I received a temporary digital copy of Voyage of the Damned by Frances White from NetGalley, Michael Joseph and the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The twelve Blessed of Concordia take a voyage from the Capitol to the Mountain. Each are the heirs to their province, some having already taken the mantle of leadership and each have a Blessing, a special ability marking them as the heir. This special journey turns into a murder mystery and one after the other is dying. Can the one un-blessed fraud, Ganymedes Piscero, or Dee, figure out what is really going on before he is next on the death list?

For me, Voyage of the Damned is 4.5 stars rounded up. Dee is hilarious and I really enjoyed his character along with Grasshopper. Dee reminded me a bit of of TJ Klune's Nick in the "Extraordinaries" series as he wanted to be included and desperately wanted to be understood, all while living unapologetically himself. So if you enjoyed Nick, you will definitely fell in love with Dee. This book constantly had me questioning what was going on and I didn't even come close to solving the murders, which I always appreciate. I gave it 4.5 stars just because I felt the pacing was dragging from 55%--75% through.

This book has a lot going for it, but also a lot that maybe didn’t work for me. Firstly, this is a YA book, an underdog coming-of-age/finding-yourself narrative, and although it does have some violence, some sexual innuendos, and a good amount of cursing, it is YA in story and tone, and knowing what that means for its ideal audience changes how I rate it (for the better).

The good? I had fun reading this story, it is eminently readable and has a protagonist that you want to root for. The fantasy aspects and world-building were colorful and engaging enough, and it paces out its action and reveals well, keeping the reader compelled to keep reading. There is a wonderful found-family storyline that is compelling and stands out, and, while maybe a little clumsy and naive, it ultimately is a story that promotes class-solidarity and caring for others, which is a heart-warming and optimistic message to leave the book with.

What was less great? First off, the overall ending is eminently predictable. It is an underdog story about learning to love yourself, as soon as the central conflict is established the ending is predictable. That said, the locked-room murder mystery that gets us to that ending was fun, with a good number of proper clues and red herrings planted throughout. It may not be entirely satisfying, for some readers, though, because it isn’t a mystery the reader can solve. You can guess some parts of it, but ultimately the clumsy magic system, the full details of which are not entirely known to the central characters, is used to present a final reveal that is fun for the story but made of pieces the reader is never given to put together. Since we are following a protagonist with the same ignorance it was fine for me, but there is a slight feeling of being cheated when you learn the answer isn’t something any amount of sleuthing could have led you to.

The real thing that held this back to me, and almost made it feel middle-grade, regardless of the content, was the world-building and the way it was presented. This idea of a country with twelve distinct, ethnically divided regions, where there is a clear class and race/ethnic hierarchy that parallels a division of labor, just felt too simple. It is a world that doesn’t have electricity but makes references to hot dogs and all sorts of other contemporary, very specific, food items, to how cool it looks to walk away from explosions without looking back, and to something being so good its “like crack.” Just a bunch of weird references that felt like they didn’t belong in this fantasy world, places where there could have been more detail and depth added to what was otherwise pretty surface-level world building. The pure-bloods of each province have different hair colors? Really, that’s how we are going to identify them? It just felt like everything was the simplest option. There are hints at all sorts of interesting things, about how the powerful and elite enjoy their success solely due to the labor and suffering of the lower classes, about how religion is used to calm and control an unruly populace, about how exile and xenophobia are used to foment nationalism and repress individualism. But these are just hinted at, not explored in depth. Instead, we have a sensitive main character who magically doesn’t subscribe to most any of these manipulations but also doesn’t have great insight as to why they are like that, except that maybe they don’t like bullies. And the magic system? What magic system? It is just too convenient. The “blessings” or magical powers are so arbitrary, how can these help these children run a country? Nothing about the magic makes sense, even within this world, and it feels like a total get-out-of-plot-jail free card and wasn’t inspiring or interesting to me. And there is decent representation, but it just feels like checking off boxes. Like characters go out of way to say they are trans, or bisexual, or asexual, and while there is a lovely acceptance and normalizing of this, it is all presented almost methodically, to make sure it gets included, but not because it matters to the story. The same goes for race, in this weird ethno-caste centric world, where all different shades of skin tone are mentioned, all equally described as beautiful and haunting, but it felt like checking off boxes. I appreciated it, but it didn’t feel organic to the story. I just think the world building, the politics and social dynamics, the systems of magic, religion, and folklore, the considerations of class and race, and the overall representations of diversity just needed to be more fleshed out, and more nuanced and detailed. Everything felt too simple and easy to actually convince me of the reality of this world.

