Brought together by geography, this book tells the tales of Mayken, a young girl on a long voyage on the ship Batavia in 1628 and Gil, a young boy sent to live with his Grandfather in 1989 on the island on which the Batavia was shipwrecked all those years ago.
The story of Mayken and the voyage of the Batavia is utterly fascinating. You feel the emotions and drama of a long, long voyage. The sense of what a huge undertaking it was to travel half way around the world and the isolation and bravery involved is incredible. Seen through the eyes of a child adds another layer of wonder.
The story of Gil and the parallels of loss and isolation are tough but beautiful.
This is not a book for the faint hearted. The evil creature of the children’s imaginations is a beast of nightmares and there were dark turns along the way but overall a very satisfying read.
The story of Mayken and the voyage of the Batavia is utterly fascinating. You feel the emotions and drama of a long, long voyage. The sense of what a huge undertaking it was to travel half way around the world and the isolation and bravery involved is incredible. Seen through the eyes of a child adds another layer of wonder.
The story of Gil and the parallels of loss and isolation are tough but beautiful.
This is not a book for the faint hearted. The evil creature of the children’s imaginations is a beast of nightmares and there were dark turns along the way but overall a very satisfying read.