Product Description

When two young women meet under extraordinary circumstances in eighteenth century West Indies they are unified in their desire to escape their oppressive lives. The first is a slave, forced to work in a plantation mansion and subjected to terrible cruelty at the hands of the plantation manager. The second is a spirited and rebellious English girl, sent to the West Indies to marry well and combine the wealth of two respectable families. But Fate ensures that one night the two young women have to save each other and run away to a life no less dangerous but certainly a lot more free. As pirates they roam the seas, fight pitched battles against their foes and become embroiled in many a heart-quickening adventure. Written in brilliant and sparkling first-person narrative, this is a wonderful novel in which Celia Rees has brought the past vividly and intimately to life.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #232016 in Books
• Published on: 2004-08-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Pirates! is a classy and welcome addition to Celia Rees's successful oeuvre, that of novels with a historical background, such as the phenomenally bestselling Witch Child and Sorceress. Swashbuckling in the tradition of every pirate tale, from Treasure Island to Pirates of the Caribbean, Pirates! is truly gripping from first page to last and never fails to be totally entertaining throughout.

Nancy Kington and Minerva Sharp are two young women from very different backgrounds who, in time, become united in a common, pirating cause. Nancy, the daughter of a successful Bristol ship owner, had her life all planned out. She lived in comfort and hoped to marry her childhood sweetheart William. But disaster strikes and she is aghast to experience her circumstances turning upside down when her father dies. Soon she finds herself shipped out to land they own in the West Indies to marry for the good of the remaining family.

Minerva is part of the staff at her new plantation home and they immediately become friends--despite the delicate nature of their differing positions as merchant's daughter and slave. But Minerva has complications of her own--particularly from an abusive overseer. Nancy is eventually driven to murder him, and together they become fugitives. Joining a pirate ship comes naturally to both of them and a wild, wild life of seafaring and adventure begins.

With detailed research that leaps from every page, Rees's narrative is atmospheric but never heavy. She moves the story along at a jaunty pace, making it impossible for the reader to get bogged down. Rich and exciting, Pirates! is another triumph and unlikely to be bested by another pirate novel for some years to come. (Recommended for ages 12 and over.) --John McLay

Review
This is as swashbuckling a yarn as anyone could wish for.' Adele Geras, The Guardian this is by far the best read this autumn. Give this to your children to read and the words will create vividly coloured pictures in their mind Dina Rabinovitch, The Guardian 'Well-known for her ability to write gripping stories featuring strong, intelligent female characters, Celia Rees has yet another compelling read in Pirates! Financial Times Pirates! is a treasure of a book' Amanda Craig, The Times

The Times
'A rollocking tale of slavery, sisterhood, blackhearted bridegrooms and treasure, beautifully written and gloriously good-hearted... a treasure of a book.'

Customer Reviews

I was hooked!
This is one of the best books I have ever read!
Celia Rees takes you on an exiting journey back in time to the 18th century. When her father dies, Nancy Kington is sent to her father's sugar plantation to be married. But when Nancy kills a man, she and her friend and slave, Minerva, are forced to run away. They join a pirate ship and dress in mens clothes, hoping to escape. But it's not that easy. They are followed by the man that Nancy was supposed to marry and all the time Nancy is still searching for her childhood sweetheart, William.

I love the way that Celia Rees has of making it impossible to tell what is going to happen next! I loved all of the unexpected twists and turns in the plot and I loved the way that the characters, from all different backgrounds, came together.

This is a gripping tale of love, adventure, danger and friendship and I couldn't put it down. I would highly recomend this book to anyone and everyone. Celia Rees is a great author, she has written lots of super stories and this one is certainly no exception!

Pirates!- a good read
I've had good and bad experiences of Celia Rees- good in the form of 'Witch Child' and 'Sorceress' and bad in the shape of 'Truth or Dare', 'The Vanished' and 'Blood Sinister'- all three pointless, predictable stories that failed to impress. So why did I buy 'Pirates!'? Because I had a theory that Rees was best when writing historically based novels. I wasn't wrong.

When Nancy is shipped out to the West Indies to marry a wealthy plantation owner, she meets Minerva- a slave with whom she forms an instant bond. A shocking event forces both of them to run away, joining the 'Maroons'.

A chance encounter leads to the two girls joining a pirate ship as members of the crew, and much of the story is taken up with descriptions of the boat, the shipmates, and most importantly the treasure.

As the tale unfolds, the girls are tested to the limit, as they fight for their lives, flee from pursuers and search for their loves.

Pirates! is a fast-paced, dramatic book that manages to interweave tension and trauma with comedy, romance and history. A great book for anyone with an evening or two to spare.

pirates
This is a book that had me captivated till the end. The relationship that develops between Nancy a daughter of a rich merchant and Minerva a slave who has run away is very well written and the storyline had me gripped as their adventure takes off at sea. A much recommended book that portrays a different side to piratical adventures.