Daughters of Batavia

by Stefanie Koens

A woman searching for answers in her own life finds them—and much more—in the wreckage and haunting stories of the Batavia shipwreck.

The powerfully moving historical debut from the winner of the Banjo Prize for Fiction. For all fans of Natasha Lester, Lauren Chater and Tea Cooper.

Two women. One shipwreck. And four centuries of secrets.

Shortly before Christmas in 2018, Tess McCarthy, after years as a hard-working English teacher who never did anything out of the ordinary, flies to Western Australia's remote Abrolhos Islands. She is in search of answers—both to the infamous Batavia shipwreck and her personal family crises.

Amsterdam, 1628. Saskia, an orphaned young Dutchwoman, boards Batavia with relatives, bound for a new and potentially dangerous life in the East Indies—only for her world to first collide with Aris Jansz, the ship's taciturn under surgeon.

Tess, Saskia and Aris—their lives linked by secrets that span generations—carry the baggage of past losses and the uncertainty of their futures. And, in the most unlikely circumstances, they may find qualities that echo through faith, acceptance, and love.

'Evocative and compelling! An immersive and engrossing mystery. This wonderful debut by Stefanie Koens kept me enthralled to the last page. A beautiful synergy between the present and the past, between history and a richly drawn portrayal of the personal stories of those who perished and those who survived the famous shipwreck of the Batavia. Heartbreaking and heartwarming' Tania Blanchard

'A masterfully crafted dual timeline that seamlessly weaves past and present into a rich tapestry, bringing four centuries of secrets vividly to life' Tea Cooper

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical

Audible Audio

Published July 29, 2025

Reviews

[Brooke - Brooke's Reading Life · Rating 4 out of 5]

**4.5 stars**

**Thank you to HarperCollins Australia for sending me a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review; published 29 July 2025**

As a Western Australian with some Dutch background (okay okay, it's a few generations back but I'll still claim it when I want) and a morbid curiosity, I've always found the story of Batavia fascinating. So when I saw the synopsis of this novel I was super keen. And it did not disappoint; in fact, it was excellent. Featuring a dual timeline which cleverly links the two times by character relationships, this was a fascinating read. I always appreciate a fiction novel that I can get lost in but also learn about real history at the same time. The scenes on the island after the shipwreck is utterly nail-biting with tension. The modern timeline explores life while grieving a loved one so had some poignant chapters.
Overall: a fabulous and very well-written story, it's hard to believe this is a debut novel. Highly recommend.

[Anna Loder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put this down!!!!! I knew nothing of Batavia and this just meet me there!!! What an incredible story, what an incredible band of characters and circumstances!!! Just so captivating!!!!! I also really loved the modern day storyline because omg it’s such a current development, they are still finding things belonging to Batavia and so that was fascinatingly done too! Loved Daughters of Batavia and can’t wait to see what Stefanie Koens does next!!!!!

[Claire van Ryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s clear to see why Daughters of Batavia by Stefanie Koens won the Banjo Prize for Fiction! The research feat evidenced in its pages sees you climbing aboard the Batavia on its fateful maiden voyage in 1628 and introduced to characters who will play roles from mutineer to rescuer when the ship wrecks on a reef in the Abrolhos Islands off the coast of Geraldton, WA.

I’m a sucker for books like this, entertaining me and teaching me at the same time. The history opened my eyes to the horrific circumstances survivors faced after the shipwreck, as they waited for rescue under a psychopathic, self appointed leader.

The present day thread gave a gentler counterpoint - a young woman drawn to the shipwreck site, looking for answers as she processes her own grief. Throw a bit of romance in the mix and you get ALL the feels in this stunning debut.

I loved the way Stef braided themes of hope, faith and legacy into both timelines, and that intriguing delft tulip pendant and the massive AHA moment it gave 🩵

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daughters of Batavia is a great new story by Stefanie Koens.

I always love a Shipwreck story!

