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The Pirate Queen: The Story of Grace O'Malley, Irish Pirate
A meticulously detailed, fictional portrait of the legendary Irish pirate describes how Grace O'Malley built a powerful empire that became the terror of the English on the high seas and chronicles her daring exploits in defiance of English rule during the Elizabethan era. By the author of Warrior Queen. Reader's Guide included. Original.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
13 people are currently reading
1799 people want to read
About the author
Alan Gold
53 books46 followersAlan Gold began his career as a journalist, working in the UK, Europe, and Israel. In 1970, he emigrated to Australia with his wife, Eva, and now lives in St. Ives, Sydney, where he divides his time between writing novels and running his award-winning marketing consultancy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
August 20, 2010
This historical novel which begins in 1544 is based on the real-life female Irish pirate, Grace O'Malley, who commanded dozens of ships and thousands of men.
Grace's life, both as a pirate and a woman, is lively, fast paced, and very entertaining. I had never heard of her prior to coming across this book -- a female pirate, especially in the 1500's?!
As exciting and interesting as Grace's story is the secondary story, which takes up a substantial part of the book -- the also fascinating stories of Queen Elizabeth of England ("The Virgin Queen") and her sister, Mary Stuart. I was delighted to re-immerse myself in the drama and story of these two women. Pirate Grace O'Malley's life intersects with Elizabeth's life, as Grace's pirating severely damages the English tresuary and her blatant defiance of the English brings embarrassment to Elizabeth.
I learned alot about Irish history, as during the time period this book covers, England is growing more and more determined to bring Ireland under English rule. The Irish resisted England's soft demands ("titles" in exchange for taxes and tithes to be paid to the English treasury), then more forceful measures -- this when England was constantly at war or on the verge of war with Scotland, France, Spain ... I would like to know more about what happened between England and Ireland during this period until current day.
Not being well informed on world history, I found myself wondering if the IRA and bombings, etc. up until the last couple of decades were related to older history, and were actions taken by Ireland to reclaim their independence from England from centuries earlier.
Grace's life, both as a pirate and a woman, is lively, fast paced, and very entertaining. I had never heard of her prior to coming across this book -- a female pirate, especially in the 1500's?!
As exciting and interesting as Grace's story is the secondary story, which takes up a substantial part of the book -- the also fascinating stories of Queen Elizabeth of England ("The Virgin Queen") and her sister, Mary Stuart. I was delighted to re-immerse myself in the drama and story of these two women. Pirate Grace O'Malley's life intersects with Elizabeth's life, as Grace's pirating severely damages the English tresuary and her blatant defiance of the English brings embarrassment to Elizabeth.
I learned alot about Irish history, as during the time period this book covers, England is growing more and more determined to bring Ireland under English rule. The Irish resisted England's soft demands ("titles" in exchange for taxes and tithes to be paid to the English treasury), then more forceful measures -- this when England was constantly at war or on the verge of war with Scotland, France, Spain ... I would like to know more about what happened between England and Ireland during this period until current day.
Not being well informed on world history, I found myself wondering if the IRA and bombings, etc. up until the last couple of decades were related to older history, and were actions taken by Ireland to reclaim their independence from England from centuries earlier.
February 5, 2023
1.5 stars rounded down as I am so disappointed by this book.
It had all the potential, the story of the Irish Pirate Queen intermingled with Queen Elizabeth? Yes please sign me up. And while I did enjoy the last 50 or so pages, the middle was a slog to get through. I found myself skimming anytime it was a Queen Elizabeth chapter. On the Grace side she was almost too perfect. These were two strong women of history with a lot in common as they fought to survive in such a male dominant society.
As stated by the author in his notes this book is not overly historically accurate, in part because much of Grace's life isn't known. He doesn't go into what he did alter and omit though to make the book what it is and I don't appreciate that in my historicals.
Again, so much potential, which is why I kept reading. I have no intention of reading anything else by this author in the future. Just glad to be done it.
