The Night Ship: A Novel | 
pickA qualified pick because while Jess Kidd's books are a good read/listen this was my least favourite so far. She does favour rather dark themes but this one got *really* bleak.
I appreciated the repetitions that linked the two narratives, and had to look up the history of the Batavia afterwards.
There will be NO animal cruelty on my watch! (poor tortoise 🐢 😩)
so-soThe only good thing about being out of work for so long is that I have been able to clear off books that have been on my shelves for ages. I really like how Kidd writes but this was another book that left we wondering what the point of it all was. Two children struggling on the same island centuries apart, I was equally interested in their stories but outside of minor similarities never saw the connection. Glad I read it. Will never reread it.
so-soThis was my #doublebookspin for January, and probably my least favorite read so far of this month. The story, at times, was too all over the place and I had a hard time understanding what was happening. I love the cover of this book, but I think it‘s not one I‘ll keep on my shelves. I also had no idea going into this how dark it would be. Can‘t wait for Februarys #bookspin !!
My rating: ⭐️⭐️ 1/2
panI struggled with this one. I pushed through for give it a chance for #literarycrew as was hoping for a payoff, but it didn‘t deliver for me. It felt like two okay stories that were told as dual timelines that shared location and some similarities in the main character, but otherwise didn‘t have much connection. And the violence against a turtle ruined it for me.
My favorite book of December was The Night Ship, which I read for #LiteraryCrew with @Librarybelle .
Thanks for hosting, @Andrew65 ! This is always such a fun way to end the year. 😀🎉
It‘s time for this month‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead discussion! I have 8 questions posted as spoilers - you can find them on the book feed, my feed, or searching the hashtags.
Thanks for another great year of reading!! Looking forward to the 2024 reading list, starting with The Spectacular by Fiona Davis.
mcctrish, Julsmarshall, melissajayne, Jerdencon, kspenmoll, Deblovestoread, CatLass007, inthegreensandblues, Sargar114, MoonWitch94, julieclair, AllDebooks8. Jess Kidd‘s novels cross genres, blending light and darkness, whimsy and mystery, the real and the supernatural. If you had to sum up this book in one line, how would you describe it? ~From Reading Group Guides #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
7. As we reach the conclusion of the novel, the chapters become shorter. Why do you think the author chose to do this? Do these quicker chapters add to the urgency of the conclusion? ~From Reading Group Guides #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
6. Loss is central to both Mayken and Gil‘s experience; for starters, each child has lost their mother. Discuss some of their major (and minor) losses throughout the novel and how these may have shaped them as characters. ~From Reading Group Guides #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
5. Each child has parental figures who step in at different times in their journeys (for example, Imke, Holdfast, Dutch and Silvia). How would you describe these stand-in parents? In what ways were these adults important for Mayken and Gil? ~from Reading Group Guides #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
4. Storytelling is woven into THE NIGHT SHIP in various ways, including through folklore and family histories. What do you think the author is trying to achieve with these layers of storytelling? ~from Reading Group Guides #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
3. Discuss the differences and similarities between Mayken and Gil. Despite their being more than 300 years apart, what are some of their shared experiences? ~ from Reading Group Guides #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
2. Jess Kidd evokes both being aboard the Batavia and life among the seasonal fishing community on Beacon Island through all five senses. What descriptions made these settings come alive for you? Were there any parts of Kidd‘s sea voyage that felt familiar, or some that felt new? ~from Reading Group Guides #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
1. This is based on a true story. In 1629 the Batavia wrecked off the coast of Western Australia. That was only the beginning of the terror the passengers and crew faced. Here is some information from the National Museum of Australia: https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/wreck-of-the-batavia
Had you heard of this shipwreck prior to reading this book? #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
pickKidd‘s books are a tad…different. While I liked this one overall, I feel like we just scratched the surface on the characters. There are some parts so descriptive that you can actually feel the grime from the kitchen and the taste of desperation in the air. Told in a dual timeline and based on a true story, the storylines follow the ship Batavia in the 1600s and the excavation of the ship in the 1980s. Interesting read. #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead ⬇️
mcctrish, Julsmarshall, melissajayne, Jerdencon, kspenmoll, CatLass007, inthegreensandblues, Sargar114, MoonWitch94, julieclair, AllDebookspick#Literarycrew December #Buddyread @Librarybelle
I really enjoyed this historical novel based on a true event. The mc were portrayed beautifully. However, I did feel the ending was rushed and abrupt. I would have liked more detail on Gil and his grandfather.
