The Night Ship - Jess Kidd

 

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 fictional retelling of “one of the worst horror stories in maritime history“. It contains some of the elements of Gothic fiction and in the hands of a consummate storyteller it fair sparkles with the gems of a purposeful narrative and believable characterisations. That the author understands children is evident from her children’s books so having children as the two main characters in this dual time frame novel is no big surprise. The delightful, feisty Mayken in 1628 and the quirky, individual Gil in 1989 follow their fates in skilful tandem. Their lives hold several parallels, not least their almost orphan status but you sense a deeper connection that has you thinking past lives and reincarnation. Both possess a sense of the supernatural in their imaginings and efforts to make sense of a world that tries so hard to elude their comprehension.

Borrowing from Sumerian epic poem Gilgamesh and aboriginal mythology with Bunyip the novel is broad in its conception but like so much good storytelling ultimately it pares down to Good versus Evil. Elements of ghost and horror fused together in both timeframes and the almost spiritual link between the children is subtly explored as both learn that within the adult world there are those to trust and those to fear. Research is impeccable and the sequences that take place aboard the ship are palpable and redolent with sensory descriptions. The atmosphere created racks up the tension and fear. One of the marks of  good historical fiction for me is when it sends me ‘googlescuttling’ for more details and that’s exactly what this did. I was unaware of the tragedy of the Batavia and I feel better informed since reading this book. Man’s inhumanity to man never ceases to fill me with despair. But the endurance of children fills my heart with joy. This wasn’t a book merely to educate, it was a book to entertain, and to make me think, and to make me overflow with the sheer pleasure of an author able to construct such an immersive story. 

My thanks to Readers first for a prize copy.