Slightly disappointed with the tenuous link between the two characters in their respective eras. A good read overall, however I found it tricky to keep going in the sometimes rambling (is it real or imagined.....) lives of the children.
I generally preferred the tale of Mayken, at times it's very stomach churning and brutally descriptive of hard life below deck. I did at times find it difficult to stay focused, I think that's deliberate by the author, as it's not all factual and continuous in the threads. It's not too gory, there are only a few occasions when reading was understandably uncomfortable, when imagining the end for the characters around the children.
The best parts of the book for me are definitely the early chapters and the last part of their stories. I think you could go back and re-read this book at a later date, and still enjoy the tale, regardless of knowing 'the ending'.
I generally preferred the tale of Mayken, at times it's very stomach churning and brutally descriptive of hard life below deck. I did at times find it difficult to stay focused, I think that's deliberate by the author, as it's not all factual and continuous in the threads. It's not too gory, there are only a few occasions when reading was understandably uncomfortable, when imagining the end for the characters around the children.
The best parts of the book for me are definitely the early chapters and the last part of their stories. I think you could go back and re-read this book at a later date, and still enjoy the tale, regardless of knowing 'the ending'.