When I was in middle school, I devoured the Bloody Jack series and True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi. In high school I continued to follow the Bloody Jack books (Oh, Jacky Faber! Stay irascible!) and I discovered Pirates! by Celia Rees and The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King. My point is--there's nothing like a good historical sea-faring adventure! (Except Moby-Dick.)Cast Off by Eve Yohalem fits the bill! Petra de Winter escapes an abusive father by stowing away on a Dutch merchant vessel and enlists the help of Bram Boen. Both stand to lose a lot if Petra is discovered, and Yohalem doesn't shy away from the some-times brutal aspects of life abroad a ship in the 17th century.
The writing is full of little historical quirks that bring the time period and the characters to life without overwhelming the reader. The two voices play off of each other well, and the story is twisty and exciting. Yohalem doesn't shy away from big issues, either--sexism and discrimination are explored within the historical context in interesting ways. This is most definitely an excellent book for fans of Charlotte Doyle, and the friendship between Petra and Bram is excellent.
Cast Off is out now!Eve Yohalem's first book was ESCAPE UNDER THE FOREVER SKY, which Booklist called “riveting.” She lives with her family in New York City. To learn more, and download a free curriculum guide for CAST OFF, visit her website: eveyohalem.com.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eyohalem
Fill out the form below to win a copy! And follow the book tour--tomorrow's stop is at thechildrensbookreview.com!
1 comment:
Wow. It's nice to know that sea adventures are still being written. Sounds like a great story.
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