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pattydsf's review against another edition
3.0
“With source materials do hard to obtain from the other side of the world, I decided that to really get a picture of women’s maritime lives in history and myth, it would be far easier to travel there myself than to keep requesting interlibrary loans. I wanted to see those same coastlines I was reading about, to sail those same seas.”
This reader will never know why Sjoholm and her publisher titled this book The Pirate Queen: In Search of Grace O'Malley and Other Legendary Women of the Sea. The title is misleading – there is only a little bit of information about Grace O’Malley. It is not enough, in my mind, to put O’Malley on the cover of the book although it attracts readers. Fortunately, I was interested in the whole topic of women and the sea rather than just O’Malley.
Once I realized that this book serves two purposes – to tell the tale of women’s maritime lives and to tell Sjoholm’s own travel stories, I enjoyed this book. It was not the best travelogue I have ever encountered, but not the worse either. Sjoholm is interested in her topic and went to great lengths to find out more about real and imaginary women sailors. The women that Sjoholm researches are interesting and I was glad to learn about them. The book is illustrated which is a nice touch.
If you have an interest in unusual travel plans or in women in unlikely jobs, you will probably find something in this book. If you are looking for just Grace O’Malley, you might do better with a novel like The pirate queen: the story of Grace O'Malley, Irish pirate by Alan Gold or Ann Moore’s Gracelin O’Malley. I haven’t read either, but they both look interesting.
This reader will never know why Sjoholm and her publisher titled this book The Pirate Queen: In Search of Grace O'Malley and Other Legendary Women of the Sea. The title is misleading – there is only a little bit of information about Grace O’Malley. It is not enough, in my mind, to put O’Malley on the cover of the book although it attracts readers. Fortunately, I was interested in the whole topic of women and the sea rather than just O’Malley.
Once I realized that this book serves two purposes – to tell the tale of women’s maritime lives and to tell Sjoholm’s own travel stories, I enjoyed this book. It was not the best travelogue I have ever encountered, but not the worse either. Sjoholm is interested in her topic and went to great lengths to find out more about real and imaginary women sailors. The women that Sjoholm researches are interesting and I was glad to learn about them. The book is illustrated which is a nice touch.
If you have an interest in unusual travel plans or in women in unlikely jobs, you will probably find something in this book. If you are looking for just Grace O’Malley, you might do better with a novel like The pirate queen: the story of Grace O'Malley, Irish pirate by Alan Gold or Ann Moore’s Gracelin O’Malley. I haven’t read either, but they both look interesting.
jrc2011's review against another edition
3.0
I do confess - Pirate Queen Grace O'Malley was really the primary draw for me in this book - based on the jacket, I thought it was more of an in depth book, like Richard Zacks' excellent tome on Captain Kidd ("The Pirate Hunter").
What I got, instead - was a single chapter about Grace O'Malley and lots of references to people who apparently know more about and wrote more about her -- and a travelogue covering different roles women played in different communities in the north/west of European coastal communities. And a lot of personal reflections and musings on love for the sea and reinventing oneself.
Yes - it was confusing for a few chapters - a bit of a bait and switch. But, some of what she wrote was interesting. Some of what she wrote was silly - but not as silly as some of Bill Bryson's travel stuff and personal reflections. Interesting but not necessarily a reflection of much primary source research -- more of a hobby/personal book.
What I got, instead - was a single chapter about Grace O'Malley and lots of references to people who apparently know more about and wrote more about her -- and a travelogue covering different roles women played in different communities in the north/west of European coastal communities. And a lot of personal reflections and musings on love for the sea and reinventing oneself.
Yes - it was confusing for a few chapters - a bit of a bait and switch. But, some of what she wrote was interesting. Some of what she wrote was silly - but not as silly as some of Bill Bryson's travel stuff and personal reflections. Interesting but not necessarily a reflection of much primary source research -- more of a hobby/personal book.
erin_oriordan_is_reading_again's review against another edition
4.0
Some people might think this book is a bit rambling - it's really about women and our historical relationship with the sea, including in mythology and folklore - but I thought it was fascinating.
atrinkl's review against another edition
1.0
I was excited to read more about women pirates only to discover minimal history and a lot of self-reflection from the author. If it were queued up that way, I would’ve been more receptive but just not the book I was looking for. Made it about halfway and gave up, then skimmed the pages for the history bits (I didn’t find many).
karingforbooks's review
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.5
I enjoyed that Grace is threaded throughout and that we learn about women at sea in the North Sea. I liked how the author wove in her story too.
I wanted more straight history though and less musing. It’s still good. Just maybe reorganize or add more history.
I wanted more straight history though and less musing. It’s still good. Just maybe reorganize or add more history.
moj8668's review against another edition
3.0
I did enjoy reading about the women seafarers whose lives the author sought to learn about. However, so much of the book was wrapped up in detailed descriptions of the weather and the landscape that reading became tedious. And while I enjoy a certain level of vulnerability when authors are writing about their own experiences, the authors angst over changing her name was completely irrelevant to the overall intent of the book.
One last little thing - the author makes a comment about everyone being drawn to the sea which is a HUGE overreach. I, personally, am far more drawn to wooded or mountainous areas and have never felt the inextricable tug of the sea that the author obviously feels. While I admire her passion - and can completely understand it, having my own "favorite places" - it's a fallacy for her to assume that everyone feels as she does.
If it weren't for the fact that I've learned more about women who "bucked the norms", I would have rated the book far lower.
One last little thing - the author makes a comment about everyone being drawn to the sea which is a HUGE overreach. I, personally, am far more drawn to wooded or mountainous areas and have never felt the inextricable tug of the sea that the author obviously feels. While I admire her passion - and can completely understand it, having my own "favorite places" - it's a fallacy for her to assume that everyone feels as she does.
If it weren't for the fact that I've learned more about women who "bucked the norms", I would have rated the book far lower.
cvhhvc123's review against another edition
3.0
AR 3.5
Like many other readers, I was expecting the content of this book to be different. However, the subtitle is an accurate description. I would have liked to learned more about the women of the sea, but i'm happy to have discovered what I did.
Like many other readers, I was expecting the content of this book to be different. However, the subtitle is an accurate description. I would have liked to learned more about the women of the sea, but i'm happy to have discovered what I did.
lgwapnitsky's review against another edition
3.0
Good, but couldn't hold my interest. More of a travel and self-discovery for the author instead of a history
mrsdarcylynn's review against another edition
3.0
While there were many interesting stories of women of the sea, the book is primarily a travelogue/autobiography. Learned some interesting things while skimming though!