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The Night Ship

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The Night Ship

By: Jess Kidd
Narrated by: Fleur De Wit, Adam Fitzgerald
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About this listen

 Based on a real-life event, an epic historical novel from the award-winning author of Things in Jars that illuminates the lives of two characters: a girl shipwrecked on an island off Western Australia and, three hundred years later, a boy finding a home with his grandfather on the very same island.

1629: A newly orphaned young girl named Mayken is bound for the Dutch East Indies on the Batavia, one of the greatest ships of the Dutch Golden Age. Curious and mischievous, Mayken spends the long journey going on misadventures above and below the deck, searching for a mythical monster. But the true monsters might be closer than she thinks.

1989: A lonely boy named Gil is sent to live off the coast of Western Australia among the seasonal fishing community where his late mother once resided. There, on the tiny reef-shrouded island, he discovers the story of an infamous shipwreck.?

With her trademark 'thrilling, mysterious, twisted, but more than anything, beautifully written' (New York Times) storytelling, Jess Kidd weaves a unputdownable and charming tale of friendship and sacrifice, brutality and forgiveness.©2022 Jess Kidd (P)2022 Penguin Random House Australia Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Magical Realism Science Fiction Fantasy Magic
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I have loved all of Jess Kidd’s previous books and was very excited when the Night Ship was released. Unfortunately, it falls short of the author’s earlier books. Perhaps it’s the gloom of the dual stories, and the slide towards a miserable end that, for the 17th century story, is known to be coming. Perhaps it’s the slightly irritating whine of the voice of Mayken. Perhaps it’s the triumph of the selfish and vicious. I found myself wishing the awful end would come quickly, rather than, as with the author’s other books, wishing the ending away.

The Dutch characters are evocative and beautifully drawn - Mayken herself, her nursemaid, the Barber - Surgeon, Hold Fast, John Pinton, and the cook’s boy, even the great eel; the Australian characters are a little less three dimensional. Still worth reading, but I found myself wishing I was in smoky London, or mid-century rural Ireland, rather than on a bleak coral island.

A little disappointing

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Set on a ship leaving from Holland in 1629 and the other in Australia in 1989. This is the true story of the tragic sinking of the East India Company ship Batavia. Brilliantly reseached and portrayed with incredible detail.
Totally immersed in the amazing detail and experiences. Beautifully written. I was totally absorbed from the first page.

Two Amazing Stories

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The alternating chapters between the main characters was well done, and both narrator's voices were pitch-perfect. I especially enjoyed Fleur de Witt's authenticity with Dutch pronunciation.

The twin storylines entwined subtly and the writer did not unduly push the supernatural elements.

I was entranced by the story, the tension of which resolved with poetic poignance. I'll be reading everything by Jess Kidd.

Beautifully written and narrated.

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A slow burn, this book took a while to get going but really took off in the last few chapters. The parallel story is of a young girl voyaging on the ill-fated Batavia and a young boy living on the islands where the ship was wrecked in the 1600s. They are connected through possession of the Prophesy Stone which the boy finds on the Island. It is a bit of a tale of good and true evil, and as you may know the story of the Batavia shipwreck is truly epic.

Interesting Retelling of One of the Great Stories

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I was very interested in hearing a story about the horrors of the Batavia but wasn't sure I would like the narrators being children, but the children's point of view not only cover everything that an adult narrator would impart, but also imbue it with an air of fantasy that heightens your involvement in the story. I also wasn't too keen when the plot first switched from 1629 to 1989, but not only is that second plot also great, the two stories begin to reflect each other and then weave together beautifully. I loved this story and I am on to listen to the rest of the author's works. 10/10 give it a go no matter what your usually genre preference is.

Absolutely absorbing adventure thriller

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This was an amazing book. A great narrative based around real events. The language created rich textures and vivid landscapes. Brilliant.

Beautiful use of language

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.