Kathryn Heyman

This is a fictionalised account of an apparently true story, of the sinking of a Dutch ship on the way to Australia/New Zealand and the survival of some of the passengers and crew.

It is a short but difficult to read book and I did struggle. It's not necessarily the fault of the book, but it is the harrowing tale of people marooned on isolated islands with few natural resources, little chance of rescue and complicity in the decisions until people realise it's too late.

Absolutely harrowing. Very quick read - finished it in two sittings. Really beautifully written. Reminded me of 'Somewhere Down a Crazy River'

Chilling - the darkness of this book slowly creeps up on you

What I thought at the start was an overly dramatised love story turned out to be a very chilling exploration of how we can find ourselves trapped, and what we'll do to convince ourselves that everything is fine...