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georgie_mb's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Love finishing a book on my birthday, something very satisfying about that!
Once again, Jess Kidd has broken my heart. She has a way of taking you on such a beautiful emotional story even though you know what the inevitable will be. You are still left hoping that things will turn out differently, and that just shows how she is such an empathetic writer.
I also loved how even though the two characters lives are sort of parallel, if there is repetition it doesn’t always link up, which I found really unusual and kept my interest.
These kids seemed older than their 9 years which I did find a bit strange hence the half a star but I did love them.
Once again, Jess Kidd has broken my heart. She has a way of taking you on such a beautiful emotional story even though you know what the inevitable will be. You are still left hoping that things will turn out differently, and that just shows how she is such an empathetic writer.
I also loved how even though the two characters lives are sort of parallel, if there is repetition it doesn’t always link up, which I found really unusual and kept my interest.
These kids seemed older than their 9 years which I did find a bit strange hence the half a star but I did love them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Blood, Animal cruelty, Death, Gore, and Child death
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Medical trauma, and Physical abuse
Minor: Grief, Medical content, Pregnancy, Violence, Classism, Cursing, and Injury/Injury detail
what_heather_loves's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The Night Ship By Jess Kidd published by xx on xx
"'I hope we never get to Batavia,' says Mayken. There is silence. Something in the room shifts...The candle flames, hitherto steady, waver and splutter. Mayken has cursed the voyage."
1629 - Dutch, high-born orphan Mayken and nursemaid Imke board the Batavia, a Dutch East India ship on its maiden voyage to what is now Indonesia. Bright and mischievous, Mayken is soon hunting a mythical monster, Bullebak, which that prowls the huge ship. However, the monsters prove to be human and fast-approaching as tragedy strikes the ship, its passengers and crew.
1989 - Australian, poverty-stricken orphan Gil arrives on tiny Beacon Island, off the coast of Western Australia to live with his gruff and distant grandfather, who's part of a seasonal fishing community. As Gil settles in, he learns of a terrifying shipwreck of a Dutch ship, some of whom found brief safety on Beacon Island, which became many of their graves. For Gil too, the islands holds monsters he must hide from.
1989 - Australian, poverty-stricken orphan Gil arrives on tiny Beacon Island, off the coast of Western Australia to live with his gruff and distant grandfather, who's part of a seasonal fishing community. As Gil settles in, he learns of a terrifying shipwreck of a Dutch ship, some of whom found brief safety on Beacon Island, which became many of their graves. For Gil too, the islands holds monsters he must hide from.
Based on the true storey of the Batavia, Kidd weaves fiction with fact around her two protagonists, May and Gil and their dual time lines. At times those timeliness appear to meet, particularly through the witches /hag stone May and Gil are given. Both children, with many similarities, they're both curious, both face struggles, both are misunderstood by many of the adults around them but find friends and both search for a mythical monster, when it's the humans they should fear. It's beautifully written, particularly the descriptions of life on board the Batavia, the language and characters. This is an epic and enthralling tale of human endeavours and human connection, striving for better and tragedy, when survival is threatened and monster surface.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Child death and Rape
Minor: Pregnancy
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