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A review by ghostboyreads
Voyage of the Damned by Frances White
4.0
"In Fish Province, the sound of the sea is a constant rhythm. We live atop the ocean, in stilted houses and on floating islands connected by rope bridges. The relentless back and forth of waves greeted my birth and lulled me to sleep every night."
First and foremost, Voyage of the Damned is, at its core, a YA novel - one that's aimed at a slightly younger reader, while this certainly didn't impact my enjoyment of the novel, it feels like it's something that should be pointed out. This is an incredibly fun, highly entertaining and blisteringly quick story. It's a sort of locked room murder mystery, but, on a ship, and then it's also a story full of magic and brutality. Think a collision of Agatha Christie and the fantasy genre, Voyage of the Damned has a lot going for it, it's a genuine page-turner, gripping and violent, there seems to never be a dull moment, and though, there is a romance that's central to the plot, it's not so intrusive as to take away from the story.
Despite being a huge amount of fun, Voyage of the Damned actually does deal with some rather heavy topics, and they're all handled really beautifully. The story carefully navigates disabilities, the class divide, what it feels like to be othered by those around you, it deeply explores loss and the destructive nature of grief, but, the single greatest thing about Voyage of the Damned is that it features an entirely queer normative cast with non-binary, trans, and bisexual characters taking the spotlight, all without the need to make this a book of trauma porn. Never are any of the characters defining traits their queerness, not once does this story preach to you, it's simply there to elevate the story. This is a real stabby little book, but underneath that, is nestled a heart-warming and lovely tale.
First and foremost, Voyage of the Damned is, at its core, a YA novel - one that's aimed at a slightly younger reader, while this certainly didn't impact my enjoyment of the novel, it feels like it's something that should be pointed out. This is an incredibly fun, highly entertaining and blisteringly quick story. It's a sort of locked room murder mystery, but, on a ship, and then it's also a story full of magic and brutality. Think a collision of Agatha Christie and the fantasy genre, Voyage of the Damned has a lot going for it, it's a genuine page-turner, gripping and violent, there seems to never be a dull moment, and though, there is a romance that's central to the plot, it's not so intrusive as to take away from the story.
Despite being a huge amount of fun, Voyage of the Damned actually does deal with some rather heavy topics, and they're all handled really beautifully. The story carefully navigates disabilities, the class divide, what it feels like to be othered by those around you, it deeply explores loss and the destructive nature of grief, but, the single greatest thing about Voyage of the Damned is that it features an entirely queer normative cast with non-binary, trans, and bisexual characters taking the spotlight, all without the need to make this a book of trauma porn. Never are any of the characters defining traits their queerness, not once does this story preach to you, it's simply there to elevate the story. This is a real stabby little book, but underneath that, is nestled a heart-warming and lovely tale.
"I didn't go into the water to drown. But when I was drowning I was grateful. It was a gift. An opening and an ending. The end of living with this coral version of my mother, cutting me with her sharp edges. The end of the knowledge of what I was - not strong enough. Not worthy enough to bear the Goddess's Blessing. The end of a life where nobody cared if the sea claimed me."
The characters in this book all feel very comfortable, very familiar. It felt entirely like spending time with people you've already met, I see now, upon completing the novel that this is a good thing, they're instantly lovable, even the ones that irritate you and get under your skin. There's a whole heaping of edgy, sometimes immature, but always super engaging humor rippling throughout the book, that actually does help to alleviate from all the death and destruction. Voyage of the Damned is vibrant and engrossing, it's oftentimes an emotional experience. Those older readers amongst us may guess what the twists and turns are, but, that doesn't make them any less exciting to experience. It's a super comforting novel, even with all the political rivalry, explosions and fire.
"I know those eyes. I see them in the gloom of a storm. I see them in the blackness of the deepest parts of the ocean. I see them in the dark places of my mind, where only silence and surrender live. I know Ravi's eyes better than my own."