Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the early access to this book.

I wasn't sold by the description/premise of the book, and didn't think I'd enjoy it, but really wanted to give it a go. And I was pleasantly surprised!

It ended up being a solid read, and it was fun, interesting and engaging.

this a super fun debut! funny, tense, mysterious, and dark. and dee is a fantastic disaster bisexual gremlin narrator. this was a bad book to read during my commute only because of the number of times i almost missed my stop because i wanted to keep reading 😂

a little murder, a little romance, some accidental child acquisition (or did the child acquire the adult) found family, and an unravelling of secrets and questioning of the established ways of being in this world.

the general setting and plot reminded me of part of the dark continent arc in Hunter x Hunter (my fave manga of all time) but only in the most basic sense. the main mystery plot as well as the subplots including the romantic one were all well laid out and engaging. the characters, though most of them are not ones you want to root for, are dynamic and evolve as detective dee works the case.

some parts were predictable but there were some twists that got me. and some of the journeys to a twist i had a feeling about but i couldn’t figure out were also ‘aha’ moments.

the last quarter felt a tad rushed, i found a bit of a pacing issue between certain plot points, but that’s only being super nitpicky.

super excited for more of white’s work!

I had high hopes for this book but it didn't meet the mark. I found the world building to be simplistic, and often had myself saying that something didn't seem right or smart. I found the narrative tone to be quite annoying as well. It very much felt like this novel was aimed at a younger audience, rather than adult SFF.

Voyage of the Damned was a fun murder mystery with fantasy elements that I enjoyed. At the start of the book I wasn’t sold, the narration style I didn’t initially mesh with, but as the book progressed I found myself enjoying the irreverent voice used. While sometimes juvenile, the overall tone really helped to elevate the reading experience imo by making the fairly depressing murder marginally less so.

I was genuinely shocked by 1 of the twists, which doesn’t happen often, so I do really appreciate that! Although the majority of the book was predictable, that did not distract from me enjoying it. The pacing was good, it felt quick & flowed nicely.

I ended up really liking Dee despite initial reservations, but the star for me was really Grasshopper, a precious angel! I also always appreciate a strong female character, so the Spider & the Elephant also stood out.

Overall a good, intriguing read!

Thank you to Michael Joseph and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.

There's not a lot of fantasy whodunit but this one is great, entertaining and well plotted. I loved the characters and the world building.
The solid mystery kept me guessing and hooked.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A fun and unexpectedly though-provoking mystery, in the style of the old 1930's mansion mysteries - several guests trapped in a single building (ship), when a murder happens, then another, then another... but with fantasy!

Many thanks to Netgalley, Michael Jospeh imprint of Penguin Random House, for an advanced reader copy of this book and to Illumicrate for a gorgeous special edition hardback, which I ended up tucking into in order to review this story.

This was something different for me, I have not read a true version of this genre pairing before, though I have read other fantasies that have elements of mystery in them, this really hearkened back to the style of Agatha Christie and her contemporaries. I also thought that there would be a fantasy gloss over the murder mystery, but that the glamour would be quite thin and surface level, when, in fact I felt myself drawn into the world, the characters and their politics, and inter-relationships, and the journey itself, which was a great device, the urgency building as the ship travelled closer to it's destination.

I loved the main character, Ganymedes Piscero, his character and motivation were natural, and compelling and I was really drawn to him, having not read many characters like him for ages, if at all. The romantic storylines were well-done, and the representation was well done and fit the narrative too, without feeling forced or token for the modern reader.

The only thing I couldn't get behind was the end, I won't spoil it by saying what happened, but one of the main threads and motivations for Ganymedes felt brushed aside by what happened at the end, and things that had happened suddenly had no impact on the character, or their significance forgotten.

I'm going to have to spell it out in a spoiler, my skirting around it isn't making sense:
<spoiler>
Dee seemingly accepting Ravi's role in the murders, the fact that, even if he himself hadn't killed everyone, he had been party to it, and placed Dee himself and Dee's friend, the six-year old Grasshopper in direct danger as a result jarred with me. Surely being so complicit, and seemingly quite calmly so, (he didn't like what he'd done in the end, but didn't seem particularly disturbed by it), would completely change who he was in Dee's eyes, but he seemed to face no consequences other than his own guilt, and, as a reader, it felt like we were supposed to be happy that Ravi was alive after all, and accept that he was just busy pretending to be Dee's romantic interest all while holding onto the knowledge that people were being killed, who was doing it and why.
</spoiler>

It's a shame, because I was really pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the book up until that point. I'm also not sure the cover or title suits the characters or the story, maybe that's something to do with the writing style. It reads quite young, the characters feel quite young, but I didn't really mind that because it felt like it had more depth and complexity than YA books in general. Just something to note, from the cover, you might expect something slightly different.

