Sadly this really wasn't for me and I ended up skim reading it. It was very atmospheric and the writing was good but I found the characters a bit one-dimensional and the story troublesome. I think I was expecting something different to what it turned out to be; I'm not really a fan of revenge tales so that is my fault, but I also found the violence too much. I personally enjoyed the interludes although they did break up the main story.

Thanks to the publishers, Virago, and Netgalley for kindly providing me with an advance release copy. All opinions are my own.

Following the murder of her mother, seven-year old Molly, is taken in by her mother’s lover, Tom West. Tom, who is a smuggler, takes Molly onboard his ship, where she lives disguised as a boy. The story follows Molly as she works to avenge her mother’s death and secure her future. Molly’s story is interleaved by extracts featuring female literary figures, who were overlooked or hidden in their own time, who are fascinated by the mystery of Molly West.

The story is narratively interesting, with constant narrator and time shifts. These shifts run fluidly, but do take a degree of concentration to keep up with. The prose is beautifully written and evocative, and the story obviously well researched. The themes of gender, identity, feminism and myth-making are explored with freshness and skill.

Although I grew to like this book it was difficult going at times. Essentially the story of Molly who is brought up at sea pretending to be a boy and focuses heaving on gender politics. The characters are drawn in depth and complexity.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5205096435

I found this very slow going to begin with, to the extent that I almost gave up on it, but it gradually developed into a compelling story and towards the end I started to enjoy it and care about the characters. It tells the story of Grace, Molly and Tom in 18th century Devon. Tom is a dashing smuggler and classic hero type, save for a penchant for beating up the women in his life. Grace is his lover, and Molly is Grace's daughter, brought up by Tom as his own and striving to carve out a path to freedom for herself in a man's world. There are a lot of themes going on in the novel, mainly around the silencing and treatment of women in society over the years, which although laudable did feel shoehorned in at times and perhaps laid on a little thick. However, I did admire the fact that, notwithstanding the points she is trying to get across, the author was prepared to make Tom a complex, well rounded character with good points as well as bad: this isn't the type of feminist novel where all men are evil and all women are perfect. And the relationship between abuser and abused is explored here in a way which is genuinely thought provoking.

So overall, something of a slow burn that (just about) rewarded perseverance. I would recommend if you do read if that you focus on the Tom/Grace/Molly story arc and skip through the annoying modern bits that are occasionally interwoven with it. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I requested this book for two reasons: a female pirate and Hilary Mantel gave a good blurb. A Wild and True Relation tells the story of Molly Tucker, a female free-trader brought up on the ship of the legendary and fearful Tom West, in early 18th century Devon. This story is interspersed with different chapters focusing on historical figures, like George Eliot and Hester Thrale, who were interested in the story of Molly Tucker, and who were somehow sidelined by famous men. I was never entirely sure what the point of these chapters were, especially because for most of the main story, Tom is the main character and the chapters are filtered through his perspective. I kind of feel like if you want to readdress female figures in history, maybe make them the sole protagonists in their own story? If I was going to be analytical about it, I can think of several ways as to why this approach could be considered to be subverting the narrative and showcasing the lack of autonomy of women in their own lives, but in a story where the lead female character is already breaking the norm in so many ways, this felt a bit unnecessary and ineffective to me.

Plus, I found the story really muddled and a bit dull in the earlier parts, and the prose deliberately obscure. The story got more compelling as it progressed and as Molly became older and more interesting. I also really liked the chapters about Molly's mother, Grace, and I enjoyed the present-day interjections, written under the heading of 'notes for a lecture'. But, unfortunately, the clearer the characters and prose and plot became, the creepier and weirder the story got :( I did not like the weirdness :(

I really enjoyed this book. It begins with a violent episode whereby young Molly, having lost her mother, is taken into the care of Tom West. But Tom is a pirate, and given women are unlucky to have on board a ship, Molly becomes "Orlando", her real gender kept a secret from all others. The book spans the course of Molly's life as she strives to avenge the death of her mother; but on a deeper level it explores themes of identity and conformity.

