I DNFed this one after about 55 pages.

I'm always a bit hit and miss when it comes to historical fiction, but I was hoping this was going to be a hit. While the writing is beautiful and the setting is really vivid, I was really struggling to connect with the story and the characters. I am hoping to go back to it at another time and give it another whirl as De Tores' writing is really, really stunning and I very much want to love it.

Thank you to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for the review copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

When I picked up Saltblood, I was expecting a romp through the world of piracy in the eighteenth century. What I got was quieter and more introspective, but perhaps better. Mary doesn't even become a pirate until halfway through the novel and is only officially a pirate for a few years, but her entire history is worth knowing. De Tores does a great job of taking the few known bits of Read's biography and transforming them into a believeable life. I particularly enjoyed the section with Anne Bonny and her contrast with Mary, and Mary's time in the army. A great bit of feminist historical fiction.

A five star read. For the full review go to https://www.tumblr.com/joebloggshere/753780500309688320/saltblood-by-francesca-de-tores-what-a-surprise

Today, it may seem obvious to us (despite the boorish backlash of the patriarchy) that a woman can take up any profession she wants, but once upon a time, this was not the case and women who, by inclination, necessity or other instances in life, took a leading role in a purely male world were very few and followed by a stigma. So many passed themselves off as men and their secret was often only discovered at the moment of dressing the mortal remains. Saltblood is the fictional biography of two of these women, who grew up as boys for different reasons, and met, of all places, in Nassau, the capital of piracy. Based on facts from the proceedings of the trial of the pirate crew they were part of, the figures of Mary Read and Anne Bonny emerge powerfully, well-rounded figures capable of being extremely feminine and at the same time occupying the space around them as only males were, and to some extent still are, allowed to do.
The narrative, presented from Mary's point of view on her deathbed, is fluid and moving, so much so that it is really hard to tear oneself away from it.

If you're looking for a high-stakes, sea-faring, pirate-packed adventure, this is probably not the book for you...

Saltblood is a fictionalised memoir of the life of Mary Read, a renowned 18th century pirate who associated with the likes of Blackbeard and Calico Jack. From the outset, the vast amount of time and care De Tores has dedicated to thoroughly researching what little is known of Read is evident. This knowledge, woven seamlessly within the lyrical, evocative prose, creates a rich and immersive depiction of life on both land and sea in the 1700s.

With that being said, this novel is not without fault.

While the writing itself was beautiful throughout, the first-person narrative felt monotonic and lacking in any emotion, and therefore, when huge and seemingly life-altering events occurred, the impact of these on Mary and those around her was somewhat lost. In terms of pacing, the plot seemed to move quickly and slowly simultaneously, such that, although we follow Mary across the world and through many crucial moments, the aforementioned lack of impact left me with a continuous sense that I was waiting for something that never really arrived.

Though De Tores tackles important themes that I'm often drawn to within stories, such as gender, sexuality, and identity, some of the ways that they were explored within this novel felt repetitive, and lacked depth. For example, within the first few chapters, I lost count of the number of times she described Mary as having a "secret" or being good at keeping "secrets" when referring to Mary posing as a boy during her childhood. In later parts of the book, many observations related to these themes were simply stated, and their impact on Mary and her life were not as thoroughly fleshed out as I would have liked, but that may just be personal preference.

To conclude, it's not necessarily that I didn't like Saltblood - there were many elements that worked well, particularly the inclusion of Crow within the latter half - but there wasn't really anything that made me love it.

I had the pleasure of being allowed early access to this book as an EARC - thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this! This is the fictionalised (though true to what historical records there are!) account of Mary Read, one of the only two female pirates documented during the ‘golden age of piracy’.

Mary is the second born child of a poor woman in Plymouth, England - and when her slightly older brother dies not long after she is born, her mother has Mary take on his identity, being known and raised as Mark. After joining the Navy, she finds a love of the sea, and this novel is as much an adventure into seafaring life as it is into gender roles and expectations.

I don’t want to say too much and spoil it - I knew very little going into this book and found it really enjoyable. But I had no idea this was a debut - it’s so adventurous and gorgeously written. The rendering of settings is so convincing, and the characters, although unlikeable and flawed, were also loveable - I was fully invested.

Overall, I’m giving this 4.5 stars. I’d highly recommend this if you’re a fan of historical fiction!

An enjoyable true read about Mary Read. She tackled a difficult beginning, and life, to become a pirate. The story is great but for me was a little long. All the better for being a true story though.
Thanks to Netgalley for the preview copy.

