The Night Ship by Jess Kid
The Night Ship
by Jess Kid
Historical | Fiction
400 Pages
Released October 2022
Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads
Content Warnings
This incredible book is told from two alternating perspectives. First, young Mayken who is boarding the Batavia, a ship headed toward her namesake in the Dutch East Indies to reunite with her father after the death of her mother. Second, Gil, a boy with similar sad circumstances, sent to live with his Grandfather on a small island in Western Australia.
Based on real events, this book is beautifully written but incredibly heartbreaking. I loved the little elements of magical realism, especially since they are told from a child’s point of view. I did enjoy Mayken’s perspective just a tiny bit more - she felt more well-developed - but Gil’s story was interesting as well, though a bit more slow-paced. My only complaint was that I wanted just a little more overlap between Gil and Mayken’s perspectives but overall it was a great book.