The book contains "interludes" which I feel quite mixed about. I found it disrupted the narrative, and whilst it sought to further develop those themes of gender and identity (e.g. introducing Mary Ann Evans aka the author George Eliot) and was undoubtedly incredibly interesting, it felt a little detached. Personally, I'd have rather had the author talk about these historical figures who inspired her writing at the end, instead of blending fact with fiction.

That all said - I enjoyed the main story, Molly's character is beautifully written and the undercurrent of revenge and the complexities of striving for redemption was fascinating and for me, thoughtprovoking long after reading.

In 'A Wild & True Relation' Kim Sherwood tell Molly West's story. The orphaned daughter of Tom West's lover Grace, Molly grows up as one of the boys in Tom's crew. Called Orlando to hide her gender, she learns to smuggle and fight up and down the Devonshire Coast, becoming tougher than the men who surround her. However the loss of her mother haunts her and she seeks revenge for her death (which happened following her betrayal of Tom West to the revenue) as well as pursuing her own legacy.

Reviews of this novel seem to have been torn. There are those that loved the story, and others that found the narrative structure hampered their enjoyment. I have to admit that I fell in the latter camp. I initially loved the story, enjoying the feminist reworking of the adventure/heroical novel and also excited to see the tiny village I lived in as a child, mentioned. However Sherwood's flitting between different characters perspectives and strands in the novel started to make this feel like hard work and as a result the punch of the story got lost for me. I think this will be one of those books that people will either adore or struggle with, and I'm sad that it didn't click for me.

This is an excellent read on a huge topic. The most important aspect is that it emphasises the fact that if we suppress the talents of women, asking them to conform to a stereotype their talent will come to the fore anyway. It acknowledges that femininity is not a monochromatic concept but is diverse and we have spent far too long suppressing its full expression. It develops a really interesting character in Tom, at once tender and loving, but more often violent. In a stunning climax, Molly in coming to realise his full nastiness can not forget the mutual love they share. Wow. Read this book!

The story of orphan Molly Tucker, the reader follows her life as she grows up under the protection of free-reader and captain, Tom West: a legend, not for all the right reasons. Molly is torn between the man who brought her up as his own, and potentially the murderer of her mother. Set in Devon, France and the sea in-between, A Wild True Relation is an exciting story of folklore, storytelling, and the role of women’s writers. Interspersed with famous figures and writers looking to seek the truth, Kim Sherwood’s well-researched book imagines the truth. A complicated, and sometimes slow-moving narrative, the story of Tom West, the Tuckers, the free traders and the Revenue is quite a tale. I would definitely recommend for fans of historical fiction and adventure.

I absolutely loved Kim Sherwood’s novel, A Wild and True Relation. Centred around the life of a young girl brought up at sea by a bunch of smugglers highly regarded throughout Devon, the story seeks validation through the investigative processes of modern day poets and literary figures. Kim Sherwood’s ability to portray rounded, believable, fallible characters with conflicting emotions is remarkable. It was a wonderful read.

I suspect A Wild and True Relation will be a bit of a marmite book. There’s a lot to like but it’s not going to be for everyone. I really enjoy historical fiction, particularly those which are woven around truth. Kim Sherwood is attempting to present fact and fiction in a rather complicated way and there were times when I found the narrative a little confusing.

In essence it’s a tale of revenge. But it’s also one which touches on the strength of women in the face of every adversity. It’s a rollicking pirates tale, at one level with a cast of colourful characters and incredible settings. I enjoyed those bits. I understand why there are attempts to include Dickens, Eliot, Defoe etc., but for me, this doesn’t work quite as well and slows the overall pace. There’s repetition and which again breaks the pace and plot and although I don’t usually mind switch of narrative point, there are times in this book when it was difficult to follow what was going on. It’s a book I wanted to live. I have a soft spot for pirates and love the mystery and intrigue that surrounds those buccaneering days. But this didn’t quite hit that sweet spot.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

This was beautifully written, but I found it confusing - it took me several attempts to work out what was going on at the beginning. It was a great story, but I found the telling too complicated.

