On Wilder Seas: The Woman on the Golden Hind

by Nikki Marmery

April 1579: When two ships meet off the Pacific coast of New Spain, an enslaved woman seizes the chance to escape.

But Maria has unwittingly joined Francis Drake s circumnavigation voyage and he s about to set sail on a secret detour to find the fabled Anian Straits in the far north.

Sailing into danger, fog and ice on the Golden Hind, a lone woman among eighty men, Maria will be tested to the very limits of her endurance. It will take all her wits to survive and courage to cut the ties that bind her to Drake to pursue her own journey.

How far will Maria go to be truly free?

Inspired by a true story, this is the tale of one woman s uncharted voyage of survival.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Book Club, Nautical, Tudor Period, Drama

308 pages, Paperback

First published March 16, 2020

Reviews

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

On Wilder Seas: The Woman on the Golden Hind is Nikki Marmery’s debut novel and a captivating and spellbinding historical adventure based on the compelling true story of Macaia, or Maria, a slave who was desperately trying to escape her meagre existence. This is a woman who was literally written out of the history books as her ordeal was deemed an inconvenient truth and I praise Ms Marmery not only for bringing to light this courageous woman's story but making her front and centre of the entire story; this made me incredibly proud to be a feminist and champion of equal rights for all.

It can be recognised from the outset that the amount of research that has been undertaken by the author is extensive and meticulous in order to have a historically accurate portrayal of the times and traditions; it's clear that this has been a labour of love for Marmery and her seamless blending of fact and fiction highlights to me that she is an author to watch. It is a tale that has been told million times over but never once like this and I, for one, am so glad I didn't let it pass me by. I cannot recommend this highly enough. Many thanks to Legend Press for an ARC.

[Tony Riches · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her author’s note, Nikki Marmery describes On Wilder Seas as the ‘possible life’ of Maria, rather than a history. Accepting that Maria sails a different course from that recorded, I enjoyed reading the many fascinating details which ground her story - evidence of significant research behind the convincing world of Drake’s unruly crew.

Through Maria’s eyes, Drake is not the heroic figure we might expect, but remains enigmatic, while others in his crew form an ensemble cast to provide the story with several fathoms of depth.

I read this book in two days and look forward to seeing what Nikki Marmery comes up with next. Highly recommended.

[Louise Fein · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was totally drawn into this beautifully written novel from its first pages and hooked until the last. The balance between the detailed research which clearly went into writing this book and the compelling story is perfect. A difficult subject is handled with great compassion and sensitivity, not only in respect of Maria, the slave, but also in respect of the daily lives and attitudes of the sailors, the indigenous people and all involved in this captivating novel. I could taste the salty air, hear the creak of the sails and feel the hardship. Highly recommended to lovers of historical fiction, and looking forward to the author’s next novel!

[Andria Potter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strangely lyrical tale of slavery, freedom, and the high seas. 3 🌟!

Further Review:

On Wilder Seas by Nikki Marmery is a strange yet intriguing retelling of the Golden Hind. I don’t know anything about the original story, and the book itself was strongly written, with realistic characters, and a fascinating history of the ship and the people on it.

In truth, I’m unsure of how to write this review. The story, while well written, didn’t keep my interest after about half way through the book. It felt bogged down by a lot of details that I just wasn’t interested in. The women were strong, but the slavery aspects, as well as the rest of it, did not appeal to me in the slightest. I managed a solid sixty percent of the book before giving up. I wanted to like it more than I did. It had a strong start. It had strong characters, a plot, and plenty of high sea adventure. But there’s a fair bit of thievery, rape, and slavery within the book, and it just wasn’t right for my mood. That’s a ‘me’ problem. Not a story problem.

A lone woman on the high seas, Maria was a strong character one could easily identify with in her determination in terms of surviving the harsh environments with almost nothing to her name. With only a boy for friendship, and a man that employed her, the story was captivating…

I just lost interest in it.

