The Family Ship was a decent drama. It follows the Vergennes family, who live on an island with an abandoned boat in their yard. Their father, who is retired from the Navy, uses the boat to assign roles to the many children and instill responsibility and order. When a member of the family needs help, the Vergennes children have to figure out how to translate their ship roles to keep the family afloat.
It was an interesting concept, and by the second half of the book, I really enjoyed it. But truthfully, if I had picked this book up from a shop or the library, I never would have made it to the halfway point. The beginning dragged terribly and I could not keep engaged with the plot. It didn’t help that at first, the book not only switches POVs between 5 or 6 characters, it also switches years. However I do have to say that the characters were unique and I did care what happened to them, but a little too late in the story.

A good read of a large family dealing with many hard blows and how each handle it. A father who has a mind of his own, a loving mother bridging the gap and children of many ages taking care of each other. A good display of love, loss, healing and acceptance. I wasn’t real big on the ship but do see how it played a good part in the lives of the kids.
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC

2.5, but... Sorry. NOPE. Don't understand the raves/high ratings.

The setting: "Chesapeake Bay, 1980. Eighteen-year-old Verity Vergennes is the captain of the USS Nepenthe, and her seven younger siblings are her crew. The ship...is the heart of the Vergennes family, a place both to play and to learn responsibility. But Verity’s had it with being tied to the ship and secretly applies to a distant college.... Maeve and Arthur Vergennes already suffered one loss when, five years earlier, their eldest son, Jude, stormed out and never returned. Now Maeve is pregnant again and something’s amiss."

And so on,

For me, this book was depressing, flat, boring, and tortuous. [Can you tell I'm not a fan?!] And initally, I was confused because of the multiple children [9] introduced and couldn't keep them straight. That said, as the book progresses, most of them are fully developed so no longer a problem. Pounded over the head with sadness. I couldn't wait for it to end, I was never engaged. Hardships, disappointments, guilt, and unbearable grief. I think I smiled once and a description.

Thankful, however, that the writing did not make me grimace although there were several "oy moments." No spoiler from me, but a neat and tidy--and hopeful ending.

I’ve read this author before and just loved it. This book is also amazing. The author has the ability to creat a specific atmosphere and evokes your own feelings as you relate to the family. It has family dysfunction at the same time there are incredible family bonds, loyalty and love. Highly recommend

Like an anchor tied to your ankle, Sonja Yoerg’s The Family Ship will tug you down into the turbulent waters of the Vergennes family, where you’ll come to care desperately for these wonderfully human characters. As I tore through the mesmerizing finale, a ripe and satisfying grin rose on my face and in my heart. What a superb accomplishment—a tightening noose of a story with delightful characters and vivid imagery. No doubt Yoerg is at the top of her game, and she’ll make you feel young again with this one.

#firstline PROLOGUE JUDE 1962 Jude’s earliest memory was of the day his sister was born, as becoming a big brother made his brain decide it needed to start keeping track for the long run.

This book was fantastic. It was extremely character driven and the story causes the reader to ache for the characters. Tragedy befalls a family and everything feels so uncertain for the Vergennes kids. This huge family is one you will not soon forget. You are brought back in time when life was simpler, but heartache and tragedy hit this family harder than they ever could have imagined. You will be whisked into the book and will find it hard to put down. There are so many special, unique and original storylines, which made it a delight to read. I could really see this book being made into a movie or miniseries. I will never forget the Vergennes family and I am so appreciative to Yoerg for writing this amazing story!!!

The Family Ship is an emotionally absorbing novel about the extraordinary Vergennes family. I did not merely read this book, I felt like I was living it. I was on that old boat with the crew of children, led by big sister Verity. I was sitting in their kitchen as they dealt with hardships, disappointments, grief, forgiveness, and hope. The family dynamics of this large family were fascinating, the roles of each family member changing and evolving as they faced unbearably hard challenges, accepting each other’s strengths and differences, and trying to create order out of chaos and turmoil. Hearing the story from multiple points of view added so much depth to the novel, especially when those points of view included the mother and several of the children. Each of their personalities shone through, bringing their own perspectives to a very unique book. I have no doubt that the Vergennes family will long live in my heart.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Powerful, heartbreaking, and wonderful written. That is the best way I can describe this book. To use this old oyster boat to become the symbol of the family dynamic was brilliant. I was invested in every character. Highly recommend.

This is the amazing family saga of a Arthur and Maeve, whose love for each other carries them through the storms of life-from the birth of 9 children; Jude all the way to baby Nellie. There really is a “ship” in the backyard- not sea-worthy- but an excellent setting for the family game of Navy; created by Father and Verity, to teach discipline and responsibility. This is a great metaphor for life and reveals many lessons to the “mates” on board and the readers. The story unfolds chapter by chapter-from both the parents’ and each child’s point of view, which is a wonderful way for readers to gain perspective on family events and personalities. So many human emotions are revealed: overwhelming joy and grief, pangs of sibling jealousy, love frozen in time by guilt, unjust hatred, the unearned love of little ones for older siblings, and on and on! Readers will remember the Vergennes family for many years to come. Follow orders: Be a good “mate” and read The Family Ship.

