The Night Ship by Jess Kidd - Historical Fiction Novel Based on Batavia Wreck - Paperback

Details
Condition: New
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781838856540
Publisher: Canongate Books
Age Range: Adult / 18+

Overview
The Night Ship is a sweeping, dual-timeline historical novel from Costa Award-winning author Jess Kidd, inspired by the true and harrowing story of the Batavia shipwreck of 1628. Weaving together the voice of a young girl aboard the doomed ship and a grieving boy nearly four centuries later, Kidd crafts an atmospheric, richly imagined saga of survival, memory and the sea. This brand new paperback edition is ideal for readers of literary and historical fiction seeking an unforgettable, character-driven story.

About the Book
In 1628, young Mayken boards the Batavia, one of the most magnificent ships of the Dutch East India Company, bound for the other side of the world. As she explores the vessel's hidden corners and forms unlikely friendships below deck, she senses something is deeply wrong aboard the ship — a wrongness that will erupt into one of history's most notorious maritime disasters. Three hundred and fifty years later, in 1989, a boy named Gil is sent to live with his taciturn grandfather on a remote fishing island off the coast of Australia, close to the reefs where the Batavia met her fate. Grieving his mother, Gil is drawn into the island's old secrets and into a mystery that echoes Mayken's story across the centuries. Told in Jess Kidd's lyrical prose, The Night Ship moves between these two timelines with tension and tenderness, building to a conclusion that ties past and present together. It is a novel about the darkness people carry, the stories that survive shipwrecks, and the resilience of children caught in events larger than themselves. Selected as a BBC Radio 2 and BBC Two Between the Covers book club pick, it stands as one of Kidd's most ambitious works, blending historical detail with emotional intimacy.

• Gripping dual-timeline structure spanning 1628 and 1989
• Based on the real historical wreck of the Batavia
• Lyrical, atmospheric prose from a Costa Award-winning author
• Perfect for fans of literary and historical fiction
• Brand new paperback, ideal for gifting or collecting
• A genuine book club and reading group favourite

About the Author
Jess Kidd grew up in London in a large family from County Mayo, Ireland. She returned to education as a mature student before lecturing and teaching creative writing. Her debut novel, Himself, was shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards and the Authors' Club Best First Novel Award. Her second, The Hoarder, was shortlisted for the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year, and her third, Things in Jars, received widespread critical acclaim. Kidd won the Costa Short Story Award in 2016 and has also written a children's book, Everyday Magic.

Why You'll Love This Book
For readers who love their historical fiction atmospheric, emotionally rich and rooted in real events, The Night Ship delivers an unforgettable voyage across centuries, tying a real maritime tragedy to a deeply human story of loss and hope.

Please Note: Cover and edition may vary slightly from the image shown; this listing is for the current UK paperback edition with ISBN 9781838856540.