Almost all my complaints dissolve when I consider this written for a younger reader. I have read some complicated, challenging YA, it doesn’t have to dumb down any of these things, but it also isn’t uncommon to focus on character growth and keep everything else simplified or convenient, just explained away instead of explained. I was disappointed because there are a lot of juicy ideas, and we didn’t get to spend too much time with any of them. But the story itself was fun, the dialogue quirky and realistic feeling, the characters interesting enough given the specific roles they were given on this chessboard, the reveal was interesting and worked (as long as you didn’t expect to solve the mystery on your own), and the conclusion, while exactly what you might predict, felt earned and uplifting. The novel is a great snack, if you’re interested in looking at a bunch of pretty colors and shapes but not interested in doing any hard analysis or thinking. All that said it is a debut novel, and it is an ambitious one at that, and yet doesn’t feel overburdened or overwrought like many debut novels can be. It is a super promising start, showing a great heart for character and creativity, and I did have a good time reading it, even if my critique suggests otherwise.

I want to thank the author, the publisher Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

"The Voyage of the Damned" by Francis White is an absolute gem of a book!

The plot, centered around a journey on the emperor’s ship and the twelve heirs, each with a secret Blessing, was captivating from beginning to end. Ganymedes (Dee) Piscero, quickly became a character I rooted for. He is unbelievable funny and his clever remarks kept me smiling even through the dark and thrilling parts of the book. Furthermore, his transformation and growth throughout the story were compelling and heartwarming.

As someone who has read a fair share of murder mysteries, I pride myself on being pretty good at guessing the plot twists and the eventual culprit. However, "The Voyage of the Damned" kept me on my toes with its numerous twists and unexpected surprises. I genuinely could not predict what was going to happen, which made the reading experience all the more exciting! I found myself so engrossed in the story that I admittedly stayed up way too late, unable to put it down because I simply had to know what happened next. The pacing is perfect, and each chapter left me eagerly reaching for the next.

Furthermore, I deeply appreciate the variety of representation among the characters. Francis White includes LGBTQ+ representation and characters with disabilities, making the world of Concordia diverse and inclusive. This thoughtful representation added another layer of realism and relatability to the story, making it resonate even more with readers from different backgrounds.

Overall, "The Voyage of the Damned" is a must-read for fans of both fantasy and murder mysteries. Francis White has crafted a brilliant tale filled with humor, suspense, and magic. I can't recommend this book highly enough!

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA and NetGalley for the absolute honor of getting to ready an Advanced Readers Copy of this prior to it's publication. I will be recommending everyone to hit the the shelves on August 20th, 2024 to get a copy of the book!

Voyage of the Damned was a delight to read, masterfully combining elements of suspense, character growth, and magic. Whether one is drawn by the murder mystery or the fantasy world aspect, this book delivers on both fronts, a definite must-read.

I had so much fun with Frances White's debut VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED.

The novel is a fantastical closed-door mystery about a group of magically endowed scions, embarking on a week-long cruise on a ship headed toward a ceremonial island to initiate the world's newest goddess incarnate. Dee, our main character, is the son of the lowest class of people in the world, Fish, and to make matters worse, he doesn't have any magical ability. But when bodies start piling up, and the list of suspects starts to dwindle, Dee is the only one who can save them all.

Dee is the type of first-person narrator I instantly gravitate towards. His self-deprecation is all-too-relatable, funny, and tragic wrapped up in a nice little bundle. Absolutely delightful.

This standalone fantasy murder mystery book is EVERYTHING!

In Concordia, there are 12 provinces each led by an heir with a unique and secret magical ability known as a Blessing. Each year, the emperor's magical ship embarks on a 12 day voyage to the sacred Goddess's Mountain to celebrate their unity and power. Welp, this year, Ganymedes Piscero (aka, Dee)- slacker, over-all disappointment, and magic-less - is attempting to hide his lack of a Blessing for 12 days. Dee has the uncanny ability to give ZERO F's when it comes to the other heirs who have bullied and scorned him his entire life. However, when the beloved Emperor's heir is murdered on the first night, Dee finds himself stuck at sea surrounded by powerful people who he's spent his entire life pissing off and who really don't care about his survival. Can Dee become the hero he was not born to be?? Bodies literally start dropping left and right (so much murder!) and Dee forms an unlikely alliance with a six year old child (from Grasshopper province) in a race against time to unmask the killer.

Dee is the queer, fat, HILARIOUS, hero I didn't know I need in my life, and he must be protected at all costs. When I say he had me LOL-ing, I do not mean internal chuckles, I mean actually almost spitting out my water. He's irreverent, witty, a bit of an asshole, but with an absolute heart that must stand up against cruelty. This book has romance/longing, unlikely friendships, queer/fat/physical disability/chronic illness representation, shocking twists, and is an absolute JOY to read. Fantasy lovers must not sleep on this one! I'm already ready to read it again.