Still really intrigued to see what Frances White writes next and really glad Illumicrate chose this book for their box, it started my 2024 reading on a high note.

Can you say gay murder cruise? I really enjoyed this debut in so many ways. I especially loved Frances White's writing style and the fact that she made me fall in love with her characters, especially our protagonist.

Voyage of the Damned is a brilliantly concocted mix of fantasy and murder mystery that'll keep you on the edge of your seat. Through the eyes of Ganymedes Piscero, the magically ungifted protagonist, readers are treated to a thrilling investigation amid a magical realm. White weaved humor with suspense which makes this novel not just a journey through a magical empire but a delightful race against time to uncover a murderer. A perfect pick for those who love their mysteries served with a generous side of fantasy flair.

*Thank you for the ARC!

I loved this. I loved it so, so much. It’s like a country house murder mystery crossed with the hunger games what could you possibly not like about that. All these kids with different magical “blessings” are chucked together on a ship to do a pilgrimage to the Godess’s Mountain whether they want to go or not. Ganymedes our chubby, trouble making, slacker of a hero with daddy issues does not want to be there. As heir to the lowliest province everyone else considers him lower than the shit on their shoe but Dee has a plan to make them all hate him so much they kick him off the ship unfortunately before he can fully implement it everybody’s favourite heir and all round good girl is horribly murdered! Chaos and treachery ensue and there’s an empire at stake.
I give all the applause to this book, I ate it all up. It’s got heart, it’s got spirit, it’s got a snarky hero with a heart of gold a cute kid who didn’t make me want to vomit (this is difficult to achieve). There’s romance, there’s intrigue there’s representation done right and most of all there’s a really good mystery. I did not know who did it and it kept me turning pages. Everyone should read this.

I devoured this book! It was so good. I enjoyed being inside the main characters head so much. Frances White has succeeded in writing a funny, dark murder mystery with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing and having your jaw drop to the floor. Combining the conventions of Marple-Esq murder mysteries within a magic world.

The world is divided into 13 districts, all with very different environments and people ruled over by an emperor and 12 lords who all have blessings that are supposed to help their people. There is a hierarchy even amongst the districts with some believing they are higher up. This is where we meet Dee, our wonderful main character and the person whose head we live inside for the whole book.

The characters in this book leap off the page, they’re all so different and vibrant.

Dee deserves the absolute world.

5 Stars

The Voyage of the Damned is everything I did not know I needed in a book. A fantasy murder mystery 'whodunnit' on a magical boat with a completely emotionally unhinged hot mess of a protagonist with a cast of diverse, well developed, chaotic characters/friends?/enemies?/suspects? and lots of murder. I had so much fun reading this book and at times was absolutely heartbroken and other times laughing out loud.

This is a standalone, adult fantasy with a small subplot of romance. I was completely immersed in the vivid world and accompanying characters Frances White created in their debut. Despite the murder, heartbreak, violence and betrayal, the humour of the protagonist for me was so funny and made this book feel real cosy.

If you love cosy mysteries with a lot of murder and pining, I would 100% recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you Publisher for this advanced copy.
Voyage of The Damned was one of my anticipated books in January and this book wasn't dissapointing me at all. I loved the trope and the relationship between Dee and Ravi. Not to mention the worldbuilding.

My only complaint was this book felt like more YA-ish than an adult book.

Enjoyable read. Great locked room mystery, extremely silly in places, lovable characters and very diverse.

I love a murder mystery, I love pirates - combining the two resulted in a fun, fast paced trip across the seas! The book adeptly balanced elements of humour, emotion and mystery to create a well rounded enjoyable story. I found myself turning page after page, not wanting to put it down for fear of delaying the final reveal. Although I don't often reread mystery books as they lose most of the glamour of the mystery element on a second read, however I could see myself coming back to this just to revisit the lovable characters!

Personally, I have never put too much emphasis on a need for super strong worldbuilding, I am more of a character driven reader, however the worldbuilding was well done and suprisingly engaging!

I was suprised to find this is a debut author but I look forward to their future work!

Thankyou to Netgalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for a free e-arc in exchange of an honest review.

This was really fun and hilarious. The characters are great and all very distinct which i enjoyed. Not many were likable for me however that didnt ruin the read for me (except for adorable little Grasshopper!)

The explict and modern day language did take away from the fantastical/ mythical element of the story however if you ignore that you will find it funny.

The murder mystery elements made it fun and was done really well.

4 stars from me

5⭑

Voyage of the Damned is a fantasy meets murder mystery book and it was fantastic!!!

