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The Ship #1
The Ship
WELCOME TO LONDON
BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
Oxford Street burned for three weeks. The British Museum is occupied by ragtag survivors. The Regent's Park camps have been bombed. The Nazareth Act has come into force. If you can't produce your identity card, you don't exist.
Lalla, sixteen, has grown up sheltered from the new reality by her visionary father, Michael Paul. But now the chaos has reached their doorstep. Michael has promised to save them. His escape route is a ship big enough to save five hundred people. But only the worthy will be chosen.
Once on board, as day follows identical day, Lalla's unease grows. Where are they going? What does her father really want?
WHAT IS THE PRICE OF SALVATION?
BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
Oxford Street burned for three weeks. The British Museum is occupied by ragtag survivors. The Regent's Park camps have been bombed. The Nazareth Act has come into force. If you can't produce your identity card, you don't exist.
Lalla, sixteen, has grown up sheltered from the new reality by her visionary father, Michael Paul. But now the chaos has reached their doorstep. Michael has promised to save them. His escape route is a ship big enough to save five hundred people. But only the worthy will be chosen.
Once on board, as day follows identical day, Lalla's unease grows. Where are they going? What does her father really want?
WHAT IS THE PRICE OF SALVATION?
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 19, 2015
143 people are currently reading
3773 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 410 reviews
June 3, 2017
Well, this was certainly a book that I won't soon forget. Admittedly, it was a struggle to continue reading this story. Set in a futuristic London, the story revolves around sixteen year old Lallage( Lalla) and her father, Michael Paul. Things appear quite grim for the characters- lack of water, lack of various foods, controlled society etc. Lallage has been pretty sheltered by her parents and this book really takes the reader through Lallage's "discovery" of what has been hidden from her for so long. Reeling from the death of her mother and sequestered on a ship with 500 passengers with an unknown destination in site, Lalla's father becomes the "captain" of this little crew. Michael"s command, like a religious leader, is easily accepted by the other passengers who begin to see him as their father figure. But of course, Lalla, his biological child isn't easily won over. In fact, Lalla wants nothing more than to leave the ship and focus her efforts on helping the people that were left behind. The problem is that no one seems willing to agree with her, even Tom, the young man that she begins to fall head over heels in love with.
Re-reading my own summary, the book sounds like it has plenty of wonderful potential. The author's Q&A at the back proved really insightful and maybe( if I hadn't been reading it on an e-reader) I should have read that first. The Ship reminded me so much of The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, but lacked a little bit of the ethical punch that Ursula K. Le Guin always managed to invoke in me with that story. I felt that the story moved too slowly, the atmosphere was so unbalanced, and reading the story made me feel like I was "working."
Not my cup of tea!
Thanks to NetGalley for an uncorrected proof of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Re-reading my own summary, the book sounds like it has plenty of wonderful potential. The author's Q&A at the back proved really insightful and maybe( if I hadn't been reading it on an e-reader) I should have read that first. The Ship reminded me so much of The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, but lacked a little bit of the ethical punch that Ursula K. Le Guin always managed to invoke in me with that story. I felt that the story moved too slowly, the atmosphere was so unbalanced, and reading the story made me feel like I was "working."
Not my cup of tea!
Thanks to NetGalley for an uncorrected proof of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 9, 2021
When I first noticed this book getting shelved as young adult on Goodreads, I assumed it was just because the protagonist is a teenager, and that people were making that typical mistake of thinking teenage character = YA. It's being published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, a literary fiction imprint, and doesn't appear to be categorised by them as YA. But I did notice that between the book being listed on NetGalley and listed in Orion/W&N's catalogue, the inevitable 'x meets x' comparative description in the blurb has been amended from '
Children of Men
meets
The Handmaid's Tale
' to the rather more YA-skewed '
The Hunger Games
meets The Handmaid's Tale'. And now I've read it, I do feel it is probably accurate to categorise this as a young adult novel, whether it's intended as one or not.
The Ship begins with a few chapters of world-building, establishing a dystopia that's reasonably detailed in its creation, but probably not designed to be subjected to much analysis. It's a future version of the UK, partly recognisable - people still use the internet (on tablets referred to as 'screens'), but access is heavily restricted; ownership of an identity card is the only way you 'exist' as a citizen; those without are subject to government culls. Nature is virtually nonexistent, thus food is incredibly scarce (cue a bit of clumsy preaching about the damage previous generations did to the environment; thankfully this doesn't dominate the narrative). The reader is only shown London, with little evidence of life really existing beyond the capital. Parts of the city are underwater, others burning, and places familiar as tourist attractions (parks, the British Museum, St Paul's Cathedral) are filled with the dispossessed.
The narrator is Lalage Paul, a privileged and cloistered sixteen-year-old living in a heavily secured flat with her mother; her father, Michael, who has an influential role in the government, is frequently absent. Lalage enjoys the luxury of relatively plentiful (tinned) food, clean water and a fixed home, but at the expense of any kind of freedom - she has never had a friend and rarely leaves the flat, except to visit the nearby museum, now stripped of most of its exhibits, with her mother. For years, Michael has promised that they will one day leave on a ship, equipped with home comforts and plentiful food, and it's the Paul family's eventual departure on this ship - leading a group of 500 hopeful emigrants - which, naturally, marks the start of the real story. Here Lalage finds herself a reluctant escapee, literally adrift, and kept in the dark; neither her father nor anyone else on board will be direct with her about where they are supposed to be going. In an emotionally involving narrative, she is continually torn between a desire to return to London and help others, and the hypnotic pull of life on the ship. She meets a boy named Tom, and first love distracts her; but all the time there are sinister undercurrents, particularly around the increasingly messianic figure of Michael.
Lalage is a good character, but inescapably an annoying one. As a teenager, she is very well-drawn; believable, sympathetic and infuriating all at the same time. She has led an extremely sheltered life, and that is communicated in her development - she is naive to an extent that wouldn't be plausible if she hadn't been so sheltered, and although seemingly quite intelligent, she is slow to realise very obvious things, to a point that can be frustrating for the reader. Her approach to her relationship with Tom is immature in the extreme - she doesn't trust him, sometimes doesn't seem to even like him, yet at the same time she fantasises about the two of them having a fairytale happy ending, repeatedly states that she wouldn't care about anyone else if only he would love her forever. For Lalage, the order and peace on board the ship is monotonous; to those who have lived in chaos, it is joyful, and each party struggles to accept the other's point of view. The reader is trapped in a queasy and often dispiriting push-and-pull, mimicking the movement of the ship, between Lalage's desire for a freedom she doesn't understand and the adults' need for stability. The Ship constantly reminds us that the teenager who thinks the world's against them isn't in the right; but the adult who's patronising towards them isn't in the right either.
Ultimately, what makes this work is that it's hard, indeed almost impossible, not to be on Lalage's side. Is she an insufferable spoilt brat at times? Yes. But what she faces - from her megalomaniac father who won't even allow her a few hours to ; to creepy Tom, who's so featureless he may as well be a robot, and made me shudder every time he popped up; to the maddeningly calm and condescending people of the ship - is far worse.
It lacks the action of The Hunger Games, and there is little meat to the romance, but The Ship will probably play best to teenagers because they will more easily be able to accept Lalage as a heroine and her point of view as 'right'. I found it a captivating read, yet quite a depressing one, and sometimes, though I'm sure deliberately, a repetitive one. Part of me felt more could have been done with the premise, that there was something missing and the last chapters were a letdown; another part of me was impressed by the way this was handled, with the reader's disappointment designed to mimic Lalage's, setting up a cliffhanger ending that could perhaps make this the first entry in a series.
The Ship begins with a few chapters of world-building, establishing a dystopia that's reasonably detailed in its creation, but probably not designed to be subjected to much analysis. It's a future version of the UK, partly recognisable - people still use the internet (on tablets referred to as 'screens'), but access is heavily restricted; ownership of an identity card is the only way you 'exist' as a citizen; those without are subject to government culls. Nature is virtually nonexistent, thus food is incredibly scarce (cue a bit of clumsy preaching about the damage previous generations did to the environment; thankfully this doesn't dominate the narrative). The reader is only shown London, with little evidence of life really existing beyond the capital. Parts of the city are underwater, others burning, and places familiar as tourist attractions (parks, the British Museum, St Paul's Cathedral) are filled with the dispossessed.
The narrator is Lalage Paul, a privileged and cloistered sixteen-year-old living in a heavily secured flat with her mother; her father, Michael, who has an influential role in the government, is frequently absent. Lalage enjoys the luxury of relatively plentiful (tinned) food, clean water and a fixed home, but at the expense of any kind of freedom - she has never had a friend and rarely leaves the flat, except to visit the nearby museum, now stripped of most of its exhibits, with her mother. For years, Michael has promised that they will one day leave on a ship, equipped with home comforts and plentiful food, and it's the Paul family's eventual departure on this ship - leading a group of 500 hopeful emigrants - which, naturally, marks the start of the real story. Here Lalage finds herself a reluctant escapee, literally adrift, and kept in the dark; neither her father nor anyone else on board will be direct with her about where they are supposed to be going. In an emotionally involving narrative, she is continually torn between a desire to return to London and help others, and the hypnotic pull of life on the ship. She meets a boy named Tom, and first love distracts her; but all the time there are sinister undercurrents, particularly around the increasingly messianic figure of Michael.