#DashingDecember @Andrew65
We‘re two weeks away from the discussion for this month‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead !
Any comments to share so far?
mcctrish, Julsmarshall, melissajayne, Jerdencon, kspenmoll, Deblovestoread, CatLass007, inthegreensandblues, Sargar114, MoonWitch94, julieclair, AllDebooks
Enjoying some audiopuzzling for #HyggeHourReadathon! Listening to The Night Ship for #LiteraryCrew and really enjoying it!
#Naturalitsy #MidWinterSolace
@Chrissyreadit @TheBookHippie @AllDebooks @jenniferw88
@Librarybelle
so-soI listened to this audiobook for December #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead. I finished the book but I feel very ambivalent about it. This is, as best as I can remember, the only book I‘ve ever rated so-so on Litsy. I didn‘t love it. I don‘t think I hated it. I do know that lately everyone is writing books that shift back and forth in time, but I don‘t care for that particular conceit. But I did want to figure out what happened with Gil and his grandpa.
I‘m 25% into The Night Ship, by Jess Kidd, and I‘m loving it! Dual timelines, 1619 & 1989. This is a buddy read for #LiteraryCrew, hosted by @Librarybelle . This is the second book I have read by this author. The first was Life in a Jar, which very well may end up being my favorite book of 2023.
#Naturalitsy #MidWinterSolace @AllDebooks @Chrissyreadit @TheBookHippie @jenniferw88
repost for @Librarybelle
New month, new #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead ! Read The Night Ship at your own pace throughout December, and I will post periodic checkins. Discussion will be December 31st. If you would like added to the tag list, comment on the original post:
https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2670303
New month, new #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead ! Read The Night Ship at your own pace throughout December, and I will post periodic checkins. Discussion will be December 31st. If you would like added to the tag list, comment below!
mcctrish, Julsmarshall, melissajayne, Jerdencon, kspenmoll, Deblovestoread, CatLass007, inthegreensandblues, Sargar114, MoonWitch94, julieclair, AllDebooks
December‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead is based on a true story about two girls and a shipwreck. I loved Things in Jars, so I‘m looking forward to this one!
If you would also like to be tagged in periodic posts throughout the month of December, comment below! Tagging those who have already expressed interest.
Discussion on December 31st.
I have tallied up the votes for 2024, and I‘ll post the schedule on Sunday!
mcctrish, Julsmarshall, melissajayne, Jerdencon, kspenmoll, Deblovestoread, CatLass007, inthegreensandblues, Sargar114, MoonWitch94, julieclair, AllDebooks
Book club brunch. Gotta love when you‘ve already read the book before it was selected.
so-sovery typical pick for my book club. It‘s fine! I had lucy dacus stuck in my head the whole time, real ones know why
Mikala, thank you so much for the lovely package! 🤩 I'm looking forward to reading this with the #literarycrew buddy read! I love the socks and journal too, they're perfect. 🤗
@Laughterhp
Audiobook for dog walking. Dual timeline book, which is not my favorite structure, but this one works well. 1629/ story of Mayken, 9yo girl travelling to Australia on the Batavia after her mother dies. 1989/ Gil, a 9yo boy who moves to an island w/his grandfather after his own mother dies. Dual narrators, both excellent.