This one is based on a true story.

It made for a very interesting read 📚 and I learnt a lot more about the islands situated off the Western Australian coast near Batavia's shipwreck site and graveyard.

Can you guess how the blue tulip necklace relates to the whole story and its connection.

Read it and see in Stefanie Koens new novel, Daughters of Batavia.

An educational and exciting read.

[Danielle McGregor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tess’ father passes away and on his work desk she finds an unfinished article about the shipwreck of Batavia.

Told in the current day as Tess, her guide Drew and some archeologists try to delve into the truths that occurred in the 1600’s as Batavia’s ship was wrecked.

A slow start and a slow burn with some sections of this story that were downright harrowing. The mutiny after Batavia was shipwrecked. The unnecessary killings of men, women and children. The ‘taking’ of wives and mistresses.

A very cleverly constructed storyline. Audio was great!

Not 5 star - but a good 4 stars!

[Alib · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous story based on real events which I had never heard of before. I am now very keen to visit the beautiful Abrolhos Islands in WA where a ship, the Batavia, was wrecked on the coral reefs. The modern day story and the shipwreck story run parallel to each other. Aris the ships surgeon and Saskia face the horrors of the ship while Tess is shown around the archeological dig on a boat skippered by Drew.

[Kelly Hillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow burn but I really liked it, especially the part set in the 1600’s. I had never really given much thought as to what it would be like to be on a ship at sea for months and months. And how scary it could be if the wrong people were in charge, and how you are totally at mercy of the men in charge, the elements etc. The second half of the book was much more exciting than the first

[Chelsea Pinkard · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars - I'm a sucker for a dual timeline maritime archaeologist / shipwreck novel and this fits the bill, more so because it's the infamous Batavia! The author did a great job weaving the archaeologist/historian narrative through Tess with the stories of Saskia and Aris back in 1629, and the visceral narration did wonders for immersing me in the horrors that the Batavia survivors then endured on those beaches. The historian in me can't help but cringe a little at Tess's article at the end, because ain't no way that's getting published as a historical journal article, but I digress - I still loved it anyway. An excellent read for any aspiring maritime historians or archaeologists!

[Kirsty Dummin · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favourite thing about reading historical fiction is learning about something from our past in a much more digestible way than may happen in a classroom or even in a non-fiction book.

DoB was certainly well researched, so much so that I found myself googling it several times while ready to understand what was fact and what was fiction. The truth is an harrowing enough tale, and the novel didn’t sugar coat the violence and brutality.

This was an excellent debut and certainly ticked many of my historical fiction ‘must have’ boxes.

[Talia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sooooooo bloody good

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Focusing on the Batavia shipwreck off the coast of Western Australia in 1629, it brings women’s stories to the forefront. It was an emotional and beautifully written tale which I listened to on audiobook with wonderful narration from Kristy Best, Jessica Spies and Angus McGruther.

Opening in 2018, Tess McCarthy flies to the remote Abrolhos Islands in search of answers about the Batavia shipwreck and her own family’s connections to those on board. Stefanie has conjured the isolation and natural beauty of this little visited part of the world and I could picture vividly what Tess was seeing upon her arrival. Dealing with her own personal crises, she is conflicted by some of what she uncovers as well as the research that is being undertaken there. Moving seamlessly through time back to 1628 and we are introduced to Saskia, an orphaned Dutchwoman who boards the Batavia in Amsterdam bound for life in the East Indies. However, when she meets the ship’s surgeon Aris Jansz, their paths seem destined to merge.

I was completely captivated by the story of these three very different people: Tess, Saskia and Aris and the secrets they all held. I loved both the timelines which were seamlessly woven so that I was always fully immersed and never felt pulled from the story by the time change. I also loved delving into the day to day life of women on board a ship, it was certainly a risky and dangerous existence.

As I read, I was more and more intrigued by the historical event that this story is based around, as well as finding out how these stories linked together.