My apologies to the author, and I’m giving this a solid three stars.

[Margo · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Not for me.

[Molly Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I sometimes found this book difficult to read because of the treatment of Maria from the very outset, and it made me relish our place as women in modern society, and reflect on the tragedies of the past. The descriptions of the places Maria sees, from the very first sentence, in stark contrast to the descriptions of her life on board ship, allow the reader to deeply empathise with the character and her plight. The plot being entirely focused on Maria as the protagonist is bold and truly makes the novel what it is. Flashbacks to her past also develop reader interest in her character and the racial element of the story is intriguing in the context of colonial history.

Overall, I found it religiously, socially and historically interesting and meticulously researched.

[Anne Goodwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Records show that there was a woman aboard the Golden Hind for nine months in 1579, although nothing is known of her beyond her name. In On Wilder Seas, Nikki Marmery has taken these bare facts to build a fascinating account of Elizabethan exploration, colonisation and survival in harsh times.
Full review https://annegoodwin.weebly.com/1/post...

[Wytzia Raspe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sir Francis Drake, the hero of the Armada, the second man who sailed around the globe, is just a shadow called The General in this tale told by a young enslaved African woman.

When the ship she is on, the FireShitter or Cagafuego is captured by the English she is transported to the English ship as a bedwarmer for Drake.


" Golden Hind caught up with Cagafuego on 1 March 1579, in the vicinity of Esmeraldas, Ecuador. Since it was the middle of the day and Drake did not want to arouse suspicions by reducing sails, he trailed some wine caskets behind Golden Hind to slow her progress and allow enough time for night to fall. In the early evening, after disguising Golden Hind as a merchantman, Drake finally came alongside his target and, when the Spanish captain San Juan de Antón refused to surrender, opened fire.[1]
Golden Hind's first broadside took off Cagafuego's mizzenmast. When the English sailors opened fire with muskets and crossbows, Golden Hind came alongside with a boarding party. Since they were not expecting English ships to be in the Pacific, Cagafuego's crew was taken completely by surprise and surrendered quickly and without much resistance. Once in control of the galleon, Drake brought both ships to a secluded stretch of coastline and over the course of the next six days unloaded the treasure.[2]"
Source: Wikipedia

Maria sails with the Golden Hind towards what is now the USA and Canada and over the Pacific. Life on board the ship is cruel and rough with you shipboys buggered and a captain who can decide on life and limb. The novel gives a more dark view on life on board of those ocean faring ships. And also drives the grim reality of slavers and slavery in your face.

The novel is well written but apart from Maria the men aboard ship remain a mere shadows in her tale. The book seems well researched. It did manage to turn the hero into the more realistic slaver and privateer who abandoned friends when it was more opportunistic.

http://www.dutchysbookreviewsandfreeb...

[Sally Collings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blimey, in stark contrast to the last book I tried to read, this one hit the ground running. You were immediately into the action and as a result you felt like you were immediately invested in the character. The story is not for the squeamish, with a very descriptive take on the treatment of women, particularly foreign women, by the Englishman on their voyages, and other brutal acts towards others you meet along the way. It is not what I was expecting to read, and probably if I had realised, I might not have picked it up, but an excellent accidental read all in all.

[Heretherearebooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

On Wilder Seas || Nikki Marmery || Book Review 5⭐️ •

A story full to the brim with courage and adventure. •

1579, when the Spanish ship Maria is enslaved upon is stripped of treasures by Francis Drake, General of an English ship, she bargains her way onboard his voyage. Pregnant, black and the only woman onboard, she uses all her resilience to try to set her own path, to be free for her unborn child. •

Marmery’s writing is just mesmerising, the portrayal of daily life on board the ship and flashing back to Maria’s life before is seamless. The storyline had me gripped, staying up late to finish Maria’s story, to find out what becomes of her and the baby, wishing for her to be free. •

I love a good historical fiction book, especially when the author has taken the time to bring the era and real characters to life. •

A must read for Historical Fiction fans.