I enjoyed the book at the start well enough. As the book wore on, I came across more and more things that were just a little annoying although I was still interested in continuing. Then the book took a turn that made all the characters pretty unlikeable despite the author assuring me that these characters were, in fact, good people and the end was nonsensical.

Think of this book as a cross between The Hunger Games, Gideon the Ninth and And Then There Were None. The Hunger Games because there are twelve districts, each with its own ruler, that does one thing and contributes that thing to the Capitol (er, Emperor). Dee, our main character, is the heir apparent to a district that fishes- his last name is Piscero. The Crow District (last name of the ruling family is Corvus) is a coal mining district but has recently discovered a magical mineral called divinium that is important to the Dragon Emperor (last name Draco) for Reasons. Does this begin to sound familiar? There is also a cute little magical Black girl from the Grasshopper district whose magical power is that she can disappear. Dee makes her his ally. Oh, and there used to be a District Thirteen whose people rebelled against the Emperor. They were cast out of this magical realm that is protected by The Bandage (magical wall) one thousand years ago and they have been trying to get back in ever since. They are the Crabs.

Hunger Games parallel aside, then there's Gideon the Ninth. Instead of nine houses, though, there are twelve. The scion of each house has come to a magical boat to sail to a magical island for Reasons. They are isolated and on their own. Each house has its own color hair, its own heraldic animal, and each scion has their own secret magical power. There is a MURDER on the boat but the scions have to just gut out the voyage and try to figure out on their own whodunnit. And people keep on getting murdered! Sort of And Then There Were None plus Gideon! And Dee makes a Detective Dee's Diagram of Deduction and begins to use it along with his Grasshopper friend to solve the murders!

Dee is one of those characters that, if you buy into his bubbly narration, could be cute and fun. I didn't find him to be quite as cute and fun as the many people who love this book do. He's also one of those people who likes to pretend not to care about anything and only go for the joke, when in fact he CARES VERY MUCH and those who see behind his jolly facade can't believe how amazing he is. He's kind of dumb, which he keeps being told, and I think the book thinks we are supposed to disagree with, but I ended up agreeing with the Dee-is-kinda-dumb viewpoint. I could deal with the breeziness to a certain point, but things began to get very angsty and weird.

Dee starts the book totally in love with Ravi from the Crow district. Ravi's dark moody shyness are just too good for this world for Dee and Dee goes on and on about how gentle Ravi is and how Ravi would never hurt a fly. Ravi unfortunately is an early MURDER victim. Within a day, Dee finds himself in love with Wyatt, the scion of Bear province (they herd cattle and Wyatt intermittently talks like a cowboy). Wyatt himself was desperately in love with Eudora, the Dragon scion, who was the first MURDER victim. But Wyatt seems to return Dee's feelings just as ardently within a day and these two are mooning over each other, getting drunk and flirting with each other, all in for each other ONE DAY after their previous deep love interests have died. Turns out there is a reason.... sort of?... for this but it was when I started to think that this book is less about real emotions than drama.

This book is marketed as adult and Dee says he is twentyfive. I would believe him to be maybe sixteen years old for the emotional maturity, decision making ability and perceptive abilities that he has. The book had a very YA feel to me, with its dramatic instalove, characters ruminating about their emotional damage and simultaneously jokey feel.

I think that is probably enough for me to rant! The writing wasn't bad and although the book is derivative it wasn't horrible. Not enough for me to knock it to one star! But if you have a low tolerance for teen angst and emotional drama this isn't the book for you.

Did not finish. Narrator was too annoying. He was meant to be an annoying adolescent but was too annoying for me to keep reading. World building was kinda interesting but no enough to keep reading.

This is an incredibly impressive debut book, and this book was absolutely phenomenal. There are so many elements; it’s fast paced, totally engaging, and while I did predict a few things I did not predict the twist!! This was very well done.

I went into this hoping for a fantasy mystery but ended up with a wild goose chase with a dash of magical elements? Which was fine, once I read it for what it was. There's modern slang in this book, and it has the tone of Alix E. Harrow's Fractured Fables. Like our main character is from this world but interacting in another. POUTINE exists in this book. And this was marketed as an adult book (?) but it DID NOT read that way. Very much YA.

The mystery was intriguing enough but I didn't feel like I connected very well with the characters. As a murder mystery/whodunnit, it was quite entertaining and I found the concept of "Blessings" to be pretty good (even if not very well explained). Plus, the reveal/twist was a bit TOO unrealistic for me to consider this a satisfying ending.