The harshness and brutality of life on the Batavia and after the sinking was beautifully balanced by hope and love which made Daughters of Batavia such an incredible read.

If you love discovering more about history through fiction and especially the stories of women, then I urge you to read Daughters of Batavia.

[Aryani Siti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book because it mixed history with personal stories. The author writes about two women from different times, Tess in 2018 and Saskia in 1628, and how their lives connect through the Batavia shipwreck.

This book was moving, sometimes sad, but also full of hope. I would recommend it to anyone who likes history and stories about strong women. LOVED IT!!

[Elise · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be fair, I think my own knowledge of the Batavia saga has probably clouded my judgement a little in this case. Nonetheless, cannot tell you how absolutely DELIGHTED I was to step into the bookshop in Bathurst and unexpectedly discover a new mass market fiction paperback centred around the Batavia story finally on the shelves. Finally. Well overdue. Thank you Stefanie Koens!

That said, I just didn’t enjoy this story near as much as I’d hoped to. The central conceit was well-devised, but I found the execution too simplistic; I want to say “too modern,” but I’m not convinced that really conveys the scope of what I mean.

Reading this, and being well-versed in the finer detail of the Batavia tragedy, it just seemed like a lot of the nuance of the whole ordeal had been glossed over in favour of, what I can imagine the author’s editors saying, “catering to the modern audience” - it is a mass market paperback after all and we’re in the age of BookTok. I guess I was ultimately hoping for more substance than we ultimately get - Moby Dick, for example, is a classic for a reason. In this instance, I honestly can’t help but think that might have far more to do with the editors and publisher than the author herself: it’s evident from what detail is in there that Koens has definitely done her research in the first instance.

I have to credit the author with the development of the story conceit. It was well done, and definitely would have taken a bit of work to weave together. That said, the modern practice of shifting perspective from one person to another throughout the book to serve the conceit is, I feel, getting a bit tired - it feels lazy and I find it frustrating as a reader to keep coming across it in modern novels.

All in all, if you don’t know anything about the Batavia tragedy, this is an ok primer. But I’d more wholeheartedly recommend Peter Fitzsimmon’s take on it over this book.

[Laurena · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
A great debut novel - the history was interesting, if somewhat violent.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. The perfect mix of my favourite things in an historical fiction novel- dual timeline, a great cast of characters and a modern day link to the past, all woven together to create an interesting history lesson and a really enjoyable story.

[Godly Gadfly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A terrific fictionalised version of the Batavia disaster (4.5 stars)

The original version of this debut novel from Stefanie Koens won the 2023 Banjo Prize, an annual competition for Australian writers, and subsequently went on to be published by HarperCollins. It can be loosely categorized as historical fiction, because it recounts the infamous story of the wreck of the ship Batavia in the Abrolhos Islands off the coast of Western Australia in 1628, and the horrors that followed for those who survived.

The main story revolves around Saskia, one of the passengers aboard the Batavia. The events of the 17th century are recounted via a clever framing device which tells the story of Tess, a young woman in the modern day who is searching for answers about her own life and about her connection to the Batavia. The narrative flips between these two stories, with the shipwreck itself occurring about halfway the book. What happened afterwards was horrific, with the survivors having to face murder, massacre, and even violent abuse and rape at the hands of a number of power-drunk leaders and psychopaths.

The twin stories dovetail together nicely, and the blending of fiction with history is expertly done. It is evident that the author has researched the Batavia story very well, and the resulting story is plausible and quite true to history, while also being an engaging and suspenseful read. The novel also incorporates up-to-date archaeological research on the Abrolhos Islands by a team of researchers from the University of Western Australia, so it also feels current.

