What do you think?
Rate this book
The Joubert Family Chronicles #3
The Ghost Ship
Next in the #1 Sunday Times bestselling series, New York Times bestselling author Kate Mosse returns with The Ghost Ship , a sweeping historical epic of adventure on the high seas.
The Barbary Coast, 1621. A mysterious vessel floats silently on the water. It is known only as the Ghost Ship . For months it has hunted pirates to liberate those enslaved by corsairs, manned by a courageous crew of mariners from Italy and France, Holland and the Canary Islands.
But the bravest men on board are not who they seem. And the stakes could not be higher. If arrested, they will be hanged for their crimes. Can they survive the journey and escape their fate?
A sweeping and epic love story, ranging from France in 1610 to Amsterdam and the Canary Islands in the 1620s, The Ghost Ship is a thrilling novel of adventure and buccaneering, love and revenge, stolen fortunes and hidden secrets on the high seas.
The Barbary Coast, 1621. A mysterious vessel floats silently on the water. It is known only as the Ghost Ship . For months it has hunted pirates to liberate those enslaved by corsairs, manned by a courageous crew of mariners from Italy and France, Holland and the Canary Islands.
But the bravest men on board are not who they seem. And the stakes could not be higher. If arrested, they will be hanged for their crimes. Can they survive the journey and escape their fate?
A sweeping and epic love story, ranging from France in 1610 to Amsterdam and the Canary Islands in the 1620s, The Ghost Ship is a thrilling novel of adventure and buccaneering, love and revenge, stolen fortunes and hidden secrets on the high seas.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published July 11, 2023
About the author
Kate Mosse
76 books3,112 followersKate Mosse is an international bestselling author with sales of more than five million copies in 42 languages. Her fiction includes the novels Labyrinth (2005), Sepulchre (2007), The Winter Ghosts (2009), and Citadel (2012), as well as an acclaimed collection of short stories, The Mistletoe Bride & Other Haunting Tales (2013). Kate’s new novel, The Taxidermist’s Daughter is out now.
Kate is the Co-Founder and Chair of the Board of the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction (previously the Orange Prize) and in June 2013, was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to literature. She lives in Sussex.
Kate is the Co-Founder and Chair of the Board of the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction (previously the Orange Prize) and in June 2013, was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to literature. She lives in Sussex.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 397 reviews
June 30, 2023
To begin, I should preface with the fact that I have not read the first two novels in this series by Kate Mosse. I am sure there was a lot of story before this one that lead to what happens in The Ghost Ship. Having said that, if you are like me and haven't read the others, you definitely won't be disappointed or have a hard time reading this. In fact, this can absolutely be read as a standalone.
Mosse clearly did her homework and knows how to bring history to life! This was outstanding, well thought out and well researched. I am not a sailor, nor a history buff, but this story makes me want to become both. It begins with Louise, a young woman who lives with her grandparents. Having lost both of her parents earlier, she is about to become very wealthy when she comes of age and accepts her inheritance. This sets her up for her future, where she decides to follow her dream of sailing. When she meets Gilles, a wine merchant's apprentice, she realizes she can be more than she ever thought possible. Their relationship is modern and refreshing and everything it should be for a female captain in the 1600's looking to change the rules.
If you read the title and believe it to be something having to do with the supernatural you may be disappointed to learn that it's the name of a ship. However, this ship is what leads Louise to her destiny and, eventually, her infamous legacy. Her quest to break the rules is heart-pounding and vibrant and taking the journey with Louise ,and following her adventure, is everything you could want in a pirate story . I loved every part! Thank you, Minotaur Books, for the opportunity to read this fantastic book!
Mosse clearly did her homework and knows how to bring history to life! This was outstanding, well thought out and well researched. I am not a sailor, nor a history buff, but this story makes me want to become both. It begins with Louise, a young woman who lives with her grandparents. Having lost both of her parents earlier, she is about to become very wealthy when she comes of age and accepts her inheritance. This sets her up for her future, where she decides to follow her dream of sailing. When she meets Gilles, a wine merchant's apprentice, she realizes she can be more than she ever thought possible. Their relationship is modern and refreshing and everything it should be for a female captain in the 1600's looking to change the rules.
If you read the title and believe it to be something having to do with the supernatural you may be disappointed to learn that it's the name of a ship. However, this ship is what leads Louise to her destiny and, eventually, her infamous legacy. Her quest to break the rules is heart-pounding and vibrant and taking the journey with Louise ,and following her adventure, is everything you could want in a pirate story . I loved every part! Thank you, Minotaur Books, for the opportunity to read this fantastic book!
July 26, 2023
After reading this book, I am grateful once again for living when and where I do. The heroine of this story, Louise lives in sixteenth century Holland, where women were definitely considered to be at the beck and call of men. Louise has a wish that was considered outlandish at the time, and that is to be captain of her own ship.
Through fate and the bequest of a beloved uncle, Louise acquires her wish, and buys a ship, meets the beguiling Gilles, a wine merchant's apprentice who she takes under her wing as poor Gilles has been sorely mistreated by his mother, and sails off with him to the Barbary Coast where adventure, death, pirates, and love await her.
Louise is a rule breaker and those rules broken could result in her death as the shadow of the Inquisition hangs over all. She is a sixteenth century hero with the modern flair thrown into the story to give it a very different type of story. I have read and enjoyed the previous two books i this, The Burning Chambers series,and once again Kate Mosse has put extensive research into her story.
Thank you to the author, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for a copy of this long but extensive look into former times and adventure. This story published in early July.
May 6, 2023
Louise lives in the Netherlands, and she has both Huguenot and Catholic ancestry. She sails on the ship that she owns, and finds herself the captain as they are sailing into an area where there are pirates and slavers. She and the crew decide to take a stand, and there are those who feel threatened by a powerful woman, especially the men of the Inquisition. I haven't read much about this time period, but the author has done extensive research. Recommended for anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a strong female protagonist (and pirates). Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC.
June 24, 2024
I received an AD PR copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Random Things Tours.
The Ghost Ship is the third novel in the Burning Chambers series, and even though I haven't read books one and two yet, I didn't find it affected my read of this book at all. I want to read the first two books ASAP to find out what happened prior to this book, but it didn't confuse me or hinder me from reading this one and I'd say it could be read as a stand-alone.
We follow Louise, who longs to own her own ship one day. Being set during the sixteenth century, this was obviously something unusual and classed as outlandish. But Louise achieves her dream after coming of age and receiving an inheritance and purchases her very own ship. Louise then meets Gilles, who's the apprentice of a wine merchant who's been abused at the hands of his own mother. The pair set off on an adventure on high seas where much faces them along the way.