Coincidentally, this one pairs well with my NF read, The Book of Eels, of which there are many in the book.
pick⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ If you love historical fiction and true crime, read this book. Set with dual storylines in 1629 and 1985, this book centers on the real-life, haunting story of the Batavia shipwreck off the coast of Western Australia. It follows the life of a young girl on the ship and the horrific aftermath of the survivors as well as a boy who joins his grandfather on the island called Batavia‘s graveyard. Content warnings listed in comments.
panI am a big fan of Jess Kidd‘s writing style, but her newest left me wanting in both the story development and conclusion.
pickTwo story threads, both great. I think I was expecting more of a connection to be uncovered between the two, which felt perhaps a little anticlimactic, but I struggle to hold that against it, as it was a great read 😊
so-soBeautifully written but it's a slow burner.
It's a historical fiction novel with supernatural elements and I thought there were too many characters and it's quite repetitive.
I've never been much a fan of historical fiction but thought I'd give this one a try and I'm glad I did, it had it's moments.
pickJess Kidd continues to deliver absolutely stunning novels. The dual stories here of two young people, hundreds of years apart, are horrifying and gripping. The historical and modern settings are not the usual choices and create a fascinating ambience from start to finish. Not for the faint-hearted.
A heads up for any of our members who‘ve selected this book or are thinking about picking it up in the future 😉💡
#aardvarkbookclub #thenightship #jesskidd
Barnes & Noble book club October pick! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
pickDo you ever finish a book based on a true story and immediately turn to Google for more information??
That's what happened after I finished 'The Night Ship."
It's a harrowing story about two children on the same island 300 years apart.
Mayken was a little girl aboard the Batavia - an ill fated ship.
Gil is a boy trying to find his way in an unfair world.
The chapters alternate between the two.
panColourful but Dismal
This historical novel was more sad and horrifying than anything else.
Two kids across time, both in dreadful situations, both being abused and ultimately in bad lives. I felt sad reading it and It didn't get any better by the end, the end was the worst. I just wanted something about it to be redeemable, but even the interest level waned in the shadow of the awful things.
pick“The dead can‘t hurt you, Gil. It‘s the living you need to watch out for.”
This was inspired by the actual shipwreck of the Batavia in 1629 off the coast of Australia. Beautifully told from the point of view of Mayken in 1629 and Gil in 1989, 2 children who are newly orphaned & trying to figure out how to deal with the world around them. A couple other people used the word haunting to describe this story and I would have to agree.
I made a trip to Barnes & Noble today! 🎉📚🎉📚🎉📚🎉📚🎉📚🎉 I was supposed to be picking up some board books and picture books for a baby shower - but of course I also grabbed three books for myself as well! 😇💕 The tagged book is the B&N edition and has beautiful teal painted page edges! The Stars Undying is the first in a fantasy duology that is a loose remix of the Cleopatra/Caesar/Mark Antony drama! 😱 #catsoflitsy #chaplin
pickThis is a beautifully written story inspired by the actual shipwreck of the Batavia off the coast of Australia in 1628. (Google it.) I loved the two child characters and felt an overwhelming need to reach out and help them. This is not an easy read as the circumstances the children find themselves in (one in 1628, the other in 1989) are more than the normal troubles of childhood. The story will haunt me for a long while. 4/5 stars.
pickI LOVED this story. Based on a real life shipwreck this books has dual timelines about two very different kids in two very different time periods dealing with the loss of a mom and how this affects them both. This is our B&N book club selection for October and it‘s a haunting story I personally inhaled. #bookspin @TheAromaofBooks
Good things come to those who wait?
pickA beautifully written story centering around the dual narrative of Mayken, a young girl in the 1600s sailing on a doomed ship towards the Dutch East Indies, and Gil, a young boy sent to live with his estranged grandfather on a tiny fishing island off the coast of Australia in the 1980s. This story was unexpected and haunting exploring the different ideas of abandonment, sacrifice, friendship, and family. #NetGalley #TheNightShip
Like @Megabooks I was waiting to see what the #botm choices were for October before deciding whether to try #aardvark or not. None appealed to me so I jumped on the aardvark train. My bank account may regret this decision 😂