It had all the potential, the story of the Irish Pirate Queen intermingled with Queen Elizabeth? Yes please sign me up. And while I did enjoy the last 50 or so pages, the middle was a slog to get through. I found myself skimming anytime it was a Queen Elizabeth chapter. On the Grace side she was almost too perfect. These were two strong women of history with a lot in common as they fought to survive in such a male dominant society.
As stated by the author in his notes this book is not overly historically accurate, in part because much of Grace's life isn't known. He doesn't go into what he did alter and omit though to make the book what it is and I don't appreciate that in my historicals.
Again, so much potential, which is why I kept reading. I have no intention of reading anything else by this author in the future. Just glad to be done it.
May 22, 2016
Read this review (and others) at: https://literatureislife.com/2016/05/...
Grace O’Malley, also known as Gráinne Mhaol and The Sea Queen of Connacht, is a legendary figure in Irish folklore and one of the most renowned female pirates to have made her mark on history. She was born around 1530, during which time Henry VIII ruled England and was proclaimed to be the Lord of Ireland even though the various clans of Ireland were more or less left to their own devices. Her father Eoghan was chieftain of the Ó Máille (O’Malley) clan, one of the few Irish clans that took to the sea from their lands on the country’s western coast. It was on that coast that, according to legend, O’Malley persuaded her father to take her along during a trading expedition and earned the nickname Gráinne Mhaol in the process. That is where the story of this book begins, with Grace O’Malley at 14 years old.
The story of Grace O’Malley is a fascinating tale and readers will be able to get a bit more excitement from Alan Gold’s rendition of it by going in with a knowledge of what Europe was like in the 1500’s, particularly in Ireland and England. In a nutshell, this was a time when Ireland was supposedly under English control but due to the constant threat of war from France, Spain, Scotland, and other neighbors, England did not really have resources to spare in order to fully manage the Irish territory. The strain on England’s resources was not helped by O’Malley’s success at robbing the English treasury of several small fortunes.
While this book is an exciting swashbuckling tale of a woman who did things few other women of her time accomplished, the story does not focus on O’Malley as the sole female character. Portions of the book also depict Queen Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen and the first queen to ever stand over England without a king in front of her. All of this eventually leads into O’Malley’s eventual meeting with the Queen, which was a section of this historical fiction novel that seemed to lay more heavily in fiction than history.
The ending of the book is one of the problems readers may draw issue with. Granted, there are very few records pertaining to the life of Grace O’Malley compared to many other people of note throughout history. However, the way the book ends between O’Malley and Queen Elizabeth felt very…romantic. More so than what you would expect from a real-world situation at that point in time. Parts of the meeting do match some of what is known to be true, but this section of the book feels more embellished than the rest of the story.
One other item of note is not something that was in the book but rather something that was omitted. Of Grace O’Malley’s various exploits one of the most legendary was her abduction of Lord Howth’s grandson when she kidnapped the young noble after being offended by Lord Howth. Despite being one of the most famous folk tales surrounding O’Malley this story did not make its way into Alan Gold’s work and its absence was something of a missed opportunity.
Despite the few loose ends surrounding this story, such as those mentioned above and the fact that it ends with O’Malley’s meeting with Elizabeth and does not detail her later exploits, this book was a very good read. Historical fiction is normally very fickle because authors can try to tamper with things a bit too much but so little is known about Grace O’Malley that this is not too much of an issue with her story. Overall, this book is recommended to anyone who wants to read about one of the few women who managed to make her mark in a time when the world was primarily ruled by men.
Grace O’Malley, also known as Gráinne Mhaol and The Sea Queen of Connacht, is a legendary figure in Irish folklore and one of the most renowned female pirates to have made her mark on history. She was born around 1530, during which time Henry VIII ruled England and was proclaimed to be the Lord of Ireland even though the various clans of Ireland were more or less left to their own devices. Her father Eoghan was chieftain of the Ó Máille (O’Malley) clan, one of the few Irish clans that took to the sea from their lands on the country’s western coast. It was on that coast that, according to legend, O’Malley persuaded her father to take her along during a trading expedition and earned the nickname Gráinne Mhaol in the process. That is where the story of this book begins, with Grace O’Malley at 14 years old.