This book was so captivating, and I found myself lost within the pages out at Sea with this adventurous, rule-breaking heroine. This was just the adventure I needed right now, and I basked in the historical fiction era and the freedom of adventure from the first few chapters. Don't let the size of the book put you off as I flew through the chapters completely captivated and was at the end of the book before I knew it.
The Ghost Ship is the third novel in the Burning Chambers series, and even though I haven't read books one and two yet, I didn't find it affected my read of this book at all. I want to read the first two books ASAP to find out what happened prior to this book, but it didn't confuse me or hinder me from reading this one and I'd say it could be read as a stand-alone.
We follow Louise, who longs to own her own ship one day. Being set during the sixteenth century, this was obviously something unusual and classed as outlandish. But Louise achieves her dream after coming of age and receiving an inheritance and purchases her very own ship. Louise then meets Gilles, who's the apprentice of a wine merchant who's been abused at the hands of his own mother. The pair set off on an adventure on high seas where much faces them along the way.
This book was so captivating, and I found myself lost within the pages out at Sea with this adventurous, rule-breaking heroine. This was just the adventure I needed right now, and I basked in the historical fiction era and the freedom of adventure from the first few chapters. Don't let the size of the book put you off as I flew through the chapters completely captivated and was at the end of the book before I knew it.
September 3, 2023
In The Ghost Ship the publishers promise us ‘piracy, romance, revenge’ and the book certainly delivers on all three. The Ghost Ship is the third book in the series following the fortunes – and misfortunes – of various generations of the Joubert family. I’ve read both the previous books in the series – The Burning Chambers and The City of Tears – as well as plenty more of Kate Mosse’s other books so I know she is a consummate storyteller and once again she doesn’t disappoint.
Although some characters make a return appearance, such as Marguerite ‘Minou’ Reydon-Joubert and her husband Piet, and the storyline involving a disputed inheritance and a desire for revenge continues from the earlier books, I would say The Ghost Ship is the easiest book in the series to read as a standalone because it moves quickly from historical saga to maritime adventure – and love story. For new readers, the author includes some recaps of events in earlier books and a helpful list of principal characters.
Historical detail has always been a strong point of Kate Mosse’s books so much so that you can easily imagine yourself walking the streets of Amsterdam or the quayside of La Rochelle, or later in the book, the Canary Islands. And, in this book, you can add to that what it would be like to be onboard a trading ship, one that at any moment might come under attack from corsairs.
Louise Reydon-Joubert makes a spirited protagonist, determined not to let her gender prevent her achieving her ambition to become captain of her own ship, an ambition she has harboured (if you’ll pardon the pun) ever since her first experience aboard a ship as a young girl. In this, Cornelia van Raay, the companion of Louise’s great-aunt, provides an example of a woman making her way in a man’s world, and one in an unconvential relationship. However, several things – and individuals – stand in Louise’s way and even when one of those is unexpectedly removed it doesn’t mean the end of her troubles, but in fact just the beginning.
An encounter with a corsair galley propelled by slaves chained to its oars sets Louise on a path that sees her and the crew of the Old Moon embark on a new and very dangerous mission. Horrified by the idea of a trade in human lives, she sets out to disrupt the corsairs’ activities. ‘She was determined to become not a pirate herself, but the scourge of pirates – a ‘she-captain’, the huntress and hellion of the high seas.’ Unfortunately, pirates are not the only opposition she faces because legitimate merchants are also starting to scent the possibility of profit from transporting human cargo rather than grain or other goods. And although Louise proves her worth to her crew there are people who simply cannot accept a woman as captain of a ship. (Cue the famous line from a Monty Python sketch, “Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!”)
Louise’s companion in her endeavours is Gilles Barenton who has his own reasons for wanting to escape his past. Their paths become entwined in the most dramatic way, triggering long buried memories of bloody events in Louise’s own childhood.
Kate Mosse doesn’t write short books but, despite its length, The Ghost Ship is a thrilling page-turner with a story that will sweep you along and some brilliant action scenes. (My one grumble is that I think the blurb gives too much of the story away.) As is her way, the author leaves us with a tantalising introduction to the next book in the series, set in Cape Town.
Although some characters make a return appearance, such as Marguerite ‘Minou’ Reydon-Joubert and her husband Piet, and the storyline involving a disputed inheritance and a desire for revenge continues from the earlier books, I would say The Ghost Ship is the easiest book in the series to read as a standalone because it moves quickly from historical saga to maritime adventure – and love story. For new readers, the author includes some recaps of events in earlier books and a helpful list of principal characters.
Historical detail has always been a strong point of Kate Mosse’s books so much so that you can easily imagine yourself walking the streets of Amsterdam or the quayside of La Rochelle, or later in the book, the Canary Islands. And, in this book, you can add to that what it would be like to be onboard a trading ship, one that at any moment might come under attack from corsairs.
Louise Reydon-Joubert makes a spirited protagonist, determined not to let her gender prevent her achieving her ambition to become captain of her own ship, an ambition she has harboured (if you’ll pardon the pun) ever since her first experience aboard a ship as a young girl. In this, Cornelia van Raay, the companion of Louise’s great-aunt, provides an example of a woman making her way in a man’s world, and one in an unconvential relationship. However, several things – and individuals – stand in Louise’s way and even when one of those is unexpectedly removed it doesn’t mean the end of her troubles, but in fact just the beginning.
An encounter with a corsair galley propelled by slaves chained to its oars sets Louise on a path that sees her and the crew of the Old Moon embark on a new and very dangerous mission. Horrified by the idea of a trade in human lives, she sets out to disrupt the corsairs’ activities. ‘She was determined to become not a pirate herself, but the scourge of pirates – a ‘she-captain’, the huntress and hellion of the high seas.’ Unfortunately, pirates are not the only opposition she faces because legitimate merchants are also starting to scent the possibility of profit from transporting human cargo rather than grain or other goods. And although Louise proves her worth to her crew there are people who simply cannot accept a woman as captain of a ship. (Cue the famous line from a Monty Python sketch, “Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!”)
Louise’s companion in her endeavours is Gilles Barenton who has his own reasons for wanting to escape his past. Their paths become entwined in the most dramatic way, triggering long buried memories of bloody events in Louise’s own childhood.
Kate Mosse doesn’t write short books but, despite its length, The Ghost Ship is a thrilling page-turner with a story that will sweep you along and some brilliant action scenes. (My one grumble is that I think the blurb gives too much of the story away.) As is her way, the author leaves us with a tantalising introduction to the next book in the series, set in Cape Town.