Lalage is a good character, but inescapably an annoying one. As a teenager, she is very well-drawn; believable, sympathetic and infuriating all at the same time. She has led an extremely sheltered life, and that is communicated in her development - she is naive to an extent that wouldn't be plausible if she hadn't been so sheltered, and although seemingly quite intelligent, she is slow to realise very obvious things, to a point that can be frustrating for the reader. Her approach to her relationship with Tom is immature in the extreme - she doesn't trust him, sometimes doesn't seem to even like him, yet at the same time she fantasises about the two of them having a fairytale happy ending, repeatedly states that she wouldn't care about anyone else if only he would love her forever. For Lalage, the order and peace on board the ship is monotonous; to those who have lived in chaos, it is joyful, and each party struggles to accept the other's point of view. The reader is trapped in a queasy and often dispiriting push-and-pull, mimicking the movement of the ship, between Lalage's desire for a freedom she doesn't understand and the adults' need for stability. The Ship constantly reminds us that the teenager who thinks the world's against them isn't in the right; but the adult who's patronising towards them isn't in the right either.
Ultimately, what makes this work is that it's hard, indeed almost impossible, not to be on Lalage's side. Is she an insufferable spoilt brat at times? Yes. But what she faces - from her megalomaniac father who won't even allow her a few hours to ; to creepy Tom, who's so featureless he may as well be a robot, and made me shudder every time he popped up; to the maddeningly calm and condescending people of the ship - is far worse.
It lacks the action of The Hunger Games, and there is little meat to the romance, but The Ship will probably play best to teenagers because they will more easily be able to accept Lalage as a heroine and her point of view as 'right'. I found it a captivating read, yet quite a depressing one, and sometimes, though I'm sure deliberately, a repetitive one. Part of me felt more could have been done with the premise, that there was something missing and the last chapters were a letdown; another part of me was impressed by the way this was handled, with the reader's disappointment designed to mimic Lalage's, setting up a cliffhanger ending that could perhaps make this the first entry in a series.
May 26, 2017
My thoughts are very divided on this novel. I loved the premise, a resourceful group of people decide to abandon a failing land and live on a ship in the midst of the end of the world. A ship setting for a post apocalypse book is pretty unique and rare, and it did live up to its potential in that regard.
Where I struggled with the story was with the main character, on the one hand I want to commend the author for writing a very relatable and realistic teenager...but that realism is what makes her so bloody annoying! She was constantly going around in circles, contradicting herself, making hers and the people around hers life so much harder than necessary.
However the back and forth did allow for some deep thinking, and I love when you can see both sides of a very complicated situation. The writing flowed nicely and I flew through the story. Even when I was annoyed at the main character I couldn't stop reading because I was desperate to know what happened next. I would enjoy reading a sequel for this.
Buy, Borrow or Bin Verdict: Buy
Check out more of my reviews here
Note: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
March 21, 2015
HATED the main character. Dragged on forever and then ended with everything up in the air. Took all my will not to DNF it.
May 9, 2024
This is an interesting concept.
Life as we know it is ending and you're one of the chosen 500 to start again, somewhere safe but with no hope of a future.
I enjoyed this book, I didn't like the main character at all, she is naive and extremely selfish however I think that's the point.
It definitely makes you think about what you would do in her red shoes.
Three stars.
Life as we know it is ending and you're one of the chosen 500 to start again, somewhere safe but with no hope of a future.
I enjoyed this book, I didn't like the main character at all, she is naive and extremely selfish however I think that's the point.
It definitely makes you think about what you would do in her red shoes.
Three stars.
June 19, 2017
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/06/19/...
Just when I thought I’d seen it all in post-apocalyptic YA dystopian fiction, along comes The Ship to offer up a little something different. In the near future, Earth has run out of resources, the environment is on the edge of ecological collapse, and civilization itself is in shambles. A man with a vision decides to do something about it, searching high and low for five hundred of Britain’s best and brightest, gathering them all together with the necessary provisions to embark on a long voyage. Nothing too new here, or so I thought. After all, this is pretty much the beginning to every single generation ship story.
Ah, but here’s the rub—there is actually no escape from the mess the world has become. Extreme measures have been taken by the government to ensure the survival of the human race, even if it means disavowing much of its own population. People are made to carry an official ID card on their person at all times. More than just proof of citizenship, these cards are also their lifeline, guaranteeing access to food and shelter. Get on the wrong side of the law, and your card and rights can be summarily stripped from you, leaving you to fend for yourself along with all the other disenfranchised. Most of the time, this is an immediate death sentence, as those who cannot produce their ID card to authorities are often shot on sight. Those who escape notice don’t fare much better either, forced to live in makeshift camps set up in public places like parks and museums, but even that is no longer an option once the government decides their meager existence is a burden to their resources. Thousands die as camps across the country are gassed and razed.
For sixteen-year-old Lalla Paul and her parents, this was the very last straw. Lalla’s father Michael Paul is a former bureaucrat who had used his wealth and influence to purchase a large yacht, outfitting it to carry a few hundred on a sea voyage of indeterminable length. For months, he has been secretly interviewing potential passengers, recruiting those he believes would be an asset for the utopian society he has in mind. Now the ship is ready to sail—and not a moment too soon, with the government cracking down on all kinds of regulations. However, Lalla’s mother is not so ready. A staunch humanitarian, Anna Paul has been taking her daughter almost daily to the British Museum camp to help those who live there, and she is reluctant to go when there is so much more work to be done, not to mention so many they would be leaving behind without hope or salvation.
This was a rather unusual novel, with a fascinating premise. Obviously, time eventually runs out for our characters, and their ship ends up sailing along with its own little utopia on board. Still, things don’t exactly go as planned, and even with everything they could ever want, life aboard the ship is nothing like what you would imagine. Reading about these people who are suddenly cut off from the rest of the world is a bit like stepping into a bubble frozen in time. As one day blends into the next, reality itself begins to lose all meaning for Lalla, and one can’t help but wonder if her father’s dream of a safe future will ever come to pass, or if there is something more sinister afoot.
While the story’s end-of-the-world scenario may be somewhat standard, it does contain a few unique elements to help it stand out. Not surprisingly, it is once we get on the ship that things start to get really interesting. Despite his claims that everything he has ever done is for Lalla, Michael becomes an absent father once they set sail, even as the other passengers start worshipping him with something close to cult-like obsession. Also troubling to Lalla is how everyone around her seems to be perfectly content living in this strange limbo, with no final destination in mind. The result is this palpable, oppressive atmosphere that shrouds the entire novel in a surreal and haunted aura, and if this was what the author had intended, then she most definitely succeeded.
However, The Ship was not without its flaws, and a big one is the protagonist. Privileged but sheltered, Lalla has no inkling of how anything works in the real world and is largely unable to sympathize with the other passengers who have gone through much more persecution and pain.
Unfortunately, while on some level I understood this to be an intrinsic part of Lalla’s identity, it didn’t make her naiveté any less maddening. Her failure to mature mentally over the course of the novel was a problem for me, not to mention her complete inability to empathize with others. Even when driven by good intentions, she winds up doing some downright stupid things, which made her character difficult to embrace. Considering how this entire novel is told through her perspective, you can see why I might have struggled with certain parts of the story.
At the end of the day, I found The Ship to be an interesting read, with moments of clever creativity amidst the usual dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction tropes. The story was also well-written and conceptually rich, which makes me all the more regretful that I was unable to fully sympathize with or relate to the main protagonist. My issues with her character aside though, I thought this was a good read overall, with potential appeal to YA speculative fiction readers.
Just when I thought I’d seen it all in post-apocalyptic YA dystopian fiction, along comes The Ship to offer up a little something different. In the near future, Earth has run out of resources, the environment is on the edge of ecological collapse, and civilization itself is in shambles. A man with a vision decides to do something about it, searching high and low for five hundred of Britain’s best and brightest, gathering them all together with the necessary provisions to embark on a long voyage. Nothing too new here, or so I thought. After all, this is pretty much the beginning to every single generation ship story.
Ah, but here’s the rub—there is actually no escape from the mess the world has become. Extreme measures have been taken by the government to ensure the survival of the human race, even if it means disavowing much of its own population. People are made to carry an official ID card on their person at all times. More than just proof of citizenship, these cards are also their lifeline, guaranteeing access to food and shelter. Get on the wrong side of the law, and your card and rights can be summarily stripped from you, leaving you to fend for yourself along with all the other disenfranchised. Most of the time, this is an immediate death sentence, as those who cannot produce their ID card to authorities are often shot on sight. Those who escape notice don’t fare much better either, forced to live in makeshift camps set up in public places like parks and museums, but even that is no longer an option once the government decides their meager existence is a burden to their resources. Thousands die as camps across the country are gassed and razed.
For sixteen-year-old Lalla Paul and her parents, this was the very last straw. Lalla’s father Michael Paul is a former bureaucrat who had used his wealth and influence to purchase a large yacht, outfitting it to carry a few hundred on a sea voyage of indeterminable length. For months, he has been secretly interviewing potential passengers, recruiting those he believes would be an asset for the utopian society he has in mind. Now the ship is ready to sail—and not a moment too soon, with the government cracking down on all kinds of regulations. However, Lalla’s mother is not so ready. A staunch humanitarian, Anna Paul has been taking her daughter almost daily to the British Museum camp to help those who live there, and she is reluctant to go when there is so much more work to be done, not to mention so many they would be leaving behind without hope or salvation.
This was a rather unusual novel, with a fascinating premise. Obviously, time eventually runs out for our characters, and their ship ends up sailing along with its own little utopia on board. Still, things don’t exactly go as planned, and even with everything they could ever want, life aboard the ship is nothing like what you would imagine. Reading about these people who are suddenly cut off from the rest of the world is a bit like stepping into a bubble frozen in time. As one day blends into the next, reality itself begins to lose all meaning for Lalla, and one can’t help but wonder if her father’s dream of a safe future will ever come to pass, or if there is something more sinister afoot.