[Jamie Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engrossing & evocative, this is a fictional story grown from the very few known facts that a woman named Maria was listed as aboard the Golden Hind for 9 months of its famous journey, and from discrepancies in the historical accounts of it. The harshness of life aboard ship and life for a black woman among white Europeans is all here in unflinching detail but it's Macaia herself who shines from the pages as a strong, resilient and courageous young woman. Whatever the story of the real Maria, I'd like to think she'd be pleased with this version of her.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea what this book was about when I requested the ARC from Net Galley. Thankfully they agreed to send me a copy and I would like to thank them as well as the author. A debut novel, historical and loosely features the story of a slave girl trying to escape her awful life. She unknowingly signs onto a maiden voyage with Sir Frances Drake the famous English pirate. He is commissioned by Queen Elizabeth to look for a shorter route from Africa.
It’s a recounting of the many discoveries, adventures and hardships they encounter. For Maria the slave, as the only woman on board a ship of 90 men it is especially perilous.
Meticulously researched and beautifully written. I look forward to more be this author.
4*

[Claire Mac]

ARC received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible. 5 stars!

[Lynne - The Book Squirrel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story!

[Sarah Mate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful adventure story that gives (a fictional) voice to a strong woman that history would have forgotten. Evocative. Educational. Emotional. I loved the glimpses into an uncharted world and the intelligent, funny slave taking centre stage in Drake’s story. An unusual and clever take on historical fiction.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of “The Woman on the Golden Hind” - Maria - who finds herself in terrible situations. The themes of this book - religious differences, feminine courage and flexibility, slavery, and loyalty all contribute to the story of an unsung, largely unknown woman in history. For Maria, a young woman who has experienced so much in her relatively short life thus far, has coped with so many challenges and threats that she feels lucky to be alive, even if the concept of being “lucky” is an irony in terms of some of the grim things that have happened to her. She has had to adapt and change, find new justifications for saving her life, for not being sacrificed to appease local and ship board demands.

This is the story of a woman who writes her own story of survival. It captures much about life in the Elizabethan golden age for those who actually undertook the hard work of sailing around the world, living a precarious life on a boat with many who simply did not want to be there. This is not a tale of swaggering piracy and glittering treasure, this is the story of grinding the food that everyone else despises, sleeping in small safe spaces, inhabiting cabins with “The General” and hoping to maintain a modicum of interest to ensure survival. This is a grim and sometimes brutal story, but one that is exceptional in its subject matter and style; the story of a woman on the edge of history but who felt the effects of huge crisis. I was intrigued and fascinated by this book, and I was grateful for the opportunity to read and review it.

Despite the fact that Maria recounts her story honestly and very much from her own perspective, it is not a simple narrative. Evidently a survivor of several men’s ‘protection’, she has been bought and sold as a slave who has had to pretend to various levels of understanding. Her slight grasp on freedom has been limited by the influential men who have basically grabbed her and reduced her to a lesser being. Throughout she survives, tries to help others who have been ill used, and seeks to make sense of what she discovers. She learns enough about the two huge religious options of the time, the Spanish catholics with their strict observances, and the more biblically based Protestants who dominate the ship on which she finds herself. Rather than side too firmly with either view, it is another element of life that she must be flexible over in order to survive. The descriptions of the ship means that despite a lack of nautical knowledge, there is a vivid sense of the layout of the small but important ship.

This is an impressive book in every sense. It is dominated by the elusive but well drawn picture of Maria, as she becomes different things to different people. The other dominant character is Diego, sometime slave, devoted servant to the General, changeable, dependable, with a strong identity, as “He could be in the room he has so strongly left his mark”. This is such a powerful novel with a great impact, and it does much to redress the lack of factual evidence of Maria’s life, writing between the lines of known history. It is an exciting historical novel, and I recommend it as a very different piece of feminist history fictionalised.