July 13, 2023
I loved The Burning Chambers and liked The City of Tears. Unfortunately, the stories moved beyond the history of the War of Religion in France and we're left with a family drama story that is entirely boring. I do recommend the first two books in the series, but not this one. I didn't care for the characters or the story and ended up dnfing. The first two books also started with prologues set in 1862. The latest date in The Ghost Ship is 1688. Readers of the first two books are left hanging as that secondary story in the prologues of the first two books makes no appearance here. It seems very strange that the author introduced that story in the first book, continued it in the second book, and forgot about it in the third book.
Thanks to the publisher for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to the publisher for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 31, 2023
Both vol 1 & 2 were very much about roman Catholic religion this about the Spanish Las Palmas and Lanzarote. Side of religion. But many sides of slavery here we see the hidden side that not all slaves were black and not all slavers were white.
This starts with the assassin François Ravaillac killing the King Henri IV thus set in motion once again the Huguenots hunt.
Louise Reydon - Joubert her life in France to meting Gilles Barenton her voyagers at sea to lot of blood and murders
Here we see wreckfish a type of sea bass and gofio served with honey which rare maze flour. It's little things that make this special. Lots of twist and turns. I voted this best Historical book for 2023.
I cannot say to much or it spoil the book, but once again show Roman Catholic Church in very bad light. It shows another bad side to slaves the taboo side that nobody talks about the Italy, France, Dutch white slaves torched viable filth and urinal shit and blood disgusting side. White slaves, black slavers.
This book also is heavily influenced by the Tarot cards the early French cards I read the Tarot which made this special for me. The mane cards are the Justice and the love card the ten of cups. In 1600s the French Tarot cards were very mysterious and new and hated by the Roman Catholic Church. The Justice card is very important to Gilles whole life from aged 10.
This starts with the assassin François Ravaillac killing the King Henri IV thus set in motion once again the Huguenots hunt.
Louise Reydon - Joubert her life in France to meting Gilles Barenton her voyagers at sea to lot of blood and murders
Here we see wreckfish a type of sea bass and gofio served with honey which rare maze flour. It's little things that make this special. Lots of twist and turns. I voted this best Historical book for 2023.
I cannot say to much or it spoil the book, but once again show Roman Catholic Church in very bad light. It shows another bad side to slaves the taboo side that nobody talks about the Italy, France, Dutch white slaves torched viable filth and urinal shit and blood disgusting side. White slaves, black slavers.
This book also is heavily influenced by the Tarot cards the early French cards I read the Tarot which made this special for me. The mane cards are the Justice and the love card the ten of cups. In 1600s the French Tarot cards were very mysterious and new and hated by the Roman Catholic Church. The Justice card is very important to Gilles whole life from aged 10.
May 6, 2023
Privileged to have been granted the gift of reading this 1600 saga of survival as a female with skills and knowledge to oversee a ship in treacherous times. Unusual twist in this story that brings two women together to overcome extreme odds.
May 10, 2024
This was surprisingly poor from Mosse. I had said beforehand how I was looking forward to reading Follett and Mosse back-to-back to compare and contrast two different authors of historical fiction. What I didn’t expect was for there to be such a contrast!
Unfortunately, I just found there to be a massive lack of effective character development and thought that the relationships between characters, in particular the two principal characters, was super lacking. The depiction of events of high importance was lacklustre and underwhelming, and certain plot events just “appear” with little explanation, leading to a poor fit. Moreover, Mosse fails to set a lot of the scenery, a key part of ensuring immersion in historical fiction.
Overall, I found the plot jagged, random and lacking in cohesion, let down by poor characterisation. It was saved by good prose and enough of a decent plot to maintain my interest, perhaps supported by the fact that I enjoyed the first two books in this series enough to give the whole thing a proper go.
Unfortunately, I just found there to be a massive lack of effective character development and thought that the relationships between characters, in particular the two principal characters, was super lacking. The depiction of events of high importance was lacklustre and underwhelming, and certain plot events just “appear” with little explanation, leading to a poor fit. Moreover, Mosse fails to set a lot of the scenery, a key part of ensuring immersion in historical fiction.
Overall, I found the plot jagged, random and lacking in cohesion, let down by poor characterisation. It was saved by good prose and enough of a decent plot to maintain my interest, perhaps supported by the fact that I enjoyed the first two books in this series enough to give the whole thing a proper go.
May 4, 2023
The Ghost Ship is book 3 in the Burning Chambers series, and as the saga of the Reydon-Joubert family continues, Minou and Piet's granddaughter Louise comes into her inheritance.
10 years later.
Louise is the "secret" owner of a cargo ship and hosts a farewell dinner party for the captain who is retiring when she meets a troubled young man called Gilles with some secrets of his own.
This was a fabulous read. Kate Mosse is a fantastic storyteller who can bring historical fiction to life. I felt like I was sailing on board with the crew of the ghost ship.
Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for the ARC
10 years later.
Louise is the "secret" owner of a cargo ship and hosts a farewell dinner party for the captain who is retiring when she meets a troubled young man called Gilles with some secrets of his own.
This was a fabulous read. Kate Mosse is a fantastic storyteller who can bring historical fiction to life. I felt like I was sailing on board with the crew of the ghost ship.
Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for the ARC
May 22, 2024
Quelle joie infinie de retrouver la plume de Kate Mosse dans la suite des aventures de la famille Reydon-Joubert !
Après La cité de feu et La cité des larmes, on part cette fois-ci dans La Cité des mers : une aventure historique palpitante dans l'univers des océans, des bateaux, de la piraterie...
On retrouve tous les ingrédients des tomes précédents : aventure, femmes fortes, romance, famille, avec toujours ce fond historique de guerre de religion entre huguenots et catholiques. Il y a toujours plusieurs villes dans lesquelles on voyage, ce tome nous emmenant donc à La Rochelle, Amsterdam et les îles Canaries.
Après Minou et Piet, on suit principalement Louise, leur petite-fille, rêvant d'aventure maritime dans un monde où les femmes n'ont pas le droit d'être capitaine. Qu'à cela ne tienne, secrets et héritage seront au cœur de l'intrigue, surtout quand son chemin croise celui de Gilles Barenton, un homme mystérieux à bien des égards.
Une lecture qui se dévore, qui change des tomes précédents tout en étant dans la continuité. Une réussite pour moi, qui me suis attachée à toute cette famille, qui ai tremblé pendant leurs épreuves... Et cette fin ! Je veux la suite...
Après La cité de feu et La cité des larmes, on part cette fois-ci dans La Cité des mers : une aventure historique palpitante dans l'univers des océans, des bateaux, de la piraterie...
On retrouve tous les ingrédients des tomes précédents : aventure, femmes fortes, romance, famille, avec toujours ce fond historique de guerre de religion entre huguenots et catholiques. Il y a toujours plusieurs villes dans lesquelles on voyage, ce tome nous emmenant donc à La Rochelle, Amsterdam et les îles Canaries.
