Jess Kidd evokes both being aboard the Batavia and life among the seasonal fishing community on Beacon Island through all five senses. What descriptions made these settings come alive for you? Were there any parts of Kidd’s sea voyage that felt familiar, or some that felt new? I like misadventures.” Mayken gathers a spit in her mouth, thinks twice, swallows it. “And I’m not a fine lady.” Given that this book is based on real-life events that took place during the voyage of the Batavia (as we are reminded in the epilogue), what do you think we should take away from Mayken’s story? Each character brings something different to the story. Did you relate to any of them in particular? If so, please explain who and why. I’ve seen inside them.” Pelgrom sniffs. “The upper-merchant opened them to make sure there were coins, not turnips, inside.”

A: So hard to choose! The characters in Mayken’s time are a mix of fictional characters and actual people who sailed on the Batavia. For example, Mayken’s best friend Holdfast is based on a real-life sailor noted in contemporary sources. Holdfast is a storytelling character (who finds an echo in Gil’s time with the character named Dutch), and I particularly love writing stories within stories!Pelgrom looks closely at Mayken with his mouth pursed and his eyes narrowed. The exact same way Imke would regard a salmon held up by a Haarlem fishmonger. Mayken tries to look bright-eyed and fresh.

The stories unfold in alternate chapters, linked by repeated phrases, talismans and the myth of a terrifying sea monster. With a nod to the Australian horror film The Babadook, Gil finds an old storybook of his mother’s behind a cabinet, telling the tale of a bunyip, an eel-like shapeshifter that preys on children. As with the Babadook, the creature (whose legend originates with the indigenous people) is a projection of fear. “How do you describe dread, Gil?” asks Birgit, one of the scientists. “That’s what the bunyip is: an attempt to give fear a shape.” Everyone’s fear looks different,” Birgit continues. “So everyone’s creature looks different. But they all eat crayfish, women, and children. That seems to be universal.” There are two timelines – one that follows nine-year-old Mayken in 1629, a young girl aboard the Batavia, and one set in 1989 following Gil, also nine years-old, as he is sent to Western Australia’s Beacon Island to live with his grandfather. The storylines are equally compelling, haunting, and heartbreaking. Kidd does a masterful job of unfolding Mayken and Gil’s stories in a synchronistic way so that poignant moments and major plot points align brilliantly.

The Night Ship

The frustration of the wait builds to the excitement of the leaving, now that her final treasure has been loaded. Twelve coin chests of considerable weight and ridiculous worth have been rowed to the ship under guard, hoisted under guard, lugged by six men apiece into the Great Cabin in the stern, and set down with a guard to watch over them at all hours. How would you characterize the tone of the story? How does the language contribute to the tone? What else contributes to it? BNBook Club Jess Kidd discusses SCATTERED SHOWERS with Miwa Messer and Shannon DeVito - video – 41:28 – forget the title – they talk about The Night Ship Gulls are nervously testing the yardarm, clumsy-footed compared to the sailors who are all over the rigging: climbing, dangling, rolling, lashing, hollering and cursing.

With "THE NIGHT SHIP" Kidd has weaved together two of my favourite genres and the result is another stellar book. She feels a soft touch on her arm. The grown daughter is saying something earnest about mothers and angels. Mayken loves the sailors instantly. The daring of them, their speed along the ropes, the heights they climb to! The predikant is pointing out the Dutch East India Company cadets and officials gathering at the top of the stern castle. Look, there is the upper-merchant in his red coat and plumed hat. Flanked by the under-merchant, also well hatted, and the stout old skipper, hatless. Three men entrusted by the Company with a cargo richer than the treasuries of many kingdoms, the lives of hundreds of innocent souls and this wonderful ship, newly built – her maiden voyage! Imke nods as though she’s interested. Mrs Predikant stares ahead with her mouth turned down, trout-like, abiding. Q: You created such a varied cast of characters. Was there one character who was your favorite to write about? If so, why?

More from The Author

I was intrigued to read that Jess Kidd had turned her hand to writing historical fiction with a story based on an actual event. I wondered if she would still be able to introduce her usual magic when writing about hard facts. Of course she does and does it beautifully too. Pelgrom, it seems, has a particular gift: the gift of knowing exactly what you need and then giving it to you.