The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
By
Johanna Craven
1692. The Atlantis, captained by
veteran seaman Benjamin Archer, flies the colours of an English merchantman on
the high seas between the English Channel and the Caribbean.
But she also runs up the ‘jolie rouge’ – the Jolly Roger – whenever the prospect of plundering a Spanish treasure ship presents itself.
Nipping at Spain’s empire is common practice for state-sponsored privateers like the Atlantis at a time when lesser European powers dare not directly make war on Spain.
But when those governments abandon the practice of issuing letters of marque to privateers against the Spanish galleons, many of the crews turn pirate.
Such is the fate of Archer’s men.
The crew is forced to sign the ship’s articles consenting to their new piratical ways, thereby placing their heads in a noose.
Unless, that is, they can stage a mutiny and turn Archer over to the authorities in the Caribbean city of Port Royal, a popular homeport for privateers – and notorious for its gaudy displays of wealth and loose morals, the ‘wickedest city on earth’.
But superstition is rife among seamen and the presence on board the Atlantis of two women – one a high-born French stowaway Catherine and the other a Jamaican slave-born ‘cabin boy’ Serafine – will only be a bad omen if they are discovered.
Worse, the runaway is thought by her family to possess the powers of a witch while the ‘boy’ worships voodoo gods who rule life from beneath the waves.
Will the mutiny succeed?
What is the secret bond between Archer and Serafine?
And can Catherine escape the captain’s determination to make her his after she has fallen for another young officer?
Is some unstoppable divine force slowly gathering to punish the profane?
Johanna Craven’s impressive latest novel combines the island paradise world of Mutiny on the Bounty with the visual and visceral immediacy of Master and Commander, whilst also delving into the legacies of colonialism explored in Joseph Conrad’s sinister Heart of Darkness.
Beyond the power and control of man lies what …?
But she also runs up the ‘jolie rouge’ – the Jolly Roger – whenever the prospect of plundering a Spanish treasure ship presents itself.
Nipping at Spain’s empire is common practice for state-sponsored privateers like the Atlantis at a time when lesser European powers dare not directly make war on Spain.
But when those governments abandon the practice of issuing letters of marque to privateers against the Spanish galleons, many of the crews turn pirate.
Such is the fate of Archer’s men.
The crew is forced to sign the ship’s articles consenting to their new piratical ways, thereby placing their heads in a noose.
Unless, that is, they can stage a mutiny and turn Archer over to the authorities in the Caribbean city of Port Royal, a popular homeport for privateers – and notorious for its gaudy displays of wealth and loose morals, the ‘wickedest city on earth’.
But superstition is rife among seamen and the presence on board the Atlantis of two women – one a high-born French stowaway Catherine and the other a Jamaican slave-born ‘cabin boy’ Serafine – will only be a bad omen if they are discovered.
Worse, the runaway is thought by her family to possess the powers of a witch while the ‘boy’ worships voodoo gods who rule life from beneath the waves.
Will the mutiny succeed?
What is the secret bond between Archer and Serafine?
And can Catherine escape the captain’s determination to make her his after she has fallen for another young officer?
Is some unstoppable divine force slowly gathering to punish the profane?
Johanna Craven’s impressive latest novel combines the island paradise world of Mutiny on the Bounty with the visual and visceral immediacy of Master and Commander, whilst also delving into the legacies of colonialism explored in Joseph Conrad’s sinister Heart of Darkness.
Beyond the power and control of man lies what …?
What did I think of the book?
I am an
avid reader of historical fiction, and I think because of this I have set the
bar very high. The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea is so far passed the bar that it
is in another hemisphere. This is an extraordinary work of historical fiction,
and I don't say that lightly. It really did blow me away.
The
characters were fresh and beautiful portrayed. This story is driven by
several key protagonists, who each have their own desperate backstory
and
somehow, against the odds, they have all ended up on the same ship —
some
willingly, others not so. And despite their suspicion of each other,
they know that
they cannot survive without the others. There is a real sense of
desperation in
this story and about the want for something better. Craven has portrayed
the human spirit with great proficiency and believability. There is
also a love story here, which touched my heart and I was really gunning
for the characters to have a happy ever after, but with the explosive
ending I wasn't sure they were going to get it.
The prose
in this book is a work of art — fabulous storytelling. I cannot stress how good
this book is. It ticked all my boxes and then some.
I applaud
Craven for bringing such a well researched and breathtaking story into the world.
This is a must read, if ever there was one.
I Highly Recommend.
Links for Purchase
About the author
Johanna Craven is an Australian-born writer of
historical and new adult fiction. She is also a film composer, music teacher
and pianist. She has lived in Melbourne and Los Angeles and is currently based
in London.
Her more questionable hobbies include ghost hunting, meditative dance and
pretending to be a competitor on The Amazing Race when travelling abroad.
Check out Johanna's books
and music at www.johannacraven.com
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