A review by isla_rw
The Ghost Ship by Kate Mosse

3.0

This is a slightly odd book in that there isn’t really an overarching plot, it’s just a series of things happening to the main characters with little build up. An issue is revealed, you begin to worry, and then the issue is very swiftly resolved, usually via murder. This is the third book in a series where I haven’t read the first or second book and whilst it works as a standalone (I didn’t feel like I was missing any context) I can see that I might have been more invested in the incredibly detailed and historically accurate minutiae of the characters lives if I’d read the first two. I didn’t feel the book really got started until about 3/4 of the way through but once we got to the sailing bit I loved it; just give me more boats and less politics.
Then there’s the issue of the romance. I was so ready to root for it and I really loved Gilles but the age difference and the power imbalance…I’m sorry I know it’s the 1600s and it’s supposed to be controversial but he’s a child (20) who feels incredibly indebted to you (35) and that’s not a good starting point for a relationship even if you are both individually very cool characters.