I found this a bit difficult to fully get into. The main story was interesting enough but I found the interludes disruptive. I think I understand what the writer is trying to do, and applaud it, but it made for a jerky read.

A strong story of smugglers and Cornwall and girls who fight back. Love the real people who enter this historical fiction. Could have been edited to some extent but an enjoyable read.

A Wild and True Relation by Kim Sherwood

Thank you Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for a copy for an unbiased review.

This is a book that ultimately will be enjoyed by many who like a certain style of historical fiction, and there undoubtedly be others who might struggle with it. I personally really enjoyed the book. I feel it did what I expected it to.

The descriptions were vivid, and the characters engaging throughout. It was a book that had a lot of scope and it did so unapologetically.
The whole premise was certainly interesting and although as with many books of this kind, perhaps not for the purists of historical events or people, I felt this book was able to show us women's voices that felt real to the events and time.

The only reason I have this at 4 stars and not the full 5 is it felt a little repetitive in relatively few instances. It was barely notable admittedly but it just shaved that star off for me. Others might be happy to give it 5 stars regardless.

If expansive History fiction focusing on the female voice is your thing, I'd highly recommend this.

4/5 stars 🌟

Kim Sherwood, who has recently launched a James Bond spin-off series, shows what a versatile writer she is with this, her latest novel. A Wild & True Relation came with a blurb from the late, great Hilary Mantel, so my expectation here was high.

First up let's say that Sherwood is a great storyteller. There is enough material here to fill a couple of novels, but the novel never feels overburdened by its plot. The narrative, which shifts between different stories, will live or die by how much patience you have for these type of narrative switches. I'm a sucker for it, so I loved wallowing in this world. Others have found it distracting, so this would be my only caveat of warning.

The story's principal focus, though is Molly (or Orlando) as she must call herself, and in Molly Sherwood has created a wonderful character whose life we follow into smuggling and whose encounters with people such as George Eliot provide much extra meat to the story.

I expect big things ahead for Sherwood, so read this and get on the train early. You won't be sorry.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.

I love a bit of historical fiction, and I also love strong women characters, as such, this was definitely the book for me! It’s a solidly grounded and intriguing story following Molly who, following the death of her mother, grows up on a pirate ship disguised as a boy called Orlando, trying to find her place on the world.
Thank you to NetGalley Little, Brown Book Group UK, Virago for the opportunity to read and review this compelling read.

I grew up in Devon. I LOVE smugglers and the local history. I am a history and literature nerd - and the idea of connecting Johnson to Dickens to Eliot and the women who were lost in the process really floats my boat. Somehow, this just missed the mark for me, and maybe that's why I'm scoring it 3 stars rather than 4 - because my expectations were so high.

It's a great story, and there are bits of it that are fabulously written - it's definitely an action-led narrative. The glimpses into Tom, Molly/Orlando and Richard's characters and their development/ inner struggles that pushed the action forward was great.

My biggest problem with this was the pacing - there were parts that seemed a bit repetitive, others that were a bit slow. I love the idea of the interweaving of other writers discovering this story was a beautiful idea, but sometimes felt a bit confusing. It felt like the kind of book that I would normally rip through, but it took me much longer to read, and I'm not 100% sure why.

There are definitely people who I would recommend this to, but it isn't a universal EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK, for me.

This was such a good book. I love historical fiction, especially when it is about eras/ situations that I previously knew nothing about and this was definitely one of those books. It was so well researched and so compelling in its narrative that not only did I love reading it but I felt that I learned too. A really enjoyable read and perfect for any fans of historical fiction. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

A Wild & True Relation by Kim Sherwood

Not my usual read but I found this book totally engrossing with a brilliant plot.
It has everything to keep you interested until the very end. Intrigue , love , murder , smuggling , drama - the lot.
We mainly follow Molly from a child who has an unusual life ( an understatement ) and those around her that strive to keep her safe .
Great characters , wonderful descriptions of the sights and smells of the era.
A cracking , rip roaring , often heartbraking read.