The story of Grace O’Malley is a fascinating tale and readers will be able to get a bit more excitement from Alan Gold’s rendition of it by going in with a knowledge of what Europe was like in the 1500’s, particularly in Ireland and England. In a nutshell, this was a time when Ireland was supposedly under English control but due to the constant threat of war from France, Spain, Scotland, and other neighbors, England did not really have resources to spare in order to fully manage the Irish territory. The strain on England’s resources was not helped by O’Malley’s success at robbing the English treasury of several small fortunes.
While this book is an exciting swashbuckling tale of a woman who did things few other women of her time accomplished, the story does not focus on O’Malley as the sole female character. Portions of the book also depict Queen Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen and the first queen to ever stand over England without a king in front of her. All of this eventually leads into O’Malley’s eventual meeting with the Queen, which was a section of this historical fiction novel that seemed to lay more heavily in fiction than history.
The ending of the book is one of the problems readers may draw issue with. Granted, there are very few records pertaining to the life of Grace O’Malley compared to many other people of note throughout history. However, the way the book ends between O’Malley and Queen Elizabeth felt very…romantic. More so than what you would expect from a real-world situation at that point in time. Parts of the meeting do match some of what is known to be true, but this section of the book feels more embellished than the rest of the story.
One other item of note is not something that was in the book but rather something that was omitted. Of Grace O’Malley’s various exploits one of the most legendary was her abduction of Lord Howth’s grandson when she kidnapped the young noble after being offended by Lord Howth. Despite being one of the most famous folk tales surrounding O’Malley this story did not make its way into Alan Gold’s work and its absence was something of a missed opportunity.
Despite the few loose ends surrounding this story, such as those mentioned above and the fact that it ends with O’Malley’s meeting with Elizabeth and does not detail her later exploits, this book was a very good read. Historical fiction is normally very fickle because authors can try to tamper with things a bit too much but so little is known about Grace O’Malley that this is not too much of an issue with her story. Overall, this book is recommended to anyone who wants to read about one of the few women who managed to make her mark in a time when the world was primarily ruled by men.
July 1, 2021
Grace O’Malley is little known in the annals of British history but was most likely a pain in the country’s takeover of her homeland, Ireland. Born to the sea, she accompanied her father on many trips even as a toddler. She learned to operate every part of a ship, read the weather, the waters and the geography of areas she visited. She knew the crew members, their strengths and weaknesses. One of Ireland’s most notorious women, she refused English rule while she operated a fleet of many ships and raided the merchantmen who sailed near.
Sir Richard Bingham, assigned by Elizabeth I to quell the Irish rebels, arrested Grace’s brother and son. I found nothing about Grace’s brother but much about Grace and her son. She wrote letters to Queen Elizabeth about Sir Richard Bingham and how he treated the Irish which were answered by the monarch in detail. When Grace sailed to England to ask for their release, she was able to get an audience with the Queen. The women spent a good deal of time together, becoming good friends. When she left England, Grace carried with her a pardon and an order to Sir Richard to for a lifetime pension. Her son was released and Sir Richard was replaced in Ireland.
Some might call this book historical fiction but it is more fiction than historical. Fun, exciting and full of adventure it’s about a brave Irish woman who became a pirate. She was respected and loved by her crews and the Irish in her area of Ireland but dreaded by the merchantmen who sailed the seas. Refusing English governance on land and sea, she commanded more than a dozen ships and thousands of men. Her domain stretched from Connaught in Ireland to the African coast. Not much can be found in English history about Grace O‘Malley but one can find a good deal about Queen Elizabeth. The tale gave two sides to the story - that of Elizabeth and that of Grace. Using his fertile imagination the author depicted what life might have been for this Irish pirate. This was a most entertaining story.
