What readers think of A Pearl in the Storm, plus links to write your own review.

This book, about the author's attempt to row across the Atlantic in a 23 ft. rowboat, is full of compelling and technically brilliant writing. Her descriptive paragraphs of the actual voyage itself are interwoven with snippets of her history and the events that led her to undertake the adventure. She attempts to plumb her experiences on the sea for insight into herself, and describes an epiphany during a hurricane, but seems to fall short of making us believe she really makes peace with herself and her life.

She is dismissing and scornful of the central and deeply personal question for all adventurers like herself: WHY? At times, the reluctance to confront and attempt to answer that question seemed self-defeating and grandiose. Still, none of this stopped me from becoming totally engrossed in her story. The writing is so well done that I actually felt I was in the boat with her at times. Well worth the time and thought!

This book is full of amazing tales of personal determination and perseverance. I marveled at the author's ability to take on challenges for her own fulfillment/redemption. I believe my only reservations come from my general skepticism of memoirs lately (after the Frey episode and others). I would have liked to do some of my own fact checking, but will have to wait until I have more time. For now, I'll say, it is a good and sometimes inspirational read. An interesting life, indeed.

I enjoyed this book very much and was always sad when I had to put it down. I enjoyed how she weaved her life story in between the days of rowing. It did not go too long on either the rowing or about her family. Her descriptions while in the boat of the water, storms, brilliant stars, and sea life are very vivid. I recommend this book very highly.

I knew I would love this book from page one. How could I not? The book's first line reads, "Let's face it: normal, well-adjusted women don't row alone across oceans." This memoir held no surprise as to the final outcome of the quest, as the cover indicates the author was the first woman to row alone across an ocean. (This was the second indicator that this was to be a delicious read.)

You'll discover her motivation to take on this challenge through flashbacks to Tori's childhood. The times where she is compelled to defend her younger handicapped brother are heart breaking. When reading this book you will come to know the author as a force to be reckoned with; she earned degrees from Smith College and Harvard's Divinity School, has completed wilderness training in Alaska, and skied hundreds of miles to be one of two women reaching the South Pole. She built her boat, the American Pearl, and earned a law degree as well as making her two trans-oceanic voyages. I finished the book thinking there is nothing Tori Murden McClure cannot do.