A short tale based on the legends of Anne Bonny, featuring pirates and their colorful havens in the Caribbean.

Fleeing an abusive husband, young Anne Bonny joins the crew of Calico Jack, who is charming and caring and keeps the secret of her identity from the crew, even when Bonny’s impulsiveness and big mouth get her into trouble. When a pirate hunter with a personal vendetta is set on their trail, Bonny must decide how much Calico means to her as they are chased across the seas from Havana to Nassau - the port harboring the terrors of her past.

This book did a good job balancing the details of seafaring with pirate drama. It might not have ever mentioned what kind of ship Bonny and Calico sailed (I assumed the Ranger was a brig or sloop, corroborated by a quick online search), but life aboard the ship was well-realized, with names given for cooks and carpenters and crews made up to man the canons. Calico’s crew had fun personalities, as well as other sailors met in various ports.

I enjoyed this as a historical piece, but I was disappointed in it as a story. While there’s immediate action and danger, I didn’t really see what Bonny’s motivation, what she was working toward beyond staying alive. The whole crew seemed to pillage for the sake of pillaging. Also, I wanted to like Calico Jack, but he did little in the story to show why Bonny is so attached to the pirate.

I might take the author’s suggestion to pick up Captain Charles Johnson’s A General History of Pirates to learn more about Anne Bonny and her contemporaries and their assuredly colorful escapades.

**Thanks to Netgalley and Text Publishing for the ARC**

An enjoyable and exciting read for both those who love pirate adventure novels as a genre (is it even a genre?!) or want to read a young adult with a strong heroine that doesn't come off as a Mary Sue.
Having a historical figure, one as important as Anne Bonny at that, as the protagonist of the novel was very satisfying, and you wanted to know what she did next.
I recommend it to everyone who likes historical fiction, fleshed out characters, fun adventure in their fiction!

This book was so entertaining and the banter fun and flirty. I loved this book and I can't wait to buy a physical copy to read it again!

Mais uma cortesia da NetGallery que me agradou, principalmente por eu não lembrar de ter lido algum livro com a temática de piratas. Assim como descrito acima, a história é baseada na história real de Annie Bonny, sendo mantido os nomes originais. A história real pode ser encontrada do site Britannica, uma enciclopédia online.

A história começa com Annie Bonny já a bordo da Ranger, enquanto a tripulação ataca um segundo navio, Kingston. Sob o nome Andrew, ela segure ao Capitão Calico que eles tomem o navio para si. No começo, o Capitão nega a sugestão, mas acaba aceitando. Com o navio tomado, Bonny ergue a bandeira deles, porém, como eles estão próximos à costa, ela acaba expondo eles.

Em um primeiro momento, eles conseguem escapar do Capitão Barnet, porém, durante uma parada em uma das ilhas do Caribe para reabastecer o Navio, Annie acabar sendo capturada por ele. Já sabendo que está grávida, ela se mantém como homem, mas não diz seu nome verdadeiro à Barnet. Martin Read fica de guarda na cela de Bonny. No momento que eles atracam em Havana para que Bonny seja julgada por pirataria, assim que a tripulação desembarca, Read ajuda Bonny a escapar.


Ao descobrir que ela estava grávida, ela e o Capitão Calico sabem que ela não pode continuar no navio ou a tripulação descobrirá que ela é uma mulher. Na época, mulheres à borda era considerada má sorte no mar. Mas Bonny não deseja ficar em terra cuidando de um filho, ela quer continuar em alto mar, acompanhando Calico.

Após escapar de Barnet, ela e Read vão procurar o Cunnighham, um casal que Calico conhece e não podem ter filhos. Então eles adotarão o filho de Bonny e Jack e ela ficará em terra até o bebê nascer. Porém com a captura dela, ela e Calico não se vêem até o nascimento do bebê.

A diferença entre a história original e a de Meg Caddy, é que na original, apenas Annie Bonny não foi condenada à morte por estar grávida, e Martin Read é dado como um pirata trans que nasceu homem, mas aos cinco anos de idade se identificou como Mary. Já Mary Ready na história original, se vestia de homem para conseguir dinheiro da avó paterna, já que pai havia abandonado a família e sua mãe faleceu quando ela tinha treze anos.


Para saber mais sobre a história de Anne Bonny, há o livro “A General History of the Pyrates: Robberies and Murders of the most notorious Pyrates”, escrito por Captain Charles Johnson (pseudônimo do escrito Daniel Defoe) escrito em 1724



O livro original pode ser encontrado no site Internet Archive para consulta.

Devill’s Ballad será lançado em 14 de Julho de 2020 pela Text Publishing.