Sir Richard Bingham, assigned by Elizabeth I to quell the Irish rebels, arrested Grace’s brother and son. I found nothing about Grace’s brother but much about Grace and her son. She wrote letters to Queen Elizabeth about Sir Richard Bingham and how he treated the Irish which were answered by the monarch in detail. When Grace sailed to England to ask for their release, she was able to get an audience with the Queen. The women spent a good deal of time together, becoming good friends. When she left England, Grace carried with her a pardon and an order to Sir Richard to for a lifetime pension. Her son was released and Sir Richard was replaced in Ireland.
Some might call this book historical fiction but it is more fiction than historical. Fun, exciting and full of adventure it’s about a brave Irish woman who became a pirate. She was respected and loved by her crews and the Irish in her area of Ireland but dreaded by the merchantmen who sailed the seas. Refusing English governance on land and sea, she commanded more than a dozen ships and thousands of men. Her domain stretched from Connaught in Ireland to the African coast. Not much can be found in English history about Grace O‘Malley but one can find a good deal about Queen Elizabeth. The tale gave two sides to the story - that of Elizabeth and that of Grace. Using his fertile imagination the author depicted what life might have been for this Irish pirate. This was a most entertaining story.
February 1, 2010
Grace O'Malley, the Pirate Queen, lead a long and adventurous life, not only at the sea, but on the land as well. Not always a simple and quiet one but one with never a dull and placid moment. Upon on of her first marriage she refuses to be tamed into a life of a traditional and submissive wife. She displays that she has a mind of her own and will not let any man, let alone Queen Elizabeth I of England, conquer her.
In Grace's lifetime career as a pirate she nearly bankrupts the English treasury, has a couple of husbands and several lovers with very diverse backgrounds and heritages, makes herself a fortune and is a proud mother to four children. As aging gracefully and strong reputation for herself, Grace has a unique but amicable relationship with Queen Elizabeth I after much discussion between them concerning their lives and whatever else came to their minds.
This is an exciting, adventurous tale about a little known historical female Irish persona in the 16th century. Her life is the stuff legends are made of and I do wish there were as many historical fictions novel about Grace O'Malley and other brave and bold female personae as there are about Elizabeth I, Queen of England.
In Grace's lifetime career as a pirate she nearly bankrupts the English treasury, has a couple of husbands and several lovers with very diverse backgrounds and heritages, makes herself a fortune and is a proud mother to four children. As aging gracefully and strong reputation for herself, Grace has a unique but amicable relationship with Queen Elizabeth I after much discussion between them concerning their lives and whatever else came to their minds.
This is an exciting, adventurous tale about a little known historical female Irish persona in the 16th century. Her life is the stuff legends are made of and I do wish there were as many historical fictions novel about Grace O'Malley and other brave and bold female personae as there are about Elizabeth I, Queen of England.
January 25, 2009
I read a lot of historical fiction written by women, and in this book, there were only two times I could tell it was written by a man: He didn't go into detail of the births of her children, and he didn't harp much on how she missed her children, considering she spent such little time with them--even as newborns. Other than those two things screaming at me here and there, it was a great book. My dad mentioned how arrogant Elizabeth I comes off, compared with other works, but I had to say that that portrayal of her was probably more accurate. This book left me wishing I could've met Grace...and that I could be a bit more like her.
September 19, 2022
I've been meaning to read The Pirate Queen by Alan Gold for years. Boy, am I glad I pulled it off my bookshelf. Steeped in nautical history, Grace O'Malley was an Irish terror, as impactful as Queen Elizabeth I. This might be the best novel I've read in 2022.
November 21, 2023
When I took this book I had ordered from the library online and I first saw the cover, I thought, "OMG. It's a bodice-ripper."
It's not. Much. Yes, a few gently rendered romantic scenes, but sex is not the focus of this wonderfully dressed-up telling of the life of an Irish patriot of the 1500s.
Don't expect a feeling of dry, scholarly historical fiction, and don't expect great literature.
It did serve the purpose I wanted: historical fiction to help me prepare for a trip to Ireland, the land of my great-grandparents.
It's "adventure" because she is a pirate.