There are definite adult themes, such as instances of abusive treatment and men forcing themselves on women, but this simply reflects the historical record. I was pleased to see these incidents handled sensitively and discretely, rather than gratuitously. For instance, there's reference to "the searching hands" of Saskia's uncle, mention men "servicing" women, or phrasing like this: "You know little of men’s twisted desires" (p.334). While this is true to life and to history, this kind of content does make the book a work of adult fiction, and I wouldn't suggest it for older children.

From some of my wider reading, I later learned that the publication of an account of the catastrophic voyage of the Batavia in the mid 1640s led the directors of the Dutch East India Company to limit the number of female passengers sailing on company ships going forwards. They considered the Batavia catastrophe a prime example of how the presence of women was considered to disrupt relations of those in board. This novel certainly shows how that can happen.

There are also faith elements incorporated into the storyline, mostly as a result of the religious convictions of the characters. Not until reading this book did I realize that the passengers aboard the Batavia included a Calvinist minister, and the way the author incorporated this naturally into the storyline was also handled well, including numerous Scripture quotations. I wouldn't consider this Christian fiction, and yet it does have solid content that reflects the religious convictions that many of the passengers would have had, and articulates their sentiments.

From a literary point of view, the novel is also well-constructed. Besides the interplay of two stories, modern and historical, the author demonstrates a real skill with words, and this is especially evident in the use of her imagery, such as metaphors and similes. I found just one aspect somewhat implausible, namely when a 17 year old girl gets away with being disguised as a boy simply by cutting her hair; but maybe that is viable, and it wasn't hard to suspend my sense of disbelief in reading that section.

Despite the violence and horror experienced by many survivors following the shipwreck of the Batavia, this is not just a pessimistic book about tragedy. For instance, at the end we learn something very satisfying about one character that really rounds off a subplot beautifully. The story of modern-day Tess is also one of discovery and personal growth, as she learns to face the demons and hurts of her own past.

Romantic overtones feature quite strongly and regularly throughout the book, both in the contemporary story of Tess and in the historical story of the 17th century characters. I suspect that this factor makes the book appeal especially to women readers, and the high proportion of reviews here from females seems to support that. The fact that the story is largely told through female eyes means it will especially resonate emotionally with women.

But this is a fine novel that should appeal to anyone interested in the history around the Batavia, or simply looking for a gripping and well-told story. Stefanie Koens has produced an excellent book that links stories past and present, history and fiction. In the process she not only bring the past to life, but infuses it with imagination and emotion, creating a bridge to today's reader that is simultaneously informative, inspiring, and evocative.

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, it ticked all the boxes for me. The read is in two timelines beautifully knitted together with all the characters making it a compelling read.

Having read The Night Ship which has the story of a young girl travelling on the ship Batavia to join her father in Batavia (Jakarta). In this read, Saskia is an older girl, a teenager, an orphan who is travelling with her Aunt and cousin to live with an Uncle. Like the young girl of The Night Ship, this read has Saskia who through necessity and safety dressed as a boy. However, this comes about in Saskia's case when the Batavia has crashed into the reef is obviously going to sink and in her Aunt's wisdom dresses her in her son's clothes; he has already been lost to the sea.

Of course these wooden ships, no matter how much today majestically sail around harbours looking splendid with all their wonderful sails the reality of 1628 found them an inhospitable environment, except for the Captain's quarters, passenger quarters were cramped, sailors’ quarters defy any description and vermin invaded every corner as well as lice living well on the human body. Women were treated with disdain or taken advantage of, whether married or not seemed not to make much difference. The ship would run out of food and water. Then there was the problem of getting lost, with no longitude as a guide and the fierce winds of the Roaring Forties that would spring up heading towards Australia.

Saskia finds herself constantly nursing her sea-sick Aunt, who just isn't able to settle into the rhythm of the rocking ship along with other ailments that she endures. Saskia is regularly in the dispensary and it's here that she encounters Aris Jansz, the ship's under surgeon. At first, Saskia finds him abrupt and rude but at the same time, she is attracted to him.

