I’m going to try to make this a review blog as well as an author/narrator news blog from now on. Any time I come across a book with less than a hundred reviews, I’ll be reviewing it here (And on Amazon and Goodreads, of course).
Here we go!
India Bones and the Ship of the Dead is a rollicking adventure of ships and ports, friendship and happenstance. One of those adventures with many parts, and the summation is greater than the individual parts would have you believe.
The tale starts strong. India Bones takes a chance that no other kid would, and between a bout with the undead and far too much rum finds himself drawn into the world of pirates and legends. I wish there had been more of these moments, more times where India stood out and put himself into situations that boggled the mind. Instead, India takes this one ball and runs with it, and throughout the adventure, the trait that defines the lad is that he can’t, or won’t, stop. No matter how hazardous things get.
The adventure never slows down, though the middle parts feel like chasing the high of the beginning of the tale. Near the end of the book, when India heads off to find his father, the emotions pick up. All parts of the adventure come together, for better and for worse. I felt for India, felt him grow up in the end. The question of India’s parentage has a satisfying answer, better than what I expected.
If you’re looking for a fun YA romp in a world similar to Disney’s Caribbean, this book is definitely for you. Just don’t expect a strong, driving plot to keep you turning the middle pages. Like sailing a pirate ship out on the open waters, it’s not about the destination or the direction. It’s about the adventures along the way, and the tale to tell afterward.
4.5/5 stars.
P.S. Illusion of Grandeur Audiobook still releasing this year. That’s all the news I’ve got!
See you around,
-Kyle Adams
Kyle Adams 