And this book felt too long and too short at the same time?? There was a whole caste system and a genocide happening and the ramifications of the ending just weren't discussed. But some points really dragged. It picked up around 60% and it was pretty smooth sailing till the end.

4 stars!

Thank you to Frances White and MIRA for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!

This super unique and super queer murder mystery fantasy romance on a boat...evidently is doing a lot. Don't let the page count intimidate you, I totally blew through this. The delicate balance of humor, world-building, and high-stakes conflict made this a really engaging read even if I felt a little off about the ending.

First, the good. I was a little nervous seeing all the characters in the opening glossary but the author did a great job of quickly establishing and differentiating them. In the same vein, I like the world a lot. Building an expansive fantasy world in a standalone can be very difficult, and while Concordia operates on some pretty simple systems the world-building doesn't feel stunted by this in my opinion. The writing is solid, with both funny and emotional moments that I felt very connected to. Dee is a very likable protagonist and he doesn't feel like a caricature to me. He doesn't made stupid decisions without reason, his interactions with other characters are meaningful and have impact on the story, and his insecurities have very genuine origins. The queer representation was great, and queer-normative worlds always strike a chord with me. There's also some disability/chronic illness representation by way of Wyatt and Tendai, which I always appreciate. The magic system was not great but its deficits weren't super distracting.

I have two main problems with this book. First, the mystery and the resolution was just okay. I didn't necessarily guess the twist but I wasn't shocked by it. Usually, I think twists are most effective when the author had the twist in mind from the beginning and wrote everything with that in mind. Here it felt like they figured it out part way and you could have switched it out with any other resolution with the same effect.

In the interest of remaining spoiler-free I'm going to be vague, because my second issue is with the ending of the book apart from the mystery. The whole book seems like it's arguing that the current political system in Concordia doesn't work and only hurts the people. In the end it is replaced...with essentially the same system, just with a different leader. Sure they make some different decisions, but I was lead to believe that the system was flawed, not the leader, so just replacing the leader doesn't feel adequate. It just kind of left me feeling strange, I'd like to hear others' thoughts on how that ended up.

Ultimately, I totally recommend this! There's no doubt that it's engaging and largely well-done, especially considering that it is a standalone fantasy with a major mystery and romance plotline. It delivers what it promises, and I think my issues with it are going to end up being more subjective depending on the reader. I look forward to seeing what this author writes in the future!

Happy reading!

I genuinely have no idea how a book with this much murder can be so funny and heartfelt but here we are. This book was heavier on the world building than I was expecting and I really enjoyed the magic system and the politics. There are so many characters (and less but still many murders) and they are all so distinct and memorable. The twists are twisty, the angst is angsty, I had a really good time.

This was fine, until it wasn't. It started kind of like as a not-as-good Gideon the Ninth but on the sea and with worldbuilding for the readers, and I wasn't mad about that, dear reader. It continues on in this vein, until the ending, which made no actual sense. So, I was on the somewhat shaky ride until said ride was blown up at the end. I can't put anything too specific in a review because spoilers, but yeah, if you are desperate for something Gideon-adjacent and don't care about the ending being nonsense, I say have a go. It wasn't for me. 2 stars.

A magical ship transporting a gaggle of ducal heirs - each with a magical power and a whole boatload of secrets - turns into a nightmare trip when passengers begin to die, one by one. It falls to the most insignificant attendee, from the lowest-status province, a six year old, and a boy who is already literally dying to figure who is killing people, and more importantly, why?

A brilliant adventure of magical politics, backstabbing, secret-keeping, young love, and an awkward, lonely young man who learns to take his own power and do what no one else is willing to do.

Damn! Pun intended. ;)
This book really took me for a ride and spit me back out again at the end. I loved every second of it - the twist, the turns, the ship as its own character basically. Kept me captivated and guessing!

Voyage of the Damned by Frances White
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
0.5/🌶

What I loved:
🐟The characters. There isn't one unrelatable or unlovable character here. They were all so well-developed, even the ones who died early.
🐟Idk how White managed such incredible world building on top of a brilliant murder mystery, but she did.
🐟The LGBTQ+ representation. There were so many diverse characters, and at no time was the narrator preachy about it. It just *was*, and that's exactly what it should be.
🐟Laugh out loud funny! Dee has sent me to an early grave.

I have no words for how utterly phenomenal this was. What a triumph. But, I will do my best to influence everyone to read this with my review.

The pacing was perfect. It was fast-paced but never felt rushed. There were a few scenes that slowed it down, but they were welcome and refreshing moments.

