i honestly don't even remember why i had this book. but while unpacking boxes after a recent move, i held it in my hands and thought "why not?"

it's a great book. the two main characters have an interesting dynamic between them and i found myself enthralled by their conversations. the last third of the book introduces a love interest, maud brewster, which is handled rather clumsily. humphrey has barely spoken to the woman before declaring his undying love for her. a love that, in his own words, he had never felt before. would be cool if it took more than one conversation over dinner with all the sailors present to establish that. london does well to actually establish a romantic connection between them by the end of the book, but van weyden's waffling about how much he loves this woman that he met about a week ago and who is only spending time with him due to circumstance is rather distracting for what is an unexpected but very fitting end to this tale of the sea.