A riveting historical narrative that takes its time to get going. The story of the Wager is honestly one of the more interesting little historical episodes I've ever heard of. It's got it all; a shipwreck, a mutiny, desperate struggles to stay alive, and at the end of it all several different factions all survive to tell their own version of events.

Grann does a pretty good job here of weaving the story into a coherent narrative. You can tell a lot of research went into the novel and several different firsthand accounts were used. He goes pretty deep into the day-to-day of being a British sailor during the Age of Sail and into life shipwrecked on the island. Like many nonfiction historical novels, it can be the tiniest bit dry, especially at the beginning and if you aren't engaged with the source material. But if you stay focused and hit around the 35-40% mark, it really picks up steam. This isn't a long book, a few dedicated afternoons can finish it, and if you're like me it'll spark some interest in the imperial British navy and sailing during the Age of Sail in general. 

Prime material for a movie.