📚 review 📚
saltblood - francesca de tores

look this book had me at “historical fiction about mary read” - frankly i came for the gay lady pirates and i stayed because this was a good time.

so just to clarify - this is based on the true story of mary read one of britain’s most fearless pirates who was active during the golden age of piracy. not only was she a pirate but she also posed as a boy and served in the navy and the army so you know - mary read is a certified bad ass. though de tores does say that parts of this book are more heavily fiction than they are historical it doesn’t take away from read’s incredible life story. another thing that is incredible? this is a debut!
for a first book, this is exceptionally well paced, full of beautiful phrases and of course some amazing characters. it is told almost like a death bed confession and from the moment mary came screaming into the world i was hooked. this is definitely a contender for book of the year for me - i expect great things to come from francesca de tores in the future!
thank you @netgalley for the early copy - saltblood is out now.
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When Mary’s older brother dies when he is just a toddler, she is raised as a boy in his place. As she grows up, she maintains the male identity and the name ‘Mark’ as she progresses into a life that occupies both land and sea. On her adventures, she meets a cast of characters, as she struggles with her identity and strive for freedom.

Based on historical events and real life female pirates Mary Read and Anne Bonny, Saltblood is so much more. It is rich in themes: gender, identity, sexuality, love and loss. I loved learning about Mary’s story. Reading how she transitioned between the l different phases in her life seemed like folklore as she developed into who she ended up being. I also loved the tone. In amongst the excitement of Mary choosing to leave conventional life behind for one at sea, I feel like there was pragmatism in Mary’s attitude and grittiness to day-to-day life. I really enjoyed this book. As well as interesting themes and characters, I found it well written.

I particularly recommend this book for fans of well-written historical fiction and books on gender identity and LGBT fiction.

Saltblood by Francesca De Tores is a pirate story from a female perspective.

The novel begins in England where Mary lives with her mother, from there she joins the navy and her adventures at sea begin.

I have always enjoyed pirate stories but I think what makes this one better than others I have read is that it is based on real people.

Fantastic read about a female pirate I was already aware of (bonny) and a journey through Mary's unusual life, proving that women really can do anything that men can (and perhaps even better)

Little is known about the life of Mary Read, one of a pair of notorious female pirates (along with Anne Bonny) who stalked the Caribbean islands during the much-fabled Golden Age of Piracy. In Saltblood, debut author Francesca De Tores takes the scant details the historical record provides and fills in the blanks to create a riveting imagined memoir - the story Mary Read might have written down before her death in 1721.

Plotted against the seemingly never-ending wars of the 18th century, Mary's journey from service to the Royal Navy, then the army, a Flemish tavern and eventually the infamous pirates' republic of Nassau in The Bahamas, is a beautifully written, exhilarating adventure. From her fascinating beginnings - being expected to inhabit the role of Mark, her brother who died in infancy, in order to continue accruing the paltry allowance Mark's paternal grandmother provided towards his keep - every detail of Mary's life is vividly imagined and told in a convincing, compelling voice. The author captures the allure of piracy even at a distance of some three hundred years, and embeds Mary's story in a carefully researched history of piracy in the British West Indies.

Mary herself would have been uniquely positioned to reflect on the gender politics of her era, having lived as both a man and a woman at different times, and her ability to make choices about the life she would have - at a time when most women's destiny was determined for them before they even drew breath - is as resonant today as ever.

To take just a handful of accepted facts and craft them into such an exciting, moving story of love, loss and the search for a place to belong takes a true talent, and I will eagerly anticipate this author's next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.

Never mind Bonney and Clyde, this most interesting and enlightening book is about Bonney and Read, two ladies from the days of piracy and the “wild west” of 1798. Centred mostly around Mary Read, an unloved child who runs away to join the Navy and then the Army and then the pirates. Mary crosses path with and becomes friends with Bonney in Nassau, even though their lives are far from similar and their attitude to life, ditto. Whilst the book is mostly fact, it is far from boring and has been stitched together to make an excellent read that is both entertaining and educating. I loved it.

Read this book in a weekend - only put it down to eat! The writing is incredible - Intriging, fascinating and the story and characters stays with you. A definate must read! The book had me at Female Pirates!!!

What a beautiful debut! Gripping and beautifully written, this is the story of a woman's journey into piracy, fascianting!

Saltblood is less about piracy and more about one woman's journey into piracy, but what a fantastic journey it is. Francesca De Tores' debut novel is brilliantly written and wholly immersive. It follows Mary Read's journey to piracy and meeting Anne Bonny. I would recommend.

