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emily_mh's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
4.25
While this story is undoubtedly centred around the sea, I would like to make clear that it isn’t about Kemosha being a pirate - not fully. Instead, the narrative is sort of structured like a coming-of-age novel in which a character explores themself and seeks a dream, and where in this case being a pirate is a part but not the whole. I thought this structuring was really effective. Looking simply at the action, of which there is a lot, you might think this book was paced strangely, but looking at the action in the context of Kemosha’s coming of age means the pacing makes a lot more sense. I actually think it was perfectly paced when viewing the book from this perspective, as the right amount of time is spent on each stage of Kemosha’s development. Nothing felt rushed or bogged down.
I was completely hooked throughout Kemosha’s tale. I don’t want to spoil anything, but on the way to achieving her dream, she goes on several quests, encountering many different people and scenarios, one of which is, of course, becoming a pirate - or in this case, privateer may be more accurate. I really appreciated how Wheatle explored pirates as oppressors. I think the lasting image of pirates I have (courtesy of mainstream media) is of them as an oppressed group rallying against authority and providing an alternative, more equitable way of life. Wheatle shows us here that while all the former may be true, pirates can also be oppressors themselves in their colonial-style pillaging and mistreatment of women.
The plot is set against the historical backdrop of Jamaica (and the Caribbean more broadly) in 1688, a setting which Wheatle effortlessly brings to life. It’s historical fiction like this that makes me fall more and more in love with the genre. I liked that Wheatle was inspired by real-life female pirates Read and Bonny, and that the story featured the historical figure Captain Henry Morgan. But what I liked most was that Kemosha is a far better depiction of the “pirates of the Carribean”, as typically these are shown as being white. Wheatle himself notes the historically poor rep in his author’s note.
Kemosha herself was a great MC. She was so resolute, so committed to her loved ones, and was guided by her moral compass at every turn. I was so pleased she got a happy ending.
Unfortunately I do have two criticisms for this otherwise wonderful book. The first is that the first-person narration isn’t used very effectively. Usually this perspective serves to give the reader a real insight into the MC’s inner world, but oddly we don’t really get this here. This is to the point that internal thoughts are italicised, like they would be in third-person, as they are few and far between. My second critique is that the romance between Kemosha and Isabella is very insta-love. This is not an objectively bad thing but it is a trope that I don’t personally like. Despite this, I did understand why Kemosha and Isabella were drawn to each other and loved that two queer women of colour living in the 17th century got their happy ending.
Rep: Black African-Jamaican sapphic MC, sapphic biracial Costa Rican LI, Mandinka SC, Black Jamaican SCs
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Drug use, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Medical content, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and War
Major: forced separation from family Moderate: loss of a loved one Minor: capital punishment, gambling, eye trauma, menstruation, drowning, child birth, imprisonment
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