Après Minou et Piet, on suit principalement Louise, leur petite-fille, rêvant d'aventure maritime dans un monde où les femmes n'ont pas le droit d'être capitaine. Qu'à cela ne tienne, secrets et héritage seront au cœur de l'intrigue, surtout quand son chemin croise celui de Gilles Barenton, un homme mystérieux à bien des égards.
Une lecture qui se dévore, qui change des tomes précédents tout en étant dans la continuité. Une réussite pour moi, qui me suis attachée à toute cette famille, qui ai tremblé pendant leurs épreuves... Et cette fin ! Je veux la suite...
September 6, 2024
I’m so glad I randomly decided to pick this up in the bookstore. I knew nothing of this book prior, nor did I know it was apart of a series 😅 but fortunately you can technically read this as a stand-alone.
The story immediately drew me in as we meet our protagonist Louise Reydon-Joubert, the captain of the Ghost Ship as she is getting ready for her public execution for the crimes she’s committed. Louise’s voice was so strong and clear that I immediately got a sense of who she was and it made me eager to see how she got to this point. She commands a ship during a time when the idea of a female sea captain was unimaginable as well as frowned upon.
Along side Louise, we follow Gilles Barenton, a woman who had to assume her dead brothers identity as a child. Gilles was another fascinating character and I loved seeing how the paths between Gilles & Louise begin to intertwine.
The writing in the Ghost Ship is gorgeous. Kate Mosse prose paint beautiful picturesque scenes that truly transports you into the novel. I could feel the ebb and flow of the sea, the breeze of the night air, the love and anguish between the characters and the tension among various communities.
I thought this would just be a quick fun seafaring story, and it is that, but so much more. The novel delves into the history and experiences of France & Amsterdam during the Huguenot diaspora of the 1600’s . Mosse’s writing makes you feel the essence of that time while making the story feel fresh and relevant. The book touches on, the slave trade, the high contention between religious groups, exploration of sexuality and much more. Amidst all of this is, there’s an unexpected love story between Louise & Gilles brewing.
The Ghost Ship is one of those stories you just sink into and enjoy. I wish I had better words to describe the feeling it gave me, but it felt like the book surrounded and filled the space around me. The short chapters made it easy to read, I loved how it balanced adventure, family dynamics, politics, and romance.
The story immediately drew me in as we meet our protagonist Louise Reydon-Joubert, the captain of the Ghost Ship as she is getting ready for her public execution for the crimes she’s committed. Louise’s voice was so strong and clear that I immediately got a sense of who she was and it made me eager to see how she got to this point. She commands a ship during a time when the idea of a female sea captain was unimaginable as well as frowned upon.
Along side Louise, we follow Gilles Barenton, a woman who had to assume her dead brothers identity as a child. Gilles was another fascinating character and I loved seeing how the paths between Gilles & Louise begin to intertwine.
The writing in the Ghost Ship is gorgeous. Kate Mosse prose paint beautiful picturesque scenes that truly transports you into the novel. I could feel the ebb and flow of the sea, the breeze of the night air, the love and anguish between the characters and the tension among various communities.
I thought this would just be a quick fun seafaring story, and it is that, but so much more. The novel delves into the history and experiences of France & Amsterdam during the Huguenot diaspora of the 1600’s . Mosse’s writing makes you feel the essence of that time while making the story feel fresh and relevant. The book touches on, the slave trade, the high contention between religious groups, exploration of sexuality and much more. Amidst all of this is, there’s an unexpected love story between Louise & Gilles brewing.
The Ghost Ship is one of those stories you just sink into and enjoy. I wish I had better words to describe the feeling it gave me, but it felt like the book surrounded and filled the space around me. The short chapters made it easy to read, I loved how it balanced adventure, family dynamics, politics, and romance.
August 5, 2023
It seems like it’s been a long time between drinks for the Joubert Family Chronicles, and this one takes Louise, living with her grandmother Minou (from a previous book, in a younger age), and taking on the challenge of the sea, thanks to a timely inheritance. The novel explores the boundaries of acceptable life back in the 1620s, and refers to her great aunt Alys and her companion Cornelia - far from the norm. There’s enough excitement and action with a bit of subterfuge to keep me interested, but it took longer than it should to reconnect with all the characters and situations.
April 28, 2023
Louise Reydon-Joubert is a defiant, fearless adventurer. Owner of the Old Moon, a vessel out of Amsterdam, she is more than confident to take charge when the captain dies in mysterious circumstances.
From the start, with a young woman in Paris to claim her inheritance, this book is full of adventure and spirit, with the main protagonist, Louise, far ahead of her day. Her heroic schemes and plans, along with her fight for justice hold no bounds.
A truly remarkable story of epic proportions, a real page turner. Totally absorbing from the off, I couldn’t read this fast enough to see what happened next. The settings are beautifully depicted, the characters and their exploits superbly told, a real gem.
This is the third book in this series, and not having read the previous two I thought I may be a bit lost. Not at all, it made no difference whatsoever, a complete standalone, though I shall now definitely seek out the other books in the Joubert Family Chronicles.
Outstanding, Kate Mosse at her very best.
Thank you NetGalley.
From the start, with a young woman in Paris to claim her inheritance, this book is full of adventure and spirit, with the main protagonist, Louise, far ahead of her day. Her heroic schemes and plans, along with her fight for justice hold no bounds.
A truly remarkable story of epic proportions, a real page turner. Totally absorbing from the off, I couldn’t read this fast enough to see what happened next. The settings are beautifully depicted, the characters and their exploits superbly told, a real gem.
This is the third book in this series, and not having read the previous two I thought I may be a bit lost. Not at all, it made no difference whatsoever, a complete standalone, though I shall now definitely seek out the other books in the Joubert Family Chronicles.
Outstanding, Kate Mosse at her very best.
Thank you NetGalley.
March 18, 2024
Attracted to the description of this as “a sweeping historical epic of adventure on the high seas” I was disappointed to find out that most of this story does not take place at sea.
Many chapters are devoted to the background of the main characters detailing their families, how their paths cross and how they eventually end up on #TheGhostShip. The story is definitely sweeping in scope, covering many locations and involving a large cast of characters during an interesting period of history. However, this wasn’t the book I was expecting so the many subplots of the characters’ back stories seemed like barriers to what I thought would be the main story of an adventure at sea.
The story is well researched and written but the pace was far too slow for me.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for the ARC!
Many chapters are devoted to the background of the main characters detailing their families, how their paths cross and how they eventually end up on #TheGhostShip. The story is definitely sweeping in scope, covering many locations and involving a large cast of characters during an interesting period of history. However, this wasn’t the book I was expecting so the many subplots of the characters’ back stories seemed like barriers to what I thought would be the main story of an adventure at sea.
