Hugh reviewed The Death Ship by B. Traven
Review of 'The Death Ship' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
A book that starts off as the kind of vagabond's tale someone like Kerouac would love to have lived. There's hedonistic rootlessness, rebellious joy in the face of adversity and some rather unsubtle commentary on work, bosses, borders and capital that one would expect from someone like Traven.
Once upon the boat things take a very sharp turn. The book becomes punishing and brutal, in a compulsive and addictive way. At various points I couldn't stop and ended up swallowing the book whole in one or two sittings. The changes in the telling of the story speak as much about the situation as the story the character tells.
Despite the obvious angles taken at certain points, I wouldn't go as far as to call this a political book. The story and the sheer craftsmanship displayed by the author take centre stage.
