My salty Mary

Cynthia Hand, 1978-

Book - 2024

Perfect for fans of The Princess Bride and A Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue, New York Times bestselling authors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows are back with a fantastical, piratical historical fantasy remix that marries the story of The Little Mermaid with the life and times of infamous lady pirate Mary Read. Don't call this mermaid "little" call her "captain," unless you want to walk the plank. Mary is in love with the so-called prince of Charles Town, except he doesn't love her back. Which is inconvenient. Since she's a mermaid, being brokenhearted means she'll -- poof! -- turn into sea-foam. But instead, Mary finds herself pulled out of the sea and up onto a pirate ship. To... survive, she joins them. But Mary isn't willing to just sing the yo-ho-hos. She wants the pirate life, all of it, and she's ready to make a splash ... by becoming captain. But when Blackbeard dies suddenly, Mary has a chance to become so much more: Pirate King ... or Queen. She won't let anyone stop her -- not Blackbeard's cute son, not her best friend from back under the sea who's having a bit too much fun with his new legs, and certainly not everyone who says she can't be a pirate just because she's a girl. She may not be the best man for the job, but she'll definitely prove that she's worth her salt.

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Subjects
Genres
Fantasy fiction
Novels
Published
New York: Harper Teen, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers [2024]
Language
English
Main Author
Cynthia Hand, 1978- (author)
Other Authors
Brodi Ashton (author), Jodi Meadows
Edition
First edition
Physical Description
422 pages ; 22 cm
ISBN
9780062930101
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

Mermaid princess Mary traded her life Underwhere for a life Above, all for the love of a so-called prince. When he breaks her heart by marrying another, prettier girl, she doesn't die or turn into sea foam: she becomes a pirate. She cuts love out of her life, except love of the sea, and joins the crew of the Ranger, masquerading as a boy named Mark--and she'll eventually become known as the famous pirate Mary Read. Also twisted up in this seafaring epic are another renowned woman pirate, Anne Bonny, and yes, of course, Blackbeard, too. The Above appearance of Mary's cousin Jack, son of the Sea Witch, complicates everything because he's fallen in love with a human, too. Add in the pirate hunter Jonathan Barnet, and this wild tale is in high, humorous gear. Fans of the authors' Lady Janies books already know to expect a fun and fluffy historical fiction ride, but this pirate tale goes far beyond expectations, giving a rollicking adventure on the high seas (and not the high C's--this Little Mermaid only sings sea shanties). HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The recent tv adaptation of My Lady Jane should boost interest in all of the Lady Janies books, including this one.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

A saucy, feminist take on "The Little Mermaid." This clever mashup includes actual 18th-century women pirates Mary Read and Anne Bonny, not to mention Blackbeard's son, Tobias, legendary pirate Calico Jack, and a whole host of captains (Ahab! Crunch! Hook!). Woebegone mermaid Mary falls in love with a boy she rescues and becomes human to be with him. Alas, he turns out to be a narcissistic blowhard. After Mary jumps overboard, she's rescued by pirates and pretends to be a boy in order to join their crew, which includes Tobias. Later, she runs into Calico Jack, her cousin who's also Above, or in our world. He's searching for his human father when he meets and is smitten with pugnacious Anne Bonny. At the AARP conference--the Admirable Association of Retired Pirates, that is--Mary, Jack, Anne, and Tobias learn that there's to be a contest to determine the next Pirate King; whoever brings back the most treasure wins. Tobias knows where Blackbeard's treasure is hidden. Meanwhile, Mary's overbearing father, the Sea King, agrees to a bargain--either she becomes Pirate King or he takes her back home to Underwhere. This delightful farce contains seamless twists and gripping action, as well as some somber nods to harsh gender and racial inequalities. Tongue-in-cheek references, accessible writing, and dialogue that readers will connect with all create an immersive reading experience. The leads are white; Tobias is brown-skinned. This swashbuckling tale anchored by historical details is a treasure. (authors' note) (Historical fantasy. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.