Status Updates From The Last Ship

Thought it would be a slog. It is, but I will still finish it to see what happens. If it’s a bad ending, as in pretentious, drawn-out or a cliff-hanger I’ll be miffed.

Better … Still a little long-winded.

Wow. Although quite literary (perhaps too much so), this is a slog. He hasn’t heard of paragraphs and is topped in run-on sentences only by Faulkner, who at least had the decency to make them grammatically correct.

This is fascinating bc there's a whole insane show based on it but also none of the characters from the show appear to be in the novel

Fuck.

Well he got to use the word quiescence one more time 😂

We're quickly running out of book... I feel like this could be a series and it worries me that it ends so soon

The lost cities of New York, Paris, Tokyo, will become the ancient empires, even Atlantis. no ruins to ever go to but maybe pictures. In the encyclopedia. With wonders that they cannot imagine

Shenandoah becomes like Beulah Land. I'm kind of homesick for a country to which I've never been before. Beulah refers the land of Israel, but also heaven and the intangible idea of a homeland, a place of belonging

Of course this long winded guy would ask the Russian captain if he has acrophobia rather than afraid of heights 😂 but he seems to understand

And above all, it's not about getting their rocks off. They are matched in intelligence and humor, enjoy the same books. She is a person to him. I never expected this from this novel

Cw sexy stuff


The writer's -Captain's description of sex, of a woman- her taste, her scent, even female ejaculation and of course orgasm is so beautiful and natural, complete. He enjoys every part of her, and it's at her pleasure. He doesn't have to be asked, he wants to, needs to, can't get enough of her. There's no quivering puddings and throbbing manhoods. I don't think I've read sex by a man that was so good

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500 pages in, the sex scene with Girard is anticipated but almost shocking. The captain has been so introspective about everything talking on every topic but never explicitly about sex avoiding it to a fault. I love them together. I -hahah, I "shipped them" from the beginning.

I'd almost think he is unaware of "cunt smell" but it fits and of course it reminds him of the sea. Bravo

If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost part of the sea; even there shall they hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me. Psalm 139 but seems made for this

Again shades of Noah with the birds. I wonder if Brinkley caught that or thought about it, sending out the ravens and the dove, but I imagine it comes up for all sailors as birds are signs of land...and also the ancient Mariner and the albatross and all that

Spoilers- SA


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Realistically, you could expect sexual assault to have come up, to have happened much sooner. It's such a common occurrence for women in the military unfortunately.

We're the overboard folks all willingly? Who knows. Maybe Bixby wasn't the first victim

I find the punishment fitting. Humane enough with rations (and a pistol) but he had to be removed. Name not important apparently

Out of that freezing fog and snow into fresh air and sunsets

This restriction to below decks is even worse than general confinement to the ship. Again I think of COVID with this sense of helplessness, an invisible enemy (in their case it's visible , but up there) that can't be fought with any weapon. Nothing to do physically, just stay away. And the depression and repressed rage, on the brink of recklessness, forced self -reflection . The effects on the heart are interesting

The men forced to stay below decks is even more reminiscent of COVID and the isolation. Music, storytelling and games to pass the time and keep from going crazy, great mental distress. They're strong men and could fight or do hard physical labor, but the depression is daunting. And the horror that comes and goes - we're all going to die, the world is ending

Revelation 18: 17 For in a single hour such fabulous wealth has been destroyed!”

Every shipmaster, passenger, and sailor, and all who make their living from the sea, will stand at a distance 18and cry out at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. “What city was ever like this great city?” they will exclaim.

My mom always thought these verses referred to nuclear destruction.

I notice that the middle of this book is more action and less quiescent seas and long words.

Also the captain mentions again that he was deemed to be sane and unlikely to stop being sane. Which sounds like sound navy guise but also reminds me of the tell-tale heart. Why do you call me mad? Could a madman do THIS? Lol

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The guy just walking off into the desert, wtf T_T from what they're saying it would be deadly not far from where they gave up the trail. I looked up the elephants foot to have an idea of what this might look like. Ulcers and lesions across and inside the body, cells hemorrhaging, death within day or week

Incredibly painful and not as quick as you'd probably hope. like the shore people