Francesca de Tores’s ‘Saltblood’ chronicles the life of Mary Read, a female pirate, famous during the Golden Age of Piracy. Despite Tores’s acknowledgement that much of Mary’s life is unknown and is borne from conjecture, the author does a fantastic job of filling in the gaps and documenting her life. From a hidden birth where Mary must take her dead brother’s identity, to joining the navy as a man and finally ending up on Calico Jack’s pirate crew, Tores tells an incredibly touching, poignant story of one woman’s search for her identity.
I really enjoyed this novel - it was wonderfully researched, well-written and thoroughly captivating.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for the ARC.

This is a fictional account of Mary Read and her adventurous life, told from her own perspective. Mary leads a fascinating life, from the moment she’s born and must assume the identity of her deceased brother Mark, to her time as a female pirate and the trials and tribulations she faces in between. This is not only a story about adventure but of self discovery and resilience.

I absolutely loved this! The writing is beautifully poetic and the story is paced just right so that it keeps you captivated to the end. Marys character is so well developed and believable, I really wanted to just read this in one sitting. Best book I’ve read this year so far.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the author for the pleasure of reading this ARC.

Saltblood is based on two real life characters, Mary Read and Anne Bonny, and gives us a fictionalised account of their exciting lives. The book's voice is that of Mary whom we follow from her childhood where her Ma opts to call her Mark and bring her up as a boy since, back in the 17th century, this made getting work easier and money was desperately needed. Mary [ aka Mark ] finds work as an assistant to the butler in a country house before deciding to join the navy. From there she joins the army, fighting in Holland ,still disguised as a man. Years pass and she is back in the navy where circumstance gives her the chance to join a pirate ship - an opportunity she is happy to take up. Time passes and she meets up with Anne Bonny who also ultimately joins the pirate ship's crew.

Anne and Mary become inseparable and, together with their small band of pirates, acquire notoriety throughout the Caribbean. Ultimately justice catches up with them but before their story ends it still has plenty of surprises in store for the reader.

This proved to be a very enjoyable "Boys-Own-type" read and many will be bemused at the totally fictional element De Tores introduces in the novel. It certainly sits well with the storyline. Mary's life was certainly never short of hardship or excitement and reading her story, albeit fictionalised, certainly doesn't disappoint.

I felt Mary crammed a lot into her life I the first half of this book..
Navy, army, sailor... there was a lot going on.
The everything slows down completely when she meets Anne.
Then picks up for the biggest adventure yet... pirates.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable read, more so as its based on real characters.
Mary was incredibly likeable, and Anne too. They probably coined the phrase "sisters are doing it for themselves" about them 🤣
Action packed to the end.

Very solid book with a compelling main character. The writing was solid and I enjoyed the ride. Fantastic book.

Saltblood is a fascinating book based on true facts about two female pirates, Mary Read and Ann Bonny, roaming the West India seas in the 18th century.

The story is told from Mary's perspective and starts in England when she was born out of a wedlock and forced by her mother to be disguised as a boy. Used to her dual identity, Mary chooses to be 'Mark' long after leaving her family home. She joins the navy, fights on Flanders battlefields, and finally becomes a pirate.
I really enjoyed this book. It's a very well written, captivating story of incredible women, their resilience, and bravery in a man dominated world. It's hard to imagine Mary's life isn't just a work of fiction.
I really recommend this book for all historical fiction and strong female character lovers.

‘For years I felt myself a stowaway in my own life. But the sea has taught me this: such days as I was granted, they were mine’

Wow, what a treasure this is! "Saltblood" is a captivating dive into the tumultuous world of the Golden Age of Piracy, offering a fresh and thrilling narrative that unfolds through the remarkable life of Mary Read. Born in 1685, Mary's unconventional upbringing as her deceased half-brother Mark sets the stage for an extraordinary journey that transcends societal norms.

The novel takes readers on a riveting odyssey as Mary navigates through diverse roles, from serving a French mistress in a grand house to joining the navy and later the army amidst the battlegrounds of Flanders. Love, loss, and the persistent yearning for the sea weave together to form the intricate fabric of Mary's life. The decision to reinvent herself as a pirate adds a dangerous layer to her character, challenging traditional expectations and propelling the story into the heart of the notorious era.