While the story’s end-of-the-world scenario may be somewhat standard, it does contain a few unique elements to help it stand out. Not surprisingly, it is once we get on the ship that things start to get really interesting. Despite his claims that everything he has ever done is for Lalla, Michael becomes an absent father once they set sail, even as the other passengers start worshipping him with something close to cult-like obsession. Also troubling to Lalla is how everyone around her seems to be perfectly content living in this strange limbo, with no final destination in mind. The result is this palpable, oppressive atmosphere that shrouds the entire novel in a surreal and haunted aura, and if this was what the author had intended, then she most definitely succeeded.
However, The Ship was not without its flaws, and a big one is the protagonist. Privileged but sheltered, Lalla has no inkling of how anything works in the real world and is largely unable to sympathize with the other passengers who have gone through much more persecution and pain.
Unfortunately, while on some level I understood this to be an intrinsic part of Lalla’s identity, it didn’t make her naiveté any less maddening. Her failure to mature mentally over the course of the novel was a problem for me, not to mention her complete inability to empathize with others. Even when driven by good intentions, she winds up doing some downright stupid things, which made her character difficult to embrace. Considering how this entire novel is told through her perspective, you can see why I might have struggled with certain parts of the story.
At the end of the day, I found The Ship to be an interesting read, with moments of clever creativity amidst the usual dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction tropes. The story was also well-written and conceptually rich, which makes me all the more regretful that I was unable to fully sympathize with or relate to the main protagonist. My issues with her character aside though, I thought this was a good read overall, with potential appeal to YA speculative fiction readers.
June 25, 2017
This is a completely implausible apocalyptic novel where the world is falling apart and a man builds an ark for his family and 500 people, which leaves from London, almost too late, because society is collapsing. His daughter, the protagonist, tries to resist the father's utopian cult. Nobody knows anything about science, including, I'd say, the author, considering all the things that would have to be true for the people on the ship to survive as described.
Things nobody in the book or writing the book knows about science:
I could go on but this is more than the typical suspending of disbelief. There's just no way to enjoy this book if you know even half of these things.
Thanks to the publisher for providing access to the title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion. You got it.
Things nobody in the book or writing the book knows about science:
I could go on but this is more than the typical suspending of disbelief. There's just no way to enjoy this book if you know even half of these things.
Thanks to the publisher for providing access to the title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion. You got it.
February 17, 2019
Ahoy there me mateys! This be the fourth book in me Ports for Plunder – 19 Books in 2019 list. I wanted to read this because it is a postapocalyptic sci-fi novel about a crumbling world where one man’s vision of survival is a ship where he chooses the 500 souls whose only salvation is to get a slot onboard. But Noah’s ark this ain’t.
The story is told from the perspective of Lalla, a sixteen year old whose father is the saviour. The ship seems like a utopia to the chosen passengers. There is safety, running water, food for all, and freedom to enjoy the simple things in life like cooking, listening to music, and swimming. In exchange, there is no talk about the past or future but only concentration on living in the moment and enjoying life’s little pleasures. However, Lalla feels smothered by the boat and the memory of those left behind. She wants to know where the ship is going and what the plan is. The problem is that no one will discuss it. Her father focuses only on maintaining his cult-like following and control.
While well-written, this book ended up being tough to love. I thought the world-building was excellent. I loved the majority of the concepts. I loved the entire beginning of the book up through the passengers settling in to life on the ship. Then it got dicey. What it came down to was Lalla’s temperament and choices.
Lalla was spoiled and sheltered by her parents. She has almost no real personality of her own but what she does have is extraorindary selfishness. She lost her home and stability when she boards the ship. Everyone else was fleeing disaster and finds the ship to be a haven. Initially I had sympathy for her predictiment. But she is whiney, thoughtless, and silly. She gives no thought to the feelings or needs of others. She doesn’t act like a 16 year-old. She acts like a temper-tantrum-throwing toddler. She continously makes bad choices and has extremely unlogical and flawed thinking. I would have just tossed her overboard and been done with it.
Also many of the plot twists of Lalla’s journey were just plain pointless or stupid. The ending in particular irked me. I dont’t necessarily fault the author’s choices because it actually made sense for Lalla to have made such a dumb decision. Every thing Lalla does is based on pure reaction and emotion. But after reading this, I immediately came up with many better options and long-range plots to potentially achieve success. Seriously this girl was a moron. I knew the answers to the mysteries practically upon introduction of them. Lalla was clueless.
So even though the given prespective and plot were super annoying at times, the story did keep me engaged and I had to keep reading and finish. The ship did turn out to have a sinister and creepy feeling. I wouldn’t want to live in those conditions but I understood why others might. I have no regrets about reading this one and would be willing to try more of the author’s work. Arrrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
The story is told from the perspective of Lalla, a sixteen year old whose father is the saviour. The ship seems like a utopia to the chosen passengers. There is safety, running water, food for all, and freedom to enjoy the simple things in life like cooking, listening to music, and swimming. In exchange, there is no talk about the past or future but only concentration on living in the moment and enjoying life’s little pleasures. However, Lalla feels smothered by the boat and the memory of those left behind. She wants to know where the ship is going and what the plan is. The problem is that no one will discuss it. Her father focuses only on maintaining his cult-like following and control.
While well-written, this book ended up being tough to love. I thought the world-building was excellent. I loved the majority of the concepts. I loved the entire beginning of the book up through the passengers settling in to life on the ship. Then it got dicey. What it came down to was Lalla’s temperament and choices.
Lalla was spoiled and sheltered by her parents. She has almost no real personality of her own but what she does have is extraorindary selfishness. She lost her home and stability when she boards the ship. Everyone else was fleeing disaster and finds the ship to be a haven. Initially I had sympathy for her predictiment. But she is whiney, thoughtless, and silly. She gives no thought to the feelings or needs of others. She doesn’t act like a 16 year-old. She acts like a temper-tantrum-throwing toddler. She continously makes bad choices and has extremely unlogical and flawed thinking. I would have just tossed her overboard and been done with it.
Also many of the plot twists of Lalla’s journey were just plain pointless or stupid. The ending in particular irked me. I dont’t necessarily fault the author’s choices because it actually made sense for Lalla to have made such a dumb decision. Every thing Lalla does is based on pure reaction and emotion. But after reading this, I immediately came up with many better options and long-range plots to potentially achieve success. Seriously this girl was a moron. I knew the answers to the mysteries practically upon introduction of them. Lalla was clueless.
So even though the given prespective and plot were super annoying at times, the story did keep me engaged and I had to keep reading and finish. The ship did turn out to have a sinister and creepy feeling. I wouldn’t want to live in those conditions but I understood why others might. I have no regrets about reading this one and would be willing to try more of the author’s work. Arrrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
July 22, 2015
Opens: Right up to the day we boarded, I wondered whether the ship was just a myth
The narrator of THE SHIP is Lalla, who is an interesting character. At 16 she is part child, part woman, and still formulating her outlook on life, a life that she quickly realises she knows nothing about. She comes over at times as a spoilt brat and utterly self-centred, which is not surprising as she has been the sole focus of her parents for 16 years – protected from the horrors of a disintegrating society for most of that time. Now she is of an age where she can no longer be protected from the reality of life. While she lives in a clean flat in central London with a bed and clothes and protection from the elements and access to what little food there is available; others live rough. Homeless and hungry, dispossessed people and refugees living in the streets, abandoned buildings and parks of London are often culled by the ruling party. Culling means parks being bombed; street dwellers shot and buildings being sealed and all those squatting inside being gassed to death. There is no place to go – the land has been poisoned, the climate change has resulted in large parts of the world flooding and super viruses whipping out millions of people.
But Lalla’s father has a plan. He has stocked a ship, an ark if you will, to save his family and 500 other people and sail to a better place. As THE SHIP opens, the time has come to get on the ship. Lalla’s mother is still reluctant to up roots and go even though society is falling apart however as they are in the flat arguing a shot rings out and Lalla’s mum goes down. Now they have to go to the ship as that is where there is medical help. After a dramatic departure the ship sets sail and Lalla watches her mother die.
“…The woman and the doctor stood quietly by, and when he fell back, they caught him and led him away, supporting him on either side. I longed to call out, to go with them. But my mother was dead; I had made her death a painful one. And so I hid, unable to move, unable to cry out to the doctor who thought I’d killed her, or to the father who had, however briefly, forgotten me…”
Lalla has to go through her morning period and author Antonia Honeywell must have experienced great loss to perfectly recreate a teen who has reached the end of her tether. Gradually though she starts to take an interest in what is happening around her – and with the interest comes the questions. Just what is her father up to? Despite being on a ship with 500 other people, and a young man who is interested in her as a girlfriend, Lalla is lonely and confused. She gradually understands that all of the others have been to hell and back – suffered as she didn’t think people could suffer – but she still resents them being there and almost worshiping her father as he becomes increasingly messianic almost. As she hears the stories of those who have been through these horrors her compassionate side is revealed and she has a big heart and wants to help everyone. Even those who have not been chosen to join the ship.
Her father encourages everyone to not hang onto the past, he becomes their son, their father, their children, and their future. But what is the future going to be, and how can he expect Lalla to forget her mother? As she learns about what has happened in the rest of the world, Lalla starts to believes that there can be no future. And the dreams she has when her mother speaks to her only compound her overwhelming feelings of hopelessness – why does no one on the ship seem worried about where they are going – what the future is going to bring?
I really, really enjoyed this story. THE SHIP is a brilliant concept and though Honeywell’s glimpse of the future is quite terrifyingly real (as there are hints already around the globe that it can happen the way she foresees) it is also thought provoking and it is not too late to start lobbying to change the direction of our world. In the end the focus of the story is how far would you go to survive? THE SHIP is a debut novel and I for one will be keeping an eye out for more from this author.