It's "courage" because of her exploits trying to preserve Ireland from English rule.
It's loosely "biography" because author Gold notes so much of Grace's life is undocumented.
It's for "teens" because Grace is such an exciting young heroine.
It's "historical fiction" because one can learn about the attack on England of The Spanish Armada, about the status of people in Ireland in the 16th century, of the Virgin Queen Elizabeth, and much more.
If these topics appeal to you, give it a read.
It's not. Much. Yes, a few gently rendered romantic scenes, but sex is not the focus of this wonderfully dressed-up telling of the life of an Irish patriot of the 1500s.
Don't expect a feeling of dry, scholarly historical fiction, and don't expect great literature.
It did serve the purpose I wanted: historical fiction to help me prepare for a trip to Ireland, the land of my great-grandparents.
It's "adventure" because she is a pirate.
It's "courage" because of her exploits trying to preserve Ireland from English rule.
It's loosely "biography" because author Gold notes so much of Grace's life is undocumented.
It's for "teens" because Grace is such an exciting young heroine.
It's "historical fiction" because one can learn about the attack on England of The Spanish Armada, about the status of people in Ireland in the 16th century, of the Virgin Queen Elizabeth, and much more.
If these topics appeal to you, give it a read.
August 2, 2017
This book had been languishing on my shelf for awhile, but after attempting to read another shitty pirate book, I gave this a go.
Grace O'Malley is a straight up Boss Bitch.
I love a good fictionalised biography and this one totally delivered. The story was very engaging. Grace was well characterised, but sometimes seemed too perfect.
The parts with Queen Elizabeth were weaker. If anyone has seen the Cate Blanchett movies, they know this story. I don't need more time on historical fuckboi Robert Dudley.
But they were worth it for the climax with Grace and Elizabeth coming together. That was absolutely brilliant.
I have another book from this author in my TBR pile and I'll definitely be getting to it sooner rather than later.
Grace O'Malley is a straight up Boss Bitch.
I love a good fictionalised biography and this one totally delivered. The story was very engaging. Grace was well characterised, but sometimes seemed too perfect.
The parts with Queen Elizabeth were weaker. If anyone has seen the Cate Blanchett movies, they know this story. I don't need more time on historical fuckboi Robert Dudley.
But they were worth it for the climax with Grace and Elizabeth coming together. That was absolutely brilliant.
I have another book from this author in my TBR pile and I'll definitely be getting to it sooner rather than later.
January 9, 2024
This book had potential to be really great- tales of two women facing adversity bc they’re bending societal norms and doing “a man’s job” based on a true story… but it was pretty dry despite the “narrative liberties” he took since her history wasn’t quite known. I appreciate the historical research for context though and give it 3 stars for that alone.
A major issue I had was it very obviously was written by a man who it seemed WANTED to empower women, but (in my opinion) his descriptions of the main characters were completely centered around the male gaze/ male perspective making it really hard for me to enjoy this book. The women’s characters felt two dimensional to me.
A major issue I had was it very obviously was written by a man who it seemed WANTED to empower women, but (in my opinion) his descriptions of the main characters were completely centered around the male gaze/ male perspective making it really hard for me to enjoy this book. The women’s characters felt two dimensional to me.
December 16, 2020
Wonderful historical fiction that will keep you riveted with each turn of the page! Yes, this is fiction, but based on real-life heroines, both Grace O'Malley and Queen Elizabeth of England. Both tall, strong, and powerful women that were once each other's adversaries over the seas. Pretty cool book!
September 23, 2017
"You, Sir Philip, could not possibly understand what it's like to be a woman in the world of men. We not only have to perform the same feats as men if we're to be successful in our own right, but we have to overcome the curse of being born a woman."
- Grace O'Malley
- Grace O'Malley
September 2, 2018
Thoroughly enjoyed it! So much fun to read. My only issue was with some of the exposition. Especially for someone who knows English history, it seemed clunky. Other than that, it was an exciting story and I recommend it.