This was such a strange book to begin with. The whole ship make believe thing was different and interesting at the same time. Spending so much time on that ship actually helped shape their lives so much. I couldn’t help but feel sad and think the book was a bit depressing in the middle.
It took a hurricane to make everything better. I enjoyed the story.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy

This extraordinary novel touched my heart in so many ways. Written with, beautiful poetic style that captures the lives of Jude, Verity, Spider, Cyrus, Russ, Wallace, Eden, Harper and Nellie, and their parents Maeve and Aurthur in their own unique way of telling their stories. These nine children lived and played on a ship in a way that protected them and directed their lives. Their fierce love for one another, and their sacrifices were strong. I found myself many times as I read, tearing up, holding my breath, smiling or laughing out loud. This incredible book had love, loss, abuse, joy, healing strength and hope. I loved this book and Sonja Yoerg's style of writing in all of her books!
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"He worried he wasn’t big enough or brave enough to keep her safe, but anyone could see she needed him. A tiger could eat her in two bites.".
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This is one of the most unusual books I’ve read in a while, with unexpected plot points, and very creative elements interspersed throughout the book. The plot is quite unusual and involves a very creative story. There is tragedy, grief, loss, and love woven throughout the story.
And spoilers ahead.
Mr. and Mrs. Vergennes are leading a happy life on an Island in Virginia with their eight children, a house that can hold and accommodate all of their children, and a vast backyard for them to wander around. Everything was perfect except for grief, the grief of the eldest son (Jude) storming out of their house, and never returns.
Verity Vergennes (The oldest daughter) is the caption of USS Nepenthe and all her siblings were the crew members. The ship (a boat actually) was a part of their family ever since they moved to their new place near a river. The ship trained them to be disciplined and the kids spent time in it, making virtual sails. And who prophesied this ship would save their life!
Maeve is pregnant with her tenth kid but everything is not good with her. Unlike other times she felt more exhausted and she blamed it on her growing age and some pregnancy cramps until she fainted in the kitchen, dropping Nellie to the floor.
After spending a short period at the hospital she returned home and this time with Jude. I was expecting everything is gonna be fine henceforth but the story had something more for their readers. And the family is faced with a nightmare you wouldn’t wish on anyone.
I hated their dad from that day. Him becoming more aggressive, scary, and… err… in short he lost it! I was rolling my eyes at every action of his as if it is to me. (And the credit goes to the author and her captivating writings)And my loathing for him deepened when the hurricane hit the place and their dad was only fretful about….hmf… I know it is hard for him, I to a certain degree agree to every behavior of his before that dawn but that day, it was too farfetched.
I was in love with Jude ever since he returned, taking care of his younger siblings, speaking up for Verity, oh mhan I was touched. He really acted like a big brother during the worse scenario. He was ready to risk it for his family.
I loved the way the author explains each character and their bond with the siblings. Her writing made me feel like I’m one among them (Maybe a twin to Harper). From multiple points of view within the family, Yoerg tells an incredible family drama with deep characters that will make you cry tears of sadness and joy. It is a real page-turner.
This is an author with a good number of books already published. I had not heard of her, and I now look forward to reading more of her work.

In this story we follow Arthur and Maeve, parents of a family of 9. Arthur gets a job that moves them to a house with a boat they call a ship that the kids love to play on. One day the oldest son Jude is drinking with his friends at the house when an incident with one of his friends and oldest sister changes everything, making Jude leave the family.

Maeve is pregnant again with baby number 10 when she has complications causing one of the younger siblings to get a hold of Jude. Jude surprises everyone when he returns to give blood to help his mother. Later when Maeve is having more complications after being released from the hospital, Jude is put in a very scary situation. Driving his mother to the hospital after his father has an accident, making things between Jude and his father even worse.

One day power goes out while a hurricane is on the way. Jude finds himself in a position to save his siblings. Since they did not have power, no one knew where the hurricane was and their father is no where to be found. The siblings were split up during the hurricane. Can Jude save his family and bring everyone back together again?

I rated this a 3 because there was a scene in the story I felt could be left out. I had to skip a few pages because I could not stand to read it. If you do not deal with death well, you will want to skip those few pages. A trigger warning in this story is dealing with grief over a loved one.

The writing is good. I did not find any errors. The story is fast paced and does not take long to read. I liked how the author explained why some of the characters acted the way they did because it was easier to understand why some of them could not get along. It is a good reminder for families that sometimes secrets are kept for a reason. It could also not be a good thing because it could cause conflict. I do recommend this as it is a good family read.

Sonja Yoerg out does herself once again! This is a family filled with love and insecurities. They experience storms and tragedies and even the sinking of the family ship, literally! But in the end love sets their course for greater hope. This story is filled with adventure and angst of a large family full of life!

One family, one ship, and a lot of emotions.
Sonja Yoerg’s sixth novel is different from anything else I have read with shocking plot twists you couldn’t possibly anticipate and lovable characters.
Meet the Vergennes family, Arthur and Maeve, their nine children, and the USS Nepenthe, a boat turned make-believe ship. To Arthur, the ship is the perfect way to teach his children responsibility, hierarchy and teamwork. His eldest son, Jude, left the family a few years before, but Verity, the oldest daughter, is the captain of the ship and in charge of her crew of siblings.
Except for missing Jude, it’s all shipshape on the family ship, but when Verity applies to a college away from home, things are threatening the family balance. Maeve then has a bad feeling about her latest and last pregnancy and the family is faced with a nightmare you wouldn’t wish on anyone.
From multiple points of view within the family, Yoerg tells an incredible family drama with deep characters who will make you cry tears of sadness and joy. She has an astonishing attention to detail when it comes to the feelings and perspectives of each individual person – whether they are 18 or 5 years old – and making you understand and fall in love with them all.
This story takes the reader through highs, lows and sudden twists which will leave in awe of Yoerg’s skills and in love with the Vergennes family.