past selves. In this tranquil setting, the richness of individual existence becomes almost palpable.

Petros is a strange, enigmatic character who Teresa met on her first visit and who she meets again upon her return. He is a solitary man with only his dog for company who suffered a mysterious head injury shortly after she last met him. An Irish man who lived in London before moving to Greece, Petros settled as a mechanic in this small town. Surprisingly, he has the most dialogue with Teresa, despite being the most taciturn character. In fact, one of the most important lines of the novella comes from Petros: ''what's inside the skull isn't what matters. Connections are more important''. Furthermore, the title ''One Boat'' is a part of one of the verses in the unlikely poet's anthology. Petros therefore acquires a particular significance in the tale which remains unclear but is hinted at in the final chapter. In order to avoid spoilers (and admittedly,partly because I didn't grasp it entirely), that is where I will leave it. 

The final chapter disrupts the hazy spell cast by the charming characters and the foreign land, confronting the reader with a sharp, ambiguous ending, coinciding with Teresa's return home from her travels. It is a conclusion that resists resolution, leaving the story open to interpretation and inviting the reader to linger on its themes. I had to return to some of the chapters to form a conceivable conclusion about the new information provided by this final chapter, and still I struggled to form a cohesive narrative from the plot points. I think I understand what Buckley intended, but a few extra clues as to the identities of some of the real or fictionalised characters from Teresa's travels would have been welcomed.

Ultimately, the reader comes away feeling that the past is both a source of torment and solace, shaping the narrator and offering moments of profound revelation. For those willing to engage with its complexity, this novella offers an unforgettable journey into the intricacies of memory, identity, and human connection.

I would like to thank the publishers for providing a copy of this book for review on The Bookbag. For a book covering similar themes of recurring travels to Greece, self-introspection, and fleeting yet enduring encounters, read [[Cartes Postales from Greece by Victoria Hislop]].

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