I loved this, it captivated me from the beginning, or rather I should say Anne did. I didn’t know much about Anne Bonny before I read this, I knew bits but that’s it, and obviously being historical fiction it’s not a true account, but as the author says, withered accounts are sketchy and hard to pinpoint what is fact or fiction. Anne is a fabulous character strong, sarcastic, independent and has her history of abuse both physically and mentally. She is such an inspiring woman, ruthless, smart mouthed and equal to the men. A real thought provoking read, but still action packed and entertaining. Thoroughly recommended to lovers of history, strong women and of course pirates.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

This is a fun, fast paced, quick read. I love pirates. I have been slightly obsessed since I was little, knowing there were female pirates who were equally as ruthless as their male counterparts. There is more authenticity here of the crueler sides of piracy than in other books written in the YA arena. Piracy was never for the faint of heart. There is so much going on here that you really need to read for yourself; Lots of strong themes about identity, friendship, and teamwork that transcend time. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I received this as an ARC in return for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Some years back, the names of Anne Bonny and Mary Read were all over tumblr, and the following release of Assassin's Creed: Black Flag only made their popularity as historical characters increase, inside and outside the gaming community. For all those who were (and still are) invested in the golden age of pirates, I do recommend Devil's Ballast: it's short, fast-paced, and ugly in the right places, not leaving out the less glamorous sides of piracy, seafaring and, last but not least, colonialism.

While I found Anne's exploits entertaining though - sharing POVs with relentless pirate hunter Barnet - I was never fully engaged in them. Perhaps it's the hopeless romantic in me speaking, but I would have loved a more detailled recounting of Anne's and Calico Jack's falling in love - or of any character's backstory, really. This book is, after all, only a short one, so I don't want to criticize it for its compact plot. Also... big chef's kiss for this depiction of Martin/Mary Read.

A solid read - just not 100% for me!

Thank you Net Galley and Text Publishing Company for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.
The Devils Ballast is from the POV of Bonny and Barnet. Bonny is a you g woman who had had a very difficult life. Her father was cruel to her, and when she married, her husband turned out to be even worse. She still had nightmares about him years later. Then she was rescued by Captain Calico Jack, who brings her into his ship and hides her identity. All the while a love connection begins. Bonny dresses as a young boy to further hide who she is, but this leads to many problems in the ship. The other pirates like to single her out, sometimes beating her and she does not have much by means of ways to defend herself.

Barnet is a pirate hunter. He is haunted by nightmares of losing the woman he loved, killed by pirates. His only goal in life is to bring all pirates to justice. When he learns of Captain Calico Jack being nearby, he sets out to capture him and his crew. But when he does, they put up a much better fight that he’d expected. He eventually captures a young cabin boy from their ship. Unbeknownst to him, this is the woman he was hired to return to her husband back in Nassau.

This story is so intricately woven! There are so many things happening, but it was perfectly written. The author strove to keep this book authentic in the life of a pirate, all the while keeping it appropriate for a young audience. It was a pleasure to read this book, and I would absolutely recommend it to others.
Thank you for the awesome read!!!

So I feel like I say this in like every review, but I never know who’s going to read it so I need to make sure I say this. I went into this book not knowing what it was about, I just really like the cover. Also books about water usually have me interested since I love Little Mermaid retellings so much.

First chapter I was interested I’ve been reading so many books at one time recently, that I need to be sucked into the first chapter or I wont pick it up for awhile. So far in the beginning my favorite character is Bonny, because she is just spunky and not afraid to say what’s on her mind. Though her intentions are a little confusing right now, I think I know what her plan is and what she has hidden up her sleeve.

Right off the bat Caddy has you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what would happen next. The way she writes the suspense is brilliant and keeps you turning the page wondering what will happen next. I am still rooting for Bonny and hoping that she has a happy ending, because this woman knows how to fight. Even though every time she opens her mouth she gets in trouble there she goes again.

5/5 stars.

In Devil's Ballast, author Meg Caddy explores the life of historical figure and female pirate Anne Bonny, using a modern lens to explore nuances such as abuse, the emotional fallout of dealing with such trauma, and LGBTQ experiences during the time period. Though a bit slow at times, I personally enjoyed the depiction of such an adventurous and anti-stereotypical female, highlighting how an outlier for the time period can be a strong icon for those in contemporary times. By using multiple perspectives and narratively skipping through time, Caddy uses these tools to present a very dynamic story in an easy way for readers to understand, allowing the gaps in history to be filled and the aforementioned nuances to shine. While these issues were displayed by the characters, I do wish that the characters had been given room to have their relationships develop a bit more throughout the story's events.

