One of the best nonfiction books I’ve read in recent memory. That’s probably because I generally enjoy more fiction, and this reads like a novel. It’s a bit of a slow burn given the first section covers the structure of the Navy at the time and general history of the fleet and some of the people involved. This, while quite interesting, is distinct from the rest of the book which is grippingly dramatic. 

The audiobook version by narrated by Dion Graham is magnificently read, initially it’s surprising to hear the American accent given the Britishness of the book, but it’s perfect. The book feels balanced concerning who is right and wrong between the actors involved, giving perspectives from both sides where the historical sources permit. It’s generally also made quite clear throughout who’s account you are hearing at any given time, which helps to judge the biases of the statements. 

Maybe I would have preferred a different ending, something more finite, but I can’t fault the book for this given it’s non-fiction and the way it handled this ending was nicely done.