B – Great – I really enjoyed reading it and it is a book I will be recommending to all my friends who like this genre.
March 19, 2016
This is more of a 2.5 than 3.
The premise for this book was really interesting, and exactly what I like to read: in a dystopian London (love it already!!) a family and a selected few flee in a ship filled with everything they need to live 3 generations. Sounds SO great!!
But it isn't.
First of all, the main character is REALLY annoying. She's a typical spoilt only child that can't value what she has. She is whinny, annoying and irrational. Don't get me wrong, nothing against only children. I'm one of them! But I don't think I'm THIS annoying and selfish.
And the dystopian part ended within the first chapters. No adventure, no exploring... only life in the ship and the main character complaining.
If she had half a brain, she would have But hey, I'm not an annoying 16 year old girl. More than 10 years have passed since then and maybe I just cannot understand the way they think.
If you're thinking about reading this book for the dystopian side of things, don't bother. If you're into coming of age fiction, give The Ship a try.
The premise for this book was really interesting, and exactly what I like to read: in a dystopian London (love it already!!) a family and a selected few flee in a ship filled with everything they need to live 3 generations. Sounds SO great!!
But it isn't.
First of all, the main character is REALLY annoying. She's a typical spoilt only child that can't value what she has. She is whinny, annoying and irrational. Don't get me wrong, nothing against only children. I'm one of them! But I don't think I'm THIS annoying and selfish.
And the dystopian part ended within the first chapters. No adventure, no exploring... only life in the ship and the main character complaining.
If she had half a brain, she would have But hey, I'm not an annoying 16 year old girl. More than 10 years have passed since then and maybe I just cannot understand the way they think.
If you're thinking about reading this book for the dystopian side of things, don't bother. If you're into coming of age fiction, give The Ship a try.
August 10, 2017
Rating: 3.5/5.0
This book is really hard to categorize to a certain genre. Yes it belongs to Dystopian Young Adult genre but I personally find it more to be a philosophical book that can be interpreted into many different ways based on the reader's scope of imagination. At least I can say that it touches certain religious and social issues without directly pointing at them. For example every body in the ship calling Michael as "Father", the Nazareth Act and several other symbols.
It is the end of the world and Michael has made this big ship as a resort to escape from the cruelty and destruction of the outer world. The resistance on the ship comes from his own daughter (Lalage) who feels miserable all the time. The book starts really good but then it slows down in a big way. This could have been a 5 star book if the story was not slow and if more events were happening. Although the author gave brief history/background on some of the characters and how they came on board of the ship but I still feel lots of things could have been done to make the story interesting.
So I would recommend this book because of its philosophical aspect. If you are looking for a fast Dystopian or post apocalyptic story then you will be disappointed because the pace is very slow, but if you are reading this book just have an open mind and think of the big picture that this small story tries to convey.
Note: I have received an ARC of this book in exchange of an unbiased review.
This book is really hard to categorize to a certain genre. Yes it belongs to Dystopian Young Adult genre but I personally find it more to be a philosophical book that can be interpreted into many different ways based on the reader's scope of imagination. At least I can say that it touches certain religious and social issues without directly pointing at them. For example every body in the ship calling Michael as "Father", the Nazareth Act and several other symbols.
It is the end of the world and Michael has made this big ship as a resort to escape from the cruelty and destruction of the outer world. The resistance on the ship comes from his own daughter (Lalage) who feels miserable all the time. The book starts really good but then it slows down in a big way. This could have been a 5 star book if the story was not slow and if more events were happening. Although the author gave brief history/background on some of the characters and how they came on board of the ship but I still feel lots of things could have been done to make the story interesting.
So I would recommend this book because of its philosophical aspect. If you are looking for a fast Dystopian or post apocalyptic story then you will be disappointed because the pace is very slow, but if you are reading this book just have an open mind and think of the big picture that this small story tries to convey.
Note: I have received an ARC of this book in exchange of an unbiased review.
October 18, 2020
I was expecting this book to be a dark apocalyptic thriller, instead it is a 309 page book about a whiny selfish spoiled brat that wants an apple and can't hear her dead mother anymore. Its just one big back and forth of a story just like the ship going back and forth in the ocean. disappointing read for sure, and not worth the dollar I paid for. no wonder I found it at a Dollar Tree!
April 21, 2017
Dystopian novels are not usually my thing...I feel that is an important thing to start with. My ability to suspend reality and dive into the story are a bit too strong, and I end up a complete mess every time I read them. This is no exception.
It's not much of a spoiler to find out that the main character finds herself, on... you guessed it, a ship.
Its the dynamic and situations that occur both before and after that make this book so hard to digest.
Human beings can be ugly, and mean and cruel and its really hard to be reminded of that, but there is no such thing as utopia. Not really.
I find myself constantly deleting much of what I'm writing so this review is likely to make NO sense, because I don't wany to spoil this book for anyone.
This book takes you for a whirlwind ride of emotions. I was angry, frustrated, hurt, aching, and even in love for a bit. I recommend this book for those that love dystopian novels. The writing is engaging and the intricacies of human interaction are well drawn out.
It's not much of a spoiler to find out that the main character finds herself, on... you guessed it, a ship.
Its the dynamic and situations that occur both before and after that make this book so hard to digest.
Human beings can be ugly, and mean and cruel and its really hard to be reminded of that, but there is no such thing as utopia. Not really.
I find myself constantly deleting much of what I'm writing so this review is likely to make NO sense, because I don't wany to spoil this book for anyone.
This book takes you for a whirlwind ride of emotions. I was angry, frustrated, hurt, aching, and even in love for a bit. I recommend this book for those that love dystopian novels. The writing is engaging and the intricacies of human interaction are well drawn out.
February 8, 2015
A contender for my favourite book of 2015 (already!). A man's quest for order and control vs his daughter's need for freedom, knowledge and experience. It's a book to really make you consider what life's about. Is survival enough? I thoroughly enjoyed it. (And I'll never take oranges for granted again.)
February 5, 2017
This post-apocalyptic book is a grim look at the future of the UK after the collapse of the world. The exact reason for the collapse is never explained, but there are mentions of a world overcome by damaged agriculture and no natural resources, rising sea levels, and contagious diseases. People are starving and the only government response is to register those it can afford to feed; and murder those it can't. But it's not really murder, because if you're not registered, you never existed, did you?
Lalla is a sheltered 16 year old who has been raised in relative privilege by a family involved in previous government reforms. When she's 16, they embark onto a ship with 500 hand-picked companions. The ship is luxuriously stocked with everything they need to get to their destination, but Lalla becomes obsessed with where they're going and what they've left behind.
It's an exploratory novel about someone who has been shielded from the harsh reality of life trying to work through the things she's left behind, as she works for the first time, interacts with others for the first time, falls in love for the first time... and ultimately starts to question her existence and her place in the world.
The blurb offers a bit of a mystery but the questions posed in the blurb are answered half way through the book. I thought that would be the ending, but a lot of the book is how a young adult processes what she's found out and how it shapes her - also how her upbringing shaped her and has made her different to the other people on the ship. There is very little adventure or action in this book; it's more an internal musing and the development of critical thought process in a teenager.
It's a good story, but a little lacking in the meat department - too much repetitive thinking and not enough everything else for me to absolutely love it, but I did find it engaging and wanted to know what decision she would make in the end (even though honestly, I think she made a very dumb choice!) I found Lalla a little annoying as she is incredibly naive and simple at times, but of course, I have to bear in mind she's a 16 year old who has never had a friend and never been part of the outside world other than short walks outside, holding her mothers hand.
It's Young Adult and has a teenage protagonist, but I think it will appeal to a wide variety of readers but you definitely have to have the patience for dealing with a stubborn teenage mind, rebelling against the adults - that story is as old as time. The content is fairly simple and the shallow teenage love aspect very immature - but ultimately it does have some depth and philosophical insight.
Lalla is a sheltered 16 year old who has been raised in relative privilege by a family involved in previous government reforms. When she's 16, they embark onto a ship with 500 hand-picked companions. The ship is luxuriously stocked with everything they need to get to their destination, but Lalla becomes obsessed with where they're going and what they've left behind.
It's an exploratory novel about someone who has been shielded from the harsh reality of life trying to work through the things she's left behind, as she works for the first time, interacts with others for the first time, falls in love for the first time... and ultimately starts to question her existence and her place in the world.
The blurb offers a bit of a mystery but the questions posed in the blurb are answered half way through the book. I thought that would be the ending, but a lot of the book is how a young adult processes what she's found out and how it shapes her - also how her upbringing shaped her and has made her different to the other people on the ship. There is very little adventure or action in this book; it's more an internal musing and the development of critical thought process in a teenager.
It's a good story, but a little lacking in the meat department - too much repetitive thinking and not enough everything else for me to absolutely love it, but I did find it engaging and wanted to know what decision she would make in the end (even though honestly, I think she made a very dumb choice!) I found Lalla a little annoying as she is incredibly naive and simple at times, but of course, I have to bear in mind she's a 16 year old who has never had a friend and never been part of the outside world other than short walks outside, holding her mothers hand.
It's Young Adult and has a teenage protagonist, but I think it will appeal to a wide variety of readers but you definitely have to have the patience for dealing with a stubborn teenage mind, rebelling against the adults - that story is as old as time. The content is fairly simple and the shallow teenage love aspect very immature - but ultimately it does have some depth and philosophical insight.