I have to admit that I'm confused to find this book on NetGalley, given that it was already published... one year ago. As I have previously read the published version, I saw no major differences between this version and the published version, so I don't find it necessary to review the confusingly updated version here.

I had a serious pirate phase as a child. I remember searching and searching for a book featuring a female pirate, and failing. That’s why I was so excited to read Devil’s Caddy, and it delivered. This is exactly the book that my younger self wanted, as well as being a book that grown-up me could sit back and enjoy.

Anne Bonny is eighteen when she feels her abusive husband and runs away with Calico Jack, the famed pirate. She disguises herself as a boy and joins his crew aboard the Ranger, which wreaks havoc on the ships of the Caribbean. However, this is not a happy ending for Anne, and she is on the run from both her husband, James Bonny, who is determined to get her back, and the pirate-hunter Captain Barnet, whose personal goal is to bring as many pirates to justice as possible. When she is captured and separated from Calico Jack, she must fight to get him back, whilst struggling with the consequences of her relationship with the pirate.

Devil’s Caddy is a really enjoyable book to read and I got through it in a weekend thanks to the fast-paced and constantly moving plot. Meg Caddy has done a really great job at writing an exciting story, with a series of exciting individual adventures for the characters whilst also maintaining an overarching story that keeps you entertained for the duration of the book. Caddy manages to ramp up the tension and surprise you with plot twists the whole way through, whilst still keeping the book feeling fun.

I also really enjoyed the cast of characters in this book. Anne Bonny is a great historical character, and Meg Caddy manages to bring her to life in the form of a kick-ass heroine, without crossing over into cliche female protagonist territory. Anne Bonny is rebellious, feisty, and clever, but she’s can also be reckless, stubborn, and selfish. She’s also kind, loyal, and a great friend. Overall, she is a brilliant character to follow, and I would definitely want to read more of her story.

I also really enjoyed Martin Read’s character, who, without spoiling any of the story, is also inspired by a historical pirate, and whose friendship with Anne was one of my favourite parts of the story. I was also surprised to have enjoyed the chapters which were narrated by Captain Barnet, as Meg Caddy managed to craft the villain of the story as a fully three-dimensional figure.

Devil’s Ballast, by virtue of being a pirate novel, features lots of different characters and locations: multiple ships, their crews, a well as a number of Caribbean cities. Nevertheless, it never felt too dense or convoluted and the characters all stood out as individuals and had a purpose in the story. I thought that this was especially impressive as the book wasn’t very long.

Overall, this was an easy 5 stars. This book is a page-turner kept me entertained the whole way through. I’m not sure if Meg Caddy has planned this to be a series, but I would definitely read more stories of Anne Bonny and her pirate friends.

Devil’s Ballast’ is Caddy’s take on the real-life pirate, Anne Bonny. Bonny, an Irish pirate who wreaked havoc in the Caribbean in the 18th Century,

Anne Bonny is a character I liked right away, so hats off to Meg Caddy for writing her in such manner. The author has definitely done her research. This is a page Turner, an adventure I really enjoyed.

I loved this book- I can't think of a better example of a female protagonist without a maternal bone in her body! The risks faced by people who didn't conform to the gender binary in the early 18th century are not understated, but they also don't get in the way of adventure. 'Found family' is one of my favourite YA tropes and Anne certainly finds hers amidst Calico Jack's crew. I would recommend this book to YA readers with an interest in overlooked voices from history, particularly queer voices. Content warning: descriptions of trauma, including domestic and sexual violence and transphobic abuse.

Devil's Ballast is a fictionalized telling of Anne Bonny, infamous female pirate. I love pirate stories and have always been fascinated by pirates, particularly Bonny. I even named my one-eyed cat Anne after the pirate. So when I came across this book, I knew I had to read it.

Anne is a strong character who is put through many challenges, including keeping her disguise, pregnancy, multiple captures and escapes, and severe beatings. She never lets any of this get to her and only lets it motivate her further. The book touches on her relationship with Calico Jack, but it is not a romance book, which I appreciated. I like that her life didn't revolve around a man but around what she could do for herself.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a fast-paced, quick read. I loved the inclusion of Mary Read in the story, and that Anne was never truly dependent on anyone but herself. It had a bit of violence and murder, but nothing more than is to be expected from a pirate book. It was detailed without going overboard, and the characters, even Barnet, were fleshed out nicely. Overall, it was a wonderful book.

A fantastic historical fiction that is full of twists and turns. Only as part of reading this story did I come across the real tales of Bonny (and Read) and that only made me enjoy the book more.
The tales of pirates and the high seas have captured the imagination of people for centuries and this is no different, in that respect. The story itself is possibly one you've never heard before, however; following the plights of unlikely pirates battling to escape and find freedom.

