I was not sure what to expect when I started this book. The world-building felt fresh and unique, with a well-developed magic system. Also, the number of characters introduced right away was daunting, taking a few chapters to realize who was who.
But, the work was worth it as the story evolved since there were so many great twists and turns. The mystery was top-notch, and Dee (our protagonist) quickly grew on me. I found the story so satisfying that I might invest in a physical copy soon. I give this book 5/5 stars.


Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review Voyage of the Damned by Frances White. All opinions are my own.

I was hooked into this after reading the synopsis, A Mind Blowing murder mystery on a ship full of magical passengers. If Agatha Christie wrote fantasy, this would be it.
For sure a high claim to be since Agatha is an icon in the book murder mystery genre.
Honestly, I wasn’t too sure what I was going to step into when reading this book. I had a general idea with the murder mystery concept. This book for sure was a breath of fresh air in terms of what I had been reading. The main character was so relatable and so funny that I instantly grew fond of him. I also love that this book has a very wide queer representation.
This book for sure was a pretty wild ride. There was a lot of things that I did not see coming and that for sure was a good thing. I wouldn’t say it was the best book, but it wasn’t the worst. It for sure fell into the middle too high category. There were times where I would’ve sped up and got to point a lot faster. The finale for me felt a little bit rushed and kind of in a sense predictable.
Overall, this book was pretty solid. What I recommended? it was for sure fun book that I feel what resonate with a lot of people who like murder mystery, who done it murder, witty, and relatable, main characters and queer representation.
Thanks to the folks at NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for a copy of this book. My review is a honest reflection of my feelings towards this book.

Not that long ago I read The Tainted Cup and I thought, "Wow, I did not know that murder-mystery-set-in-fantasy-world was the genre I needed". But I figured I'd have to wait for its sequel to get another one. And I could not be happier to be wrong!

Voyage of the Damned is very much a murder mystery that uses the locked room trope. In this case, our entire cast is trapped on a ship together with no way off until they reach their destination. In the nation of Concordia, each of the 12 provinces has one "Blessed", an heir with unique magical abilities. Together they keep the nation safe. They embark on a 12 day pilgrimage aboard a magically powered vessel, and suddenly an heir turns up dead. One by one the heirs are murdered, and it's a race to discover the killer, but our hero Ganymedes is hiding a deadly secret - he alone has no Blessing. He's a fraud, with no way to protect himself aside from his wits.

Ganymedes ("Dee") is a perfect protagonist. Funny and self-deprecating without being obnoxious, incredibly relatable, and he forges unlikely friendships. The pacing is fast and action is non-stop, and the plot was delightfully twisty - I really had no idea who dun it, and kept going back and forth on my theories. In terms of representation, this really knocked it out of the park; we have LGBTQ+ characters and relationships, disabled characters, a mix of gender identities, etc.

It's not perfect. There's a few confusing references that seem out of place for the genre, like talking about hot dogs... Sure, there's no reason a fantasy world couldn't have ALSO invented hot dogs! But it does make you notice and it feels like an anachronism. And we know how the Emperor's Blessing is required to keep the Bandage functioning that protects them from the Crab clan, but... what purpose exactly do the other Blessings serve? They have a tendency to keep them secret, so it doesn't sound like the heirs use them to serve their people, and the Blessing is different for each individual so... what's the point of them, really? Does magic exist in this world in any other form? While this is marketed as adult fiction, it feels like it straddles the line between YA and adult.

The trick is to look at this primarily as a murder mystery in a unique setting with unique characters and constraints, and those nitpicks lose importance. It is absolutely delightful and completely different than anything I've read outside of The Tainted Cup. I strongly recommend this to anyone who enjoys blended genres!

This was such a fun book! It was an interesting take on fantasy but it leans more YA than adult. I enjoyed it, though. The writing was quirky and hilarious. The murder mystery, the tension, the wittiness, the banter, and the found family were enjoyable to read. I was not a huge fan of Dee, but Grasshopper was adorable. I do wish there was more world building and the plot twist was a bit strange. Overall though, it was a fun book to read.

