Book Review: Two Ships

I’m a fan of historical fiction, but I don’t read it too often. I think because it’s easier to get lost in a romance or fantasy world, but sometimes a good historical fiction novel is refreshing. I just finished Two Ships by James Redwood and really enjoyed it.

The novel takes place in the first half of the 17th century and centers around a group of fur trappers traveling from France to the New World – modern day Canada. There are a bunch of characters ranging from seasoned fur trappers, sailors, people new to all of this, and some Native people. Two of the main characters are Piotr and Jana, both teens. Piotr’s family was effected by the wars in Europe between Protestants and Catholics and due to some trouble back home he is on the run. He gets a job on a ship taking men to the New World to collect beaver fur. Jana was also effected by the war and was sent to a convent in France by her mother to protect her. She leaves for the New World as well to help build a church. Jana and Piotr are on two different trips on two different missions, but their paths lead them to each other in the wilderness with both parties trying to get back to Quebec City safely.

I thought the story was so interesting because I really don’t know much about fur trapping or the voyages the men took from Europe to do it. I also have never read anything about Canada in the 1600s. The very limited knowledge I have about fur trapping is from that Leonardo DiCaprio movie, The Revenant, but that was in the 1800s and I think it takes place in the United States, but I don’t remember for sure. Anyway, the story was a little long but it kept me engaged the whole time. I became invested in the characters and was hoping nothing bad would happen to them and they’d back it home. They not only have to deal with the dangers of the elements and outdoor living, but also fighting with settlers and also the Native people. The men in the book were friends with the Huron, but the Iroquois were a large group made up of different tribes like the Mohawk and Seneca, and there were multiple fights. I was always anxious one of the main people would die!

I really liked the book and it kept my interest pretty much throughout. There isn’t a cliffhanger, but it is left open for the story to continue. According to the back of the book, there is, in fact, a follow up coming out this winter.