| Booktalk
#1
Nancy Kington has grown up
in a wealthy family in eighteenth century England. Her father is
a successful businessman. Nancy is secretly betrothed to young William
who has set off to sea to earn his fortune. But when her father dies,
Nancy is sent to Jamaica to the family sugar plantation. Here she
becomes friends with Minerva, a slave. When she learns that her brother
plans to marry her off a cruel, ex-buccaneer, Nancy decides she needs to
take control of her own life. After rescuing Minerva from the vicious
slave overseer, the two young women find themselves dressed in men's clothing
and set out to sea. Through a series of events, they find themselves
aboard a pirate ship. And now that is how they spend their days --
as pirates. She knows that her beloved William will never be
able to accept her for what she is now. Based on the true story of
women pirates, this novel gives you an insight to what life may have been
like in the eighteenth century for the sea-faring men -- and women.
Booktalk #2
Did you see the movie Pirates
of the Caribbean with Johnny Depp? If you did, and you like romance,
daring battles, and high seas adventure, you will really like reading Pirates!
by Celia Rees! Meet Nancy Kington, a sixteen-year-old, and discover
her father’s promise to the wicked Bartholome. Is this why Nancy
and Minerva Sharpe, a Jamaican plantation slave, forged a friendship that
led them to run away and become pirates? Dive into the pages
of this book to find out! (Sandy Bailey, South
Carolina Book Awards, 2006)
Booktalk #3
"Acrid smoke drifted thick
in the air, and the sound of the shot in the small room still rang in my
ears as I looked at Minerva, unable to believe what I had just done.
'I didn't mean...' I started to say, as we stared at each other over the
ruin of Duke's body. 'I never could do such a thing...' But
I did mean it. And I'd just done it. Killed a man." (Rees,
147)
Sixteen-year-old Nancy is your
typical girl, but she's going through some tough times. When her
father dies, she's left with her older brother to 'take care of her' and
they don't exactly get along. I guess there's really no surprise
there - I can't imagine having to put up with my brother telling me what
to do all the time. On top of that, she has to move away from everything
she's ever known when her brother takes over the family business in Jamaica.
Jamaica seems like paradise.
The food's not so bad and the swimming is great. Nancy even makes
a friend. Then her idyllic life is thrown off course once again.
She does it. Pulls the
trigger to save her best friend. Suddenly, she's wanted for murder
and her brother's creepy friend is stalking her.
Her family won't defend her.
She has no money. Where will she run to? What will she do?
She'll become a pirate.
It's the 1700s. Nancy's
a woman. She's someone who isn't allowed to disobey men.
So she'll kill them.
Maybe she's not your typical girl after all.
Pirates! by Celia Rees.
(Meaghan Bowman, meaghanmb@yahoo.com, librarian) |