The story is well researched and written but the pace was far too slow for me.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for the ARC!
August 29, 2023
This entire series has been such a wo
nderfully epic journey, and The Ghost Ship was an amazing continuation of the story.
With an inheritance from her father, Louise Reydon-Joubert is a woman of means and independence. She is free to do the only thing she's ever wanted to do. Go to sea.
While in La Rochelle, she meets and feels an instant connection to Gilles Barenton. However, Gilles has a long-held secret. The two of them sail away in her ship, The Old Moon, and along the way forge a beautiful relationship.
This was easily my favorite of this series. Louise's bravery and spirit were incomparable. She was a woman ahead of her time.
This book was simply magnificent. I can't wait to read the next installment.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
nderfully epic journey, and The Ghost Ship was an amazing continuation of the story.
With an inheritance from her father, Louise Reydon-Joubert is a woman of means and independence. She is free to do the only thing she's ever wanted to do. Go to sea.
While in La Rochelle, she meets and feels an instant connection to Gilles Barenton. However, Gilles has a long-held secret. The two of them sail away in her ship, The Old Moon, and along the way forge a beautiful relationship.
This was easily my favorite of this series. Louise's bravery and spirit were incomparable. She was a woman ahead of her time.
This book was simply magnificent. I can't wait to read the next installment.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
August 19, 2023
Action-packed, alluring, and exceptionally atmospheric!!
The Ghost Ship is a rich, informative tale that picks up a few years after The City of Tears left off, sweeping us from France to the Canary Islands in the early 1600s and into the life of the independent, bold Louise Reydon-Joubert who, after dreaming of life on the high seas forever, finally gets her chance when she sets sail on her aunt’s merchant ship the Old Moon with a motley crew, a young Huguenot man accused of murder, and a determination to rid the waters of the Barbary pirates who enjoy nothing more than raping, pillaging and overindulging.
The prose is eloquent and vivid. The characters are stubborn, selfless, and courageous. And the plot is an immersive, fascinating tale of life, loss, love, bravery, survival, tragedy, romance, adventure, religion, politics, war, gender fluidity, sacrifice, revenge, the roles of women in 17th century Europe, and the ins and outs of living on a ship.
Overall, The Ghost Ship is another beautifully written, incredibly enthralling third addition to The Joubert Family Chronicles by Mosse that grabs you from the very first page and does an outstanding job of blending historical facts with fiction that is both enlightening, romantic, and wonderfully compelling.
Thank you to PGC Books & Minotaur Books for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Ghost Ship is a rich, informative tale that picks up a few years after The City of Tears left off, sweeping us from France to the Canary Islands in the early 1600s and into the life of the independent, bold Louise Reydon-Joubert who, after dreaming of life on the high seas forever, finally gets her chance when she sets sail on her aunt’s merchant ship the Old Moon with a motley crew, a young Huguenot man accused of murder, and a determination to rid the waters of the Barbary pirates who enjoy nothing more than raping, pillaging and overindulging.
The prose is eloquent and vivid. The characters are stubborn, selfless, and courageous. And the plot is an immersive, fascinating tale of life, loss, love, bravery, survival, tragedy, romance, adventure, religion, politics, war, gender fluidity, sacrifice, revenge, the roles of women in 17th century Europe, and the ins and outs of living on a ship.
Overall, The Ghost Ship is another beautifully written, incredibly enthralling third addition to The Joubert Family Chronicles by Mosse that grabs you from the very first page and does an outstanding job of blending historical facts with fiction that is both enlightening, romantic, and wonderfully compelling.
Thank you to PGC Books & Minotaur Books for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 24, 2023
This felt nothing like the first 2 books in the series. The whole atmosphere was entirely different. Infact, I'd say this was a different genre. The first books were historical dramas, where as this was an adventure-romance. I like both genres, but I was caught off-guard by the mid-series change. The plot also didn't have much reliance on the first two stories. Other than following the same family (but a different generation), it seemed fairly unrelated; more like whole other companion series than a direct sequel.
I liked the two main characters and was invested in their romance. For that reason I was tempted to rate the story higher, as Louise and Gilles were amazing. I suspect if they'd appeared in a story not connected with any previous impressions, I'd have been invested in the whole tale more. Unfortunately, because I went into this book with the previous ones in mind, approach the book with the right expectations and suspend disbelief. If I'd known what kind of story I was getting into, I would have taken the multiple accidental murders, unlikely high-seas ventures and diverse slave-hunters at face value and just accepted them. Because I was anticipating a more grounded narrative, I was constantly thinking about the story as a story rather than being immersed in it.
As a stand-alone story I appreciated the book, and probably would have enjoyed it more if the spectre of the earlier books hadn't coloured my perception.
I liked the two main characters and was invested in their romance. For that reason I was tempted to rate the story higher, as Louise and Gilles were amazing. I suspect if they'd appeared in a story not connected with any previous impressions, I'd have been invested in the whole tale more. Unfortunately, because I went into this book with the previous ones in mind, approach the book with the right expectations and suspend disbelief. If I'd known what kind of story I was getting into, I would have taken the multiple accidental murders, unlikely high-seas ventures and diverse slave-hunters at face value and just accepted them. Because I was anticipating a more grounded narrative, I was constantly thinking about the story as a story rather than being immersed in it.
As a stand-alone story I appreciated the book, and probably would have enjoyed it more if the spectre of the earlier books hadn't coloured my perception.
January 11, 2024
Having read and loved the first two novels in Mosse’s Burning Chambers series, I had high expectations of The Ghost Ship and, happily, was not disappointed. Once again, Mosse delivers an engrossing piece of storytelling, steeped in historical detail and featuring another fabulous female protagonist in Louise Raydon-Joubert.
At 500 pages, this is a fair chunk of a book, but I was very quickly sucked into the world of early 17th century Europe and Louise’s dream to own and captain her own ship, despite the laws forbidding women from doing so.
Her ambition takes her on a wild adventure across the high seas; one involving betrayal, revenge and romance, as well as captaincy of the feared Ghost Ship, which patrols the seas around the Canary Islands, accosting pirate and slave vessels.
As with the other women in her family, Louise is a formidable character: bold, fearless and with a will of iron. But she also has her weaknesses, especially in matters of the heart, and this softens her otherwise hard edges, making her relatable and likeable.
From start to finish, this was a thrilling and hugely enjoyable read. It can be read as a standalone, but I’d still recommend reading the earlier books in order to get to know the Joubert family and its difficult past.
At 500 pages, this is a fair chunk of a book, but I was very quickly sucked into the world of early 17th century Europe and Louise’s dream to own and captain her own ship, despite the laws forbidding women from doing so.
