I received a copy of this book through Goddess Fish Promotions in exchange for an honest review.
Description:
As the daughter of a London physician in 1717, sixteen-year-old Tess Willoughby has seen her share of horrors and been to some of the city's shadiest quarters. But a simple trip through the chaos of a London marketplace takes a bizarre twist. Tess witnesses the murder of a renowned elderly seer and unwittingly becomes the mistress of the woman's prophetic spinner ring. Even worse, Tess's panic-stricken trip home leads her to discover a secret family history that shocks Tess to her core. Unable to give up the bejeweled ring, Tess must embark on a treacherous voyage to the pirate-infested waters of the West Indies. Trapped on a merchant ship and unwillingly betrothed to the murderer who covets the power of her ring, Tess finds strength and comfort in the company of a handsome sailor, even though this growing temptation will most certainly jeopardize their lives. Even stranger, she soon realizes that even though her fiancé is ruthless, he alone can secure her safety throughout their perilous journey. Thrust into a world she doesn't understand to fulfill a role she is only beginning to grasp, Tess questions everything she has believed up to now. Her only hope of saving those she loves is to accept her destiny. And yet, the strange influence of her spinner ring could change everything ... Full of high seas action, dangerous magic, and a dash of romance, Quintspinner is a swashbuckling adventure that twists and turns with the fury of a hurricane.
My Review:
I am not entirely sure what I was expecting from this book. Probably a light-hearted adventure with romance and derring-do and a splash of magic. Quintspinner was not at all what I expected. The story is dark and harsh, so cruel that it was at times painful to read, but I couldn't stop. No matter how awful it got, I had to keep reading to reassure myself that there was some hope for Tessa and Cassie and the others.
I really liked most of the main characters. Tessa was strong and interesting, William was likable and heroic. And Cassie, poor Cassie. I came to care for her the most, and I could truly respect how she stayed strong despite everything that happened to her. There was one thing that she did (can't tell you what, major spoiler) that disappointed me, but I could sympathize anyway.
Edward Graham was very intriguing. He started as a villain, and then perhaps he wasn't so bad, and then he was a villain again. It was difficult, even towards the end, to tell what his true intentions were and I am not entirely satisfied with the author's explanation of his motives. Perhaps in book 2...
No matter how much I liked the characters and the storyline, there were a few points that just grossed me out or made me shudder. The pirates in this book were in no way the "gentlemen pirates" that one finds in Errol Flynn movies. There was gore, cruelty, rape, torture and even cannibalism. While this makes them perhaps more realistic, it also makes the story more disturbing.
This book was a mixed bag for me. I liked the characters and story, but there were many elements that I disliked. Will I recommend it to all and sundry? Probably not. Will I read book 2 when it comes out? Probably yes.
As one of the mates - ahoy, matey! - sailing with this crew of
buccaneers, would like to say thank you for visiting the blog on May 10 and 18 and hope you also enjoyed some of the other great blogs on the tour.
I had a fantastic time with this tour. I met some wonderful bloggers and discovered quite a few exciting books. Thank you Lyrika! If you hadn't wandered across my blog I would have missed out on so much fun it is not even funny.
I would also like to thank all of the readers who stopped by, I hope you had a marvelous time!
Thank you to all of my fellow bloggers for sharing so many delightfully piratey things!
For the wrap day of the tour, we’re just going to raise a final pint o’ grog to say thanks for the good company. Smooth seas be ahead o’ye!
(Isn't that the coolest pirate song ever? It has been stuck in my head for the past month!)
Ahoy! Welcome to the Sea Wolves Reading Circle. The Sea Wolves are a bunch of swashbuckling bloggers who will be sharing their favorite piratey books with you. Set sail with us and you will be sure to find all manner of piratical adventures.
To start, I would like to introduce you to the handsome and dashing Captain Blood!
Random Pirate Award: Best-Looking Pirate.