November 1, 2014
Really enjoyed this one – considering the subject matter it was a gentle, rolling and addictive read following Lalla as she embarks on a journey to who knows where, leaving behind a ravaged world. Very much a character driven piece, it really is all about Lalla as she struggles to come to terms with how things are, deal with a devastating loss and work out who she is and what she wants.
I do love a book that gets my blood up and this one did in very clever little ways – Lalla is not entirely likeable, I often wanted to yell at her for being so obtuse, but as things develop, a better understanding of what she is dealing with leads her to become much more sympathetic. Stuck in an environment not of her choosing, there are some very intriguing threads to this tale – is safety always the best thing, when does self preservation become pure selfishness – what, exactly IS worth fighting for? From the santuary of “The Ship” Lalla ponders all this and more and it is captivating throughout.
There are some other absolutely fascinating characters inhabiting her world – the most compelling of which is Lalla’s Father Michael. He oozes sainthood from his very pores – but whether or not he is saint or sinner is unclear, seen entirely through the eyes of his daughter, just as you think you have a grip on his motivations everything changes. The other “lucky” folk who managed to get a place are equally puzzling and there is a very “smoke and mirrors” feel to the novel as a whole which makes it absolutely enthralling.
The world building is intelligent, enough background being given to inform the characters choices but not overwhelming the heart of the story which is, as I said, very much all about the people and the choices they make. A very different kind of post apocalyptic tale, for me this was a spot on read that had me fully immersed into the world of “The Ship” and those who sail on her. The author weaves an astute and imaginative web which will give you pause for thought whilst at the same time being highly entertaining and for that reason I would definitely recommend it.
Happy Reading Folks!
I do love a book that gets my blood up and this one did in very clever little ways – Lalla is not entirely likeable, I often wanted to yell at her for being so obtuse, but as things develop, a better understanding of what she is dealing with leads her to become much more sympathetic. Stuck in an environment not of her choosing, there are some very intriguing threads to this tale – is safety always the best thing, when does self preservation become pure selfishness – what, exactly IS worth fighting for? From the santuary of “The Ship” Lalla ponders all this and more and it is captivating throughout.
There are some other absolutely fascinating characters inhabiting her world – the most compelling of which is Lalla’s Father Michael. He oozes sainthood from his very pores – but whether or not he is saint or sinner is unclear, seen entirely through the eyes of his daughter, just as you think you have a grip on his motivations everything changes. The other “lucky” folk who managed to get a place are equally puzzling and there is a very “smoke and mirrors” feel to the novel as a whole which makes it absolutely enthralling.
The world building is intelligent, enough background being given to inform the characters choices but not overwhelming the heart of the story which is, as I said, very much all about the people and the choices they make. A very different kind of post apocalyptic tale, for me this was a spot on read that had me fully immersed into the world of “The Ship” and those who sail on her. The author weaves an astute and imaginative web which will give you pause for thought whilst at the same time being highly entertaining and for that reason I would definitely recommend it.
Happy Reading Folks!
October 1, 2017
Kinda like Station Eleven and The Age of Miracles aka introspective look at the end of civilization... just with less depth and worldbuilding and worse writing than either.
Read
August 17, 20223.5 stars
I had high hopes for this book. I am pretty sure I discovered it through Sanne (booksandquills on youtube) and when I heard the synopsis I knew I had to read it. 'The Hunger Games meets the London Riots on board Noah's Ark' is how the Times describes this book and that is exactly what this is. I found that Antonia Honeywell is a captivating storyteller and with passages such as 'Oxford Street burned for three weeks, and I watched the orange skies from the circle of my mother's arms', the Ship hooks you from the very first page. Also, as a little detail, I loved the short summary of the chapters you got after each chapter title and I found myself looking back to them after I had finished the chapter so I could understand them better.
However, I had a few issues with this novel which I felt took away from the intriguing plot. I found Lalla extremely annoying and overall quite a flat character. I realise that up to a point, she is meant to be a bit irritating - as emphasized by the fact that the other characters on the ship sometimes find her annoying as well, but simply overlook that because she is her father's daughter. However, I could not empathise with Lalla at all and throughout the whole novel, I was focused on how much she annoyed me. Also, she came across as a very naive and childish individual and quite simple at times. For the first half of the book especially, she was the perfect portrayal of a spoiled brat and I couldn't understand what she wanted and I'm sure she couldn't either. She kind of reminded me of Bella Swan in New Moon in a way.
Also, I found the love story quite forced and cliche.
Lastly, I found that the writing was inexplicably cryptic at times. Certain ideas were not properly explained and some things were just plain confusing.
I had high hopes for this book. I am pretty sure I discovered it through Sanne (booksandquills on youtube) and when I heard the synopsis I knew I had to read it. 'The Hunger Games meets the London Riots on board Noah's Ark' is how the Times describes this book and that is exactly what this is. I found that Antonia Honeywell is a captivating storyteller and with passages such as 'Oxford Street burned for three weeks, and I watched the orange skies from the circle of my mother's arms', the Ship hooks you from the very first page. Also, as a little detail, I loved the short summary of the chapters you got after each chapter title and I found myself looking back to them after I had finished the chapter so I could understand them better.
However, I had a few issues with this novel which I felt took away from the intriguing plot. I found Lalla extremely annoying and overall quite a flat character. I realise that up to a point, she is meant to be a bit irritating - as emphasized by the fact that the other characters on the ship sometimes find her annoying as well, but simply overlook that because she is her father's daughter. However, I could not empathise with Lalla at all and throughout the whole novel, I was focused on how much she annoyed me. Also, she came across as a very naive and childish individual and quite simple at times. For the first half of the book especially, she was the perfect portrayal of a spoiled brat and I couldn't understand what she wanted and I'm sure she couldn't either. She kind of reminded me of Bella Swan in New Moon in a way.
Also, I found the love story quite forced and cliche.
Lastly, I found that the writing was inexplicably cryptic at times. Certain ideas were not properly explained and some things were just plain confusing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2014
I had not heard of this book but chose to sample it purely on the beautiful cover image together with the author’s lovely name.
Dystopian novels are definitely in vogue at the moment – recently I’ve read ‘Station Eleven’ by Emily St John Mandel, ‘J’ by Howard Jacobson, ‘Beautiful You’ by Chuck Palahnuik and this one: they are all set in versions of our world after some kind of catastrophic shift. Be that an epidemic, genocide, or in this case overpopulation and the end of natural resources, they are all worlds that we can recognise and relate to which I suppose is one of the reasons why they all make such enjoyable reads.
‘The Ship’ begins by setting the scene of London as a place where people are identified by ID cards and without a valid card you are no longer seen as a person. Without a card you are not entitled to a home, to food rations or to civil liberties. People have begun to colonise places like the royal parks and the British museum but wherever a big gathering becomes un wieldy or if the government feel as though it’s time for another population cull these sects make easy targets for mass murder.
Central character, the teenage Lalage, lives in a central London flat with her mother and father (who works for the government). She’s lived a protected and somewhat privileged existence in that she’s never gone hungry or been under threat of death but equally she has never been able to face the world – have a conversation with another person outside of her tiny family or make a friend. The furthest her life has extended from beyond the walls of their little flat is the visit museums to feed the homeless there with her mother. That is until they embark upon their journey aboard the ship…
It really makes you ponder the actions you’d take and the choices you might make if put into a similar situation and love it when a book gets the cogs of my imagination turning. The main character, Lalla, is very well defined and I felt myself really caring about her and wanting to protect her. Some parts of the book were a little less believable like the general atmosphere and behaviour of the other people aboard The Ship as a whole. They were so respectful and well behaved creating a kind of Utopia within the larger Dystopia and although this was lovely I just didn’t believe that a group of people leaving behind such suffering and badness would not become a little more selfish after being in their privileged position for a while.
The book ends on a bit of a cliff hanger but I think that suits it nicely. It doesn’t end as such but lets you contemplate where The Ship and its characters may end up if they indeed end up anywhere at all.
Most enjoyable and an excellent debut. Definitely one of my highlights of 2014 so 4.5 and I would recommend to anyone.
Dystopian novels are definitely in vogue at the moment – recently I’ve read ‘Station Eleven’ by Emily St John Mandel, ‘J’ by Howard Jacobson, ‘Beautiful You’ by Chuck Palahnuik and this one: they are all set in versions of our world after some kind of catastrophic shift. Be that an epidemic, genocide, or in this case overpopulation and the end of natural resources, they are all worlds that we can recognise and relate to which I suppose is one of the reasons why they all make such enjoyable reads.
‘The Ship’ begins by setting the scene of London as a place where people are identified by ID cards and without a valid card you are no longer seen as a person. Without a card you are not entitled to a home, to food rations or to civil liberties. People have begun to colonise places like the royal parks and the British museum but wherever a big gathering becomes un wieldy or if the government feel as though it’s time for another population cull these sects make easy targets for mass murder.
Central character, the teenage Lalage, lives in a central London flat with her mother and father (who works for the government). She’s lived a protected and somewhat privileged existence in that she’s never gone hungry or been under threat of death but equally she has never been able to face the world – have a conversation with another person outside of her tiny family or make a friend. The furthest her life has extended from beyond the walls of their little flat is the visit museums to feed the homeless there with her mother. That is until they embark upon their journey aboard the ship…
It really makes you ponder the actions you’d take and the choices you might make if put into a similar situation and love it when a book gets the cogs of my imagination turning. The main character, Lalla, is very well defined and I felt myself really caring about her and wanting to protect her. Some parts of the book were a little less believable like the general atmosphere and behaviour of the other people aboard The Ship as a whole. They were so respectful and well behaved creating a kind of Utopia within the larger Dystopia and although this was lovely I just didn’t believe that a group of people leaving behind such suffering and badness would not become a little more selfish after being in their privileged position for a while.
