Thursday, February 12, 2004
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
Yet another children's book. I really am reading some big people books...I just haven't felt like talking about them. Kids' books are more fun. =)
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is set in 1832 and is narrated by the 13-year-old Charlotte. She's traveling to America from Britain, where she's been at boarding school. Her father has made arrangements for her to travel home on a specific ship owned by his company. There are two families booked as passengers on the same ship who can watch out for her and keep her company.
When she arrives at the dock, the other families have backed out, and she ends up being the only passenger traveling on the ship. She's surrounded by a bunch of rough sailors, and so she's immediately inclined to trust the captain, who's refined and gentlemanly. But a few of the sailors befriend her, and she's torn between wanting to believe their stories about the captain's cruelty, and wanting to believe the captain's stories about how the crew's all a bunch of lazy liars. Turns out the captain really is evil, cruel, and ruthless, and Charlotte is caught in the middle of a mutiny. At first, the captain turns her against the crew, then she realizes how cruel the guy is, and tries to stick up for the crew. When she does this, the captain turns against her, and she ends up signing on as one of the crew.
There are all kinds of other intrigues that go on...plotting, murder, betrayal...and overall the story was really exciting and a lot of fun. Hey, it's a Newbery Honor Book. Good stuff. It was a pretty quick read...yeah, well, it’s a kids’ book, what do you expect? When I finished it, I went and watched my new Pirates of the Caribbean DVD since I was in a seafaring mood. Arrrr.
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is set in 1832 and is narrated by the 13-year-old Charlotte. She's traveling to America from Britain, where she's been at boarding school. Her father has made arrangements for her to travel home on a specific ship owned by his company. There are two families booked as passengers on the same ship who can watch out for her and keep her company.
When she arrives at the dock, the other families have backed out, and she ends up being the only passenger traveling on the ship. She's surrounded by a bunch of rough sailors, and so she's immediately inclined to trust the captain, who's refined and gentlemanly. But a few of the sailors befriend her, and she's torn between wanting to believe their stories about the captain's cruelty, and wanting to believe the captain's stories about how the crew's all a bunch of lazy liars. Turns out the captain really is evil, cruel, and ruthless, and Charlotte is caught in the middle of a mutiny. At first, the captain turns her against the crew, then she realizes how cruel the guy is, and tries to stick up for the crew. When she does this, the captain turns against her, and she ends up signing on as one of the crew.
There are all kinds of other intrigues that go on...plotting, murder, betrayal...and overall the story was really exciting and a lot of fun. Hey, it's a Newbery Honor Book. Good stuff. It was a pretty quick read...yeah, well, it’s a kids’ book, what do you expect? When I finished it, I went and watched my new Pirates of the Caribbean DVD since I was in a seafaring mood. Arrrr.
| posted by Barbara | 9:07 PM