Synopsis
1629. Embarking on a journey in search of her father, a young girl called Mayken boards the Batavia, the most impressive sea vessel of the age. During the long voyage, this curious and resourceful child must find her place in the ship's busy world, and she soon uncovers shadowy secrets above and below deck. As tensions spiral, the fate of the ship and all on board becomes increasingly uncertain.
1989. Gil, a boy mourning the death of his mother, is placed in the care of his irritable and reclusive grandfather. Their home is a shack on a tiny fishing island off the Australian coast, notable only for its reefs and wrecked boats. This is no place for a teenager struggling with a dark past and Gil's actions soon get him noticed by the wrong people.
The Night Ship is an enthralling tale of human cruelty, fate and friendship, and of two children, hundreds of years apart, whose fates are inextricably bound together.
Publisher information
- Publisher: Canongate Books
- ISBN: 9781838856502
- Number of pages: 384
- Dimensions: 220 x 144 x 35 mm
- Weight: 494g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
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Very Touching
This was a story of two children in two different times but their lives had run a lot of the same lines.
Mayken is from 1629, she had lost her mother and w... READ MORE
A spellbinding tale
Oh this book! I knew I would enjoy it but it was even better than I thought it would be! I fell in love with it instantly. It broke my heart many a time an... READ MORE
Loved it
I absolutely Loved this book. I was so enthralled by it, I struggled to put it down.
Judging a Book my its cover – I received an absolutely stunning paper... READ MORE
A Slow burn
This book took a while to get going, perhaps half the book but then you realise you are invested in the characters and want to find out what happens to the... READ MORE
Brilliantly captivating!
A haunting tale of two children and told in parallel perspectives One from 1629 and the other 1989. A lover of historical fiction, I devoured this one. I ... READ MORE
needed more of a plot
To start off, this was my first encounter with this author and one thing I knew going into this book is that her books always differ from one another.
The... READ MORE
Captivating
SYNOPSIS
A parallel tale of two lives, The Night Ship switches between the story of Maryken, a Dutch child in the early 1600s, and Gil, an Australian boy i... READ MORE
Astonishingly good
Half way through reading I decided to look up The Batavia ship just out of curitosity and then did I find that it was a real ship & the whole of The Night ... READ MORE
I loved it
This is such a fantastic read, Jess Kidd is one of my favourite authors and i automatically read her books when she releases them. This one is set around a... READ MORE
Beautiful historical read
What a read this is! I enjoyed Jess Kidd's 'Things In Jars' so was looking forward to this, and it's another cracking read.
I love a story which has its b... READ MORE
Between The Covers - Series 5 Book
This book was not on my 'to be read pile' prior to 'Between The Covers' announcing its series 5 books - so this was bought specially to read before they di... READ MORE
fine
I'll be honest- the cover of this book is what drew me in. The colours work so well together and it's simply beautiful.
The plot of the book sounded promis... READ MORE
Hugely immersive and highly recommended.
'The Night Ship' has a vivid and mesmerising feel, more akin to fresh, vibrant brush strokes on canvas than mere words alone.It's a rewarding read that cap... READ MORE
Atmospheric
A work of historical fiction surrounding the story of the Dutch East India Company ship the Batavia Jess Kidd’s The Night Ship is so much more than a ficti... READ MORE
Colourful but Dismal
Jess Kidd is undoubtedly a very good writer. She tells a tale with vigour and colour, and I applaud her for that.
However.
I am so glad that I've finished... READ MORE
A richly-imagined, haunting story.
Before reading Jess Kidd’s enthralling story I hadn’t heard of the Batavia’s doomed maiden voyage from Holland to the then Dutch colony of Jakarta, a voyag... READ MORE
Very Imaginative
I was really looking forward to reading this book. This is the first book I have read from Jessie Kidd and it was amazing.
The writing was so articulate an... READ MORE
A must read!
I was sent a copy of The Night Ship by Jess Kidd to read and review by NetGalley. What a wonderful book! Steeped in history and full of harrowing excitem... READ MORE
Interesting characters
This book had two main characters, both of whom were interesting, and a host of great supporting characters too.