Read
September 21, 2019Enjoyed the history and the setting for this fictional account of the Pirate Queen, who I had never heard of before, but due to content and Elizabeth I’s sections I skimmed most of the last half to see how it concluded.
October 14, 2023
That was my first book by Alan Gold. I have already ordered a few more! Such an easy read, absolute page turner. And I love everything and anything about Elizabeth. The only reason I gave four stars is because very serious and deep works deserve five.
August 9, 2018
3.5....it was entertaining.
October 30, 2019
I love this novel. It's one of those books I keep coming back to and still can't get enough of.
May 9, 2020
I really enjoyed this embellished retelling of Grace O'Malley's story. The author's presentation of her life is fascinating and impactful. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction!
November 8, 2020
Very much enjoyed reading about this strong and inspiring woman.
November 30, 2021
One of my absolute favorite books!!!!!!
August 9, 2022
Loved this story of an amazing Irish heroine!
October 9, 2023
I gave the Book 3 stars because I liked the subject but to be Frank, The writing style is boring. I sped enough the last half just to say I finished it
November 18, 2025
Loved this fictional story of a woman who has become legendary.
December 10, 2025
Grace O’Malley was a badass! Not sure how much of the story line is anywhere near historically accurate but it was an interesting read. What a life she loved- feminist icon!
September 17, 2016
I have had this book on my shelf for what seems like forever. I never was in the mood to read it but today I picked it up and ended up reading it in one day.
This is the story of Grace O'Malley who at fourteen years old wants nothing more to sail the seas with her father. To achieve this, she cuts off all her hair and thanks to the jovial nature of her father's crew, she is allowed to join him on his escapades. When she returns to port, her mother puts her in a convent and several years pass. By all accounts Grace is the perfect Irish bride to be, but we as readers (and her intended husband) soon realize that the slip of a girl who was as fierce as the sea has been honed into a bright sharp-eyed woman. Thanks to a bargain made by her husband, Grace soon finds herself on a ship bound for the ports of Africa and soon after that she must captain the ship herself. As the years pass, Grace's power on the sea grows in renown even as she begins to outlive her husbands and lovers, and as she becomes hemmed in by the rising tide of the English on Irish soil.
Interspersed with her story is that of another woman "in a man's profession", Queen Elizabeth I. Queen Elizabeth starts this story as a young princess interrogated for crimes of treason. As the novel progresses, we see what sort of games she must play with her court and even those closest to her. Elizabeth's story is quite well known, which is probably why we only get snapshots into her thoughts regarding Robert Dudley, Mary Queen of Scots and the threat of the Spanish.
Throughout the book, both women have to make decisions that are dictated by the constructs of their environments, and when the two eventually meet, they find within the other a kindred spirit and a willing ally.
This book isn't as historically accurate as one might hope, but Alan Gold does state that outright because Grace O'Malley's life has been shrouded in mystery for all these long centuries. I personally find it amazing that a woman rose to be captain of her own fleet and set out on the seas to trade and pillage as she wished. And all in all, this novel is quite the fast read and I may reread it again, who knows.
This is the story of Grace O'Malley who at fourteen years old wants nothing more to sail the seas with her father. To achieve this, she cuts off all her hair and thanks to the jovial nature of her father's crew, she is allowed to join him on his escapades. When she returns to port, her mother puts her in a convent and several years pass. By all accounts Grace is the perfect Irish bride to be, but we as readers (and her intended husband) soon realize that the slip of a girl who was as fierce as the sea has been honed into a bright sharp-eyed woman. Thanks to a bargain made by her husband, Grace soon finds herself on a ship bound for the ports of Africa and soon after that she must captain the ship herself. As the years pass, Grace's power on the sea grows in renown even as she begins to outlive her husbands and lovers, and as she becomes hemmed in by the rising tide of the English on Irish soil.
Interspersed with her story is that of another woman "in a man's profession", Queen Elizabeth I. Queen Elizabeth starts this story as a young princess interrogated for crimes of treason. As the novel progresses, we see what sort of games she must play with her court and even those closest to her. Elizabeth's story is quite well known, which is probably why we only get snapshots into her thoughts regarding Robert Dudley, Mary Queen of Scots and the threat of the Spanish.