The use of description in this novel is outstanding, pulling you in to life on the seas and to the (dis)pleasures of life on land. Meg Caddy has really captured an essence of the world that they inhabited and brings it to life around the reader.
Equally, the character development is well done. Not only are the main characters strong but the development of the peripheral characters is very good. I found myself becoming quite attached (Old Dad, Isaac, darling Darling) and wanting to know more.

I would love to share this with my Year 5 class but some of the language and themes (abuse, assault) in the story mean that it's probably not suitable for them.

I highly recommend this book. One of the best historical fiction works I've read.

Devil's Ballast is about Anne (Andrew) Bonny who is dressed as a 14 year old boy on Captain Calico's pirate ship in order to get away from her abusive husband. On the Ranger, Bonny has made some enemies, but they weren't quite as dangerous as Captain Jonathan Barnet who is on a mission to capture Calico and his crew due to his hatred of pirates.

I enjoyed this book and how Bonny was a strong female lead. While I did think some of her actions were annoying and questionable in the beginning, she was an overall likeable character. I thought the trans representation was well done considering that the book is set in the 1700's. The way that everything happened felt very natural and normal rather than forced. My favorite character was Read because I feel like I can relate to him. In a world where he was surrounded by chaotic and sometimes shitty people, he really did his best to live his life the way that he felt was best and I think that's very admirable.

Devil's Ballast is the feminist pirate novel I never knew I needed. Meg Caddy spins a fictional story based on historical accounts of Anne Bonny, "Calico" Jack Rackham, Mary Read, and Jonathan Barnet.

There are two points of view in the novel, Bonny and Barnet. Bonny's chapters are written in first person, while Barnet's are written in third person. I found this to be a nice way distinguish the two perspectives; it enabled you to step into Anne's shoes, while understanding--but not necessarily agreeing with--Barnet's point of view.

Caddy's feminist take especially examines the mistreatment of women in the 18th century. She also addresses PTSD and how this can change a person. The most pleasant surprise for me was that she included a transgender character.

This pirate adventure had me on the edge of my seat. It was very hard for me to put the book down. Now I have the strongest desire to visit the places they traveled, such as Nassau and Havana, and to read nonfiction about pirates! If you are a fan of pirates and want to read a well-written historical adventure book, Devil's Ballast is the one for you.

3🌟 — Devil’s Ballast follows Anne Bonny, a real life female pirate who left her abusive husband to sail the high seas with her pirate lover Calico Jack. The book opens up with the pirates ready to capture a ship, straight into the action.

Anne Bonny is a fierce and flawed character who fights for what she wants and very much does not care about what you think of her. Faced with her husband trying to catch her and pirate hunter Captain Barnet, who is all too happy to take his money to help — Anne Bonny will have to run fast if she wants to stay out of their hands.

This was a very fast and fun read! I do wish that it was longer, as I feel that would have given more room to flesh out the characters and their relationships a bit more, but overall, I enjoyed this.

Plot:
This is a YA historical novel taking place in the Caribbean and following the story of female pirate, Anne Bonny, based on the true story of Anne Bonny. Bonny has run from her abusive husband and found herself on the pirate ship, The Ranger, which is captained by her lover, Calico. Bonny has to disguise herself as the cabin boy but lives a content life causing mayhem on the ship and in the Caribbean. However, the pirate-hunter Captain Barnet has set his sights on The Ranger, with the added incentive of Bonny's husband's money in exchange for him getting his 'property' back.

My thoughts:
Reading this book has made me really curious about pirates and, in particular, female pirates like Anne Bonny. Knowing that this novel is based on a true story just made it better and the amount of research the author did really shines through and enhances the story.

I liked so much about this book: the characters (particularly Read); the plot; the action; and, most importantly, the handling of LGBTQ+ themes. This book features a trans man as one of the main characters as well as the implication that he and another male character are attracted to men. These reveals were handled very well and without drama. The point of view given from the antagonist was also effective in both conveying motivations and creating anticipation as so much of the novel took the form of a chase / race against time.

Where the book fell down for me was that it struggled to grasp my attention, particularly in the beginning. But even by the end I wasn't feeling a connection to any of the characters. My other criticism is the underdeveloped romance between Bonny and Calico. I felt that more development would have made understanding and sympathising with Bonny's actions in the second half of the book a lot easier. However, as there had been little development or even background it was difficult to care.

I always feel that I need to write a little reminder that I did enjoy the book after writing anything critical, so here's that disclaimer: I did enjoy this! It was a fun, historical adventure full of piracy, action and general badassery.

*eARC received in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley*