Having had an opportunity to read an excerpt in advance and thoroughly enjoying it, I found that reading the entire novel did not disappoint in the slightest.
The Night Ship is a highly emotive and haunting time-slip novel centred around the true story of the Batavia.
I absolutely loved the wonderfully evocative opening, full of rich descriptions. New hopes, new beginnings, new lives - sailing to the other side of the world in a new ship on it's maiden voyage. Words and prose are used to paint a picture of positivity - their lives and the whole world is ahead of them, looking forwards and not back.
The words, the prose and the pictures keep expanding. The child is no longer an object - 'the child'- she has become a person and has a name, Mayken. Throughout the story her character and personality expand and fill out. Mayken is now a real person in the book as she was in life: someone who lived and breathed.
Yet again, as we begin the second timeline, 'the child' starts out as an object and evolves into a person with a name, Gil. With the story developing, so does Gil's character and personality.
Both timelines of The Night Ship are populated with other characters, not all of them fully developed. Some have minor roles, some have major roles and other characters span the roles in between. Having differing character developments adds to the depth of the story.
Jess Kidd certainly knows how to use her words to good effect in creating mood and atmosphere, the opening chapter is laden with foreshadowing. Red and white roses like blood and snow mixed; cut them and they'll only live for an hour; their thorns are vicious and will take out an eye. Bloody flux, the ship is bleeding, ships worm burrowing into the timbers and sinking it, gun ports painted red. The ships name Batavia - is that a cursed word? Batavia, Batavia, Batavia waiting for a catastrophe. All of them portents. There are so many examples of foreshadowing peppered throughout the book you can almost smell the spice every time you turn a page.
But this is only the beginning of the historical sections of the story. The novel is liberally filled with the graphic sights, sounds and smells of living in cramped conditions on board a ship for months on end. Folklore and superstition are also major factors in a seafaring life.
Gil's story has not been forgotten either, it is half of the novel, and no less important than the historic sections. However, if I say too much about Gil and his story it would risk spoiling the plot.
Gil is facing upheavals in his life which involve his own journey - having to move and start again. Gil's story is most definitely not dull or uneventful and it draws you in as it unfolds. Challenges, emotions, decisions and connections to the Batavia are revealed little by little, drawing you in and involving you.
A highly recommended book.
Well written fleshed out characters that are believable, no hollow meaningless bodies that have only been written to fill out the story or add to the word count.
A storyline taking you on an emotional rollercoaster ride. Beneath all of this, an understory of how man treats his fellow human beings.
If it was not for the greed of man, the Batavia story would not exist. Why? Barratry. Plans were afoot to defraud the ship owners which led to the negligence and shipwreck.
The Night Ship is a highly emotive and haunting time-slip novel centred around the true story of the Batavia.
I absolutely loved the wonderfully evocative opening, full of rich descriptions. New hopes, new beginnings, new lives - sailing to the other side of the world in a new ship on it's maiden voyage. Words and prose are used to paint a picture of positivity - their lives and the whole world is ahead of them, looking forwards and not back.
The words, the prose and the pictures keep expanding. The child is no longer an object - 'the child'- she has become a person and has a name, Mayken. Throughout the story her character and personality expand and fill out. Mayken is now a real person in the book as she was in life: someone who lived and breathed.
Yet again, as we begin the second timeline, 'the child' starts out as an object and evolves into a person with a name, Gil. With the story developing, so does Gil's character and personality.
Both timelines of The Night Ship are populated with other characters, not all of them fully developed. Some have minor roles, some have major roles and other characters span the roles in between. Having differing character developments adds to the depth of the story.
Jess Kidd certainly knows how to use her words to good effect in creating mood and atmosphere, the opening chapter is laden with foreshadowing. Red and white roses like blood and snow mixed; cut them and they'll only live for an hour; their thorns are vicious and will take out an eye. Bloody flux, the ship is bleeding, ships worm burrowing into the timbers and sinking it, gun ports painted red. The ships name Batavia - is that a cursed word? Batavia, Batavia, Batavia waiting for a catastrophe. All of them portents. There are so many examples of foreshadowing peppered throughout the book you can almost smell the spice every time you turn a page.
But this is only the beginning of the historical sections of the story. The novel is liberally filled with the graphic sights, sounds and smells of living in cramped conditions on board a ship for months on end. Folklore and superstition are also major factors in a seafaring life.
Gil's story has not been forgotten either, it is half of the novel, and no less important than the historic sections. However, if I say too much about Gil and his story it would risk spoiling the plot.
Gil is facing upheavals in his life which involve his own journey - having to move and start again. Gil's story is most definitely not dull or uneventful and it draws you in as it unfolds. Challenges, emotions, decisions and connections to the Batavia are revealed little by little, drawing you in and involving you.
A highly recommended book.
Well written fleshed out characters that are believable, no hollow meaningless bodies that have only been written to fill out the story or add to the word count.
A storyline taking you on an emotional rollercoaster ride. Beneath all of this, an understory of how man treats his fellow human beings.
If it was not for the greed of man, the Batavia story would not exist. Why? Barratry. Plans were afoot to defraud the ship owners which led to the negligence and shipwreck.