Throughout the book, both women have to make decisions that are dictated by the constructs of their environments, and when the two eventually meet, they find within the other a kindred spirit and a willing ally.
This book isn't as historically accurate as one might hope, but Alan Gold does state that outright because Grace O'Malley's life has been shrouded in mystery for all these long centuries. I personally find it amazing that a woman rose to be captain of her own fleet and set out on the seas to trade and pillage as she wished. And all in all, this novel is quite the fast read and I may reread it again, who knows.
February 1, 2013
This was a brilliant read!! I absolutely loved it!
Alan Gold has taken what little is known about the famous female Irish Chieftan and Pirate, Grace O'Malley, and has "supposed" - in a highly entertaining way! - what the rest of her story might be.
We follow Grace's life from childhood - where she defiantly cuts off all her hair to look like a boy, because her mother has forbid her from continuing to accompany her father, also a pirate on his sea voyages - through two marriages, a lover or two, the birth of her three children, and her many, many adventures on the high seas as a pirate.
Eventually, Grace's path crosses that of Elizabeth I, Gloriana, Queen of England, at first because Grace's hatred of English attempts to usurp Ireland's autonomy, she takes pleasure in pirating English ships and relieving them of their cargoes and costing the English Queen the profits from those ships. Eventually, though Grace sails to England and barges into the palace to ask for the return of her son, who has been kidnapped and taken to England as punishment to Grace, to be raised as an Englishman and learn to hate his homeland.
Grace impresses the Queen of England, who not only releases her son, but strikes up an unlikely friendship with the Pirate Queen that lasts many years.
Grace is a magnificent character as written by Gold! She is fearless and clever, merciless and kind. She is a loving mother and passionate lover, a brillant tactician at sea and a benevolent Chieftan to her clan members, but unforgiving of slights or wrongs done to her or her family.
The story is mostly about Grace's life, but the later part of the book exploring her relationship with Queen Elizabeth is a wonderful exploration of what it might have been like for these two formidable women to be friends and contemporaries.
I highly enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it as an excellent read!!
Alan Gold has taken what little is known about the famous female Irish Chieftan and Pirate, Grace O'Malley, and has "supposed" - in a highly entertaining way! - what the rest of her story might be.
We follow Grace's life from childhood - where she defiantly cuts off all her hair to look like a boy, because her mother has forbid her from continuing to accompany her father, also a pirate on his sea voyages - through two marriages, a lover or two, the birth of her three children, and her many, many adventures on the high seas as a pirate.
Eventually, Grace's path crosses that of Elizabeth I, Gloriana, Queen of England, at first because Grace's hatred of English attempts to usurp Ireland's autonomy, she takes pleasure in pirating English ships and relieving them of their cargoes and costing the English Queen the profits from those ships. Eventually, though Grace sails to England and barges into the palace to ask for the return of her son, who has been kidnapped and taken to England as punishment to Grace, to be raised as an Englishman and learn to hate his homeland.
Grace impresses the Queen of England, who not only releases her son, but strikes up an unlikely friendship with the Pirate Queen that lasts many years.
Grace is a magnificent character as written by Gold! She is fearless and clever, merciless and kind. She is a loving mother and passionate lover, a brillant tactician at sea and a benevolent Chieftan to her clan members, but unforgiving of slights or wrongs done to her or her family.
The story is mostly about Grace's life, but the later part of the book exploring her relationship with Queen Elizabeth is a wonderful exploration of what it might have been like for these two formidable women to be friends and contemporaries.
I highly enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it as an excellent read!!
June 9, 2017
4.5 stars rounded up.
The Pirate Queen: The story of Grace O'Malley, Irish pirate by Alan Gold is a supremely fascinating book. I picked it up after hearing the name, Grace O'Malley, on an episode of NCIS.
