An excellent adventure that is sure to steal the hearts of many young readers. The cover is just as lovely as the story inside.

A great tale of adventure and friendship set on the Ship of Shadows, and an all-female cast. Good fun

This was the perfect escapist book and feels like it was plucked right from my dreams. A female-led pirate ship filled with magic and adventure - what could be better than that?

You’ll feel like you’ve travelled the world with Maria Kuzniar’s immersive writing and engaging characters.

Thrilling, exciting and intriguing and I can’t wait for the next instalment!

This incredible adventure has everything! A crew of fierce female pirates, treasure to be found, magic and a journey to a lost city. Myths, legends, hopes, dreams, family and friendship and finally feeling as though you belong. I want to belong to the family on The Ship of Shadows.
The beginning of the story is every book lovers dream- a young girl, avid reader and lover of libraries. Aleja lives for her books and holds a huge amount of knowledge inside, not just ways to escape her room or the library but languages and legends, history and explorers. She is desperate to explore the world, but girls are not encouraged to explore. However, the arrival of a mysterious ship in Seville’s harbour, an accusation of theft and escape over the homes of the city give Aleja just the opportunity she has been dreaming of.
Welcome Aboard The Ship of Shadows! Not all is as it seems and the pirates life is hard work and at times dangerous. Spending hours in weapons training, attempting to crack codes from history and sleuthing around this magical ship keep Aleja from missing her family too much. Aleja has much to prove of herself to Captain Quint, especially if she wants the secrets to be shared with her.
The Ship of Shadows holds magic within, and secret rooms reveal themselves, jungles live in cabins and shadows of past pirates roam free. Aleja, friend Frances and other crew members work together to fight kraken, plunder treasure and traverse the desert in search for a piece of map. Legend has it that when the map is put back together, all the treasure in the world will be revealed. On their trail is a shadow catcher, Francois Levasseur, and he means to kill the Captain and crew for past battles lost.
The crew all have their talents and we’re specifically chosen by the Captain to be part of the crew. Frances is an expert theif, Malika is a weapons expert, Aada is the navigator, Griete an expert at mechanics. All work together in harmony and there is space for Aleja as a languages expert but she must make the hardest decision of her life. Does she stay on The Ship of Shadows and travel the world, adventuring and exploring or does she travel back to Spain to be reunited with her family?

Introduction to the book
I first heard about this wonderous Middle-Grade adventure back in January when Mia (penned as Maria when writing), the lovely author, came to the Cassandra Clare influencer tea I was overseeing as one of our esteemed guests. I don’t know if you have seen her Instagram, but good god… that girl can take a gorgeous flat lay. We chatted a little throughout the event and when I eventually heard Mia talking to Cassie and Anna James about her upcoming pirate-filled debut, I knew I would have to be one of the first to read it. I waited with bated breath until just this week when the stunning orange cover popped up on my NetGalley. I rushed to request and was overjoyed that I had this fantastic book to keep me company and fill some of those long long hours of staying at home.

Without further ado…

First Impressions
The best place to start with this review has to be the cover. It is a thing of beauty:

SoS

I think Puffin has done a great job of telling the reader exactly what they’re in for with The Ship of Shadows. Even at the briefest glance, you can see the high seas, a pirate ship, it’s dastardly crew swinging and swashbuckling across the cover, and treasure! You might even spot one of my favourite characters on there. I’ll give you a clue, he has two huge eyes and feathery wings. The orange sunset of the cover transports you to a world of busy bazaars, stifling deserts filled with secrets and overwhelming heat, but then the wash of cold seawater cools you right down. After pouring over Karl James Mountford’s cover, I was ready to come aboard.

Characters
Without spoiling anything, this book is filled to the brim with kick-ass, swashbuckling, female pirates who, let’s just say, you wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley; you’d be hogtied to the bottom of the nearest palm tree with your weapons missing, jewellery pinched (if Frances has anything to say about it), and your head scrambled from being hit in the back of the head with the butt of a pistol.

The crew of The Ship of Shadows are all so loveable and memorable as they each have their own unique skill and personality that they bring into the mix. Whether it’s linguistics, pickpocketing, navigation, weapons-mastery or even explosives, they each have their part to play aboard ship. My favourite of the bunch was probably Frances whom I promise you are all going to adore; she is funny, fiery, fierce but also lots of fun as she is often dripping with syrup and crumbs from the cakes she’s just wolfed down… all I can say is #Mood.

However, the real diamond amongst the rubies has to be our beloved protagonist, Aleja. I have to start by saying how much of a fan I am of her name; it rolls off the tongue like molasses and was a joy to say and read in my head every time it graced the page. I guarantee that this sharp, courageous, reliable and linguistically skilled bookworm will stay with you long after you read this book. From page one she takes you by the hand through markets, docks, libraries, caves, and even across the seven seas and you never want the journey to end. As someone who learned many languages in my teens, I found Aleja really relatable in a way that I thought, if I were a pirate, I’d have the same useful skills she does.

Plot Thoughts
The story needs no thorough review other than the fact that it is top-notch. Every chapter is wildly different from that which came before as you learn more and more about the world of The Ship of Shadows and all of the mystic and wonder that comes with it. There really is something for everyone including chase scenes, great battles with otherworldly creatures, parties, and many moments filled to the pirate’s cap with treasure. I don’t like to spoil plots so just trust me when I say, just hop aboard The Ship of Shadows, join their motley crew, and let Maria’s magic do the rest…

Overall Impressions
As a marketer in publishing, I come across and read heaps of middle-grade fiction. The majority of it is good – an enjoyable read to settle down to with a cuppa – but then you happen upon one of the greats, Malamander, Tilly and the Bookwanderers, Nevermoor and you find your hands stuck to your book, unable to let go until the final word. The Ship of Shadows is that calibre of story. I loved every moment of it and already can’t wait for the next in the series. I will finish this review by summing up my lasting impressions using my favourite line of this wondrous tale:

Even after just the first page, I “was already melting into a dream of warm libraries and ancient books and old ships.“

5/5