'Lyrical, profound and deeply moving, Sophie Hardcastle's

Below Deck will confront as well as soothe, and is the most

tender, hopeful battle-cry of a book.'

—Brooke Davis, author of Lost and Found

'Hardcastle has captured the powerful words so many of us

struggle to find, and I cannot imagine anyone could finish Below

Deck unaffected.'

—Bri Lee, author of Eggshell Skull and Beauty

'The free-flowing intensity of the wind and waves that drives her

characters' lives, also powers Sophie Hardcastle's memorable

prose. Her writing sweeps us through hemispheres and across

oceans with astonishing and immersive force. This is a deeply

moving story of a young woman growing up, and Hardcastle is

an extraordinary talent.'

—Elleke Boehmer, University of Oxford