I'm not generally a pirate fan, but I thought that perhaps with a female pirate, it would provide the strong female characters that I prefer. The book was extremely interesting and I was riveted to it from the day I picked it up. I happened to be in school at that point, and it was a good thing it was after the semester had ended, because I couldn't hardly put it down.
This book actually goes back and forth between Grace O'Malley and Queen Elizabeth I. It's a fictional tale but based on real life events that caused these two powerful females' paths to cross and intertwine. It's fascinating to read these ladies' stories. If you at all like pirates or 16th century British history, take a look at this one!
The Pirate Queen: The story of Grace O'Malley, Irish pirate by Alan Gold is a supremely fascinating book. I picked it up after hearing the name, Grace O'Malley, on an episode of NCIS.
I'm not generally a pirate fan, but I thought that perhaps with a female pirate, it would provide the strong female characters that I prefer. The book was extremely interesting and I was riveted to it from the day I picked it up. I happened to be in school at that point, and it was a good thing it was after the semester had ended, because I couldn't hardly put it down.
This book actually goes back and forth between Grace O'Malley and Queen Elizabeth I. It's a fictional tale but based on real life events that caused these two powerful females' paths to cross and intertwine. It's fascinating to read these ladies' stories. If you at all like pirates or 16th century British history, take a look at this one!
April 20, 2016
I had high hopes for this book because I have heard a little bit about Grace O'Malley, but I felt a little let down.
While I did enjoy Grace's adventures and exploits, it seems like the author didn't do much to expand on the other characters that play a pretty important role in both Grace and Elizabeth's lives. Truly Grace was the equal of Elizabeth in so many ways. Both are headstrong women trying to survive in a a male dominant society, deal with a lot of backstabbing, fight for what they believe in and have strong advisors/people who support them. So similar, yet so different.
I felt that some scenes may have been exaggerated and taken liberties with. Especially dealing with Grace's past history leading up to her meeting with Elizabeth. Hard to believe she was able to meet Elizabeth just like that. Plus Grace seemed perfect in every way, like she could do no wrong and make no wrong move, sort of like how people idolize Elizabeth and all victorious monarchs/rulers.
While I did enjoy Grace's adventures and exploits, it seems like the author didn't do much to expand on the other characters that play a pretty important role in both Grace and Elizabeth's lives. Truly Grace was the equal of Elizabeth in so many ways. Both are headstrong women trying to survive in a a male dominant society, deal with a lot of backstabbing, fight for what they believe in and have strong advisors/people who support them. So similar, yet so different.
I felt that some scenes may have been exaggerated and taken liberties with. Especially dealing with Grace's past history leading up to her meeting with Elizabeth. Hard to believe she was able to meet Elizabeth just like that. Plus Grace seemed perfect in every way, like she could do no wrong and make no wrong move, sort of like how people idolize Elizabeth and all victorious monarchs/rulers.
February 9, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. It is a quick and easy read. I'm a decendant of the O'Malleys, which made it even more interesting, but I particularly enjoyed reading of a strong Irish woman who was a leader before her time. The author was straight forward about not having all of the facts, having to take some creative license simply because many of the facts about Grace O'Malleys life aren't available. But it would seem he mostly stuck to the truth where it was to be found. Grace was a leader and a champion of her people, but by no means was she a saint. She did plenty to earn the price on her head.
If you enjoy pirate stories, and stories about strong women, this is worth your time.
If you enjoy pirate stories, and stories about strong women, this is worth your time.
February 23, 2016
Don't judge a book by it's cover. I admit, based on the cover and seeing this was a book about a pirate, this book was definitely not something I would normally read. But I got it in a used book swap, and decided to give it a try. So glad I did! The Pirate Queen is a great historical fiction read. I loved the Irish history, the references to Anne Boleyn and the stories of Queen Elizabeth I. This is a terrific combination of Philippa Gregory's Boleyn novels and Diana Gabaldon's Outlander. And, lesson learned again- women need their girlfriends! If you want a problem solved, leave it to a woman. Great story- wish I could learn more of Grace O'Malley.
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