A review by pagesofpins
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
4.0
Three star book, but four for nostalgia.
A re-read of one of my favorite books in fifth grade. It's definitely not a history textbook, and the action was slower moving than I remember, either because what will happen is more obvious as an adult or because the audiobook narration is too slow. Nonetheless, I think kids who love independent and strong willed characters will enjoy Charlotte's transformation from proper young lady to crew member accused of murder.
Troubling bits: Charlotte claims she can remember this voyage so well in her old age because of her journal. Y'know, the one that gets burned at the end of the book. Hmm.
Also, I caught no explanation of how the other families were threatened/prevented from making the voyage by the mutinous crew, but Charlotte mysteriously wasn't. She's that difficult to prevent? Or it's just no problem to murder her and cover it up?
A re-read of one of my favorite books in fifth grade. It's definitely not a history textbook, and the action was slower moving than I remember, either because what will happen is more obvious as an adult or because the audiobook narration is too slow. Nonetheless, I think kids who love independent and strong willed characters will enjoy Charlotte's transformation from proper young lady to crew member accused of murder.
Troubling bits: Charlotte claims she can remember this voyage so well in her old age because of her journal. Y'know, the one that gets burned at the end of the book. Hmm.
Also, I caught no explanation of how the other families were threatened/prevented from making the voyage by the mutinous crew, but Charlotte mysteriously wasn't. She's that difficult to prevent? Or it's just no problem to murder her and cover it up?