All the characters were incredibly well developed, and I loved getting to know them. They were so well-rounded and dynamic and had so much depth. All had their own traumas and hidden problems. None of them were perfect, and all had made mistakes, but they were doing their best. This also made it extremely difficult when they died because I really grew to love them.

Dee was such a brilliant MC. How do I put it into words?! Quick-witted, smart, selfless, and big-hearted. He took in Grasshopper when no one else would. (Grasshopper also holds my heart and added so much levity) I loved Dee's humor. I also really felt for him because underneath the sarcasm and wit, Dee was broken.

As for the mystery, in the wise words of Dwight Schrute, "It's never the person you most suspect. It's also never the person you least suspect, since anyone with half a brain would suspect them the most. Therefore, I know the killer to be... the person I most medium suspect."

I tried. I tried SO HARD to solve this, and I failed miserably because I didn't listen to Dwight! It didn't help the mystery was complex, so I would have only gotten it partially correct, but still!

The setting was also spectacular. A magical ship that none of them could leave. With little dragon butlers? I mean, could it get any better?

And the world building? I loved learning about the world and the different cultures. I loved the politics in play and the history between the characters.

I dont think I can name one thing I didn't like because there isn't one. White bridged fantasy and murder mystery perfectly and nailed both. This is the best murder mystery I have ever read. I truly, truly cannot recommend this enough.

I know this is one I will be rereading over and over again. For me, it's an instant classic. A perfect comfort read to come back to when I need a pick me up or to get me out of a slump. This is one of my top ten best books I've ever read.

This book dealt with some heavy topics and themes, but yet it remained light and hopeful. They were covered with so much compassion. Themes of not belonging, pressure to conform, unrequited love, loss, grief, loneliness, and more.

TWs: attempted suicide, violence, death

So, imagine if Hercule Poirot was on a ship. And he was the heir to a magical province. And he's trapped on that ship with the other hereditary magical heirs of the empire. And his ex boyfriend is there. And then the emperor's heir is killed. And then other people start dying. And oh yeah, he's been lying the whole time about his magical abilities. That thought exercise would get you sort of in the ballpark of everything this book has to offer. The high fantasy world building in this murder mystery is truly excellent, especially since it manages to be queer, funny, and well paced all at the same time. I can't wait to read more from this author.

It’s been a while since I dove into the world of fantasy, and this was one that didn’t disappoint. I genuinely enjoyed the Clue-esque aspect of the story: the murder mystery, the tension of wondering who was next, all while trying to figure out who was responsible. The characters were likable enough to keep the reader intrigued and the twists were good enough to keep the reader on their toes. All in all, it was a gruesomely good time of a read!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a rollicking good time on the high seas where motives are rampant, magic abounds, and the body count climbs! Told from the first-person perspective of our main character, 'Dee" (Ganymedes), we are introduced to the land of Concordia that is split into 12 provinces. Each of these provinces are governed by a dux that has been blessed with a magical ability, and the next heir will be known when they are also blessed with magic. Unfortunately for Dee, he hasn't yet been blessed with magic and yearns to escape the lie that his father has spun. The lie that Dee has been blessed when he hasn't, but there isn't a choice as he's the only legitimate heir. For millennia, the provinces have worked together to ensure the peace of Concordia and to keep unwanted people out, namely the Crabs. While they are each meant to be equals, there is clearly a hierarchy among the duxes who manipulate and play for power.

As they all set sail on a ship together to form bonds, not all is what it seems. Clearly there is a scheme a foot. Magical powers are kept hidden and deadly secrets hang in the balance. Will Dee be able to make it out alive and find the killer in time?

Even though I felt this could have used a bit more editing to move the plot along, I loved how fully developed the characters were. Dee seems to be the unlikely hero - always looked down upon and seen as worthless by his peers. Regardless of that, he is quirky, funny, and tenacious. He is what most of the characters are not - a good person. I also thoroughly enjoyed the diverse representation in this story and the message that we are all worthy. Worthy to be loved and seen as whole, Being and feeling seen for who we are, and not defined by what we lack. If you love a good fantasy and murder mystery in one with a host of well-developed characters you should give this one a try.

I just couldn’t get into this book. I got close to half way through and found the writing style to not be my personal favorite. It wasn’t at all that the story was bad, it was interesting but I couldn’t get past the fast paced writing. Which, for someone else this writing could be really fun and upbeat but for me it just felt really busy. It read like an anime. Someone had mentioned fruit baskets and honestly that was a really good comparison. But, just because I didn’t enjoy it doesn’t mean you won’t! As I said the storyline was intriguing, give a book a try! That’s all us readers can do.