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Critical Praise

“The best kind of historical fiction…should involve intelligence, experimentation, boldness and curiosity. These traits are all in evidence in Naomi J. Williams’s ambitious and meticulous debut…. Both disjunctive and rigorous, LANDFALLS confirms that history and literature share a fundamental exploratory impulse.” 

—Katy Simpson Smith, The New York Times Book Review

“The drama in LANDFALLS is unrelenting: There’s petty infighting, rampant egotism, insufferable personalities, drunkenness, heartbreak and rivalries --- sort of a maritime version of 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.'”

—Carmela Ciuraru, The New York Times

“Thrilling…. LANDFALLS is intelligent and utterly human. Ms. Williams has written a seductive page-turner that, although we know the story ends tragically, draws the reader in and doesn’t let go.” 

—Andrea Wulf, The Wall Street Journal

“Extraordinary…. With keen sensual flair and understated poignancy, especially as she limns the friendships of men at sea, Williams has delivered a bona fide masterpiece.”

—Michael Upchurch, The Seattle Times