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

They think I am a thing they have stolen. Like the silver and the grain and the charts, and the roteiro guides, and everything else they take from the Spaniards. Rather have I stolen myself. [loc. 383]

This fictionalised account of 'Maria', the only woman known to have sailed on Drake's Golden Hind, was inspired by a single line in an anonymous account of Drake's circumnavigation, 1577-80. Maria has been a slave of one sort or another for eleven years when the novel opens, traded from one man to another, learning to read and acquiring some education before that particular owner fell prey to the Spanish Inquisition. Now she is eager to escape her Spanish protector, the vile Don Francisco, and she dares to ask Drake -- known only as 'the General' -- if she can accompany him. Unaccountably, he says yes: and Maria finds herself the only woman on what's effectively a pirate ship.

She makes allies amongst the crew, notably Diego, an African who is also a free man, and Thomas, a cabin boy who shows her where to hide from the crew and their indiscriminate lusts. But in the end, the only real sanctuary is in the General's bed, and thus under his protection. Little does he know that Maria is already pregnant when she boards the ship ...

Maria's presence is sometimes beneficial to Drake: she's better at communicating with the indigenous people they encounter when the Golden Hind drops anchor. Maria herself welcomes these trips ashore, the only times when she is not the sole woman in a performatively masculine environment: the claustrophobic danger of the ship is strongly contrasted with the days she spends with Native American women. Yet in the end, she cannot trust Drake, and he cannot trust her.

As in many historical novels, the language of Maria's first-person narrative feels rather stiff, lacking contractions and colloquialisms -- though she does occasionally use a Spanish word. Perhaps not a wholly likeable character, but a person who is determined to survive, pragmatic about how she minimises her risks, and fortunate not to fall prey to worse treatment than she does. On Wilder Seas is an impressive first novel, and that cover is beautiful!

A piece by Nikki Marmery on the historical inspiration for her protagonist, 'Maria: the African woman who sailed with Drake on the Golden Hind', suggests that she might have been the inspiration for Sycorax in Shakespeare's The Tempest: there are also some research-related posts at Marmery's blog.

[Damian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is easily the best of the seven, or so, I've read so far this year.

Marmery has taken a snippet of history she found in a journal - God knows what she was looking for when she found it - about a woman who sailed on the Golden Hind for nine months. From that tiny piece of information, she has extrapolated the life story of Maria - a slave, taken aboard the Golden Hind as a spoil of piracy. But maybe she went voluntarily - because the UK had abolished slavery and slaves knew that passage to the UK was a passage to freedom. So many questions! The book puts them out there for us, and answers them elegantly.

I'm not always a fan of speculative history - it can be a bit tortured and earnest - but Marmery has pitched the use of vernacular language, dramatisation and pacing perfectly. It's a great page-turner as well as being a meticulously researched historical reconstruction. And when I say meticulously researched, every time I read something and thought, "Wait, what?" I'd look it up and it was true. (Keep your eye out for the basket of hands!)

The plotting and intrigue aboard ship seem very real. Her descriptions of life at sea are on-point and the description of the storm towards the end of the book was so vivid that it triggered flashbacks for me of being in the roaring forties when a southerly buster hit.

I'm gutted for the author that this book was released just as COVID-19 was kicking off, killing the fanfare a little, because she and her book deserve to do well. Hopefully, Marmery will write another. If she does, I'll certainly be reading it.

Read it yourself or buy On Wilder Seas as a Christmas or birthday gift for a friend. Or buy it as a gift and read it carefully before you hand it over - admit it, we all do it! Either way, you won't be disappointed and neither will whoever you give it to.

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1579, Francis Drake and his crew of 80 men and boys stops at a small port on the coast of New Spain. Taking over the town, they loot and pillage, taking supplies and valuables to restock their stores on their voyage to look for a new passage for the English, which would allow them to avoid their enemies, the Spanish, in their quest to colonize "unclaimed" lands.

