Title: Joe Speedboot
Author: Tommy Wieringa
First published July 1, 2005
315 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9789023414339 (ISBN10: 9023414330)
Rating: 3.7
Overview
Tommy Wieringa’s Joe Speedboot is a striking novel about love and rivalry, self-discovery and heroism. Set in a Dutch village, the story follows the lives of newcomers who struggle to come to terms with the weight of their past.
Fransje Hermans, the village chronicler, is fascinated by the enigmatic Joe Speedboot, a boy who defies all odds and becomes a bomb-maker, aircraft engineer, and philosopher all at once. But when another newcomer, Papa Afrika, sets up a shipyard on the banks of the Rhine, the village’s natural order is disrupted once again.
And when the beautiful Picolien Jane arrives, Fransje’s obsession with her sets off a chain of events with tragic consequences. With wit and imagination, Wieringa weaves a powerful tale about destiny and the human condition that will stay with readers forever.
About the Author
Tommy Wieringa was born in Goor, Overijssel on May 20th, 1967. He is a Dutch writer who has received numerous accolades over the years.
In 2006, his novel “Joe Speedboat” was recognized with the prestigious Ferdinand Bordewijk Prijs award.
Editoral Review
In Tommy Wieringa’s “Joe Speedboot,” we are transported to the small Dutch town of Lomark where the titular character Joe enters the scene as a charismatic and larger-than-life figure. Wieringa’s novel is a multifaceted exploration of various themes, including friendship, love, war, and heroism.
The author’s writing style is engaging and fluid, allowing for a narrative that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. The book’s structure is unique, with chapters of varying lengths that often switch perspectives, allowing us to see events through the eyes of different characters.
This approach helps to keep the reader engaged and invested in the story. At its core, “Joe Speedboot” is a coming-of-age tale that follows our protagonist Fransje Hermans as he navigates his way through adolescence, working alongside Joe on his engineering projects and falling in love with the enigmatic Mona.
There are moments of humor, tragedy, and everything in between as the trio’s lives intersect and collide. One of the strengths of the novel is the character development.
Joe Speedboot himself is a fascinating figure who captures the reader’s attention from the moment he appears on the page. His charisma and intelligence are balanced by his physical limitations, and we can’t help but feel drawn to him.
Mona is similarly complex, with a mysterious past that is slowly revealed as the story progresses. One of the book’s most significant achievements is the way it explores themes of heroism and the impact of war on ordinary people.
Wieringa’s writing is nuanced and avoids slipping into preachiness, allowing the reader to come to their conclusions. He tackles weighty topics such as disability, trauma, and prejudice, without ever losing sight of the human story at the heart of the novel.
Overall, “Joe Speedboot” is a gem of a novel that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. It may not be to everyone’s taste, as it deals with some difficult subject matter, but those who enjoy literary fiction and coming-of-age stories will find much to appreciate here.
Highly recommended. Rating-4.5/5
