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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I really enjoyed the first book in this series (Black Drop) but this left me feeling a little disappointed. It wanted to be more than it was, and the twists and turns weren't that twisty or turny, and for the most part were actually quite predictable. There's a fair bit of repetition in the prose, the 'report to the boss' style didn't work for me and felt like quite a clumsy spoon-feeding device. The general quality of writing wasn't as good as the first either, which makes me feel like this was hurried along by a publisher keen to get a trilogy out in quick order. I don't normally 'do' series of books for that reason, and I accidentally came to this one. Additionally, the forced 'Allo Allo' accents for the French people in the book was a bit cringey, unnecessary, and misjudged for me, along with some of the Irish 'to be sure' moments. Not because of any sense of xenophobia, but just because it's such an outmoded way of presenting prose.
I'd recommend The Devil and the Dark Water by Stu Turton if you want a good romp set on a ship in a similar era.
I'd recommend The Devil and the Dark Water by Stu Turton if you want a good romp set on a ship in a similar era.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I have hated you in my time, My Lord, but, I reluctantly confess, it is as a child might hate a guilty parent – bitter disappointment, sharpened by involuntary love.
historical fiction should always be fun and this was, but (and i'm so sorry) the way all the loose ends connected just wasn't really satisfying to me .a good, and easy, read, though!
historical fiction should always be fun and this was, but (and i'm so sorry) the way all the loose ends connected just wasn't really satisfying to me .a good, and easy, read, though!
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Laurence Jago is a disgraced civil servant, hoping to win back favour by escorting a vital treaty between the British and the Americans across the ocean on a packet ship. From the outset though, the voyage seems damned. The suspicious death of one of the passengers when they are hardly out of harbour and hostile run ins with pirates and enemy ships mean that things are fraught with tension from the off. As the voyage progresses, emotions run high and Laurence becomes more and more confused. When the treaty goes missing things come to a head and the future looks very uncertain.
mysterious
medium-paced
An interesting take on a ‘locked room’ mystery, Blue Water lures readers onto a voyage with a missing treaty and a murderer.
Although nicely written and initially engaging, the book failed to keep my interest. It was very slow and the setting did not allow for much excitement. The prose was in keeping with the style I would expect for the time, but this made it quite wordy and dull, although the variety of diary entries, letters and the Captain’s log did help to break it up.
The characters on the other hand were excellent, with a great variety of classes, backgrounds and secrets and I very much enjoyed the inclusion of French aristocracy escaping the guillotine. Naturally the dancing bear was a highlight and once he arrived, the book improved vastly.
I was quite surprised that the sailors didn’t make more fuss about women on board, but without them, the plot would not have been nearly so interesting and overall the historical research was sound and very visual. There were a few red herrings, which Nattrass focused on a bit too much, meaning the ultimate reveal felt a bit underwhelming.
A good book overall, but not quite the swashbuckling adventure I was hoping for.
Although nicely written and initially engaging, the book failed to keep my interest. It was very slow and the setting did not allow for much excitement. The prose was in keeping with the style I would expect for the time, but this made it quite wordy and dull, although the variety of diary entries, letters and the Captain’s log did help to break it up.
The characters on the other hand were excellent, with a great variety of classes, backgrounds and secrets and I very much enjoyed the inclusion of French aristocracy escaping the guillotine. Naturally the dancing bear was a highlight and once he arrived, the book improved vastly.
I was quite surprised that the sailors didn’t make more fuss about women on board, but without them, the plot would not have been nearly so interesting and overall the historical research was sound and very visual. There were a few red herrings, which Nattrass focused on a bit too much, meaning the ultimate reveal felt a bit underwhelming.
A good book overall, but not quite the swashbuckling adventure I was hoping for.