Landfalls

I really struggled with this book. I found the format very difficult to follow and the movement between characters, perspectives and settings draining. I felt very little connection to the characters and wasn't invested in their fates, making it a struggle to get to the end.

The quality of the writing was very good but I much preferred Williams' style when she was writing about characters off the ship that on it. She was able to evoke worlds and cultures outside of the ship eloquently and her prose was very engaging in those chapters. For me, the "faction" nature of the ship narratives left me feeling like I was reading a history book rather than a novel.

This was an ambitious project and clearly one that has been well researched. However, as a piece of fiction, I think it is difficult to become engrossed in this world due to the constant shifting voices and narratives. There are many very positive reviews out there so I definitely think some people will enjoy this - it was wasn't for me, I'm afraid.

I really enjoyed this stunning-looking, well-researched and beautifully written book.

I loved the unique structure as it made the story that much more intruiging, trying to pick up what had happened while the crew were sailing. The descriptive writing was vivid, drawing you in to each landing, while the characters seemed very real. I found their plight very moving and really felt for the families left behind.

I would highly recommend this to anyone!

On receiving a copy of this book, I was impressed by the beauty of the cover and fascinated by the map of the journey. It was with great excitement I entered into this reading voyage. Sadly, I was disappointed. I found little or no connection with some of the characters and only scant levels of interest in the setting. I was mildly intrigued by the portrait sitting session but quickly lost interest when introduced to Lamanon's character. I did find my interest was piqued by the discovery of the lone survivor living with his new wife on the Island and felt a mixture of emotions when he narrowly missed his opportunity to be rescued. Overall, the idea was tantalising but I was left with a limited response to what was clearly a well-researched piece of writing.

“I’m delighted that I was selected to read Landfalls! This is so far from what I’d normally read, but I’m going to be suggesting to a lot of people that they try this when it makes it into the library. The characters are interesting (especially the conflicts between Lapérouse and Lamenon), with a gentle humour obvious in places that makes me smile.” Chris

“I didn’t think I would enjoy this novel, but the charm and humour of the writing drew me in. The detail and reimagining of the La Pérouse voyage really made you feel you were part of the action and on the journey yourself. A true epic read.” Danny

“Early exploration is always a great topic with unknown territory and uncertain dangers. The voyage is a true one that little is known about, so the author extrapolates from what information there is and weaves an interesting story. Each chapter is told from a different landing site and in different ways – first person crew, native inhabitant, letters, eyewitness accounts etc., which means we see the narrative unfold from varying angles, landscapes and viewpoints.” Daren