The book ends on a bit of a cliff hanger but I think that suits it nicely. It doesn’t end as such but lets you contemplate where The Ship and its characters may end up if they indeed end up anywhere at all.
Most enjoyable and an excellent debut. Definitely one of my highlights of 2014 so 4.5 and I would recommend to anyone.
April 14, 2017
This is an interesting take on surviving the end of the world as we know it. Lalla is sixteen years old and has grown up only knowing the world her parents lived in is no more. She has never even seen a real apple. Her father uses all of his resources to obtain a ship and provisions for 500 people and leave the destruction of London behind. The entire story is told from Lalla's perspective. Her parents have shielded her from the world they live in and have done everything to protect her. She is very naïve and yet questions everything once on board the ship. It isn't an action packed thrill ride like many apocalyptic books but more thought provoking. While reading, I questioned her parents motives and if I would do the same as them or would I make the same decision as Lalla. The blurb says it is a coming of age story but I think it is also a story of choices and what it means to live versus just being alive.
I received a copy Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 5, 2015
DNF on page 209-like the ship in the book this story is going nowhere!! The start of the boom was interesting and had a lot going on then the group made it on onto the ship and were supposed to just get on with living-but the aim character whose very name annoyed me kept questioning why and where were they going and it was just boring and GAH I've been putting off reading for the last 3 months as I could t bear the thought of finishing this claptrap and am finally calling it quits!
January 29, 2015
Posted originally http://www.reviewedthebook.co.uk/2015...
The Ship was the novel I’d most been looking forward to in 2015. It sounded like an immense, captivating story and something completely unlike anything I’d read before. Antonia Honeywell has written a wonderfully enchanting novel, with a theme I found as thought-provoking as they come.
When London as it is known is torn apart, no longer simply under threat but burned, bombed and destroyed, Michael and Anna, along with daughter Lalla, decide to escape. There is no life to be lived in London and so they board the ship, which is there to take 500 people away from the tragic life they once knew, into a happier, more fulfilling future. The ship theoretically contains everything needed to survive, and those on board feel thankful for the salvation they’ve been provided with. The Ship is one of those mind-blowing stories that I could not stop thinking about. It was an unforgettable look at the future, with characters that get under your skin and a style of writing I could not get enough of.
The world building throughout this novel was fascinating. It wasn’t overdone or over-detailed but it did paint a pretty startling picture and leave me considering how far into the future it was set and comparing it with the world we live in now. Each person on the ship, except maybe for Michael and Anna’s daughter, had their own story to tell, their own kind of horror story. There were some shocking stories that have a sense of realism to them, which then in turn gave this book a haunting feel. Everything led to more questions, the craving for more and more detail. Everybody, once on the ship, seemed so happy and question-free, but why?
Lalla is the teenage protagonist who though at times isn’t the easiest character to get along with, I was supporting her all the way through her journey of discovery and it felt to me like her heart was always in the right place, even if through her naivety, her choices sometimes left a lot to be desired. Under her parents care, Lalla has lived a bit of a sheltered life and there’s a lot she has to learn about life. Understandably, after she’s faced with some devastating trauma, she’s left with a lot of questions. At times she reminded me of a young child - asking a question but too busy thinking of the next question to hear the answer, firing out question after question. She repeated herself a bit at times, in a way which made me question why she didn’t receive a straight answer and think about how things may be been hidden from her. How much protecting does a sixteen year old really need from a world everybody else seems to be perfectly content with anyway.
I liked watching her grow throughout this novel though as she came to have more knowledge on life and learn to ask more intelligent questions. She didn’t take things as they came – she always wanted to know more and I liked this aspect to her, how she wouldn’t let things go when she was fobbed off and how she wouldn’t go along with the majority just because she was meant to. When everybody else on the Ship seemed to be happy and grateful, she wouldn’t just accept that, not even when she was told that’s how she should feel too, that she was lucky. Her mentality to want to understand things for herself was appealing to me and led to some of the more interesting aspects of the novel.
Other things I loved about The Ship, briefly, else I’d be here all day. Lalla and Anna’s connection through the British Museum, where Lalla is educated, where she watches as item after item disappears. The brief suggestion of what’s to come, under each chapter heading. This piqued my interest every time, a few small words and my mind was working, trying to predict how each chapter would turn out. The evocative imagery that the author so beautifully used, leaving a lasting impression on me each time. The author’s writing in general I found stunning and I’m excited for anything else she may write in the future.
There were parts of this novel I would have loved to learn more about, parts that I would have loved to see explained more. Not, for me, because the story is under-developed but more because the author’s beautiful writing is so compelling and so interesting, I was always thinking about it and always wanting to learn more about the dystopian world in The Ship. Much like Lalla, I was left with questions every time I put this book down. Questions that may remain unanswered, questions which are left for me to decide the answers to and questions that each reader may find a different answer to. Lots of questions – but aren’t the best books the ones that make you think long after you’ve turned the final page?
*Book received in exchange for an honest review.
February 16, 2019
The world destroyed by the human race is struggling to get by. A man who wants to save his family buys a ship, stocks it to the nines, and picks people from interviews to go. Lalla hiss daughter, rebells against his ideals and never really accepted the idea of others dying while she is safe on the ship. Strange twist at the end, left hanging a little. I didn't like this as much as I thought I would.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2014
Lalage Paul is sixteen and lives in London with her mother, Anna and father Michael. This is a dystopian vision of a London, and a world, of the future. Resources have run out – food and water are scarce and people have to produce an identity card or face being shot on sight. Lalage was only seven when the collapse hit Britain and riots, looting and disasters overtook the country; along with the collapse of the government, who were replaced by the military. However, Michael Paul became powerful and rich under the new rulers and his programme, ‘the Dove’ helps the government control identity and movement. Although he claims to have created order from chaos, the reality is that Big Ben is under water and tent cities have sprung up in Regent’s Park.
Her father’s comparative wealth, means that Lalage has a comfortable life compared to others, but she is isolated and lonely. Her mother takes her almost daily to the British Museum, to feed the homeless who populate the halls, along with the dwindling exhibits. London is desolate and dangerous, but Anna Paul is loathe to leave. For, throughout Lalage’s childhood, her parents have whispered of a ship, which will take them away. It is the promised land that will solve all their problems and, when Michael Paul forces the issue, Lalage is keen to leave – despite her mother’s reluctance.
Indeed, the ship does exist. Michael Paul has chosen five hundred people to leave with them, including a young boy called Tom, who Lalage is attracted to. After the dangerous existence on shore, the passengers seem happy to accept everything at face value – the abundant supplies, comfort, warmth and safety, lull them into complacency. Only Lalage seems to question where they are going and how long it will take – but nobody seems to want to answer her…
This is not my usual sort of book, but I did enjoy it. The idea of a modern kind of Noah’s Ark, floating in a ruined world, is an interesting one. Michael Paul is a creepy megalomaniac; a man who is looked up to and admired, but is unable to accept he is wrong about anything. It seemed unlikely that only Lalage would really question his motives, but considering the state of the world they have left behind, possibly many adults would be happy to just accept safety when it is offered. It does make you wonder how you would react under similar circumstances and the setting was an interesting one. Lastly, I received a copy of this book from the publishers, via NetGalley, for review.
Her father’s comparative wealth, means that Lalage has a comfortable life compared to others, but she is isolated and lonely. Her mother takes her almost daily to the British Museum, to feed the homeless who populate the halls, along with the dwindling exhibits. London is desolate and dangerous, but Anna Paul is loathe to leave. For, throughout Lalage’s childhood, her parents have whispered of a ship, which will take them away. It is the promised land that will solve all their problems and, when Michael Paul forces the issue, Lalage is keen to leave – despite her mother’s reluctance.
Indeed, the ship does exist. Michael Paul has chosen five hundred people to leave with them, including a young boy called Tom, who Lalage is attracted to. After the dangerous existence on shore, the passengers seem happy to accept everything at face value – the abundant supplies, comfort, warmth and safety, lull them into complacency. Only Lalage seems to question where they are going and how long it will take – but nobody seems to want to answer her…
This is not my usual sort of book, but I did enjoy it. The idea of a modern kind of Noah’s Ark, floating in a ruined world, is an interesting one. Michael Paul is a creepy megalomaniac; a man who is looked up to and admired, but is unable to accept he is wrong about anything. It seemed unlikely that only Lalage would really question his motives, but considering the state of the world they have left behind, possibly many adults would be happy to just accept safety when it is offered. It does make you wonder how you would react under similar circumstances and the setting was an interesting one. Lastly, I received a copy of this book from the publishers, via NetGalley, for review.
February 13, 2015
I recieved a copy from Netgalley.
DNFing at 52%. Boring and just not interested in finishing.
Initially it sounded interesting enough even though the main character had a very annoying name. Annoying names and dystopias are not unusual but I must have figured I could overlook it when I put in a request. I probably thought at the time either I'd be approved or wouldn't and it wasn't the end of the world if I didn't get it. I was approved and must admit it was quite some time after when I started to read this I had forgotten about the increasingly annoying character name, more the shortened version of Lalla which drove up the wall.
The actual plot started off quite well, a city on the verge of a dystopian breakdown , there was a very good creep factor of the society breaking down, the terrifying new rules, laws and regulations and the threat posed to anyone who didn't comply with the government. Our heroine's is a very sheltered and protected girl who even though she sees the horrors, she's one of the lucky people. Her father has a grand plan to save a set number of people and get them to safety and a new life.