The strength of "Saltblood" lies not only in its vivid depiction of historical settings but also in its exploration of themes such as gender identity, survival, and transformation. Mary Read emerges as a compelling and multifaceted protagonist, defying conventions and embracing the perilous life of a pirate. The prose is both sumptuous and lyrical, immersing readers in the vivid tapestry of Mary's experiences.

The narrative unfolds like a treasure trove, revealing layers of complexity and depth in Mary's character as she evolves through various stages of her adventurous life. The author's skilful storytelling keeps the reader hooked, balancing moments of high-seas excitement with poignant reflections on identity and societal expectations.

"Saltblood" is a triumph of imagination, offering a thrilling and original take on the historical fiction genre. It is a tale that roars with a gender-shaking vibrancy, leaving readers eager to explore the pages further and be swept away by the intoxicating journey of Mary Read, one of history's most intriguing figures.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Francesca De Tores, NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for this opportunity.

To be published on 25th April 2024

A sumptuous, lyrical, rip roaring pirate tale which was a joy to read. So well researched, I was immediately immersed in the 18th century golden age of the pirates and loved learning about Mary Read, a formidable protagonist. The writing is beautiful and the action thrilling, really recommend for any historical fiction fans.

This was a very intriguing novel, I enjoyed getting to see the history of Mary/Mark and learn the reasons and truth behind the decisions.

I recently had the chance to read "Saltblood" by Francesca De Tores, and what an exciting journey it was. The story starts in 1685, when Mary Read is born into a world where her character is shaped by things she can't change. As the story begins, Mary takes on the identity of her dying half-brother Mark. This choice sets the stage for an amazing journey through the colourful fabric of the Golden Age of Piracy.

The writing is so beautiful that I was hooked from the first page. De Tores tells a story that is both full of historical details and expertly paced, keeping the reader interested from the beginning to the end. The world-building is very good, and I got lost in the vivid descriptions of the places, from the rented room outside of Plymouth to the fancy house where Mary works as a maid for a French lady to the navy and the battlefields of Flanders later on.

One thing that makes "Saltblood" stand out is how it deals with issues like sexuality, gender, and social rules. From Mark to a footman in a grand house, to the navy, and finally to the dangerous life of a pirate, Mary's story shows how piracy gave people who didn't fit in with society's rules freedom. The complex ways these themes are shown are done in a way that is subtle but powerful.

While I was watching Mary change, I couldn't help but think of "She Who Became the Sun" by Shelley Parker-Chan. The study of gender and the fight for identity felt familiar, but "Saltblood" stands on its own, looking at these issues from a different angle through the lens of theft. Mary Read grows into a strong and interesting character as she deals with a world that is always trying to hold her back.

What makes "Saltblood" unique is how it balances Mary's freedom and power with the violence of the time. It stays away from praising violence and abuse by focusing on Mary's strength, self-assurance, and pride in making her own way. An interesting change from a type of writing that often focuses too much on the darker sides of its subjects.

In the end, "Saltblood" is a great book that does a great job of combining history, action, and a complex look at identity. I'm so thankful that I got to read an early copy of this book and can highly recommend it to anyone who wants to take an exciting and thought-provoking trip through the high seas of the past. I really hope that this amazing work of historical fiction gets the praise it deserves when it comes out.

This book is incredible! I love Our Flag Means Death so I was excited to get into this story about Mary Read.

The story begins with Mary raised as Mark, an identity her mother passes on from her dead brother. From there we see Mary's journey from navy to army and beyond. I was gripped the whole way, the pacing is perfect, the prose is beautifully done, and I loved the world I was immersed in.

This story offers a great look at how piracy offered freedom to those who didn't easily fit into society while not shying away from the limitations still present when it comes to gender, sexuality, and race. These observations are done really subtly yet poingniently.

I was reminded at times of Shelley Parker-Chan's She Who Became the Sun with the obvious parallels of taking on a dead brothers identity, but also with the exploration of gender and sexuality expressed throughout. For me this was especially a high point of the book, I loved seeing Mary's sense of herself develop, creating her own path and building a sense of confidence and pride in who she is. She's really an amazing character with her own agency and power and I especially loved that because these types of stories can sometimes focus too heavily on cruelty and violence.

Really really brilliant work, so grateful to have been given an eARC to review, higly recommend you give this a read once it's released. Really hope it has the success it deserves.

A fantastic read which I really enjoyed and would recommend highly. It gets into the story right away, about Mary and her reasons for pretending to be Mark, and keeps you hooked until the end. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me a copy of the book.