The read gives a wonderful but brutal account of how given just a small push, seemingly well-adjusted people turn into savages. Captain Ariaen Jacobsz was ill during the voyage, the ship's commander, Francisco Pelsaert, was also suffering from an illness. After the shipwreck, when Pelsaert left to get help, Jeronimus Cornelisz, a junior merchant, with a suspect past, took control of the survivors. He didn't hold a formal command but established himself as a dictator, leading to a horrific mutiny and brutal massacres.

Saskia is finally able to escape to one of the other islands where survivors have found water, wallabies and fish as food and a system put into place. Aris fully aware of Saskia's disguise is also on the same island where they are finally rescued.

Modern-day Tess who has in her possession a small silver box with a porcelain insert. She wonders what the link is to her as a descendant of Ariz Jansz. Tess seems to have a deep-seated anxiety. Her father had started a book about the Batavia, unbeknown to her, the discovery of it only coming to light after his death. She flies to the remote Abrolhos Islands where she encounters archaeologists hard at work. At first, she is a little unsettled with the idea of the dig but becomes more enthused when certain discoveries are made. Her small silver box is sent off for analysis but it's the inscription that is baffling.

Before being rescued Saskia reveals a real concern of hers about her uncle and in the malaise of the rescue a change is made.

[Allyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

“And when visitors traversed its shore, the island bore their tread patiently, but it always wanted, and waited, to return to a place on which nothing moved more predictably than the relentless wind.”

There was a lot of good writing in this book, especially for a debut, but this line in particular gave me a little chill when I read it. Big Shirley Jackson vibes.

The Batavia story is really so wild and there’s not that many books written about it. This one is really well done, both emotionally & character driven, and with a lot of history woven into it. Even though I knew the vague story I had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next. The characters were so vividly described that I couldn’t tell which were historical characters with a lot of documentation, and which were almost completely made up.


The revelation about Saskia’s parentage at the end was particularly well done, and I did not see coming. It also makes me really want to go back and find the only other book I’ve read about The Batavia, The Devil’s Own by Deborah Lisson, which I remember loving when I was younger.

The only thing I didn’t love was the development of Tess and Drew’s relationship, it felt like everything happened very fast and was a little insta-lovey, considering that Tess is only over there for a few days.

All in all, a great historical fiction I would definitely recommend.

[Louise M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daughters of Batavia by Stephanie Koens covers some challenging territory. I bought the paperback edition from HarperCollins. Of course, I knew a bit about the wreck of the Batavia. At primary school I learned about the Dutch East India Comany, Hartog, de Houtman, Pelseart, and the trade routes from Europe to Asia. Naively, I failed to understand that families and children travelled on these trips. Later I learned that some indigenous people in Western Australia carry genes from those sailors and also that their languages include Dutch words. Koens has given me much to explore, read, and possibly study. Nevertheless, I think that Koens has tried to include too much in this novel. Too much detail in some chapters and meagre engaging material in others. The topic is excellent and covers new ground that is scarce among the historical fiction currently available. However, I found the writing style boring and old-fashioned in sections. The dual time line is a useful strategy, providing a link to the historical content. I hope Koens takes other characters from the Batavia saga and publishes shorter novels telling their stories.

[Siobhan Greene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well played to Koens for picking a historical event that many of us are not ocerly familiar with! It’s always fun to enter a world that hasn’t been built a million times over.

Coincidentally, a friend recently returned from travelling in WA earlier this year and told me the story of the Batavia. I remember thinking “WOW I can’t believe this isn’t a major book or a movie already.”

I didn’t put the ship names together when I grabbed this book at the library, and I was filled with dread for Saskia and friends as it slowly dawned on me where this book was going. I simply couldn’t put this one down last night, and blame Koens for being exhausted at work today!

My one small critique is that I found the modern plot line to be a bit drawn out towards the end. In saying that though, this part of the book was used really well as a device to build out the islands/foreshadow what was to come.

