The Devil and the Dark Water
by Stuart Turton
AI Overview & Character Descriptions
In Stuart Turton’s historical murder mystery The Devil and the Dark Water, the story follows a diverse group of passengers and crew aboard the cursed merchant ship Saardam. The cast is divided between the central detective duo, powerful dignitaries, senior officers, and key crew members. [1, 2, 3]
The Detective Duo
Samuel Pipps: The world's greatest detective, who begins the voyage manacled in the ship's hold while awaiting execution in Amsterdam.
Arent Hayes: Pipps' loyal, physically imposing bodyguard and a former mercenary. He takes on the investigation to clear his friend's name when strange events begin. [1, 2]
The Dignitaries & Passengers
Jan Haan: The corrupt, controlling Governor-General of Batavia.
Sara Wessel: Haan's intelligent, strong-willed, and highly independent wife who works to help others despite her husband's abuse.
Lia Jan: The daughter of Jan Haan and Sara Wessel.
Cornelius Vos: A Chamberlain who travels with his family.
Jacobi Drecht: The Guard Captain tasked with maintaining order and guarding Pipps.
Creesjie Jens: A woman aboard with her sons, Marcus and Osbert Pieter.
Viscountess Dalvhain: A noble passenger traveling on the ship.
Predikant Sander Kers: A religious minister traveling with his ward, Isabel. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Ship Officers & Crew
Reynier van Schooten: The Chief Merchant in charge of the ship's commercial operations.
Adrian Crauwels: The Captain of the Saardam.
Isaack Larme: The ship's first mate.
Johannes Wyck: The ship's boatswain.
Frederick van de Heuval: The ship's constable.
NOTE: About halfway through (pg. 245, chapter 32)
Not being much of a mystery reader, I find the story contrived to make readers wonder and ponder and possibly mislead toward guessing wrongly. That said, the writing gives life to every character and every episode described, no matter how great or small. And it seems pieces are starting to come together. So it seems...
My Review includes parts from the book and may contain spoilers
Arent told her about Isabel's encounter with the constable last night. "Popped his carrot back in the sack?" she repeated, giggling.
'That's the phrase he used?'
'Almost brought my breakfast up when I heard it,' said Arent, grinning. pg 245
(Isaac Larme the dwarf constable who told Arent he caught her spying as he was peeing and had to tuck away his penis (carrot) before she saw it. too funny, twice.)
BEST QUOTE SO FAR:
Power should be a burden, not a shield. It should be used to everybody's betterment, not merely for the person who wielded it. p. 260 (bottom of page)
(Arent describing what Sammy stood for and why he admired Sammy so much)
What the storyteller does well is remind readers of what has transpired already, which is needed due to the many characters and their back stories. The fact he does it so cleverly, slipping in prior quotes, descriptions and actions, makes it more entertaining and surprisingly a welcome addition, as opposed to being just repetitive.
And it usually comes in the first few pages of a new chapter, which is ideal. see chapter 35. pg. 262
She shook her head angrily. Why was she even thinking about this (life with Arent)? She was so close to earning Lia's freedom, and her own. How could she even think of risking that for a childish infatuation? pg. 313
(Sara's thinking about her and Arent together)
note: does this mean Sara has made a deal with the devil?
'Why not,' said Creesjie, lightly. 'He's infatuated , weak and lacking imagination. Consider the life I could build for my boys out of these flaws. Besides, my beauty won't last for ever. I must sell it for the price I can get.' pg. 319
(Creesjie explains benefit of taking Vos up on his marriage proposal.)
Marriage is an inconvenient convenience. It's the shackle we accept for our safety. pg. 366
(Creesjie to Lia on why to marry without love)
the year is 1634 and women are dependent on men
'Mama says she'd rather be free than wealthy in a cage.'
'Unlike your mother, I don't believe women can be free, not while men are stronger. What use is the freedom to be assaulted in the first dark alley we come across? We can't fight, so we sing, we dance - and we survive. pg. 366
"Courage isn't an absence of fear. It's the light we find when fear is all there is."
somewhere earlier in this book I read this amazing quote.
Again, the author walks us through earlier events which led us to this, the discovery of Kers body, courtesy of Sammy Pipps. pg. 392
note: thinking of how to rate this book, I must say it is not the story but the creative, descriptive writing that has impressed me since opening its pages.
So, it is teetering between a 3.5 and a 4 of 5 rating. I don't expect any surprise wrap-up to add to or take away from the writing. Just being able to appreciate the writing laid down in the book has been a delight.
The Mark of Old Tom had been daubed on to the sail to let him know his past had swallowed his present, and was now coiling around his future.
(governor general Jan Haan, Arent's uncle, realizing an old debt was being called in and somebody onboard was responsible) pg. 409
Sammy had once told him that love was the easiest thing to spot, because it didn't look like anything else. It couldn't hide itself, it couldn't disguise itself, it couldn't go unnoticed for very long. Arent had never really understood what that had meant until now. (Arent recognizing love from Sara's desperate and passionate kiss) pg. 479
'Fight today or die tomorrow, what difference does it make?' said Sara.
'Because, if we flee today, we might find a way to flee tomorrow and the day after, until rescue comes,' said Arent. "Surviving isn't winning. It's what you do when you've lost." pg. 487
Fear was too brittle a material to make decisions from. pg490
Finished!!!Whew!!!
The wrap up ending got a bit complicated mainly because there was so much to decipher in the mystery. A mystery reader might have enjoyed attempts at solving the puzzle. But me? Nah, not really. If nothing else, this book has shown me why I should continue to stay away from mysteries. Why? Because I find them more baffling, senseless and borderline unbelievable for me to feel entertained by them.
This book was well written and explained/revealed itself as time passed. But in the end it felt farfetched and kind of a fantastical fantasy novel feel to it. I've read YA novels that give off that same need for "suspension of belief."
I also have enjoyed books taking place on the high seas. The novel "Batavia" by Peter Fitzsimons, is one I highly recommend for readers who like historical fiction with plenty of suspense, drama, survival and death. It takes place partly on the high seas, but it is not a mystery. You become well acquainted with the devil of this book and are witness to the gruesome, murderous deeds he orders his minions to inflict on survivors of a shipwreck.
I like the author, Stuart Turton. He is playful and cunning with his choice of written words and phrases. I will perhaps try his other book, 'The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle."
If not for my appeal to the book size, print, cover, line spacing and compact non-run-on chapters, I may not have finished this tome. But that said, I enjoyed lugging it around and having its company, although there were times . . .
It is an easy read but can complicate readers with similar characters who show up either not enough or too often, sometimes together. And that damn ending could have been re-written for adult readers please, if that was its target. It felt forced and overly plotted to make every piece fit snugly and make sense.
As I re-read through these thoughts of mine on this book I feel perhaps a second reading might give more appreciation to all that went into the creation of "The Devil and the Dark Water." After all, how can one reading for pleasure truly enjoy a suspense story if he/she has suspended belief in the story and its characters? Do mystery readers enjoy re-reading a mystery novel more or less on the second reading?
There was much I came away liking about this book. And I did find myself writing down some wonderful passages from it.
My Rating. 3 stars. maybe add half a star for its physicality being a big yet lite-weight book with excellent line spacing for its size.