This book was a great debut! The main character in this book was very witty and made the book a lot of fun. All of the characters felt like real people. I love fantasy and mystery books, so a combination of the two made this a fun read.

This was a hilarious romp of a murder mystery! Based on the cover, I wasn't expecting such a funny book, but this one delivered on all fronts. The world and magic system aren't the MOST fleshed out, but that's totally okay given that we spend the entire book on a delightfully campy murder cruise. The twists and suspense were all there, but I was most impressed by the character work her. Dee is a wonderful antihero-turned-hero, and I thought the depiction of his depression, disordered eating, and trauma was thoughtfully done and didn't distract at all from the more absurd elements of the story.

This was a unique book, im still not sure what I really think about it but it was interesting. This is a queer fantasy mystery that takes place on board a boat for a cruise. There are 12 people on this boat who have magic and a murder takes place and the main character is trying to figure out who did it. I liked the main character despite the chaotic narration and pov he was just trying to find himself. I thought the other characters were interesting but I'm still confused about the magic and worldbuilding aspect. My biggest thing about this book is that I was confused for a majority of the book i needed to know more about the world, animals, nicknames, and magic system to grasp what was going on. I really like the main characters' development and emotional growth especially when it comes to love and overcoming heartbreak. The book ends on a cliffhanger and I will say I'm interested in the next book because I need to know who the killer is. Overall this was okay, if you like suspenseful fantasies with a boat trip and lots of chaos you should pick this up. Thank you HTP for this arc.

💀 2/5 💀
Y’all I tried to like this. I really did. If you like extra gore and confusing world building, this may be for you. Comparing this to Agatha Christie if she wrote fantasy is almost infuriating. Let me start by giving two notes on my background, since almost all of you don’t know me, because it’ll help in the context of this book. I have a severe form of vasovagal syncope (I pass out at the mention of any gore), and I have an ongoing eat disorder. This doesn’t include many other aspects of my ✨special✨ brain but they are worth mentioning because if any of these affect you, move along. I almost DNF’d because even with my trained skim reading, I still was overwhelmed by how much this book affected me. Agatha Christie doesn’t do that, I love her books, so definitely can’t be compared.

Now let’s dive into the content, and I’ll do my best not to spoil anything for those who still decide to pick this one up. I’ll start with some positives: there was a lot of emotion in this writing. I was genuinely heartbroken with Dee, started to root for his future relationships with some of the other characters, and then once I hit the end it all went away. It WRECKED me, like wanted to throw the book in the trash, not the good wrecking.

This is where my negatives come in:The writing was a bit immature for my personal tastes. While I, at first, was really enjoying Dee’s banter, it soon became aggravating. Every character was distinct in their mannerisms, but it was like no one connected with each other. Maybe that was the whole intention but I couldn’t possibly get over how no character had a redeeming quality that I could honestly hold onto. Grasshopper was the only true winner here, and she’s 6.

I honestly couldn’t believe the way the author wrote about Dee’s eating habits. The author mentions wanting to be sensitive to those with eating disorders, but in fact it triggered mine. Now, I don’t know if Dee was meant to have an ED but he was described as overweight and many other characters had a fat-phobic tendency towards him. Things that were meant to be funny just seemed uncomfortable and awkward. It’s something that shouldn’t be joked about.

Finally the world building really confused me. I’ve been getting really into fantasy lately and this felt like it should solely be a fantasy realm but their were mentions of very modern day things. Plus, the ship is ran off magic, so why does it have an engine room if its not necessary and can’t be used anyway?? Besides these 12 people holding magic, that they get as children based on a circumstance that happened then, what are their powers good for? The emperor seems to be the only useful one but others have powers that don’t make sense for their province and what they provide to Concordia. I don’t know, maybe I missed a step somewhere but my brain hurt with this one.

Finally, I SUPER mad about the ending. I didn't spoil this when posting my reviews but having Wyatt not be Wyatt ruined it for me. They were building something, it felt good and refreshing after they both just lost people they thought they loved. Turning him into Ravi AND FINDING OUT WHAT HE DID AND HOW HE AIDED, how can you POSSIBLY trust him? UGH. Just -10/10.