Now, who hasn't heard of this most famous of classical fictional pirates? Not that he ever intended to turn pirate, it just sort of happened. There he was, a doctor tending a patient, and then before he knows it he is sent to Jamaica as a slave. His rebellious spirit, however, cannot allow for such circumstances, and so in a daring escape he steals a ship and becomes one of the greatest buccaneers to sail the Seven Seas. Of course, where would such a man be without a lady? And that is where the beautiful, defiant Arabella Bishop comes in, and with all of their mutually professed hatred there is nothing to do but fall in love.
To add to the magnificence of this character, he is portrayed by Errol Flynn in the wonderful, cheesy old movie adaptation!
Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini can be downloaded for free from Project Gutenberg for your immediate enjoyment.
Random Pirate Award: Most Technologically Advanced Pirate.
Airborn by Kenneth Oppel has it all. Steampunk, a red-headed lady, a supposedly uninhabited island and, above all, flying pirates!
Matt Cruse is a cabin boy on the airship Aurora. Born in the sky, he never wants to leave. Little did he no that this journey was going to be different. The peaceful trip is interrupted by the stubborn, rich Kate de Vries and her unfailing determination to drag Matt into trouble. Compared to her, the pirates almost seem tame.
Airborn is the first in a fantastic YA trilogy that I have read through at least three times and I will definitely be reading them again.
Random Pirate Award: Most Ticklish Pirate Random Magic by Sasha Soren is a delightfully insane tale with a couple of very piratey adventures.
When faced with quite probable death, the not-so ordinary Henry Witherspoon and the extraordinary Winnie Flapjack make some interesting discoveries as to the sensitivities of villainous pirates.
To see my full review, click here. Give this book a try, you won't regret it!
Random Pirate Award: Most French Pirate
Bloody Jack Faber is a very different sort of girl. Having grown up on the streets, she is resourceful, unscrupulous and completely dishonest. Escaping London, she disguises herself as a boy and joins the navy. Before too long, she finds herself attracted to one of her fellow cabin boys, studying to be a midshipman and encountering (you guessed it!) pirates!
Random Pirate Award: Largest Number of Pirates
Inda by Sherwood Smith is one of my favorite novels of all time. At first it may not look like a pirate novel, but I assure you, they are there. Inda is a prince, but not a particularly important one. He is filled with excitement when he is finally old enough to attend the Academy, where he will be trained in the art of war and how to be a proper Shield for his older brother. However, terrible things happen and Inda is exiled far away from his friends and family. Placed on a ship where no one knows his name, forced to make a new life for himself, he may prove himself to be more formidable than anyone suspected, especially when it comes to fighting pirates! Inda is the first in a series and the second book, The Fox, has even more pirates.
Random Pirate Award: Meanest Pirate
With a cover like this, do I even need to tell you that there are pirates? Not to mention time travel? But I bet you didn't guess that there are Nazis, did you? On the eve of WWII, young Nick McIver discovers an old sea chest containing a time machine and a plea for help from an ancestor that takes him to 1805 where he battles both a villainous pirate and the treacherous French! The sequel to Nick of Time is called The Time Pirate and has even more piratey adventures.
Random Pirate Award: Creepiest Pirate
Castaways of the Flying Dutchman is the story of a mute boy with no name and no family who stows away on a ship to escape starvation and abuse. It is only later that he realizes what kind of ship he is on. A pirate ship. When the crazed Captain Vanderdecken curses heaven and is doomed to sail with his ghostly crew for all eternity, the boy, now named Ben, along with his faithful dog are sent out into the world as immortal wanderers, unable to ever cease their travels. This book has two marvelously piratical sequels: The Angel's Command and Voyage of Slaves.
Random Pirate Award: Most Misunderstood Pirate
Last but most certainly not least is my very favorite pirate novel of all time, The Sea-Hawk by Rafael Sabatini! Unfairly dwarfed by the more popular Captain Blood, The Sea-Hawk is a magnificent tale of love and betrayal, brothers and lovers, forgiveness and revenge. Sigh, I could probably go on about this book forever. Sir Oliver Tressilian is in love with the fair Rosamund, but there is no love lost between him and her brother, Peter. When Peter is killed (by Oliver's brother, no less) Oliver is the prime suspect. He will not allow anything to happen to his brother Lionel, so he determines to prove his innocence through evidence. However, just when he can accomplish this goal, he is kidnapped under orders from his brother and sold as a galley slave. When the ship he is held captive on is attacked by corsairs, he takes the chance to revenge himself upon his captors and so becomes the notorious pirate Sakr-el-Bahr, the Sea-Hawk. I love this book so much that I recommend that you follow this link directly and download a copy for yourself.
