Rating: 
Summary: not my usual genre... but, what a surprise!
Review: I don't usually read historical novels, and it took me 3 tries to get through the first gory battle - but I ended up LOVING this book!! I picked it up one summer sunday, looking for light reading and I ended up reading the whole book in one sitting - I was completely unable to put it aside. This book is extremely well researched. The plot is interesting, the characters are fascinating and the historical details are wonderful (although I could have gladly lived my life forever not knowing what exactly "kealhauling" was - ew!). I highly recommend this book to anyone who has any interest in not only piracy but in a well crafted depiction of the roles that were thrust upon women and minorities by society in the 1700's. I *also* highly recommend a sequel!! (I hope the author takes note.)
Rating:
Summary: not my usual genre... but, what a surprise!
Review: I don't usually read historical novels, and it took me 3 tries to get through the first gory battle - but I ended up LOVING this book!! I picked it up one summer sunday, looking for light reading and I ended up reading the whole book in one sitting - I was completely unable to put it aside. This book is extremely well researched. The plot is interesting, the characters are fascinating and the historical details are wonderful (although I could have gladly lived my life forever not knowing what exactly "kealhauling" was - ew!). I highly recommend this book to anyone who has any interest in not only piracy but in a well crafted depiction of the roles that were thrust upon women and minorities by society in the 1700's. I *also* highly recommend a sequel!! (I hope the author takes note.)
Rating: 
Summary: You'll be glad you made her acquaintance
Review: I enjoyed the unexpectedness of Captain Mary. Most pirate tales pretty it up, or gloss over the essential character of the life. This one doesn't, but also doesn't slide across the line into pointless gore. Instead, we see that pirates were no heros, not even to themselves, just people making choices, many of which turn out to be the wrong ones. Captain Mary is the viewpoint character, although we quickly realize that her lack of objectivity about her own motives and choices makes her an unreliable narrator. This makes the whole story much more interesting. We see exactly what you would have to be in order to make your peace with this way of life, but we also need to think twice about what she tells herself in order to fully understand the action.Mary is casually brutal, and rarely introspective. She's polymorphic sexually, and wholly self-centered. She's impulsive and restless, and all in all, probably exactly the kind of person to end up in a situation where piracy is the best option. She's also exactly the kind of woman who might succeed in a risky trade, and land on her feet when the time came to quit. This book's primary flaws are those of many first-time authors: sometimes the dialogue sacrifices flow for period flavor, and these pirates are improbably successful at finding prey. You won't find that these flaws impede your enjoyment. You may not want to meet her in person, especially in a lonely dark place, but you'll be glad you made Captain Mary's acquaintance in these pages.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure! As a Kansan who has looked at and tasted an ocean once in my 71 years, I found the "sailing stuff" sooooooo interesting! It's one of those "hard to put down books". And what a neat ending! All in all - I highly recommend this easy reading book to you and your friends.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent reading!
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure! As a Kansan who has looked at and tasted the ocean once in my 71 years, I found the "sailing stuff" soooooooooo interesting! And, the story was neat, too. All in all - I highly recommend this easy reading book to you and your friends.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure! As a Kansan who has looked at and tasted an ocean once in my 71 years, I found the "sailing stuff" sooooooo interesting! It's one of those "hard to put down books". And what a neat ending! All in all - I highly recommend this easy reading book to you and your friends.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent reading!
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure! As a Kansan who has looked at and tasted the ocean once in my 71 years, I found the "sailing stuff" soooooooooo interesting! And, the story was neat, too. All in all - I highly recommend this easy reading book to you and your friends.
Rating:
Summary: Captain Mary, Buccaneer, by Jacqueline C. Simonds
Review: This is a zinger of a book! I read it in a couple of days plus one midnight to 3 a.m. stint, because I became so interested that I didn't want to pause. Captain Mary is a complex, believable character; true to her own personal code of honor, yet torn as well as triumphant over the difficulties of the bloody times in which she lived. The power of the sea and its mystery are well portrayed as is the uncertainty of charts and actions of men and their governments. The writer has brought history to life with all the sound, fury, blood and guts of the age she is representing. The action sings with the slash of the sword and the shouts of the boarding pirates; yet Mary, the buccaneer, is a woman shown in tender moments, foolish decisions, terrible consequences and bitter victory. No trite formulas spoil the reader' s suspense or anticipate the poinancy of Mary's joys and sorrows. This book is as unpredictable and astonishing as history itself.
Rating:
Summary: Captain Mary, Buccaneer, by Jacqueline C. Simonds
Review: This is a zinger of a book! I read it in a couple of days plus one midnight to 3 a.m. stint, because I became so interested that I didn't want to pause. Captain Mary is a complex, believable character; true to her own personal code of honor, yet torn as well as triumphant over the difficulties of the bloody times in which she lived. The power of the sea and its mystery are well portrayed as is the uncertainty of charts and actions of men and their governments. The writer has brought history to life with all the sound, fury, blood and guts of the age she is representing. The action sings with the slash of the sword and the shouts of the boarding pirates; yet Mary, the buccaneer, is a woman shown in tender moments, foolish decisions, terrible consequences and bitter victory. No trite formulas spoil the reader' s suspense or anticipate the poinancy of Mary's joys and sorrows. This book is as unpredictable and astonishing as history itself.
Rating:
Summary: Captain Mary, Buccaneer
Review: This novel is exciting from the start. It's a fascinating topic and Ms. Simonds kept the action colorful and surprising. I was drawn in to the life of Captain Mary and had to keep those pages turning to find out how she would negotiate or fight her way out of the problems that arose. This is 100% entertaining!
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