Saturday, August 14, 2010

A Pirate's Life We Be

Pirates!


Written by: Celia Rees

Released: October 6, 2003 by Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books

Summary: Nancy Kington, a wealthy merchant's daughter living in Bristol, England in the early 1700’s, is sometimes lonely but enjoys the privileges her father’s business brings. Minerva Sharpe is a penniless slave’s daughter living and working on the Kington’s Jamaican plantation. These two young women, united through a set of extraordinary circumstances including a brutal murder, an arranged marriage, and set of ruby earrings, find themselves sailing the high seas in search of love, adventure and freedom—as pirates!


I read this book way back in high school when I borrowed it from a friend because she recommended it to me and I loved it. So, of course, when I saw that it was at my local book store a few weeks ago I bought it with my store credit. Then I proceeded to re-read it (since it has been a few years) and I fell in love with it all over again.

Yes, I realize that it’s not historically true and the characters sometimes fall a little flat, and the death of the Brazilian has an amazing lead-up which ends in nothing, but it is just so fun to read that I couldn’t help myself but to enjoy it.

One thing that I wish was that there was a sequel (or at least more of an epilogue) so that I could know what happened to Nancy after she set sail back to England and whether or not she ever found William again.

However, the imagery in this book is phenomenal. I love the way that the ruby jewellery is described and the way that they relate to the entire story and in that way become as if they were a character themselves. Of course, the scenery is gorgeously described as well and I couldn’t help but wanting to sail around the islands located in the Southern Pacific.

Even though I love this book, I’m only giving it a 7/10. It leaves so many ends untied and, I don’t know how to describe it, but it’s over too fast though it takes too long.

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