It's dark and gritty, and quite uncomfortable to read as things progress to get on this saviour ship. Once on the ship, it's not as simple as everything is going to be okay. Lalla is faced immediately with a tragedy that pretty much defines her behaviour for the parts that I read. It consumes her completely. Ands while its one of the most overblown tropes in YA fiction, it's undestable enough what she goes though.
And of course there's a boy on the ship she likes and falls for. ITs not flat out insta love but it didn't work for me. It also got very reparative. Lalla finds things on the Ship difficult and at least has a good morale sense in she wants to go back and try to help the city they left behind. Then she's torn by her feelings for the boy she likes and then she's crushed by he personal tragedy. It's the same thing over and over going round in circles. It got very very slow and very very boring.
And by half way through, I find myself groaning when I have to pick it up again. Part of me sort of wants find if it gets better but the again if I'm groaning and making excuses not to read more, it's time to move on. I would certainly read something else by this author, this particual book is not for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and Orion Publishers for approving the request to view the title.
DNFing at 52%. Boring and just not interested in finishing.
Initially it sounded interesting enough even though the main character had a very annoying name. Annoying names and dystopias are not unusual but I must have figured I could overlook it when I put in a request. I probably thought at the time either I'd be approved or wouldn't and it wasn't the end of the world if I didn't get it. I was approved and must admit it was quite some time after when I started to read this I had forgotten about the increasingly annoying character name, more the shortened version of Lalla which drove up the wall.
The actual plot started off quite well, a city on the verge of a dystopian breakdown , there was a very good creep factor of the society breaking down, the terrifying new rules, laws and regulations and the threat posed to anyone who didn't comply with the government. Our heroine's is a very sheltered and protected girl who even though she sees the horrors, she's one of the lucky people. Her father has a grand plan to save a set number of people and get them to safety and a new life.
It's dark and gritty, and quite uncomfortable to read as things progress to get on this saviour ship. Once on the ship, it's not as simple as everything is going to be okay. Lalla is faced immediately with a tragedy that pretty much defines her behaviour for the parts that I read. It consumes her completely. Ands while its one of the most overblown tropes in YA fiction, it's undestable enough what she goes though.
And of course there's a boy on the ship she likes and falls for. ITs not flat out insta love but it didn't work for me. It also got very reparative. Lalla finds things on the Ship difficult and at least has a good morale sense in she wants to go back and try to help the city they left behind. Then she's torn by her feelings for the boy she likes and then she's crushed by he personal tragedy. It's the same thing over and over going round in circles. It got very very slow and very very boring.
And by half way through, I find myself groaning when I have to pick it up again. Part of me sort of wants find if it gets better but the again if I'm groaning and making excuses not to read more, it's time to move on. I would certainly read something else by this author, this particual book is not for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and Orion Publishers for approving the request to view the title.
December 26, 2017
This book is amazingly bad.
The prose manages to drip with unnecessary metaphors and rhetoric while somehow talking down to its reader at the same time. It will say something weird and symbolic and then proceed to explain it in an equally over-complicated but now also condescending way.
“'Do you know?' I managed to whisper, although my breath was coming short, 'do you know where we’re going?' He bent his head to hear me; he touched his lips to where his fingers had been, then breathed, “'I think we’ve arrived.'”
Get it? Because they found eachother? It's not that hard to underst--
"We had not arrived at any geographical place—there was no quay, no harbour to receive us. But I had certainly arrived somewhere new."
...'Kay.
And speaking of love! It's a bad YA novel so OF COURSE there has to be a love interest. Don't click the spoiler if you really want the course of this relationship to be a surprise for some reason, but I have to say that this book does contain the most romantic depiction of I've ever read.
I'm not gonna copy that specific passage here because tbh it's the only reason to read this book.
The prose manages to drip with unnecessary metaphors and rhetoric while somehow talking down to its reader at the same time. It will say something weird and symbolic and then proceed to explain it in an equally over-complicated but now also condescending way.
“'Do you know?' I managed to whisper, although my breath was coming short, 'do you know where we’re going?' He bent his head to hear me; he touched his lips to where his fingers had been, then breathed, “'I think we’ve arrived.'”
Get it? Because they found eachother? It's not that hard to underst--
"We had not arrived at any geographical place—there was no quay, no harbour to receive us. But I had certainly arrived somewhere new."
...'Kay.
And speaking of love! It's a bad YA novel so OF COURSE there has to be a love interest. Don't click the spoiler if you really want the course of this relationship to be a surprise for some reason, but I have to say that this book does contain the most romantic depiction of I've ever read.
I'm not gonna copy that specific passage here because tbh it's the only reason to read this book.
June 28, 2017
This book took me a while to finish because it dragged on. And on. And on.
And on.
And on.
We are hearing the story from Lalla's point of view. Lalla is the daughter of the 'revolutionary' who basically bought, founded, organized, and coordinated The Ship. In these dystopian times, the safest place to be is in the middle of the ocean (so these people believe). There are 500 people on the ship--each one of them selected by Michael himself for being good, worthy people--and the ship is equipped to sustain them for twenty years. They have a plan to 'go peacefully' at the end of these twenty years, but they are also optimistic that within those twenty years, they will have engineered new ways to grow things or sustain their lives, etc. The degree to which the people on the ship are happy is almost scary. Michael is portrayed as nearly god-like and the ship is almost heavenly. To everyone except Lalla.
So here comes the fun part of the review. Lalla's inner dialogue. Lalla's mother is killed early on in the story and she spends the entire book mourning over it. Yes, I know its heartbreaking to lose your mother, but everyone on that ship lost someone. Many people, in fact. They all give their testimonies, as you'll see. Next point: being the daughter of the founders of the ship, Lalla was very sheltered. She didn't see hardly any of the conflicts happening on land and she was very young. Since she wasn't exposed to much of the horrors of the conflict (I mean, we're talking famine, murder, prison camps, cannibalism, starvation, the list goes on....) all she talks and thinks about is *LAND*LAND*LAND* "ARE WE THERE YET?" "ARE WE THERE YET?" "ARE WE THERE YET?" So its a pretty hard situation, and I understand to an extent because a) she associates the ship with her mother's death. b) she is literally the only person on the ship who didn't willingly choose to be there. Her parents chose it for her. BUT, its not like she doesn't have any friends or companions because she is given a job and finds a friend/mentor there AND she finds a boy who, of course, she begins to fall in love with.
At this point, if I talk about the book anymore, I will give away huge spoilers, but my general overall thoughts are that the book is okay. It really has some points that make you think, but they are buried within a lot of parts that I wish I could just fast forward through.
And on.
And on.
We are hearing the story from Lalla's point of view. Lalla is the daughter of the 'revolutionary' who basically bought, founded, organized, and coordinated The Ship. In these dystopian times, the safest place to be is in the middle of the ocean (so these people believe). There are 500 people on the ship--each one of them selected by Michael himself for being good, worthy people--and the ship is equipped to sustain them for twenty years. They have a plan to 'go peacefully' at the end of these twenty years, but they are also optimistic that within those twenty years, they will have engineered new ways to grow things or sustain their lives, etc. The degree to which the people on the ship are happy is almost scary. Michael is portrayed as nearly god-like and the ship is almost heavenly. To everyone except Lalla.
So here comes the fun part of the review. Lalla's inner dialogue. Lalla's mother is killed early on in the story and she spends the entire book mourning over it. Yes, I know its heartbreaking to lose your mother, but everyone on that ship lost someone. Many people, in fact. They all give their testimonies, as you'll see. Next point: being the daughter of the founders of the ship, Lalla was very sheltered. She didn't see hardly any of the conflicts happening on land and she was very young. Since she wasn't exposed to much of the horrors of the conflict (I mean, we're talking famine, murder, prison camps, cannibalism, starvation, the list goes on....) all she talks and thinks about is *LAND*LAND*LAND* "ARE WE THERE YET?" "ARE WE THERE YET?" "ARE WE THERE YET?" So its a pretty hard situation, and I understand to an extent because a) she associates the ship with her mother's death. b) she is literally the only person on the ship who didn't willingly choose to be there. Her parents chose it for her. BUT, its not like she doesn't have any friends or companions because she is given a job and finds a friend/mentor there AND she finds a boy who, of course, she begins to fall in love with.
At this point, if I talk about the book anymore, I will give away huge spoilers, but my general overall thoughts are that the book is okay. It really has some points that make you think, but they are buried within a lot of parts that I wish I could just fast forward through.
October 13, 2017
This is one of those books that I went into not really sure what to expect, yet after I finished, I thought ‘well, that’s not what I expected’. Which is kind of strange, right? But not bad. It wasn’t bad at all. It was just…unexpected.
So, it’s dystopian. The premise is the world has been falling apart for a myriad of reasons, most of which have to do with the fact that we ignored climate change and sea levels rose. And the soil has been stripped and won’t grow anything anymore. Disease has spread as populations have become denser. There are too many people and not enough of anything. The government has taken unconscionable measures to keep things under control, and now they have begun to regard citizens as less than human, treating those in the lower classes as vermin. Those who are privileged enough to get some special treatment have to hide in their very small homes in order to stay safe.
Lalla, a teenager who has never known the world as it is now, has a father with a great deal of power and reach, so she has not starved or gone cold or been homeless. But her life is so sheltered that she hasn’t really grown up. For years, her father has been working on a backup plan, for when things get completely untenable, but she knows nothing other than it involves a ship, and he has been interviewing future passengers. The ship can house hundreds, and he will take as many as he can, but only the right kind of people. Lalla doesn’t know what the right kind are, or where the ship is going, or when (or if!) they’ll ever get on it. If it was up to her mother, they wouldn’t at all. She keeps putting it off because she has hope that things will improve.
