First Thoughts

[Book Buzz]

It's that part of the summer where I get everyone to read a historical novel about a voyage. I like reading about ship travel, but I don't like doing it. My experiences are limited but I nearly crawled out of my skin on the 3 hour ferry between the South and North Islands of New Zealand. It was too dark to see anything and my book was dull.

Do you like cruises or other forms of sea travel?

[Book Buzz]

I've been thinking of the title.
What is the author referring to as "dangerous"?
Which "crossing" is it?

There seem to be different crossings taking place--Lily is crossing the ocean, but on the ship she's also crossing over social barriers and becoming friends with people of different classes and religions.

Certainly people on board have been warning her away from Maria and the Campbells.

What is dangerous about these interactions?

[Book Buzz]

In chapter 23, the ship passes the Cocos Islands which at the time were governed by the Clunies-Ross family. It's just a brief mention but it intrigued me.

This Independent article was published in 1993, when the last "king" of the islands was being removed.
Last King of the Cocos Evicted

I'm finding it all quite fascinating.

[Book Buzz]

So much of the book is reminding me of the things I read online. Clara Mills' concerns about Australia lacking in culture, George Price's concerns with not mixing British culture with cultures he views as inferior, it's so familiar to what I'm seeing on the news.
Meanwhile Lily, who doesn't have a stake in preserving British culture, is open to the new experiences provided by the voyage.

It is troublesome that Lily allows herself to be swept away so often by the Campbells. I understand that she's dazzled by them but I'd like her to stop walking out on Maria all the time.

[M]

Interesting. I just discovered that Rachel Rhys is the pen name of author Tammy Cohen who also writes under the name Tamar Cohen.

Rachel Rhys is the name she uses for historical mystery,
Tammy Cohen for psychological thrillers, and Tamar Cohen for contemporary drama.