Saltblood was a roller-coaster read. Although not that much is known about Mary Read, Francesca De Tores has created a believable narrative, following Mary from her birth and enforced gender disguise, to serving in the Navy and Army, and then to the decisions that lead her to meet Anne Bonny and eventually become a pirate. Outside of this riveting tale, it is a thought provoking book about women's rights, gender equality and societal expectations of women in the late 1600s and early 1700s. As a child Mary is forced by her mother to dress as her dead half-brother in order to keep an allowance from his family. This deception she chooses to repeat in adulthood in order to serve in the forces during the Spanish war and De Tores questions the effect this would have on her idea of self. It's an informative, fun adventure.

“Saltblood” by Francesca De Tores is a historical fiction that narrates the life of the famous Mary Read, one of the most popular pirates of the Golden Age. In this captivating, adventurous, pirate-themed novel, the author brings us into Mary’s life, dwelling on her early days as a boy and how she came to be a pirate in Calico Jack’s crew.

Born in 1685, Mary lives her whole adolescence as Mark— her dead step-brother— in order to get the allowance sent by the boy’s grandmother. But this identity becomes an essential part of Mary and she can’t help but adjust into this new skin she wore since her birth.
Mary embarks on a sweeping journey at sea: from the navy to the frontline; from a merchant vessel to a pirate’s ship. But most importantly, from a man to a woman again, to finally accepting that she’s both and none at the same time.

The novel is written as a report of Mary’s life. From her point of view, Mary tells her story by showing herself to the reader. Mary lives a challenging life, but she proves to be brave and smart as the story proceeds, her cleverness dictated by all the deaths and situations she had to go through.
But Mary’s story is also Mark’s. That’s not only a mere recount of a woman’s life, but it is most importantly a coming-of-age novel. Mary learns to appreciate herself for what she really is.

The author also doesn’t fail to describe women’s life during the 18th century: how they were treated and considered in such a peculiar environment. The writing style is both refined and direct: it isn’t vain speech, on the contrary, it goes straight to the point. I loved reading the ending of each chapter because it’s possible to acquire something new about Mary and her story. The author loves to use catchphrases and they did their work.

I expected to see the standardised version of pirates, the whimsical notion created by our romantic minds. Instead, De Tores prefers to stick to reality, narrating the years Mary spent on the Camila and then the William as something entirely different from what I always knew about piracy.
Pirates merely haunted ships down, robbed them and simply set them free. Don’t expect to read about glorious battles or precious treasures, you won’t find any of this.

Anne Bonny is another relevant person in Mary’s life. She’s a reckless, beautiful woman who shares with Mary a similar childhood: both of them grew up as boys. Their love story intertwines with Anne and Jack’s relationship, marking an essential period in Mary’s story. I felt Anne’s presence and strength through the pages and I enjoyed reading about her complex character.

Another interesting element in Saltblood is the symbolism the Crow embodied. This animal that follows Mary since the death of her husband can be interpreted in many different ways. In my opinion, I find it as a physical representation of death, but maybe also the portrayal of her other self.

Even though a part of the events may be romanticised, I’m fairly sure that the author stuck to Mary’s real story. If you like reading about pirates, but you also love to discover more about puzzling historical figures, then you should totally give it a chance.

Francesca De Tores has created an amazing debut novel with Saltblood.

Following Mary who is made to live her life as a boy, Mark, to receive money from her family to keep her and her mum afloat, we see how she hurries herself in a life that would otherwise be out of reach. We see Mary working in the ladies’ grounds, then onto the navy, moving to the army, and eventually being called back to the seas as a pirate.

This was unlike anything I have ever read with it being (somewhat) historically accurate. Out of each of Mary’s sections of life, I enjoyed the pirate life the most, but overall the writing put Mary’s life parallel to the sea’s. Reading about a woman belonging to the sea and only feeling at place aboard a ship was enthralling. This was further enhanced by De Tores’ writing, giving Mary no sense of man or woman, but sailor, which added to my reading experience.

The cast of characters was great, especially Mary’s friend and lover Anne who has led a similar life to Mary. Each set of characters tied to the different parts of Mary’s life complimented her journey perfectly, with the book exploring loss and grief and the ghosts that can haunt us.

I will definitely be keeping an eye out for further works by this author and recommend this to those who love character-driven novels that defy the norm.

Although a bit bit of slow burner, it is well worth sticking with this book. Beautifully written and truly a masterpiece.