The Night Ship told the story of an 18th c... READ MORE
A simple but effective story
The cover gives the book a strong start with its simple but effective front cover making it a perfect part of anyones library. The colour contrast as you t... READ MORE
Haunting and beautiful
In The Night Ship, Jess Kidd weaves together the tales of Mayken, a young girl aboard the Batavia headed for the Dutch East Indies in 1629, and Gil, a nine... READ MORE
Engaging historical fiction
The Night Ship written by Jess Kidd is a wonderful novel which highlights a dark historical event and combines with a fictional story which grips you from ... READ MORE
A Real Spellbinder
This is, quite simply, a wonderful book. It is so well written that it flows smoothly, swiftly and powerfully. The plots and subplots intermingle seamlessl... READ MORE
Fate of the Batavia
Jess Kidd's The Night Ship is a wonderful historical novel based around a true life event, the sinking of the Dutch sailing ship Batavia and the terrible f... READ MORE
Historical Fiction
The Night Ship by Jess Kidd is the story of two children who have both lost their mothers and are being sent away to live with a distant relative. Mayken's... READ MORE
An amazing, transformative novel
It's been a topsy turvy year for books but The Night Ship is a thoroughly stellar yarn. Two story lines run in parallel - Mayken, a 9-year-old orphaned Dut... READ MORE
Good book
The Night Ship follows the maiden voyage of the real life Dutch Batavia ship as it sailed from the Netherlands to the Dutch East Indies. I had never heard ... READ MORE
Hugely evocative and immersive!
This is my second outing with Jess Kidd, and boy did she deliver!
The Night Ship is a highly addictive read; historical fiction with an unusual edge, this... READ MORE
A beautiful, eerie read.
Boy is this a cracking read! Obviously I was always going to love it when it’s set on an island off Australia, but even without that it would be a brillian... READ MORE
Bored to Death of long rambling reviews
This was a good readBut do people have to write reviews like they are novels toToo much!!!
Spellbinding
This is the first book I've read by this author (thank you very much to Readers First for my review copy!) but I really enjoyed The Night Ship.
Wasn't su... READ MORE
Not my cup of tea
The Batavia is one of the most advanced ships of its age, yet it holds many secrets...
The year is 1629 and little Mayken and Imke her nursemaid are on boa... READ MORE
An enjoyable and suspending read
Night ship is based on the true story of the Batavia, a famous ship that went down on the west coast of Australia in 1629. The novel is split between two t... READ MORE
Wowww
The night ship is based on the true story of a ship named Batavia and it focuses on the perspectives of two children, both being three hundred years apart.... READ MORE
Recommended
Atmospheric. Haunting. Raw.
I've been anticipating a new release from Jess Kidd and 'The Night Ship' did not disappoint.
'The Night Ship' seems to be a... READ MORE
Too much magical realism for me but a fascinating historical subject.
I chose to read The Night Ship on the basis that it was historical fiction and featured a dual-narrative and when I got an inkling that the story was inspi... READ MORE
A Captivating Nautical Read
The latest book by Jess Kidd ‘The Night Ship’ is the cleverly blended fact and fiction story of the shipwrecked Batavia which sailed in the 1620’s. A youn... READ MORE
Captivating!
A haunting tale of two children and told in parallel perspectives One from 1629 and the other 1989. A lover of historical fiction, I devoured this one. I ... READ MORE
Really exciting read
Mayken and her nursemaid Imke embark for a voyage on the Batavia.
The year is 1629 and the Batavia is the most cutting edge ship of that time.
Yet things a... READ MORE
Intruiging
The novelist’s distinct mix of modern gothic and historical caper is well suited to this island tale of two motherless children, separated by centuries. Ma... READ MORE
Tragic but fascinating story
What a tragic but fascinating story. Jess Kidd once again has come up with a brilliant book. This time "The Night Ship" which is based upon the sinking o... READ MORE
Hauntingly beautiful
In The Night Ship, Jess Kidd weaves together the tales of Mayken, a young girl aboard the Batavia headed for the Dutch East Indies in 1629, and Gil, a nine... READ MORE
Magical, but not in the literal sense...
I love Jess Kidd. Her writing and wit resonate with me. I was SO excited to get a copy of her most recent novel, Night Ship, because with dual-timelines, m... READ MORE
Beautifully written and mysterious
In 1629 Mayken and her nursemaid Imke set out on the Batavia, the most glorious vessel of the age.
But sinister things are happening on board both on the u... READ MORE
A slow burn but very moving by the end
This book is not my usual go to genre but I did enjoy it. It is a tale of two children centuries apart, 1628 and 1989, linked by the night ship in the boo... READ MORE
Addictive and terrific
The embodiment of this novel is based on an island off the coast of Australia, that a famous shipwreck, the Batavia was the beginning of a haunting past th... READ MORE
Brilliant Read
This book must be great value for money. It’s like reading 2 books for the price of 1!
