Rachel Rueckert

THE DETERMINED is historical fiction portraying the - dare I say it - swashbuckling lives of the two most famous female pirates from the Golden Age of Piracy (1650s-1730s) - Anne Bonny and Mary Read. But it's a book that doesn't approach piracy in the traditional way. Because it's written from the point of view of women who participated.

Like most women in the 18th century, there is little documentation about Bonny and Read, though author Rachel Rueckert details what factual information she show more did find in the novel's fascinating Afterword. We all know that women's accomplishments have been largely ignored throughout history.

Rueckert however takes the little that's been recorded and gives it her own imaginative take. She includes Bonny's and Read's back stories (how they became pirates), but most of the book takes place on the island of Jamaica in the Caribbean when the two women are adults. At the beginning of THE DETERMINED, it's 1721 and Bonny and Read, both pregnant, are in prison awaiting trial for piracy.

Weaving back and forth in time, Rueckert examines their individual histories, the support their growing friendship provides, and how their training, skills, and intelligence contributed to the crew's success. For different reasons, both women are forced to hide their genders. By dressing like men for long periods of time they are able to access better jobs, earn more pay, and have a measure of protection from the men surrounding them. Especially important at a time when laws provided little or no protection for women. What is clear is the fundamental lack of autonomy women generally had during this period (for example, a wife was considered her husband's possession) and the appeal of piracy, which was one of the only ways a woman could escape the rule of a husband, father, or brother.

As a reader with little knowledge of the age of piracy, I was captivated by the strength of both women and their determination to live more independently that society allowed. I found both characters three-dimensional and sympathetic. And the men around them (many of whom are actual historical figures) were more complex than I expected.

I did find some portions of THE DETERMINED slower than others but the last third of the book is a true page-turner. I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in piracy, in the history of women, or in the ways women can shine when given the chance. show less

Despite what follows in my review, this book is NOT "boring." For me, "boring" is not a criticism, but a vague, unhelpful, blanket statement. That being said, I feel like the author played it safe with this one. It is their literary debut, so it's understandable. But there is a noticeable lack of "action," especially concerning Sam Bellamy. At no point did I wonder if the characters were in any real danger. Maria Brown, having to bear Sam's illegitimate child, comes quite close. She almost show more drowns, is forced into marriage, shunned by her family, and forced to go to court to defend herself against baseless accusations. But someone - whether it be Bellamy, her sister Elizabeth, or Abiah Sampson an indigenous healer - always came to her rescue. The roll call of famous pirates making their appearances throughout were entertaining though. I enjoyed the creative license with the timeline. But Bellamy's chapters always opened post-battle. No canon fire, no boarding, no fighting. If you never read anything else about the man, you wouldn't know that Bellamy was the most successful pirate in Western history!

Concerning the characters, Maria is indeed brave and willful, but incredibly naive and impatient. Freedom-loving Sam is a charismatic leader, but also self-righteous and doubtful. Both maintain progressive values from the beginning, and are charmed by each other's strengths. However, such as they are, there's very little room for character growth and by the end I wasn't sure that either of them learned anything at all. show less

Thank you Kensington and Between the Chapters for the gifted ARC book.

Inspired by the pirate Samuel Bellamy, IF THE TIDE TURNS was a compelling tale full of adventure and romance. I enjoyed the balance between the action and character development. The writing was immersive and easily pulled me in right from the start. The exploration of social issues of the 1700s was great. I appreciated the Author’s Note regarding research and the reasoning for liberties taken in straying from known show more historical facts or filling in unknown pieces. I’d recommend this book to fans of historical fiction romance, especially those interested in pirates and/or Salem Witch history. show less

Get ready for a ride on the high seas with real pirate Sam Bellamy. Part love story part adventure on the sea. Fascinating history of pirates on the high sea. Can tell this author really did her research on this one. Made me want to read more stories on pirates