Aleja is a dreamer who longs for a life of magic and adventure. So when a mysterious ship arrives in her Spanish harbour city, crewed by a band of ruthless women, Aleja knows it's sailed right out of a legend.
And it wants her. But life aboard the Ship of Shadows is more than even she bargained for. It will take all of Aleja's strength and skill to gain the trust of her fellow pirates - and discover what they are risking everything to find ...
I know what some of you may be thinking. Haven't you already reviewed The Ship of Shadows? And you'd be right. I have (you can find last month's review here) but when I heard about The Write Reads Blog Tour to help promote Maria's book I couldn't help but jump aboard. So here is review number two, with a little acrostic twist, because I'm a teacher. Plus, you know it must be good if I want to review it twice.
S is for SEA.
It wouldn't be a book about pirates and ships without the sea. Throughout the book we see various harbours from Spain's coasts as well as the more sinister side of the ocean as the fearsome Kraken rears its head along with a good old storm!
H is for HEROINES.
Whilst Aleja is our main heroine, adventurous and brave, The Ship of Shadows is filled with heroines. It's an all girl gang and one that I'd love to be part of if given the chance. There are strong females wherever you turn, old and young, showing everyone just how strong girl power really is. Each has their own individuality and spirit and I loved that the book was filled with such strong role models for girls everywhere.
I is for INDIVIDUALITY
One of the main things I love about this book is the fact that each girl on board the Ship of Shadows has their own unique personality and their own talents. In fact, part of the pirate journey is all about finding yourself, it's as much a voyage of self discovery as it is an adventure in parts. From Frances' ability to always find cake, Aada's navigation skills and Velka's ability to explode almost anything, all of the girls on the ship shine bright with their own individuality.
P is for PIRATES.
Pirates are obviously the main theme of The Ship of Shadows but not like any pirates you may be familiar with. Forget Pirates of the Caribbean and instead picture a full girl gang, armed and dangerous, cunning and witty, ready to take on anyone that interferes. Maria Kuzniar has re-imagined pirates for a new generation and I'm definitely on board!
O is for OLITIANA.
Olitiana is one of the many female crew members on board. She is one we don't see much of but struck me as a kind of ship mechanic - she knows how to sail and what all the important bits do! She also has the job of teaching Aleja the names of all the ropes and what each does. She's generally just another fantastic female role model!
F is for FRANCES.
Frances is by far my favourite character we see on the Ship of Shadows, apart from Aleja of course. This is mainly because of Frances' handy talent of bringing cake to every situation. She's a feeder. Oh and she's also Aleja's best friend onboard. I mean, pirates and cake - who could want more?
S is for SPAIN.
The Ship of Shadows is set largely in Spain, beginning in Seville and this is due to Maria Kuzniar's own Spanish knowledge, having lived there for six years before returning to England. The various interactions there are in Spanish are also a nice little incorporation of the Spanish culture and certainly reminded me of some long lost Spanish I had learnt!
H is for HIDDEN.
The Ship of Shadows is full of hidden secrets, from hidden rooms to ghosts that hide in globes...As Aleja discovers them, so do you and I can imagine that we're just scratching the surface of the true magic this ship holds.
A is for ALEJA.
Our swash-buckling, pirate hero. Plucked from the harbour of Seville and taken on an adventure like no other. Aleja is fierce, independent and just the perfect heroine. She is scared of nobody and has talents that she doesn't even realise until they're called in to play. If you want a strong female lead, Aleja's got you covered.
D is for DANGER.
The danger never ends in The Ship of Shadows and just when you think they've escaped by the skin of their teeth, the girls are almost instantly catapulted back into another hair-raising scenario. Whether that's being called a thief, stealing a telescope or fighting off the vicious Kraken, Maria Kuzniar really knows how to build tension and keep you turning the pages.
O is for OPULENCE.
Opulence is the best word beginning with O I could think of to describe the physical copy of The Ship of Shadows. To me it just oozes opulence, with it's orangey hues and window cover revealing the full illustration, it truly is a work of art. Who wouldn't want that sitting on your bookshelf?
W is for WEAPONS.
Swords, cutlasses, guns. The Ship of Shadows covers them all at various moments. In charge of weapons and training the pirate squad is the fearsome Malika. Bold, brave and secretive she fights with menace and is definitely not to be crossed. I loved how Malika had a real presence on the ship. It was obvious all the other girls respected her but were equally a little bit frightened of what she might do next!
S is for SHADOWS.
It's not called The Ship of Shadows without good reason and there are a fair few lingering shadows on board. On this pirate ship a shadow isn't just a companion you can never escape from in the sunshine. They take on their own forms, provide solace and friendship and there's always the threat of losing them too...
The Ship of Shadows is published on Thursday 16th July and is available to buy from all good bookstores.
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