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.