One of the things they steal - with her grudging consent - is an enslaved woman, Maria. This is her story, and it's based on fact, sketchy though they are in the historical record. There is a brief mention of such a woman on board the Golden Hind in documents relating to this voyage translated and published by Zelia Nuttall in 1914.

From that wisp of a story, Marmery builds Maria's tale, one of heartbreak and danger, fury and love. To be enslaved in any era is a dangerous thing; to navigate that as the sole woman on the high seas crowded in amongst rough sailors is another thing altogether. Having been a slave from childhood, Maria has developed a necessary cunning and the tactics to go with it, in order to keep herself alive. In the Sixteenth century, that's a hard thing to do. On an uncharted ocean, it's even harder. She faces assaults, physical violence, storms, loneliness, unknown native peoples, unknown languages, giant sea creatures, scurvy, disease, and icebergs, to name just a few of those threats. .

On the whole, this book tells a hair-raising adventure story, made sharper by the fact that Maria herself didn't get a choice about whether to sign on or not. Absolutely a top-notch read.

[Sandra Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a love for the sea and tall ships, I was first drawn to the title and cover of Nikki Marmery’s novel, On Wilder Seas. The words inside did not disappoint … for out of thin air (and suspect records of a sixteenth-century voyage), Ms. Marmery created the world of Maria (Macaia). In this compelling saga (through plot and flashbacks), two things stand out to me in the story: the incredible history and the voice. The author’s research was meticulous, and I was amazed by the extent of actual history within the tale. Rich history of the early Americas and buccaneers and explorers with suspect motivations and methods. The time and place—the perils—are all reflected in the author’s use of language. The characters, the historical as well as fictional, were full of depth, their reason and loyalties often suspect; but it’s all told through one voice: the voice of Maria, first captured by the Spanish, then the English. Such a beautiful character has been created, strong-willed, wily, and, in the end, a survivor. I must admit, Chapter 51 was my favorite ... Maria's grandmother was a wise woman. On Wilder Seas is told with abundant and authentic descriptions, through Maria’s keen yet wary eyes, and to the very end, this woman and her destiny is sustained by her roots and left to the wind … as would be the way of fate on the wild seas in 1580. Maria’s spirited voice is one I will not forget.

[Kayla Renchen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will be honest and say that this book was really not what I was expecting. However, I really enjoyed it. It was so different for me and not something I would usually read, though I'm glad I did.

I suffered in this book. I say that because of how much the character suffered. It is written in such a way that all of the violent acts that she faces are almost shrugged off, as if to say "eh, this is my life, what can I do" which really was the case. Maria was rarely given the opportunity to think for herself and make a choice, and even more rarely could she do so without facing drastic consequences. I pitied her as much as I rooted for her. She had conviction, hope, optimism, endurance, and strength, despite all of the things she had to face.

I am a religious person, but reading this book helped me understand better why many turn away from religion. How shamelessly lives have been taken, and taken over, in the name of religion. The horrible acts that have been committed in the name of God. Its deplorable. But these things really did happen and they shaped the world as we know it today.

I am glad to have gone on this journey with Maria. This book is harsh, unforgiving, and honest. It will not be for everyone, but I'm glad I got the chance to read this book. This is a great book for those who want to go on a dangerous venture, and learn some history along the way.

[Bibi · Rating 5 out of 5]

"On Wilder Seas" is an incredible debut novel based on a real story which most people are completely ignorant about (me included before reading this).

Marmery's writing is so vivid and heartfelt - it is easy to imagine yourself on the same ship she's on, looking at the many different men surrounding her.

What I believe makes this novel so powerful are the many lessons that the protagonist, Maria (or Macaia) teaches the readers as they carry on reading about her journey. Maria is an anachronistic feminist, who shows to everyone that women can be and can accomplish so much more than what everyone around her believes.