I hope your appetite for piratiness has been properly whetted, because there is more! Check out some chances to win pirate loot here!
Random Magic Tour: Pirates!
Bonus: Color-Me-Pirate
May 18 (Songs and Stories)
Here be a fun pirate game to play during Random Magic Tour: Pirates! if ye’d like to experiment with a cheery palette of colors and some cool pirate looks. The world of Random Magic is a vivid place, painted in bold and brilliant colors. The characters of Random Magic are just as colorful, from their off beat personalities right down to the clothes they wear, including the crew of bloodthirsty pirates that our heroes (Winnie and Henry) meet on their sea journey. Yes, even the pirates are a bit over the top, including the dastardly-- and decorative-- Captain Jack:
Winnie and Henry sat uncomfortably on a rotten barrel, under the baleful eye of Captain Jack. The king of sea thieves was decked out in eye patch, peg leg, curly black hair, and big floppy hat with a floofy ostrich feather, as if he’d stepped out of a coloring book about pirates.
Shown above: Quote from Random Magic by Sasha Soren. If you’d like to know a little more about the story, the book trailer is right here:
In the meantime, here’s a fun little diversion on Random Magic Tour: Pirates!, feel free to play with colors and fashion as long as you like, in this cheerful Color-Me-Pirate widget.
How to play: You’re presented with a pirate and a selection of clothing and colors to use, and the sample wardrobe items are shown above. When you’re using the actual widget, you’ll see these items on your screen. Just click on the item to add to your pirate, or click on the color you’d like to use for your pirate’s hair, eyes, and so on. Here’s a quick sample image, to see what your pirate might look like:
If you’d like to find more cool piratey things, feel free to join us on the tour, there’s a lot going on --features about pirate grub, gear and eats, music and games, a great art series called Queens of the Sea, an interesting series on pirate queens, lots of prizes and a fun treasure hunt. Set sail with us! Browse the tour schedule. Here's another interesting tour feature you might also enjoy:
The main Rum + Plunder treasure hunt is open internationally! Here’s a fun way to win something piratey and cool: Browse prizes or join the hunt…
Bonus: Find even more pirate plunder, with Little Pirate Prizes, these aren't marked on the schedule and they're not part of the hunt, but they’re out there for visitors to find and they could be ANYWHERE. Find some Little Pirate Prizes .
Ahoy, matey! For this stop on Random Magic Tour: Pirates!, we’ll share a quick read to help us find our way around a pirate ship - or just about any sailing ship. Several scenes in Random Magic take place on ships, including this one:
‘Ughhhhh,’ Henry groaned, holding his nose. His hand came awaywet. He looked down. Blood. He staggered towards the pile of torncanvases piled along the other railing. Maybe there’d be something hecould use to mop up the blood. The rising wind slammed the loosened sails against the masts of theship, until the t’gallant of the main mast snapped in half, hurtlingdown towards him. He pressed back against the mast as the crow’s nestslammed into the forrard deck, shattering into splintered wood. The mooring links on the foremast sail broke free, and the slide ofheavy canvas whipped downwards, beating against the wind like awounded bird of prey. He’d have to cut it free… No. No time.
So, what’s a crow’s nest or a t’gallant and where can they be found on a pirate ship? We’ve got answers! A t’gallant (topgallant) would be near the top of a mast. Usually there’d be three masts, those are the upright poles, let’ssay, making a place for rigging and then the sails. Masts would look like this, see ‘em?:
Shown above: Diagram (#1), Parts of a ship.
And a t’gallant is near the very top of the mast. In the quote from Random Magic,
‘The rising windslammed the loosened sails against the masts of the ship, until thet’gallant of the main mast snapped in half…,’
we can tell that if the rising winds are strong enough to damage the uppermost part of the mast on this particular ship, well, that’s one heck of a storm for the ship to be caught in. Partly a supernatural tempest, too - in this case…There’s a photo of a t’gallant (topgallant mast) here:
Shown above: Contemporary t’gallant.
