Amy Raphael, The Ship of Cloud and Stars, Hachette Australia, January 2022, 288 pp., RRP $15.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781510108417
Nico Cloud longs to be a scientist like her Aunt Ruth. But it’s 1832 and woman scientists are scorned and discredited. So Aunt Ruth disguises herself as a male scientist aboard a ship to allow her to perform her scientific work in secrecy. Nico’s parents scorn her aunt and forbid Nico from studying science, including her favourite topic: seeds. She must tutor her two younger brothers, tend to her embroidery, and prepare to one day marry and take care of her own husband.
When Aunt Ruth’s ship, the Anthos, returns from a trip to Siberia and is preparing to leave once again, Nico decides to run away to see it. Just for the day. However, she follows a kitten aboard, falls asleep in a row boat and wakes up to discover she is an accidental stowaway. Nico is scared and worried because women are not allowed aboard ships but then she meets a kind boy, Matteo who helps her disguise herself as a boy. Her aunt is surprised to see her aboard, but they form a plan to drop Nico at the next stop, where the team will be searching for fossilised seeds on the beach, before continuing their journey. However, Nico’s enthusiasm for seeds and her helpfulness earn her a place among the crew and when they make the decision to search for the seeds of a legendary fruit tree, her presence proves invaluable. But there are pirates hired by scientists in London who want the seeds so that they can earn the respect and the credit which should be attributed to Aunt Ruth, and so their mission becomes a race to the end. Nico can only hope that her combination of myth and science will bear fruit, so to speak.
An ode to uncredited female scientists throughout history, The Ship of Cloud and Stars paints a stark picture of life for women in England two centuries ago. With the mysterious pirate Otis King and his son chasing the Anthos through storms around the Bay of Biscay and across the Mediterranean, there is adventure, mystery and a generous (at times, excessive) helping of scientific facts. The book gently explores themes of rebelling against societal norms, finding your own way in the world and broken families.
With cover and internal illustrations by George Ermos, The Ship of Cloud and Stars will resonate with middle-grade readers who love adventure, science, and stormy seas.
Reviewed by Pamela Ueckerman
