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Wendy Perriman

Author of Fire on Dark Water

1 Work 21 Members 4 Reviews

Works by Wendy Perriman

Fire on Dark Water (2011) 21 copies

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female

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Reviews

I deceived myself - upon reading the back blurb I thought it would be about a female pirate, as in a woman who wields a sword and commands the ship or at least swings on ropes. That would've been pretty awesome. But it held to what was probably closer to the true condition for women in that time and surroundings, used and abused and tossed aside.
 
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EhEh | 3 other reviews | Apr 3, 2013 |
Reviewed by Amie Lou
Review copy provided by Berkley Publishing
Ahoy! And beware--there's no Cap'n Jack here. Fire on Dark Water is a novel about piracy and the gritty lives the pirates lived told through the eyes of a gypsy whore. It has not been romanticized--it is real, bloody, and not for the squeamish. But...it is also elegantly written, blending fact and fiction into a riveting tale. Perriman's voice of Lola is so enthralling, you'll forget you're sitting in a recliner in the 21st century instead of taking every step alongside her.

Lola Blaise accepts her fate early in life. A gypsy compromised at an early age, abandoned by her people, and eventually indentured, she earns a living the only way she can--as a prostitute. But Lola is resourceful and has a few tricks up her sleeve. She makes herself useful to others and ends up "marrying" Blackbeard and serving aboard one of his ships as an apothecary.

Fire On Dark Water is a great read, eloquent and near poetic, despite its rough topic. It entertains, informs, and gives the reader a candid look into a long past time--the real pirates of the Caribbean.

Favorite Quote: No quote per say, but it is charming and fun that Lola ends each chapter with a version of "that is that." I looked forward at the end of each for her wrap up.
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RtB | 3 other reviews | Jan 25, 2012 |
The story is told by Lola Blaise a gypsy from England who is deceived and stolen away from her Romany family and ends up traveling to the new world on a white slave ship. She is sold into indentured servitude, escapes to a pirate island where she works in a brothel, and eventually meets and becomes the thirteenth wife of Blackbeard. Fire on Dark Water is a richly detailed and adventurous novel. Lola's story was quite interesting.
 
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Meggle | 3 other reviews | Dec 5, 2011 |
You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/06/review-fire-on-dark-water-by-wendy-k.html

Fire on Dark Water begins in 1702 England, when 10 year old Lola Blaise is spirited away from her gypsy family by people that would sell her to men wanting to “experience” a virgin. Yeah, the world Lola lives in is nasty, brutal, and unforgiving, especially where gypsies are concerned. Lola eventually falls in with a gang of thieves and is eventually caught and sent to Newgate, where she is banished to America for 7 years to be retrained for colonial labor. On the ship, she’s befriended by three doxies, Violet, Maude, and Dollie, who do their best to shelter her from the bullying and abuse by the other prisoners. They can’t save her from the captain, however, who turns Lola into his own personal form of entertainment. After a mutiny attempt by the prisoners goes wrong, and it’s discovered that Lola helped procure a weapon, the ringleaders are promptly tortured and thrown overboard, while Lola is forced to watch. Lola then helps take care of prisoners and shipman afflicted by various forms of nastiness. So, after what I personally think of as the “Ship Ride from Hell”, Lola is sold into service to a family in Carolina that lost their previous housekeeper to fever. Lola is to help with all manner of medical emergencies on the plantation, and is determined to make the best of this situation. Such begins Lola’s experiences in the service of the girl who would eventually become Anne Bonny and her father. A fateful marriage will lead her to the West Indies, life on the high seas, and eventually, Lola would become Blackbeard’s thirteenth wife.

Fire On Dark Water is not a mystery, nor is there an epic quest. It's about a gypsy girl, abandoned and adrift, making her way in a hostile, unforgiving world. Lola’s voice is sturdy and unapologetic, even when she describes some of the horrible things she must submit to in order to survive. I had to keep reminding myself during the first part of this book, that Lola was only ten because the things she has to endure will make your heart ache. These are things no person; man, woman, or child should ever have to go through and is a glimpse into the dark hearts of men, and women. It was use or be used, and Lola clawed for her place the best she knew how. Intelligent, cunning, and resourceful, Lola survives in a world that most of us wouldn’t last more than 10 minutes in. The author creates a world rich in treachery and desire, and Lola Blaise’s story is one you won’t want to miss. If you like pirates, strong, intelligent women, and historic adventure that doesn’t let up, you’ll love Fire On Dark Water.
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MyBookishWays | 3 other reviews | Jun 24, 2011 |

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Works
1
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21
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Rating
3.8
Reviews
4
ISBNs
1