There’s a quick explanation about rigging, here, and here’s a quick bit from that page of rigging information, specifically discussing the placement of a topgallant or t’gallant:
A fully square rigged mast consists of three spars - the lowermast, the topmast, and the topgallant mast. The rig has at least threesquare sails: the course on the lower mast, the topsail on the topmastand the topgallant sail on the topgallant mast.
So, you know what a mast is and what it looks like. You know what the t’gallant bit of a mast is and where it’s located. Now, the next bit of the quote from Random Magic talks about a crow’s nest and a forrard deck. Forrard - that’s easy, it’s just an alternate way to say ‘forward.’ In nautical usage, anyway. So, the forrard deck - what’s a deck? What you’d be standing on. The part underneath all the rigging and sails, like a living room floor,the first flat bit, there’s your deck. If the ship was caught up in rough waters or a storm and someone yelled, ‘All hands on deck,’ well, the deck’s where the action happens.
Shown above: Deck view of the warship Vasa, Vasa Museum, Stockholm, Sweden
And the forrard part of the deck, then, would be the forward part of the deck - at the front of the ship, rather than at the back of theship. Actually, the forrard part of the deck even has its own name, the forecastle, also spelled 'fo'c'sle.' Here’s a great painting illustrating a crew hard at work during a storm - all hands on deck!
Shown above: Hoisting The Upper T'Gallant, John Michael Groves, pastel. Date unknown, depicts scene from 1900s (Via: Tall Ships gallery, WoodenBoats.com) More works by this artist: Screensaver and exclusive prints.
‘He pressed back against the mastas the crow’s nest slammed into the forrard deck, shattering intosplintered wood.’
What’s a crow’s nest? It’s a look-out spot on the ship, usually built out from an elevated spot on the main mast. Before the invention of radar, the best way to spot approaching hazards, like land, storms, other ships and so on - or pirates! - was just to get to one of the highest points available and have a look around. So, that’s what seafarers did. The structure itself might’ve been just a barrel or basket for the sailor to sit in, to offer some protection against the possibility of being flung from the mast during a sail through rough waters. Contemporary ships might have something more sophisticated, a special platform, but still with some kind of protective railing or screen.
Shown above: Vintage greeting card, the illustration shows two young fellows waving from the crow’s nest of a ship. Boy, oh, boy - are theygonna be grounded.
And why was it designated a ‘crow’s’ nest? The origin of the term, like a lot of maritime lore, has an interesting back-story:
The crow was an essential part of the early sailors' navigation equipment. These land-lubbing fowl were carried on board to help the navigator determine where the closest land lay when the weather prevented sighting the shore visually. In cases of poor visibility, a crow was released and the navigator plotted a course that corresponded with the bird's because it invariably headed toward land. The crow's nest was situated high in the main mast where the look-outstood his watch. Often, he shared this lofty perch with a crow or two since the crows' cages were kept there: hence the ‘crow's nest.’ (Origin of Navy Terminology, via the Navy Department Library)
In the quote from Random Magic, then, the storm was violent enough that the wind tore down the crow’snest and smashed it down onto the deck below. So far, you’ve already learned about these parts of a ship -t’gallant, crow’s nest, forecastle (forward deck) - and can pick these out, now, if you happen to see a ship at harbor. We can’t cover all the parts of a sailingship, or this feature would be really long. But here’s another diagram showing some additional info on the various parts of a ship:
Shown above: Diagram (#2), Parts of a ship.
There’s just enough time to cover one more basic thing - a quick way to orient yourself when you first step aboard. It’s simple if you keep four directions in mind. The four directions, like the main four points on a simple compass (North, South, East, West), would be ahead and behind you, to the left and right of you, that should keep things simple. The bow: That’s the front of the ship. The stern: That’s the back of the ship, the part behind you, when you’re facing the bow. Port side: Face the bow - port side is to your left. Starboard: Face the bow - starboard is the side to your right. You can remember where the bow happens to be, if you think of taking a bow to an audience. Where’s the audience? In front of you. There are also other ways to remember the difference between port side and starboard. It might help to first understand the history of both terms - here’s a quick definition of ‘port side,’ viaWikipedia:
Port side: An archaic version of ‘port’ is larboard. The term larboard, when shouted in the wind, was presumably too easy to confuse with starboard and so the word port, and phrase ‘port side’ came to replace it.
