A brilliant literary debut from a stunning new talent'Williams's writing is luminous, lit with tenderness, wisdom and a sly humour that glints between the words, even at their darkest' Clare Clark, Guardian

Now in paperback, this debut novel is set in 1785 as Laperouse leaves France with two ships, on a voyage of scientific and geographical discovery.

Williams' exceptional debut isn't your traditional seafaring yarn and is all the stronger and more penetrating for it . . . alternately charming, invigorating, and heartbreaking, and always thoughtful and humane. Even readers who don't seek out nautical adventures will find themselves drawn in, especially if they love high-quality literary fiction