Finally, the situation in London degrades to a point that Lalla’s father believes it is time to go. No more waiting. It is time get on the ship and move forward. Catastrophe strikes when they trying to embark, and Lalla is left to deal with the consequences on a ship about which she knows nothing. Her father tells her nothing. She doesn’t know where the ship is going or what the plan is, but she feels something isn’t right. In the end, it is her mother she takes after, not her father.
So much of this book is in Lalla’s head. It isn’t suspenseful or thrilling. It is sometimes sad, always melancholy, and occasionally frustrating because Lalla is a privileged immature teenager (enough said, yes?). But. Despite the lack of significant action, I couldn’t stop reading it. It was compelling. Lalla annoyed me to the very end, but I loved her persistence. And while I didn’t expect the ending, her choice made me quite proud of her.
A good story. Not hopping up and down good, but a solid read.
Note: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley. I pride myself on writing fair and honest reviews.
So, it’s dystopian. The premise is the world has been falling apart for a myriad of reasons, most of which have to do with the fact that we ignored climate change and sea levels rose. And the soil has been stripped and won’t grow anything anymore. Disease has spread as populations have become denser. There are too many people and not enough of anything. The government has taken unconscionable measures to keep things under control, and now they have begun to regard citizens as less than human, treating those in the lower classes as vermin. Those who are privileged enough to get some special treatment have to hide in their very small homes in order to stay safe.
Lalla, a teenager who has never known the world as it is now, has a father with a great deal of power and reach, so she has not starved or gone cold or been homeless. But her life is so sheltered that she hasn’t really grown up. For years, her father has been working on a backup plan, for when things get completely untenable, but she knows nothing other than it involves a ship, and he has been interviewing future passengers. The ship can house hundreds, and he will take as many as he can, but only the right kind of people. Lalla doesn’t know what the right kind are, or where the ship is going, or when (or if!) they’ll ever get on it. If it was up to her mother, they wouldn’t at all. She keeps putting it off because she has hope that things will improve.
Finally, the situation in London degrades to a point that Lalla’s father believes it is time to go. No more waiting. It is time get on the ship and move forward. Catastrophe strikes when they trying to embark, and Lalla is left to deal with the consequences on a ship about which she knows nothing. Her father tells her nothing. She doesn’t know where the ship is going or what the plan is, but she feels something isn’t right. In the end, it is her mother she takes after, not her father.
So much of this book is in Lalla’s head. It isn’t suspenseful or thrilling. It is sometimes sad, always melancholy, and occasionally frustrating because Lalla is a privileged immature teenager (enough said, yes?). But. Despite the lack of significant action, I couldn’t stop reading it. It was compelling. Lalla annoyed me to the very end, but I loved her persistence. And while I didn’t expect the ending, her choice made me quite proud of her.
A good story. Not hopping up and down good, but a solid read.
Note: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley. I pride myself on writing fair and honest reviews.
February 22, 2015
The Ship is the debut novel from Antonia Honeywell and has the honour of being chosen as the first read for the Curtis Brown Book group. I will readily admit this is not my usual genre and I would not have read this only I was lucky enough to have been accepted for the book group. Marketed as a dystopian meets utopia novel this was a book which would not normally appear as a review book on Sharon’s blog but she was kind enough to let me review this one. I had read somewhere that this was aimed at the young adult genre but that it could work as a crossover. Having now finished the book I really don’t think it’s for young adults, yes a lot of the themes are relevant to the young people of today as what we are doing now to the environment will affect their futures. But this wasn’t a light read and I think there are so many levels and deeper meanings that a lot of it would go over the heads of the young adult genre.
Set in London sometime in the future, things are not as we now know them to be. Oxford Street has burnt, the British Museum is inhabited by people who don’t have the required registration card that means you will get food drops and not be hounded by soldiers. All the treasures from the museum have disappeared, milk comes in cardboard containers if people can get it. Africa has burnt, Antarctica is gone and Europe has flooded. Michael, Anna and Lalla living in London are some of the lucky ones with registration cards as Michael helped the government by selling them a unique idea called the Dove which earned them respect and a somewhat easier life compared to others. Yes the family struggle day to day and 16 year old Lalla does not know the joys of writing on paper with a pen or pencil, books are also a rare commodity. Basically everything we take for granted to day is gone. But Michael is determined and earnest in his aim to provide a different life for Lalla and Anna and sets about creating The Ship to escape the horrors of the world – to create a utopia in a world of chaos and danger.
Right from the very first page Antonia Honeywell has you thinking and wondering about the world we live in now and how our actions could have such dire consequences for future generations. Imagine the government killing innocent people just to keep the population down so they can feed certain people. Not having the freedom to travel and walk about as you want. Not knowing what the countryside is like or fresh foods -no apples on trees, no bees. I just couldn’t even begin to think about this even though we are told about what harm we are doing to our world but I feel people just think it won’t be in our lifetime but we have to remember our decedents may experience the effects of what we are doing now.
So much happens so quickly in the beginning and you are being bombarded with information that it is hard to absorb it all. Some of the information given was sketchy and just filled in a bit of the background and I wanted and needed to know more to make the present situation clear. When we get to the ship it slows down a bit and I did find Lalla very irritating, her relationship with her father changed instead of getting stronger she seemed more distant from him. I really wanted her to wake herself up and ask the questions that needed answering or else become more aware of what other people on the ship were trying to tell her. At first the ship was a form of freedom to me like a modern day Noah’s Ark but it soon becomes apparent her father is different now that he is in charge and has full control.
The book is filled with tension the entire way through the story, there is an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia even before they begin their voyage on the ship and this strained, uneasy atmosphere didn’t make for an easy or enjoyable read. I felt I couldn’t just read along and take the book for what it was. There was a lot of thinking to be done and to discover the deeper meanings behind things. I kept reading because I wanted to know where the ship was going and what they would do when they got there. There were lots of questions I had about the ship and its contents and inhabitants. Yes, we got some backstory from several characters but not enough and I felt the love interest of Tom for Lalla wasn’t genuine and slightly rushed and as for the ending well all I’ll say is I was disappointed.
The Ship may not have been for me it provided more answers than questions and I know I should be more open to this but I’m the kind of person who likes to know the reason behind everything. On a positive note it is worth reading if only to get you pondering the deeper questions surrounding environmental issues and what we are doing to our planet and to explore the consequences of how one man can control everything and what it is like to go against the grain and question what you have been spoon fed. I’m glad I did make it the whole way through and the Curtis Brown Book Group has opened my eyes to a new genre, I took a dip in but unfortunately it was just a bit too cold to want to venture further but I look forward to what the team at the book group bring me for their next choice.
Set in London sometime in the future, things are not as we now know them to be. Oxford Street has burnt, the British Museum is inhabited by people who don’t have the required registration card that means you will get food drops and not be hounded by soldiers. All the treasures from the museum have disappeared, milk comes in cardboard containers if people can get it. Africa has burnt, Antarctica is gone and Europe has flooded. Michael, Anna and Lalla living in London are some of the lucky ones with registration cards as Michael helped the government by selling them a unique idea called the Dove which earned them respect and a somewhat easier life compared to others. Yes the family struggle day to day and 16 year old Lalla does not know the joys of writing on paper with a pen or pencil, books are also a rare commodity. Basically everything we take for granted to day is gone. But Michael is determined and earnest in his aim to provide a different life for Lalla and Anna and sets about creating The Ship to escape the horrors of the world – to create a utopia in a world of chaos and danger.
Right from the very first page Antonia Honeywell has you thinking and wondering about the world we live in now and how our actions could have such dire consequences for future generations. Imagine the government killing innocent people just to keep the population down so they can feed certain people. Not having the freedom to travel and walk about as you want. Not knowing what the countryside is like or fresh foods -no apples on trees, no bees. I just couldn’t even begin to think about this even though we are told about what harm we are doing to our world but I feel people just think it won’t be in our lifetime but we have to remember our decedents may experience the effects of what we are doing now.
So much happens so quickly in the beginning and you are being bombarded with information that it is hard to absorb it all. Some of the information given was sketchy and just filled in a bit of the background and I wanted and needed to know more to make the present situation clear. When we get to the ship it slows down a bit and I did find Lalla very irritating, her relationship with her father changed instead of getting stronger she seemed more distant from him. I really wanted her to wake herself up and ask the questions that needed answering or else become more aware of what other people on the ship were trying to tell her. At first the ship was a form of freedom to me like a modern day Noah’s Ark but it soon becomes apparent her father is different now that he is in charge and has full control.
The book is filled with tension the entire way through the story, there is an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia even before they begin their voyage on the ship and this strained, uneasy atmosphere didn’t make for an easy or enjoyable read. I felt I couldn’t just read along and take the book for what it was. There was a lot of thinking to be done and to discover the deeper meanings behind things. I kept reading because I wanted to know where the ship was going and what they would do when they got there. There were lots of questions I had about the ship and its contents and inhabitants. Yes, we got some backstory from several characters but not enough and I felt the love interest of Tom for Lalla wasn’t genuine and slightly rushed and as for the ending well all I’ll say is I was disappointed.
The Ship may not have been for me it provided more answers than questions and I know I should be more open to this but I’m the kind of person who likes to know the reason behind everything. On a positive note it is worth reading if only to get you pondering the deeper questions surrounding environmental issues and what we are doing to our planet and to explore the consequences of how one man can control everything and what it is like to go against the grain and question what you have been spoon fed. I’m glad I did make it the whole way through and the Curtis Brown Book Group has opened my eyes to a new genre, I took a dip in but unfortunately it was just a bit too cold to want to venture further but I look forward to what the team at the book group bring me for their next choice.
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