I have seen several television series like this and never managed to... READ MORE
A thoroughly enjoyable read
An absolutely fantastic novel that pulled me in from the title and the front cover and I was not disappointed when it came to the story too. The narrative ... READ MORE
Captivating read
This is a fictional story written around a true event.
Two children three hundred years apart, but have a connection which spans the centuries.
In 1628 the... READ MORE
A grower
This wasn't the easiest book to get into - although to be fair that was more to do with some of the pages being a bit sticky, and therefore difficult to tu... READ MORE
Well written but a slow burner
This book follows two stories of children that are connected through an old ship and an island. The characters are well rounded and thought out however the... READ MORE
Well written and definitely unusual
This book wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it was a good read and I flew through it, there was a good amount of suspense at the end of each chapter... READ MORE
Atmospheric and cleverly composed
The story follows two children, Mayken and Gil, who live in two different times, 1629 and 1989. Mayken is aboard Batavia as she journeys to live with her f... READ MORE
The more I read, the better I liked it
I thought this was quite a slow starter but once it took off it raced along full of despair and menace and , dare one say it, magical realism.It’s a parall... READ MORE
Past and Present
I don't mind a little bit of going backwards and then forwards in a book or even in a film, but every chapter is either in the past or the present. It's a ... READ MORE
Beautiful book
What a beautifully written book! It feels like you are travelling to a new world, one that has 2 characters that entwine along the way. 2 very different wo... READ MORE
The Batavia sets sale but will it reach its destination?
The Batavia sets sail in 1629 with Mayken on board headed to a new life with her father. A long pressured voyage and a storm to contend with. A story about... READ MORE
Historical fiction strewn with magic realism
In this new release from Jess Kidd, two narratives intersect and draw on the horrific and fascinating true story of an Indian Ocean shipwreck.
In 1628,... READ MORE
Beautifully written
This is the first time I’ve read a book written by Jess Kidd. As the synopsis states, part of the story is based on young Mayken, who finds herself travell... READ MORE
Good book
This book sounds amazing! The illustration on the cover is beautiful and the characters are amazing. I love how the main character is embarking on a massiv... READ MORE
Adventurous and tragic
An adventurous and tragic tale involving a shipwreck, mutiny, a desolate island and two children hundreds of years apart.
This story is a fascinating bl... READ MORE
Misfits and madness
1628 and on the death of her mother Mayken is to be shipped off to Batavia. Mayken is haunted by tales of monsters on board ship but finds that the monste... READ MORE
Great writing and great story telling
This is a novel about two nine year olds, Mayken and Gil. Mayken lives in 1629 and Gil in 1989. Both live in enclosed worlds. Mayken sis on the newly built... READ MORE
Rich in detail and history
I have heard a lot of praise for Jess Kidd’s writing over the years so thought I’d start with her latest novel The Night Ship. This book has a split timeli... READ MORE
Brilliant historical fiction.
The Night Ship is the fourth adult novel by award-winning London-born author, Jess Kidd. In 1628, following the death of her mother, nine-year-old Mayken v... READ MORE
A skillfully written page turner
This is a masterpiece of a book which I am certain many people will enjoy. I couldn't read it as quickly as I wanted but it's a skillfully written page tur... READ MORE
Beautifully written
Based on the real-life voyage and wreckage of the Batavia, a ship of the Dutch East India Company, The Night Ship tells the story of a young girl named May... READ MORE
Captivating read
The Night Ship is a beautifully written atmospheric book that draws you in from the first time you meet Mayken and Gil .
Mayken's story takes place in 16... READ MORE
Interesting tale about the fate of the Batavia
An interesting tale of the fate of two children linked over almost 400 years by their connection to the ill-fated ship Batavia. The novel is based on the s... READ MORE
A slow burn initially but so moving by the end
This book is not my usual go to genre but I did enjoy it. It is a tale of two children centuries apart, 1628 and 1989, linked by the night ship in the boo... READ MORE
Fiction with an element of truth
“…a ship that looks ahead to a new life somewhere hot and strange.”
The Night Ship tells a story which spreads across two times, 1628 and 1989. The coming... READ MORE
Atmospheric tale focused on a historical Australian shipwreck
“Only Little May is awake; ghosts don’t sleep. She’ll be drifting down quiet paths or inspecting her gifts at the Raggedy Tree. Gil will keep his mind here... READ MORE
Based on the historical event of the ship Batavia
A Brilliantly written, parallel story based on the historical event of the wrecked Batavia. It focuses on two young characters- Maryken, a Dutch girl who... READ MORE