Book Summary and Reviews of When the Night Comes by Favel Parrett

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Kyrsten

beautiful adventure
From the very first sentence I was captivated by the sweet rhythm of the words that easily flowed together inviting me in for a long and wonderful adventure. Everything is described so well I found myself taking in and enjoying the sound of rushing rain and the crashing sound of waves, the delicious scent of food baking and the wonderful sweet smell of blooming flowers. I was no longer in my room reading, I had dived into their world, the interesting and far off world of the characters.sometimes I felt as though I might fall asleep to the lovely, poetically written words of Favel Parrett. This is an exceptional novel.

pamelathereader

unique setting!
Really enjoyed this unique story set against the background of the bright red ice breaker ship "Nella Dan", which traveled between Tasmania and Antarctica. Isla, a young girl ill-cared for by her mother, and Bo, a Danish shipmate from the Nella, strike up a friendship. Isla's world expands - but that may not be an all together good thing. Beautifully expressed and evocative, I'll think about this book for a long time.

Harriet

Lovely read
I enjoyed the gentle pace and the sense of peace the book seemed to present. It doesn't give unnecessary information about the characters or place.

Gloria

Wanted more
Favel Parrett’s “When The Night Comes” is a pleasant enough read, but it could have been a great one.

As I was reading, I kept thinking, “This reads like a collection of essays.” So I was not surprised to discover in the Author’s Note that a number of pieces within the novel had been published as short stories.

Many authors have successfully turned short stories into novels. Louise Erdrich comes to mind. Parrett’s novel has good bones. She just didn’t flesh out the characters enough for me.

“When The Night Comes” is about a young girl, Isla, who moves to an island with her divorced mother and brother. She develops a deep kinship with Bo, a cook aboard the Nella Dan, an Antarctic supply ship, who is also her mother’s boyfriend.

Readers get to know Isla and Bo well, but the other characters are too one dimensional. We learn very little about Isla’s mother or what happened to her parent’s relationship beyond a thrown plate of beef stew. We don’t know how her mother met Bo or why their relationship ended. I had more questions than I had answers. Time for a prequel?

We get a more complete look at the Nella Dan and its crew. It is these stories of life aboard ship, its pleasures, dangers and tragedies, that Bo tells Isla. There are dangers in her life as well, and soon they are kindred spirits, both trying to make their way in the world as best they can. They share a short time together, but it’s enough to change them both.

Next on my reading list is Parrett’s critically acclaimed debut novel, “Past the Shallows.”

Other books by Favel Parrett at BookBrowse