Really exciting to see a debut author find her feet in this space, and can’t wait to see where her second book will take us!

[Rhiannon G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible debut from Stefanie Koens - I hadn't heard of the Batavia wreck until I read/learnt about this book, despite being from the state where it wrecked 400 years ago. The three POV characters were all interesting in their own right, and the pacing really picked up about halfway through and made me want to blaze through the last of it. Finished it in a week which is a feat for me. The very last chapter delivers an interesting twist that I genuinely didn't see coming and am satisfied by. The historical details are great, too. Amazing read, I can understand why it won the Banjo Prize

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the book because I'm obsessed with all things Batavia. The author thoughtfully blends the present day research/adventures of Tess with the actual historical events of the Batavia founding on the Abrolhos Islands and the dark mayhem that resulted. The developing romance between Tess and Drew was not a strong point of the writing. I found myself skipping pages. Overall though an enjoyable and informative read especially for someone interested in following the voyage and mishap of the Batavia.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having Dutch heritage and having been born in Java many moons ago, I have been aware of the ‘Batavia’ and the fact it was wrecked but knew little else. This book written in two time lines gave good historic background, about the spice trade being developed, the people sailing to Dutch East Indies. A good insight into the different personalities, how some people are pure evil whilst others survive and flourish. The quest of Tess the modern woman, brings her to understanding of what happened to the Batavia and her ancestors who sailed on her.

[Jacqui · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story glides between Tess in 2018 and Saskia in 1628, stitching together centuries with a smoothness that feels almost magical. There were moments so immersive I swear I could feel the deck rocking beneath me and hear whispers of mutiny curling through the salty air. It’s one of those books that makes history feel alive — messy, dangerous, and heartbreakingly human. By the end, I was left in awe of the sheer resilience of these women, while juggling a cocktail of injustice, anger, and unexpected hope. It’s gripping, atmospheric, and quietly powerful in all the right ways.

[Karina Shapland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I struggled initially with the multiple timelines and perspectives, and admittedly struggled throughout with the number of characters and their relations, I overall enjoyed this book. Obviously difficult content to read and imagine the real people who experienced the events of the Batavia, but I enjoyed the perspectives of the real and fictional characters and learning more about our semi-local history.

[Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

with a 1/2
Well researched historical fiction providing a few hours of enjoyable reading.
Always thought Batavia was an exotic name for a country akin to Persia [cf: Iran].
The Dutch East indies provided untold wealth to tiny Holland.. in fact a dutchman left a time plate on the WA coast in the 17th C and one of the Australian states is named after a Dutch explorer.
Impressive debut....and await her next.

[Kait McCafferty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I blind read this book based on my Libby recommendation and was so surprised to see this was not only a new book but a debut book! Also reading that it is based on true history made me appreciate the story even more. Before, I was wishing for more of a love angle, but now knowing it’s based on real events, I actually appreciate the characters having nothing but potential in the end rather than a clean sense of closure. I really enjoyed the book and the perspective shifts.

[Michelle Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been fascinated by the story of the Batavia since I was an 11 year old girl and read about it in a book on shipwrecks. I’ve read many books on Batavia and loved them all.

But this one? Loved loved loved. The mix of present and past, the triple stories carrying through… my nose was buried in it since I started it!

Thank you, Stefanie for a fantastic recounting of this story. I hope to read more of this style from you!

[Cathy Hine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good and easy read. The blend of history and novel is one that was well done. The intersection of the storyline’s was interesting and the momentum of both stories well maintained. Humanity’s brokenness was clearly on dis play, the corruptive pain of power and authority when it is abused, and the courage and achievement of the human will also was striking. It was a good story that was well constructed

[Natasha Lester · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrific debut novel. Even though I thought I knew the Batavia story, I learned a lot in this novel. I especially loved seeing the tragedy of this infamous shipwreck through the eyes of a young woman, which gave a different and fascinating perspective. I look forward to seeing what Koens does next!