Reviews

A True Account: Hannah Masury's Sojourn Amongst the Pyrates, Written by Herself by Katherine Howe

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fivecatsinacoat's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Thank you to NetGalley, Libro.fm, and the publisher for this advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really fun adventure story! I'm noticing more pirate books lately, and was really excited to see one from one of my favorite authors, Katherine Howe. The audio was really well done and the story was well-paced and really kept my attention -- I think I finished this in about 2 days!

I would have rated this a full five stars, except I wasn't totally in love with some of the aspects of the portion of the story with Marian, her father, and Kay. I understand why it was included and what it lent to the book overall, but I really wish I had more with Hannah and the pirates -- that was so much fun!

Content Warnings

kmbooky's review against another edition

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adventurous

5.0

The author did an amazing job with this book. The back and forth of the two stories to make a cohesive book is great. I also loved the ending, I'm glad it turned out the way that it did. The entire book had my attention. The shifts between the retelling of Hannah's story and Marion's story were so easy to understand and not complicated. I just really enjoyed this book and I recommend it if your looking for an adventure.

reading_and_wrighting's review

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adventurous informative slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

sooteydog's review

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

abookishtype's review

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adventurous informative tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Professor Marian Beresford is prone to temptation. As a lesbian in 1930s America, she has to keep her desires on the QT. She’s also used to having her academic opinions dismissed by men. So when a student presents her with what appears to be a real diary of an eighteenth-century woman detailing how she came to be a pirate at the beginning of Katherine Howe’s engrossing novel, A True Account, Marian can’t help but be ensnared by what might be the greatest discovery of her career...

Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.

gretel7's review

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adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.75

I received this from Netgalley.com.

A wonderful swashbuckling adventure. I better liked reading the older (1700's Hannah) timeline and wanted more of the highseas adventure. Good read.

voyager78's review

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adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

Katherine Howe has written a multilayered, cinematic, swashbuckling tale. Hannah Masury, a young woman living in Boston in 1726, is the narrator of this exciting book. Due to various circumstances, she ends up pretending to be a boy on a ship taken over by pirates, and this book is seemingly her autobiography. At a certain point in the book, things take an unexpected turn and the book becomes something else. I did not know this going in, but since it’s in the publisher’s blurb, I guess it’s not a spoiler, but I’m glad I knew nothing, so read no further if you don’t want to know.

Just when Hannah’s tale is getting extremely suspenseful, the story shifts into the 1930s, and you realize that Hannah’s book is being discussed by professor Marian Beresford and a student of hers. Her student is convinced that the book is real and that there is buried treasure to be found. Marian is skeptical but intrigued. The duel stories continue and converge into a very satisfying ending, with the author’s notes bringing even more delightful details into play.

Howe has done her research. The descriptions of Colonial Boston, the action on the ship, Marian’s life in the 1930s… it all comes to life in her exquisite prose. Hannah is a non-conventional woman and Marian is as well, both trying to navigate their way in a world run by men. My only criticism is that the sections about Marian were not quite as captivating as Hannah’s. And there is quite a lot of violence, to be expected in a book about pirates, so beware. This is a fantastic book for lovers of historical fiction, especially pirate stories!

Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company, for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.

bamamelereads's review

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adventurous slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.25

I love Howe's books and I love lady pirates, so this book was a no brainer for me. It's a dual-timeline book, with one timeline following Hannah Masury, indentured servant turned pyrate, and the other timeline following Dr Marian Breresford, a professor following an account of Hannah's life. As is usual with a dual timeline book, I was much more invested in Hannah's story than in Marian's. But come on, PIRATES! I was definitely on the edge of my seat for Hannah's adventures, especially the last chapter. On the other hand, I mostly felt sorry for Marian, but also sometimes frustrated with her life (as I know she was).
It's amazing how much story Howe packed in to so few pages. The ending chapter (which is a long one) initially had me screaming with frustration, but finally excited with triumph. I definitely felt satisfied at the end. I also love reading the author notes; it seems Howe has THE most fascinating family tree to draw upon.
I definitely recommend for any fans of historical fiction and lady pirates!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a requested copy to review. All opinions are my own.

kajh23's review

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adventurous emotional informative mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

graywild's review

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

book won from giveaway by Goodreads - the story is actually 2 stories. The 1st is the story of Hannah Masaury who escapes her town and ends up a pirate (disguised as a boy) on a ship of Ned Low. The 2nd is the story of Marian, a professor at Radcliff, who is reading the tale of Hannah (given to her by a student) and trying to figure out if it is real. If it is real then is there treasure to be found. Story held my interest. A good vacation read.

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