Bloody Jack
Author: L.A. Meyer
Series: Bloody Jack (#1)
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
How Received: bought
See Nicole's review here.
Life as a ship's boy aboard HMS Dolphin is a dream come true for Jacky Faber. Gone are the days of scavenging for food and fighting for survival on the streets of eighteenth-century London. Instead, Jacky is becoming a skilled and respected sailor as the crew pursues pirates on the high seas.
There's only one problem: Jacky is a girl. And she will have to use every bit of her spirit, wit, and courage to keep the crew from discovering her secret. This could be the adventure of her life--if only she doesn't get caught. . . .
I was pressured for a long time by a very good friends of mine to read the Bloody Jack series. I remember picking them up and putting them back. I remember turning my nose up at them, because every pirate story I tried always fell flat.
This was the rare exception.
Bloody Jack is a book that will satisfy your inner adventurer...or pirate. Not only is the plot amazing, but the technical aspects of the book are spot on. I love it when an author actually does their research on what they're writing about. L.A. Meyer made sure he knew the types of jobs for men on a ship, and what each job entailed, and all the terms used by sailors. (No, I'm not talking about the cheesy phrases used in old pirate movies.)
Character wise, Bloody Jack (Mary) was amazing! There really are no words to describe her, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book with her as the main character. The other characters were diverse and interesting though not nearly as awesome as Bloody Jack.
There is a little romance of sorts in the book, and that too was awesome. It wasn't overdone and it fit the characters nicely.
Would I recommend this book? Most definitely. It's a great adventure book and it's sure to entertain readers of all ages.