I loved everything about this book from the plot, to the fantasy world, the world building, the side characters and of course our main character Dee. I loved reading form his POV!! He is so funny and witty, and has the best personality I have read in a character. He is caring and protective of those he cares about yet doesn’t care what people think of him. He always puts others before him even if they don’t do the same to him. He was a great protagonist.

The plot/murder mystery element of the story was outstanding. I had so many theories as to who the killer could be and what would happen next and yet I was surprised at every turn. My issue with murder mystery books is that I usually guess the killer and it ruins the enjoyment of the book, but this?!?! Had me guessing at every turn and I loved that the plot twist took me by surprise.

There was a tiny romance subplot which was very enjoyable and added that much more to the story.

The representation in this book was also fantastic - we have a mix of POC characters, disabled characters (such as a wheelchair user, chronic pain, mental health) and various queer identities (bisexual protagonist, non binary character, trans character, asexual character). It was lovely seeing all of these different identities so easily accepted in the story. It made for a wonderful read.

Thank you so much NetGalley & Penguin Michael Joseph for sending me a copy of Voyage of the Damned, in exchange for my honest review.

A fun, action-packed locked room mystery set on board a ship filled with the most powerful people in the empire of Concordia. Full of magical powers, found family and plenty of twists. A fantastic debut; I'm excited to see what Frances White does next.

An entertaining debut, with a cast of intriguing characters, an irresistible locked room mystery, and solid world building. I enjoyed the narrative voice of the protagonist, Ganymedes, and his relationship with his sidekick, the precocious Grasshopper. I was a little bit disappointed in the romance if I’m honest - no spoilers, but I was a bit sad about the twist. Iykyk. Nevertheless, an enjoyable read and I’m intrigued to see what this author will produce in the future. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

What a book to start 2024 with. Fantasy? Check. Magic? Yep. Humour? Definitely. ‘Closed room’ murder-mystery? 100%.

I went into ‘Voyage of the Damned’ relatively blind, knowing little about it but intrigued by the basic blurb. There was no way I could anticipate what I was getting into.

Ganymedes (Dee) is the Blessed representative of Fish Province, the lowest cast of Concordia. Once a year, all of the Blessed come together for a massive party on board the Emperor’s ship, ostensibly to work together for the good of their peoples. In reality, this is a political game full of rivalries, alliances and jockeying for power. Dee’s just there because he has to be (and for the food)… until his fellow Blessed start to die, and he seems to be the only one willing to discover the killer.

I have yet to see a summary of this tale that accurately covers exactly what it is, because there’s just so much, yet none of it is difficult to understand. Dee’s a wonderful protagonist and every chapter flies past, providing new information about him, his peers and the universe they inhabit, right up to the last moments (which I defy anyone to see coming). There’s something happening at all times, but it’s all so beautifully drawn that I never found it a challenge to keep up.

The visuals are particularly brilliant. The ship’s decor is beyond ostentatious, there are magical talking mini-dragon servants, and the characters are all clearly delineated by their clothing, manner and even hair colour. This world is vast and varied, and I loved my time exploring what I learned of it.

From the immensity of the ship to the reality of life in each Province, plus the deeply flawed nature of every single Blessed - none of whom are what they outwardly appear to be - the reader is swept along as the days pass and the bodies increase. The tension heightens and Dee’s literal Murder Diagram becomes a tangled mess of love, hate, motivations and secrets against the ticking clock.

It’s also tremendously refreshing to inhabit a place that is so open without having a social agenda. Bisexuality is the norm here, queerness and fluidity is natural, and Dee’s ample figure isn’t typical of a hero but simply who he is. The only discrimination seems based around political power, which seems inevitable in context and very relevant in the world today.

‘Voyage of the Damned’ is unique and brilliant, a world that is both magical and very real. It’s a standalone novel, but I anticipate fanfiction and fanart of it arriving soon (I suspect early readers have already started casting if this were ever adapted for TV).

Set time aside when you step aboard, because you won’t be leaving until the ride comes to a complete stop.

Oh and by the way: I’d just like to mention the final paragraph of the Acknowledgments (the part nobody reads, but should):

Bookshelves can be a terrifying place for debut writers, especially those who are marginalized. Writers who are queer, trans, BIPOC, disabled, working class or otherwise marginalized fight tooth and nail for their stories to be told in a world that often seems increasingly unwelcoming to them. By buying, reading and sharing these books, you are sending the message that these people and their stories matter. That they deserve to be heard. Never underestimate the power you hold, readers.

Thank you to Penguin Random House and Frances White for the opportunity to ARC read Voyage of the Damned in exchange for a fair review. This was a fun read for me - I loved the combination of fantasy, mythical and murder mystery. It was weird and whacky setting, but I actually really enjoyed the mix up. A diverse range of characters representing something for everyone reading. A fun, good paced read that I would say is YA than adult with a punchy plot.