Scan barcode
A review by corabookworm
The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye by Briony Cameron
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye is a story that turns the typical "pirate" genre on its head by weaving in the real horrors of that time period and featuring a queer woman of color as the captain. The book follows Jacquotte and her friends as they escape a violent political overthrowal and join the crew of a notorious pirate as indentured servants. But Jacquotte refuses to be controlled by anyone; so begins her quest for freedom, romance, and revenge.
I really liked the concept behind this book. It was a decent story, and elements of it were well done. However, I didn't really vibe with the writing or the pacing. I hate saying this, but it felt almost "amateur"? Not necessarily bad, just not very remarkable? I didn't feel connected to the characters or particularly interested in the plot. (Also. a warning to my romance friends: the romance plays less of a role in the plot than the summary makes it out to.) I'm fascinated by the fact that this book was based on real events, and it makes me want to dig deeper into the story. But, unfortunately, on it's own, this book was just fine, and not much else. Good for those in the mood for an easy-to-read, historically-intriguing pirate story.
I really liked the concept behind this book. It was a decent story, and elements of it were well done. However, I didn't really vibe with the writing or the pacing. I hate saying this, but it felt almost "amateur"? Not necessarily bad, just not very remarkable? I didn't feel connected to the characters or particularly interested in the plot. (Also. a warning to my romance friends: the romance plays less of a role in the plot than the summary makes it out to.) I'm fascinated by the fact that this book was based on real events, and it makes me want to dig deeper into the story. But, unfortunately, on it's own, this book was just fine, and not much else. Good for those in the mood for an easy-to-read, historically-intriguing pirate story.