A review by solanaceae
Voyage of the Damned by Frances White

adventurous funny inspiring mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Goddesdammit, Cordelia
This book blew my mind - more than once. My biggest worry when it comes to "murder mystery" books is that they are too predictable, but Voyage of the Damned was in no way predictable. There were multiple times when I thought "Oh, I think I understand it now," just to turn a page and have my thoughts and beliefs completely shattered by a plot twist I could not have expected. 

The book is filled with diverse characters who are true to themselves - those who you will hate, those who will make you question yourself, and those you only can love. The characters and their arcs grow as the story goes on, and it helps you understand the plot better. I was impressed with the way we came to get close and learn about each of the characters - some with secrets you would not expect, and others more obvious. Dee made me laugh, and I couldn't help but fall for him as the story went on. I found him to be an easily likeable character. 

Voyage of the Damned is a 4.25-star read for me because I felt entertained, and felt myself absorbed into the world. I felt myself snort (laugh) more than once, with tears in my eyes, and filled with shock over some of the twists pushed into the book. If I could read this book all over again, from the start, I would do it. The only downturn I felt was the ending - the solving of the main plot felt very rushed in the end, and the epilogue felt... flat. I honestly think I would have been fine without the epilogue. But, otherwise, the book, its plot and characters carried itself extremely well. 
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