Based on a real-life voyage of discovery in the 1780s, this fictional account of the ill-fated expedition of the Astrolabe and the Boussole under the command of Lapérouse is an engaging and compelling read. Narrated by multiple voices and points of view it’s an encyclopaedic portrayal, an imaginative retelling, with a wide range of characters and landscapes, all cleverly interleaved, resulting in an atmospheric and evocative picture of life at sea and on land. Some chapters are more interesting and successful than others, perhaps not surprisingly, and there’s a section at the end about a name change that I couldn’t quite see the point of, but overall I was impressed with the authors’ knowledge and research and her ability to absorb it into an often exciting and compelling narrative.

Was looking forward to reading this book but I didn't enjoy the style of writing, unfortunately. I am sure it may suit others though.