Her ambition takes her on a wild adventure across the high seas; one involving betrayal, revenge and romance, as well as captaincy of the feared Ghost Ship, which patrols the seas around the Canary Islands, accosting pirate and slave vessels.
As with the other women in her family, Louise is a formidable character: bold, fearless and with a will of iron. But she also has her weaknesses, especially in matters of the heart, and this softens her otherwise hard edges, making her relatable and likeable.
From start to finish, this was a thrilling and hugely enjoyable read. It can be read as a standalone, but I’d still recommend reading the earlier books in order to get to know the Joubert family and its difficult past.
May 26, 2023
As always, Kate Mosse's research is second to none. I have been a fan since Labyrinth and although I wouldn't normally read third in a series without reading the first two, she is too much of a draw. I enjoyed this book for the most part but I was disappointed by the ending which seemed too quick and, for me, a little unsatisfactory. I feel that another book is needed to tie up the story.
It also wasn't quite what I expected. With a title, The Ghost Ship, I expected that to take centre stage but actually most of the story is on dry land and the ship doesn't appear until quite late on. Gilles is referred to in quite a strange way once their secret is revealed to Louise, the facade is maintained throughout. I understand this is necessary for the public but not between to two main characters.
That said, the period and setting is vividly brought to life as you would expect from this author and I'm still a fan.
It also wasn't quite what I expected. With a title, The Ghost Ship, I expected that to take centre stage but actually most of the story is on dry land and the ship doesn't appear until quite late on. Gilles is referred to in quite a strange way once their secret is revealed to Louise, the facade is maintained throughout. I understand this is necessary for the public but not between to two main characters.
That said, the period and setting is vividly brought to life as you would expect from this author and I'm still a fan.
October 16, 2023
Ok I love Kate Mosse, she’s my favourite author but I was so disappointed with this book. This is the final instalment of the trilogy but it feels like there should be a fourth…
The first book of the trilogy was great, the second was good, but this third one was dare I say it, boring. It didn’t have any meat to it, characters that didn’t feel like they really connected and so many unexplained elements. This book also didn’t relate back to anything that was set out in the prologue of the first book.
The ghost ship, as a stand-alone novel, probably actually works quite well, but it just didn’t feel like it was a part of the previous two and the writing just didn’t have the same feeling.
The first book of the trilogy was great, the second was good, but this third one was dare I say it, boring. It didn’t have any meat to it, characters that didn’t feel like they really connected and so many unexplained elements. This book also didn’t relate back to anything that was set out in the prologue of the first book.
The ghost ship, as a stand-alone novel, probably actually works quite well, but it just didn’t feel like it was a part of the previous two and the writing just didn’t have the same feeling.
Read
December 28, 20234 STARS
How this book found its way onto my TBR: I read Mosse's story in Marple: Twelve New Mysteries and thus began my journey of The Burning Chambers/The Joubert Family Chronicles. I had thought this would be a trilogy, but having just completed the third book, I see there's room for at least one or two more books. There's some 200 years between the "current" events in this book and some teasers from the earlier books. And I thought I'd finished the series! This book came out in 2023, so I'm pretty caught up. I needed to return this book to the library ASAP, and I had the time to read the book, so I zoomed through it.
As with previous books in the series, the main focus is of course on the Reydon-Joubert family, particularly the Joubert women. We see some mention of Minou, her sister Alis, Alis's companion Cornelia, and Minou's daughter, Barnarda (who is unfortunately quite unpleasant). There is also mention of Minou's first daughter, Marta, but we learn quickly that she is no longer in the picture. This novel follows one particular character: Louise Reydon-Joubert, daughter of Marta and Louis Vidal. Louise was raised in Amsterdam by her grandparents and returned to France for her 25th birthday to receive an inheritance. We see Louise when she's 25 and then 10 years later, when she is 35. Being initially from Amsterdam, Louise has a love for boats and the sea, and she is close with Alis and Cornelia. With her inheritance, she purchases one of Cornelia's boats (the Old Moon) and, in a most unladylike fashion, actually wants to be on the ship. Louise's wealth protects her from most things, and unladylike is certainly a word she would embrace. Along the way, she meets Gilles Barenton (we never do learn Gillis's birth name, but that's by design, and who cares), who is 15 years her junior. She saves him from unpleasant circumstances, and he essentially becomes her aide.
This book takes place mostly on the high seas aboard the Old Moon. This is quite unlike the previous books, which bobbed between different characters frequently and focused greatly on religious wars in France, Holland, and Spain. There is still a flavor of that, but I appreciated a new setting and some distance from those events. It would make sense that there would be little mention of politics and the religious wars for Louise, who does not have much of a thought for religion anyway and is generally focused on her ship. The religious wars do return in the epilogue, when the perspective shifts to Suzanne Joubert, granddaughter of Florence, the daughter of Jean-Jacques Reydon-Joubert, the son of Minou and Piet Reydon-Joubert.
I'm interested to see where this goes, though I was, as other reviewers have said, thrown off by the lack of continuity of prologues. I was also disappointed to not learn more about Marta and Louis; it was hinted at, strongly, by the end, but then nothing came of it. I can't say I expect that Mosse will cross that T in the next book, because that was something that happened at the end of Book 2 and was not resolved in Book 3. I get the need to keep the suspense, but it's a lot to ask of readers who are trying to keep track of everything else. That said, this book was clearly about Louise and did not stray from her. I enjoyed the themes that involved Louise never putting aside her being a woman but choosing to dress as a man on her ship. I also appreciated how Mosse wrote Gillis with great care and attention to things like pronouns.
All of the characters seem well-rounded and independent of each other. Mosse has a really fantastic writing style, making sure to include appropriate terms but not getting so technical that she loses her readers. For as long as the book is, it's amazing that I just kept turning the pages, wanting to get into the next chapter, the next section of the book.
--
PS. If you all ever go to The StoryGraph, let's be friends there! Here's my profile.
How this book found its way onto my TBR: I read Mosse's story in Marple: Twelve New Mysteries and thus began my journey of The Burning Chambers/The Joubert Family Chronicles. I had thought this would be a trilogy, but having just completed the third book, I see there's room for at least one or two more books. There's some 200 years between the "current" events in this book and some teasers from the earlier books. And I thought I'd finished the series! This book came out in 2023, so I'm pretty caught up. I needed to return this book to the library ASAP, and I had the time to read the book, so I zoomed through it.
