The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
Historical Fiction; 229 pages
As the only passenger, and the only female, on a transatlantic voyage in 1832, thirteen-year-old Charlotte finds herself caught between a murderous captain and a mutinous crew.
Sam’s review:
The year is 1832, and Charlotte Doyle is a prim, proper young lady who has been educated at a private school in London. She must return to her upper-class family in Rhode Island and, despite warnings, boards the Seahawk for the passage across the Atlantic. Charlotte overcomes her shock at her cramped quarters and terrible seasickness, only to discover that she is the only passenger and the only female on a ship seething with bad omens. The cook, Zachariah, tries to befriend her and warns her about the brutality of Captain Jaggery. Charlotte tells her own story as she discovers who she can trust and what her true qualities are in the midst of wild adventure on the high seas. Avi’s descriptions through the eyes of Charlotte made me feel as if I were on the ship. The plot turns kept me in suspense right up to the final page. A Newbery Honor Book when it was published in 1990, this book holds up well and is a totally satisfying read for lovers of adventure, historical fiction, and 1st person narratives. I hear that a movie is due out in 2014.