I absolutely LOVED THIS BOOK. Billed as a magical gay murder cruise, 100% lived up to that hype. Twelve heirs of magic stuck on a boat with a murder in their midst, and a feral, disaster narrator who you can’t help but love. Voyage has a fantastic and diverse cast, and a locked door murder mystery that kept me guessing at every turn!

This book was a lot to comprehend. All the provinces, all the animals, and their characteristics and abilities were hard to remember, yet it kept me intrigued chapter after chapter. I couldn't stop reading it. I was curious to see what happens next and who is the murderer.

This book was such a good time!

When I read that this was a queer, fantasy, murder mystery set on a boat, I immediately wanted to read it. While it's not perfect, and I do agree with other reviews that it doesn't really read like Adult, I still enjoyed it. It's a delightfully fun book that had me laughing out loud. The narrator is quite funny, and the helps soften the book, which does deal with some much darker themes. This one definitely kept me guessing. I also really appreciated the diverse cast of characters and representation.

WOW! This book grabbed me by the throat and wouldn't let go until I finished it. (Literally-I've been sitting on the couch for 7 hours just reading and not bothering to eat. Boy am I starving...) This is a weird amalgam of high fantasy, murder mystery and Last Airbender, but it works _so well_. Clever writing, great characters, a fabulous main character, a beautiful gay romance, fascinating worldbuilding, great plotting including a huge twist that came out of nowhere...I could go on and on, but if you like any of those things, you should give this book a try. If you like all of them, you have to read this book. Highly recommended!

WOW ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!!! Thanks to an advanced copy, I now have a new top 3 favorite read of the year before it comes out! This book is a wild ride you will love if you like fantasy, murder mysteries or both. This is the story of Dee, a young man with no faith in himself or the world around him, as he embarks on trip with the other Blessed from Concordia to claim themselves as the magical leaders of their land. While being forced on this trip with people he wants nothing to do with, murder occurs and he is forced to face all of his own insecurities while trying to overcome heartbreak and solve the case. Twists and turns at every corner will keep you guessing who committed the murders and what the fate of their magical lands will be.

I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did, but wow I was hooked from the start and could not put it down! It’s a murder mystery, on a ship in the middle of the ocean, with unique magic individual to its user - I’ve never read anything like this before but I loved it.

Dee was an absolutely hilarious character. He had such as dry and sarcastic sense of humor that had me laughing out loud through the entire book. I also really loved all the relationships he formed along the way, they were so heartwarming. The hierarchies of the twelve provinces felt easy to follow as well, especially once Dee broke it down in that funny way of his. Each of the characters were so complex and I really enjoyed leaning their backstories.

The ending completely blew my mind. I’m pretty sure I suspected everyone on the ship at one point or another, but I just did not see the reveal at the end coming. I think it’s safe to say this was one of my favorite books of the year and I am very thankful to Harlequin Trade for giving me a chance to read an ARC of Voyage of the Damned. My review is also posted on Goodreads with the link attached.

Voyage of the Damned is a wild ride and fun read.

We start with Ganymedes "Dee" who is one of the 12 Blessed about to board a ship with the other Blessed on a voyage to their sacred mountain. Only Dee absolutely does not want to be there and is looked down on for being from one of the poorer Providences. Shenanigans ensue.

I really enjoyed Dee, I thought he was funny and endearing. I love a bi-disaster troublemaker. Dee is very loyal and loves hard. I really enjoyed his relationship with the young Grasshopper.

Although I did figure one thing out mid-book, there were a lot of twists and surprises! All the characters had distinct and interesting personalities. The mystery was intriguing and overall the story was fun!

I saw a few reviews complaining that the story read YA, which if so that's fine, and that the magical world was too simplistic. But sometimes it's refreshing to read a fun story that isn't overly complicated. I would have like the aftermath to be a little longer and fleshed out but the story as a whole was a good time with a satisfying ending!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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.