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A review by lachesisreads
The Night Ship by Jess Kidd
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
A parentless girl in 1629. A parentless boy in 1989. Both end up on the same island, close to Batavia - modern day Jakarta. One might call them flotsam and jetsam.
Their fates connect across the centuries as their lives take parallel turns for a little while - with very different outcomes.
It was impossible to say which narrative strand I liked more. When I was with Mayken, it was Mayken; when I was reading about Gil, it was Gil. Their lives could not have been more different, and yet they have so much in common - a childhood as it should not be for one thing.
I've seen this called straight-up historical fiction, but Jess Kidd wouldn't be Jess Kidd if she hadn't woven some dark magical realism into this story as well. Is it real? Is it in Mayken's imagination? We're left to draw our own conclusions.
I tried to draw out the reading experience because I enjoyed it so much - something I always find myself doing with Kidd's books. A masterfully told story from a master storyteller; I can't recommend it enough.
Content warning: this is not always an easy read and has depictions of violence against people (children included) as well as animals, although they're never very graphic.
I want to thank NetGalley, Canongate and Jess Kidd for a free advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here expressed are my own.
Their fates connect across the centuries as their lives take parallel turns for a little while - with very different outcomes.
It was impossible to say which narrative strand I liked more. When I was with Mayken, it was Mayken; when I was reading about Gil, it was Gil. Their lives could not have been more different, and yet they have so much in common - a childhood as it should not be for one thing.
I've seen this called straight-up historical fiction, but Jess Kidd wouldn't be Jess Kidd if she hadn't woven some dark magical realism into this story as well. Is it real? Is it in Mayken's imagination? We're left to draw our own conclusions.
I tried to draw out the reading experience because I enjoyed it so much - something I always find myself doing with Kidd's books. A masterfully told story from a master storyteller; I can't recommend it enough.
Content warning: this is not always an easy read and has depictions of violence against people (children included) as well as animals, although they're never very graphic.
I want to thank NetGalley, Canongate and Jess Kidd for a free advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here expressed are my own.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, and Violence