Shown above: Spanish galleon firing its cannons. Date and artist unknown. View of the ship is the port side. Derived from the practice of sailors mooring ships on the left side at ports in order to prevent the steering oar from being crushed.(Wikipedia) Here’s more on the possible origin of the term ‘larboard,’ and the later use of the term ‘port side,’ from a nautical history fact sheetprovided by the NMM (National Maritime Museum, UK):
In Old English, the term was bæcbord, perhaps because the helmsman at the steorbord had his back to the ship’s left-hand side. This did not survive into Medieval and later English, when ‘larboard’ was used. Possibly this term is derived from laddebord, meaning ‘loading side’;the side rudder (steorbord) would be vulnerable to damage if it went alongside a quay, so early ships would have been loaded (‘laded’) with the side against the quay. In time laddebord became larboard, as steorbord became starboard. Even so, from an early date ‘port’ was sometimes used as the opposite for starboard when giving steering orders, perhaps deriving from the loading port, which was in the larboard side. However, it was only from the mid-19th century that, according to Admiral Smyth’s The Sailor’s Word Book, published in 1867, ‘the left side of the ship is called port, by Admiralty Order, in preference to larboard, as less mistakeable in sound for starboard’. (NMM)
Shown above: Wooden model ship depicting a Spanish galleon, MuseoStorico Navale di Venezia (Naval History Museum) in Venice, Italy.View of the ship is the starboard side.
Starboard: Before ships had rudders on their centerlines, they were steered by use of a specialized steering oar. This oar was held by an oarsman located in the stern (back) of the ship. However, like most of society, there were many more right-handed sailors than left-handed sailors This meant that the steering oar used to be affixed to the right side of the ship. The word starboard comes from Old English steorbord,literally meaning the side on which the ship is steered, descendant from the Old Norse words stýri, meaning ‘rudder’ and borð, meaning‘side of a ship.’ (NMM)
So, back to bowing to the audience - you’re facing the front (bow) of the ship. The producer of the show is behind the scenes, looking stern (the back of the ship.) It’s boring being a star, so even though you’re standing there waving (most likely with your right hand - sorry, lefties!), you’re really bored. You’re a star and you’re bored, doing a limp royal wave. Starboard - the right hand side of the ship.
Shown above: The royal wave, translated: We are a star and we are so bored. And in the meantime you’re making small talk, with a glass in the other hand - and it has some port in it. Port side - the left side of the ship when facing the bow. There, all done! For the lefties, it might just be easier to remember,‘Star light, star bright, starboard is to the right.’ If the whole ‘star light, star bright’ doesn’t really stick in your head, can always memorize a music tune about the difference between port side and starboard. Well, look here! There just happens to be a cute music video out there about this very topic. How very fortuitous:
Shown above: Port Side, by Captain Bogg and Salty. There we are - next time you find yourself aboard a ship, you’ll know a little bit more about where you are and what things are called. You already know what all of these mean: Bow, stern, port side,starboard, t’gallant, forecastle (forward deck), crow’s nest, and the masts. Don’t believe you could learn that much in just five minutes? Give yourself a pop quiz, you’ll see:
Shown above: The Straits of Hormuz, John Michael Groves. Year and medium not indicated.(Via: WoodenBoat.com) In the image above, take a look at the ship on the left - what are you seeing, from your point of view as an observer? That’s right, the stern. Now, the ship in the center, what are you seeing? That’s right, portside - plus the main mast, the deck, can also point out where the forecastle is and where the t’gallant and crow’s nest are likely to be. Lastly, the ship all the way on the right, what are you seeing? That’s right, the bow of the ship is the first thing you see, and just a bit of - yes, the starboard side just coming into view. Hope you enjoyed reading about the different parts of sailing ships and have fun exploring the topic.
