Micheline Ryckman

Dain Alloway was only nine years old when he began a new life with his father, sailing aboard The Maiden. Eight years later, the aristocratic city-boy turned merchant-sailor feels like he lives with one foot on land, and one foot in the sea. Life floats smoothly by until the night he wakes to find a mysterious woman in his cabin. The events that unfold after her appearance transform Dain's world. Now, hunted by empty-faced demons, he finds himself thrown into a dangerous web of intrigue and magic. As the crisis grows, the young sailor discovers powerful gifts buried deep within, talents that might shift the tide of a centuries-old war. Whether or not he's ready, Dain will have to risk it all for the salvation and freedom of those he loves.--Back cover.

The Maiden Ship

Beautifully written! I loved Dain and Mor sooo much! Their dynamic is superb. The plot was like no other, I loved the world surrounding the characters and the description. Definitely looking forward to reading more by Micheline! Thank you so much for sending me this book for an honest review! Loved it!

Julie Janis

This wasn't a bad story. It definitely possessed some good storytelling elements and I enjoyed the sea adventure. The magic was also interesting. I just couldn't get sucked into the story. There weren't very many raised stakes and I thought their travels would be harder than they were. It was almost...too easy? The characters also didn't have a lot of depth. The writing style also wasn't for me too. It seemed like there was a lot more telling than showing, and I believe that played into me not getting sucked in like I wanted to. Overall, had a lot of potential but at the end of the day, wasn't for me.

Shelby Goodwin

Allow me to just start this review by saying PLEASE GO READ THIS BOOK as soon as you're in the mood for an adventurous and suspenseful YA nautical fantasy tale. It is SO DAMN GOOD, Y'ALL!!

Okay so the first thing that struck me about this book was how much I loved the women hiding aboard ships trope! The realization that Ileana was the wooden maiden of the ship--SO incredible, and immediately made me think--dang, this book is really about to set itself apart from any other YA fantasy! I'm an enormous fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise and Sable's dressing as a cabin boy to board the Maiden was reminiscent of Elizabeth Swan doing the same, which just connected my heart to this story and its characters that much stronger!

It's been a HOT minute since I've read a book with a teen male point-of-view, and I was a bit hesitant at first but almost immediately I began to adore everything about Dain! I loved to watch his awkward 17-year-old self develop into the strong Captain he is by the end of this novel. His banter with Sable was so on point, I love these two SO freaking much and I'm so ready for more! Sable herself is a wonderfully badass and clever leading lady, and the only thing I wish was that there were chapters from more than just Dain's perspective, because I'd love to get inside her head. What was most apparent though was how beautifully developed all of the side characters are. I really feel like I got to know Morgan Crouse, Toff, etc. extremely well, making me feel like I was part of the crew!

Apart from characters, I really enjoyed the plotline structure of the narrative as well. It was interesting to learn about the magical secrets slowly over the course of the book alongside Dain and Sable, so that it was never just a total info-dump. The world-building is rich and lush and I am SO pumped to learn more about all Rykman has crafted, especially the Wildflower!

Huge thanks to Fae Crate for asking me to host their Read-Along for The Maiden Ship by Micheline Ryckman. This book was exactly my cup of tea and I had an absolute blast sharing my love for this story with everyone!

Chiara Vitale Zelaia

I am enchanted by The Maiden Ship. There is simply no other way to put it. Having gotten to know the author through social media, and knowing the history behind each word on these pages made the reading experience all the more lovely, and I could see pieces of Micheline’s soul in every sentence.

The author is an artist, and that translated beautifully into her prose. The Maiden Ship reminded me of a storybook from a fairytale, where every sentence is filled with imagery and every word brings you deeper and deeper into the story, until you’re lost to it heart and soul. It was a delicate storytelling, with no great amount of action sequences and a slower narrative, which accompanied the reader through the magical events of the novel like a friend.

The Maiden Ships’s greatest strength were its characters. Dain was a wonderful protagonist, mature for his seventeen years and yet with the sensitivity and inexperience that often characterizes that age. It was so easy to warm up to him because of how relatable he was throughout the entire book. Dain wears his emotions on his sleeve. His doubts, his insecurities, his emotions made him feel incredibly real. I wanted to hug him whenever the world hurt him, I wanted to laugh with him and share in his joys when he was happy. I felt like a proud auntie as he grew more confident in his role and his journey. Dain is the kind of character who is at once righteous and flawed, who makes mistakes and lives up to them. I just love him, okay? I think you can tell! 

Like every great character-driven book, Dain could count on the support of an incredible cast of secondary characters. It goes without question that I loved Sable. Her liveliness and spunky sass were a perfect counter to Dain’s personality and I couldn’t help myself from shipping them like a crazy fangirl! But I also appreciated Mo and Toff and Casper and Lydia and Ileana…gosh I loved all the characters in this book!

I was a huge fan of the representation of women in this novel in general. Women don’t always have to wield weapons to be badass. Our inner strength is the most powerful weapon of all. Be it through Ileana’s regal grace, Sable’s steely resolve or Lydia’s motherly protectiveness, we are a force to be reckoned with! But when in doubt, frying pans are excellent weapons. You’ll get it once you read the book.

So in case you couldn’t tell so far, I absolutely adored this book. I cannot wait to learn more about this world (which I am sure holds many surprises for us in the next installment!) and to be reunited with these wonderful characters.

Maria Elena Vitale Zelaia

The Maiden Ship is an absolutely beautiful book, inside and out. I’m kind of cursing myself for taking so long for picking this up, but I’m very glad I did. Micheline is a wonderful person, a talented artist and now I know she’s also an incredible writer! Her prose was wonderful, her descriptions flawless and her characters were impossible not to love.

Reading this book made me very emotional and nostalgic of a story my sister and I were writing a few years ago. We finished it, and then we decided to change some things, but we didn’t get to go back to it yet. It’s there, though, and it will happen, because the characters are very dear to our hearts. The Maiden Ship reminded me of that story, because they’re both set at sea. For this reason, it felt like going home—a beautiful home, filled with characters that I fell in love with. 

Dain is an amazing main character. His cinnamon roll nature should not fool you. This young man’s wit is as sharp as a blade, and though he’s sweet and often awkward (especially around girls), you can count on him to find a solution to any problem. It was hard not to love him. But a good lead needs to count on the strength of the supporting characters, and the cast of The Maiden Ship lived up to the task. I especially loved Sable, whose no-nonsense attitude and kind heart were a perfect match to Dain. The scene between the two made me smile, laugh and my heart skip several beats. The ship is strong. Mo and Toff were also amazing characters, especially Toff. For an old man, he holds many surprises. 

So, yes, I loved this book, and I highly encourage everyone to read it, especially if you love character-driven stories and adventurous reads. I cannot wait for the second book because the ending has me begging for more!

The Maiden Ship

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