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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
I loved this book just as much the second time around! What an epic tale! Avi captures the persistence of a teenage girl with ease. I love that Charlotte realizes that what she has always known about her status and the requirements of a young lady are completely arbitrary and that she must lead the life she wants to lead, no matter the expectations of others. Avi navigates class, race, and gender well and offers an inspiring story as context for those discussions. My favorite part is when Charlotte has her own Mulan moment and cuts her hair off in the storm in one fell swoop, recognizing that propriety will simply get in the way. Charlotte is quite the inspiring heroine, a role model for perseverance, honor, and bravery.
The first time I heard this story was when my 4th grade teacher's student teacher read it aloud to our class. I've read it several times since then, and even though I know what's coming, it's just as much of an adventure as it was the first time.
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Good story. I think I would've enjoyed it more if A: I was 13 years old again and B: If I hadn't read L.A. Meyers' Bloody Jack Series beforehand.
When I first read this in seventh grade, I thought it was amazing. The action, the adventure, and with a girl at the center of the story! What excitement! Though I did not remember much of the plot when I sought to re-read it, I did remember how much I enjoyed it.
While I did not enjoy it quite as much this time, I do still hold that his is a good book (if best enjoyed as a child).
On re-read, I found Charlotte to be an irritatingly weepy, whiny girl at the start and Captain Jaggery exceptionally transparent, which dissolved a lot of the surprise that was supposed to be garnered with the plot twists, which for the most part were still good. The trial scene was ridiculous enough to take me out of the story, but most "legal" scenes tend to be that way for me (curse you, law school! You've ruined an entire genre!) so feel free to disregard that portion of my calculation.
That said, I do still think it is a good book. I appreciate Charlotte's growth as a character, as she learns to think for herself and judge others based on their merit as opposed to their status. The ending is just as satisfying as I remember it being. The writing is for a school-aged child, simple and direct and to the point. Different classes of characters have different qualities of speech without resorting to writing in an incomprehensible dialect. The descriptions of the ship are most informative, and the terminology very accurate, which was a nice surprise.
There is some graphic violence, no graphic language or sex. I would recommend this book for elementary to lower high school readers. Three stars.
While I did not enjoy it quite as much this time, I do still hold that his is a good book (if best enjoyed as a child).
On re-read, I found Charlotte to be an irritatingly weepy, whiny girl at the start and Captain Jaggery exceptionally transparent, which dissolved a lot of the surprise that was supposed to be garnered with the plot twists, which for the most part were still good. The trial scene was ridiculous enough to take me out of the story, but most "legal" scenes tend to be that way for me (curse you, law school! You've ruined an entire genre!) so feel free to disregard that portion of my calculation.
That said, I do still think it is a good book. I appreciate Charlotte's growth as a character, as she learns to think for herself and judge others based on their merit as opposed to their status. The ending is just as satisfying as I remember it being. The writing is for a school-aged child, simple and direct and to the point. Different classes of characters have different qualities of speech without resorting to writing in an incomprehensible dialect. The descriptions of the ship are most informative, and the terminology very accurate, which was a nice surprise.
There is some graphic violence, no graphic language or sex. I would recommend this book for elementary to lower high school readers. Three stars.
*I read this book for my Around the Children's Section Challenge which can be found here: www.undeniablylibrarian.wordpress.com
I really enjoyed this book, I found Avi to be a fantastic storyteller and I felt truly immersed in the story. The content was geared more for a middle level audience, as it does get a bit violent with two deaths and a whipping. I found Charlotte Doyle to be an interesting character caught in a peculiar circumstance. In the beginning she is an obedient schoolgirl on her way back home to America to return to her family, but by the end she becomes independent and no longer feels as though she should confine herself to society's expectations of what she should be. A positive message I think young minds today need to see. The ending was a major surprise, and I'm honestly not sure how I would have reacted had I been in a similar situation.
While reading this book I felt it was somewhat similar to Paula Fox's The Slave Dancer. Anyone interested in historical fiction and pirates/nautical things would enjoy both of these novels.
I really enjoyed this book, I found Avi to be a fantastic storyteller and I felt truly immersed in the story. The content was geared more for a middle level audience, as it does get a bit violent with two deaths and a whipping. I found Charlotte Doyle to be an interesting character caught in a peculiar circumstance. In the beginning she is an obedient schoolgirl on her way back home to America to return to her family, but by the end she becomes independent and no longer feels as though she should confine herself to society's expectations of what she should be. A positive message I think young minds today need to see. The ending was a major surprise, and I'm honestly not sure how I would have reacted had I been in a similar situation.
While reading this book I felt it was somewhat similar to Paula Fox's The Slave Dancer. Anyone interested in historical fiction and pirates/nautical things would enjoy both of these novels.