I wouldn't say that Ship of Destiny let me down. It made me feel a lot, and that in itself is a victory. The characters are so real and flawed that I wish I could bang them on the head with a frying pan, yes, but if Robin Hobb's character writing wasn't stellar, that wouldn't happen.
However, I do find that the first half of this chunky volume drags. I just can't pretend I'm interested in what happens, because I'm not as invested in the characters as I am in the Farseer, Tawny Man and Fitz & Fool trilogies. However, my heart soars when we find passing mentions of these series & characters in Ship of Destiny, and one scene in particular is one of my favourites all books considered.
Do tread with caution, this book in particular deals with rape in an uncomfortably raw way, as much the act as its consequences.