Feel free to visit the rest of the tour to read some other cool features about ships, trips and, above all, pirates!
If you’d like to know more about Random Magic, feel free to check out the trailer above, or pick from one of these delicious Random Magic links. There might or might not be pirates involved, but for sure there’ll be fun!
Genre: YA Fantasy
Ages: 13 and up
This book was sent to me by the author as part of the Random Magic Tour: Pirates!
Inside-cover description:
When absent-minded Professor Random misplaces the main character from Alice in Wonderland, young Henry Witherspoon must book-jump to fetch Alice before chaos theory kicks in and the world vanishes.
Along the way he meets Winnie Flapjack, a wit-cracking doodle witch with nothing to her name but a magic feather and a plan.
Such as it is.
Henry and Winnie brave the Dark Queen, whatwolves, pirates, Strüths, and fluttersmoths, Priscilla and Charybdis, obnoxiously cheerful vampires, Baron Samedi, a nine-dimensional cat, and one perpetually inebriated Muse to rescue Alice and save the world by tea time.
My Review:
I feel that I have to make a note of the fact that I was smiling before I opened the book, and laughing before I started the first chapter. The author's zany wrapping techniques had me smiling and the whimsical "Advance praise for Random Magic by raving loonies" had me laughing. The package containing this book arrived wrapped in blue paper with an excess of tape. Once I got past the tape (I had to have help), there were layers of tissue paper, a rubber duck, two teabags and a piece of chocolate. With this promising beginning, I started Random Magic.
I love the way Sasha Soren plays with words the way some people play with string, weaving and tangling them together into fabrics of impossible colors and knots too complicated to untie. I read each chapter slowly, savoring each and every sentence.
Winnie and Henry are fun and interesting characters. Winnie is snarky, spunky and smart, whereas Henry is dreamy, curious and confused. Their friendship forms the most important aspect of the story, and it is lovely.
The plot of Random Magic is crazy, strange and rarely makes sense. It is also ridiculous, wild and wonderful. This book takes you on a ride through history, myth and make-believe that will spin you in circles until you are dizzy and delighted. I loved the many references to famous literary and historical figures as well as mythical characters and creatures. I think I caught most of them, but it will take more than one read-through to make sure. :)
I would recommend this book to lovers of fun, pure silliness and the English language. Happy Reading!
Profanity:
I give this book a 4.10 for some mild to middling profanity.
Sexuality:
This book gets a 1.10 for some very mild hints that are barely worth mentioning.
Violence:
I rate it a 5.10 for several scenes of mostly mild violence and a couple that are rather disturbing.
This review is part of the Random Magic Tour: Pirates! Check out the rest of the tour, including more reviews, fun features, prizes and general piratey-ness here.
Rum + Plunder Treasure Hunt (May 11-30)
Win some marrrrrvelous plunder! Browse Prizes
and
Bonus: Little Pirate Prizes
Cool surprise treasures scattered throughout the tour…
Ahoy, me darlin', ye've found a jolly round of songs for swashbucklers. Music is a strong theme in Random Magic -- so strong, in fact, that one of the celestial characters Winnie and Henry meet is Efterpe, the Muse of music. So, for the love of music (and pirates), here’s a fun music hop to check out, featuring all kinds of delicious tunes piratical. Start anywhere you like -- for each blog stop, you’ll be able to enjoy a merry tune, then just sail off to the next port for another round.
Hoist the mizzen and away we go!
You are here: #11 of 11: Songs and Stories
Songs for: (Delightfully) campy pirates
I Am a Pirate King (Oh, better far to live and die…) - The Pirates of Penzance (Gilbert and Sullivan)
(If you enjoy a particular music pick, please consider buying thetrack to help support the person or group that created it foreveryone’s enjoyment. The Red Queen is the unofficial soundtrack for Random Magic Tour: Pirates! Happy listening!)
For the impatient, here are all the blogs on the hop:
Reader note: Do you have a favorite pirate tune? Feel free to share some of your top tunes in the comments, maybe everyone will find a great new song to check out. If you're playing Rum + Plunder, your comment could count towards winning one of your fave prizes, too! How to Play.
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