As with previous books in the series, the main focus is of course on the Reydon-Joubert family, particularly the Joubert women. We see some mention of Minou, her sister Alis, Alis's companion Cornelia, and Minou's daughter, Barnarda (who is unfortunately quite unpleasant). There is also mention of Minou's first daughter, Marta, but we learn quickly that she is no longer in the picture. This novel follows one particular character: Louise Reydon-Joubert, daughter of Marta and Louis Vidal. Louise was raised in Amsterdam by her grandparents and returned to France for her 25th birthday to receive an inheritance. We see Louise when she's 25 and then 10 years later, when she is 35. Being initially from Amsterdam, Louise has a love for boats and the sea, and she is close with Alis and Cornelia. With her inheritance, she purchases one of Cornelia's boats (the Old Moon) and, in a most unladylike fashion, actually wants to be on the ship. Louise's wealth protects her from most things, and unladylike is certainly a word she would embrace. Along the way, she meets Gilles Barenton (we never do learn Gillis's birth name, but that's by design, and who cares), who is 15 years her junior. She saves him from unpleasant circumstances, and he essentially becomes her aide.
This book takes place mostly on the high seas aboard the Old Moon. This is quite unlike the previous books, which bobbed between different characters frequently and focused greatly on religious wars in France, Holland, and Spain. There is still a flavor of that, but I appreciated a new setting and some distance from those events. It would make sense that there would be little mention of politics and the religious wars for Louise, who does not have much of a thought for religion anyway and is generally focused on her ship. The religious wars do return in the epilogue, when the perspective shifts to Suzanne Joubert, granddaughter of Florence, the daughter of Jean-Jacques Reydon-Joubert, the son of Minou and Piet Reydon-Joubert.
I'm interested to see where this goes, though I was, as other reviewers have said, thrown off by the lack of continuity of prologues. I was also disappointed to not learn more about Marta and Louis; it was hinted at, strongly, by the end, but then nothing came of it. I can't say I expect that Mosse will cross that T in the next book, because that was something that happened at the end of Book 2 and was not resolved in Book 3. I get the need to keep the suspense, but it's a lot to ask of readers who are trying to keep track of everything else. That said, this book was clearly about Louise and did not stray from her. I enjoyed the themes that involved Louise never putting aside her being a woman but choosing to dress as a man on her ship. I also appreciated how Mosse wrote Gillis with great care and attention to things like pronouns.
All of the characters seem well-rounded and independent of each other. Mosse has a really fantastic writing style, making sure to include appropriate terms but not getting so technical that she loses her readers. For as long as the book is, it's amazing that I just kept turning the pages, wanting to get into the next chapter, the next section of the book.
--
PS. If you all ever go to The StoryGraph, let's be friends there! Here's my profile.
August 1, 2023
Piracy. Romance. Revenge. Across the seas of the seventeenth century, two seafarers are forced to fight for their lives. The sequel to The City of Tears , The Ghost Ship is the third novel in The Joubert Family Chronicles from bestselling author Kate Mosse.
The Barbary Coast, 1621. A mysterious vessel floats silently on the water. It is known only as the Ghost Ship. For months it has hunted pirates to liberate those enslaved during the course of their merciless raids, manned by a courageous crew of mariners from Italy and France, Holland and the Canary Islands.
But the bravest among them are not who they seem. The stakes could not be higher. If arrested, they will be hanged for their crimes. Can they survive the journey and escape their fate?
A sweeping and epic love story, ranging from France in 1610 to Amsterdam and the Canary Islands in the 1620s, The Ghost Ship is a thrilling novel of adventure and buccaneering, love and revenge, stolen fortunes and hidden secrets on the High Seas. Most of all, it is a tale of defiant women in a man's world.
The Ghost Ship is book #3 in the Burning Chambers series, and I have not read the first two novels. I’m quite certain that this is part of the story before this book, that leads to what happens in this one; however, this can absolutely be read as a standalone.
Mosse clearly did her homework and knows how to bring history to life! This was outstanding, well thought out and well researched. I am not a sailor (but my oldest son is, so I used him quite a bit for reference), but I am a history buff, and this story combines both effortlessly. It begins with Louise, the granddaughter of the Reydon-Joubert family as she comes into her inheritance, a large sum which sets her up for her future.
Louise decides to follow her dream of sailing, and after 10 years’ time, she is the “secret” owner of a cargo ship where she’s hosting the farewell dinner party for the retiring captain; wherein she meets Gilles, a wine merchant's apprentice. Louise and Giles begin a relationship, which is modern and refreshing and everything it should be for a female captain in the 1600's looking to change the rules. However, Giles does have some secrets of his own.
This ship is what leads Louise to her destiny and, eventually, her infamous legacy. Her quest to break the rules is heart-pounding and vibrant and taking the journey with Louise ,and following her adventure, is everything you could want in a pirate story.
Kate Mosse is an incredible storyteller who brings historical fiction to life. Thank you to Kate Moss, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.
The Barbary Coast, 1621. A mysterious vessel floats silently on the water. It is known only as the Ghost Ship. For months it has hunted pirates to liberate those enslaved during the course of their merciless raids, manned by a courageous crew of mariners from Italy and France, Holland and the Canary Islands.
But the bravest among them are not who they seem. The stakes could not be higher. If arrested, they will be hanged for their crimes. Can they survive the journey and escape their fate?
A sweeping and epic love story, ranging from France in 1610 to Amsterdam and the Canary Islands in the 1620s, The Ghost Ship is a thrilling novel of adventure and buccaneering, love and revenge, stolen fortunes and hidden secrets on the High Seas. Most of all, it is a tale of defiant women in a man's world.
The Ghost Ship is book #3 in the Burning Chambers series, and I have not read the first two novels. I’m quite certain that this is part of the story before this book, that leads to what happens in this one; however, this can absolutely be read as a standalone.
Mosse clearly did her homework and knows how to bring history to life! This was outstanding, well thought out and well researched. I am not a sailor (but my oldest son is, so I used him quite a bit for reference), but I am a history buff, and this story combines both effortlessly. It begins with Louise, the granddaughter of the Reydon-Joubert family as she comes into her inheritance, a large sum which sets her up for her future.
Louise decides to follow her dream of sailing, and after 10 years’ time, she is the “secret” owner of a cargo ship where she’s hosting the farewell dinner party for the retiring captain; wherein she meets Gilles, a wine merchant's apprentice. Louise and Giles begin a relationship, which is modern and refreshing and everything it should be for a female captain in the 1600's looking to change the rules. However, Giles does have some secrets of his own.
This ship is what leads Louise to her destiny and, eventually, her infamous legacy. Her quest to break the rules is heart-pounding and vibrant and taking the journey with Louise ,and following her adventure, is everything you could want in a pirate story.
Kate Mosse is an incredible storyteller who brings historical fiction to life. Thank you to Kate Moss, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.
July 10, 2023
To begin, I want to thank NetGlley for the ARC of this book, not to be insanely excited but it’s my very first one!
