Mod 3 Bloody Jack

Meyer, L. A. Bloody Jack. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2002. ISBN 9780152167318.

Summary:

Mary Faber is an orphan in the eighteenth century after her parents die of a terrible disease. She joins Rooster Charlie’s gang and survives by begging and stealing what they can. When Rooster Charlie is killed, she takes his clothes, cuts her hair, changes her name to Jack, and heads toward the sea. What she learns on the way is that “it’s easier bein’ a boy ‘cause nobody bothers with you…no one remarks upon me bein’ alone…when someone needs somethin’ done they’ll always pick a boy…I don’t have to look out for no one but me.”

Jacky Faber becomes a ship’s boy by telling that he can read, and becomes valuable to the ship. Once aboard, however, life is not easy on board a Royal Navy ship in the pursuit of pirates. Jacky earns the nickname Bloody Jack by killing a man. She has duties to perform, takes classes and tutors others onboard, and most importantly, maintains her deception of being a boy. However, her quickly developing body and her growing love for a fellow shipmate may put an end to her deception. Will she be hung or put off the ship at the next port? Only time will tell.

Analysis:

Meyer keeps the pace up in this adventure novel by constantly providing obstacles to Jacky’s grand deception. She is in constant fear of being discovered, and must make great plans to avoid detection. She even sews a rolled up piece of cloth into her underpants to have the same bumps as the other boys. She battles pirates, practices drills, makes new uniforms, gets her period, and is attacked by one of the other crew members. An interesting twist of events at the end leaves readers wondering what will happen to Jacky Faber next?

The beginning of the story is a little difficult to read as the orphans live in Cheapside and their grammar is nonexistent. However, as Jacky learns and teaches, there is a definite improvement. Hornbook says, “The ship's teacher molds the boys, Jacky included, into officers and gentlemen, and has them change their speech from street urchin-ese to more refined English constructions. Jacky's diary reflects this language growth but always retains her strong, proud voice.” Jacky is a strong character and reveals her true self by doing whatever is necessary to survive.

Reviews:

Kirkus August 2002

Meyer, a debut novelist, has penned a rousing old-time girl's adventure story, with an outsized heroine who is equal parts gutsy and vulnerable, then sets her loose on a pirate-hunting vessel in the high seas.

Library Media Connection 2003

... pure fun and a riveting read.

Publisher's Weekly 2002

...salty tale a rattling good read

Awards:

Booklist Editors’ Choice

Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book

Junior Library Guild Selection

Book Sense 76 Pick

Connections:

For information about the author visit http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/170658.L_A_Meyer

For information about famous pirates visit http://www.piratesinfo.com/

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Cover photo:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9780152050856&imId=58240618