Here we go! All i needed to see was the name and the promise of pirates and I was sold. This took me a bit longer to get though than others just based solely on the rich and deep history that the author was able to include in the book. Being the third book in a series, and not reading the first two, I found that it was still quite easy to follow. It is the perfect way to be introduced to the characters in a way that makes you want to read the first two as I discovered they seem t b following one families chronology.
While the first few chapters were slightly confusing, it smoothness out by the second part and the narrative was quite easy to follow. Choosing a female main character for this time period is an incredibly difficult feat and Mosse not only rose to the challenge, but she succeeds in creating an emotional attachment to not just Louse but also Gilles.
Louise comes from a long line of incredibly strong omen, whose stories I cannot wait to read, and her drive to do more, to be more, then the limits of what women at the time can do id inspirational in itself. Gilles story is as heart wrenching as it is powerful, not giving to much away, but the struggles he goes through by being forced by his own mother to be someone he isn’t and seeing the character rise from that and take control of their own agency was just a delight to read.
The history, politics, and romance of this books gives the reader a great ay to learn about this very complex religious and political conflict in such an interesting way from the viewpoint of women was a great way to dive into it headfirst.
I know four stars may not seem like enough based on my review but for me it is a definite reread and there will be a physical copy with lots of notes and annotations in my future.
Here we go! All i needed to see was the name and the promise of pirates and I was sold. This took me a bit longer to get though than others just based solely on the rich and deep history that the author was able to include in the book. Being the third book in a series, and not reading the first two, I found that it was still quite easy to follow. It is the perfect way to be introduced to the characters in a way that makes you want to read the first two as I discovered they seem t b following one families chronology.
While the first few chapters were slightly confusing, it smoothness out by the second part and the narrative was quite easy to follow. Choosing a female main character for this time period is an incredibly difficult feat and Mosse not only rose to the challenge, but she succeeds in creating an emotional attachment to not just Louse but also Gilles.
Louise comes from a long line of incredibly strong omen, whose stories I cannot wait to read, and her drive to do more, to be more, then the limits of what women at the time can do id inspirational in itself. Gilles story is as heart wrenching as it is powerful, not giving to much away, but the struggles he goes through by being forced by his own mother to be someone he isn’t and seeing the character rise from that and take control of their own agency was just a delight to read.
The history, politics, and romance of this books gives the reader a great ay to learn about this very complex religious and political conflict in such an interesting way from the viewpoint of women was a great way to dive into it headfirst.
I know four stars may not seem like enough based on my review but for me it is a definite reread and there will be a physical copy with lots of notes and annotations in my future.
January 21, 2024
5 stars but only because I can't do 4.5!
I love Kate Mosse's writing style but unlike her previous works this book doesn't feel like a complete story. From the ending I know the next book will likely tell us the rest of Louise's story but because of this it feels more like a book to take us between stories, travelling with the ship to take the characters to the next setting. All of her prior works have ended in such a way that it was a self contained plot, that would then tie into the rest of the series. This book requires you to read The Burning Chambers and The City of Tears for a proper understanding. I still very much enjoyed it and it was unlike anything I've read before, a 17th century female captain makes for a fantastic character and now that this book has set Kate Mosse up for her next work I am excited to see how the Reydon-Joubert and Evreux families cross over again.
I love Kate Mosse's writing style but unlike her previous works this book doesn't feel like a complete story. From the ending I know the next book will likely tell us the rest of Louise's story but because of this it feels more like a book to take us between stories, travelling with the ship to take the characters to the next setting. All of her prior works have ended in such a way that it was a self contained plot, that would then tie into the rest of the series. This book requires you to read The Burning Chambers and The City of Tears for a proper understanding. I still very much enjoyed it and it was unlike anything I've read before, a 17th century female captain makes for a fantastic character and now that this book has set Kate Mosse up for her next work I am excited to see how the Reydon-Joubert and Evreux families cross over again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2023
The 3rd tome of the Burning Chamber series is coming out this month and I am so thankful I have been given a galley! After giving The City of Tears 5 stars, I am giving the Ghost Ship another much deserved 5 stars because the story is simply perfect! This one focuses on Louise Reydon-Joubert, granddaughter of Minou Joubert (starring in the first 2 books) and daughter of Marta who got killed in City of Tears. Louise is the owner of the Old Moon but she secretly dreams of becoming a she-captain one day. Things force her to leave France, and then leave Amsterdam. So she finally gets to navigate on her ship. In France she meets Gilles, and there is something indescribable happening between those two from the get-go. Gilles ends up getting on board the Old Moon with Louise as she tries to protect him from his abominable mother. Their voyage aboard the ship takes a turn for the worse when the captain who initially want to make Louise his wife, sees Louise and Gilles being affectionate toward one another and he immediately turns on Louise.
This book is so full of back stories, stories within stories, lots and lots of characters (but they were all distinctive from one another), and one of the main storyline, which is Louise and Gilles, was really beautiful. Never have I ever read a ship story set in the 1600s being so delicate and good intentioned. The writing was so well executed: rather short sentences, nothing florid, but they all carried out all emotions and intentions. The story was divided in different parts, and the final part was an awesome surprise that made me giddy on my couch!
I so love Kate Mosse! She knows how to create realer than life characters that you grow to love like family.
Thank you Net Galley and Minotaur Books for this e-ARC in exchange of my honest review.
This book is so full of back stories, stories within stories, lots and lots of characters (but they were all distinctive from one another), and one of the main storyline, which is Louise and Gilles, was really beautiful. Never have I ever read a ship story set in the 1600s being so delicate and good intentioned. The writing was so well executed: rather short sentences, nothing florid, but they all carried out all emotions and intentions. The story was divided in different parts, and the final part was an awesome surprise that made me giddy on my couch!
I so love Kate Mosse! She knows how to create realer than life characters that you grow to love like family.
Thank you Net Galley and Minotaur Books for this e-ARC in exchange of my honest review.
May 22, 2024
This is the tale of Louise Reydon-Joubert a Dutch woman who loves the sea. Set in 1600’s the tale is steeped in the history of the time and tells her story from being aboard her own ship The Old Moon to becoming a female captain and hunting pirates. The story is a very slow burn with lots of detail and history. It really takes off in the last 100 pages. Possibly because I have been reading thrilling page turners recently I found it a bit of a slog. Apparently it is part of a trilogy but I won’t be rushing to read the rest. Not really my cup of tea
September 7, 2024
This book completely wrapped me in it's pages. The way Mosse writes makes you feel as if you are on that ship going through the highs and lows with Louise. A wonderful strong female lead and captina!
Really enjoyed this one of the series, gripped throughout and excited to read the next one.
Really enjoyed this one of the series, gripped throughout and excited to read the next one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 397 reviews