I really enjoyed this novel because of the different setting in which it takes place, the important lessons it teaches and the beautiful prose. I would strongly recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction, as it would make a fine addition to their collection.

[Ruth Harwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got a little absorbed in this, to be honest!
The writing is brilliant, and the historical aspect is treated very sensitively, though does, at the critical points, show just what history tells us. That's as far as I'll go here regarding the subjects the author deals with, as it's not my place to judge the actions of those in the past, after all, it's a different country, as they say: the rules have changed now, and the way we behave has changed along with time, so that makes judging the peoples then a very difficult thing to do. The story is a good one, and the action is as exciting as knowing each character's story becomes over the space of the book.
All I can really say is that I hope other readers enjoy this as much as I did!

[ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Susan Sontag said, “A novel worth reading is an education of the heart. It enlarges your sense of human possibility, of what human nature is, of what happens in the world. It’s a creator of inwardness,” I cannot help but think about this novel. How, even under the guise of fiction, with hundreds of years beyond the setting of the story to the present, everything still feels so close to home. My “sense of human possibility” made infinite by fiction, as always.

[Vince Summers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent historical novel based on fact ( although not that much fact is known!) The story of a female slave who ended up on an English ship that was exploring the North West Coast of the Norrh America.
Well written and the characters were well developed , a surprisingly good read for a story following the tribulations of a slave in that era. Sufficient historical data without being overpowering.
Recommended

[Anna Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

[Laura plantladyreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Legend Press for the advanced copy, in exchange for an honest review. On Wilder Seas publishes March 17!

This story really portrays the strength of women and our ability to react, adapt and thrive in our environments. It is inspired by a true story, and I think that made it more enjoyable for me.

It is the late 16th century, and slave Maria makes an impulsive decision to change her situation - she bargains her way onto the ship of Francis Drake, seeing a brighter future with him than the men who bought her in a slave auction. However, she is on an English ship among 80 men, and she is the only female. She befriends Diego, the General's right-hand man - not English, but Cuban and trusted wholeheartedly by the General. She manages to find a way to keep herself from the prying hands of the crew members and in the "safety" of the General's cabin. She's told that they sail to England, where slavery is being abolished and she will be free. What she doesn't realize is that Francis Drake is set on finding the New World and places to settle new colonies in the Queen's name. They travel through icy waters, meeting different Indigenous people and trying to show them Christianity. But Maria feels more at home with these new people than with the English, and in the end her decisions put her at a great risk. When the ship comes into trouble, she is almost swept away, but ends up finding her salvation instead, and the life she's always wanted.

I definitely enjoyed Maria's resilience - she is kidnapped from her home, and sold as a slave, never seeing her family again. She is subjected to true horrors, but never loses her sense of self. She does what she can to take back her freedom, and to keep others from losing theirs along the way. I really enjoyed the way she interacted with the Indigenous people, and saw more of herself in them than the English. She had a charming personality that easily won people over.

Overall, this was a pleasant, mostly lighthearted read, and I did enjoy it. It was short-lived, and the plot could have been developed a little more, as well as the relationships expanded on.

[Nightfall Mysteries · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ ‘On Wilder Sees’ by Nikki Marmery

Synopsis

April 1579: When two ships meet off the Pacific Coast of New Spain, and enslaved woman seizes the chances to escape.

Maria is forced to join Francis Drake’s voyage if she wants to earn her coveted freedom, during a secret detour into the far north. Sailing into the unknown, being the only woman amid a crew of men, she will be tested repeatedly.

Maria will need all of her strength and will power to survive the never- ending journey and cut the ties with Drake to pursue her own journey. Will she ever be truly free?

Thoughts 💭

The story of Maria will take you straight back to the 16th century, the historical component of the novel is one of the strongest aspects of the novel because the level of historical accuracy rapidly transports you to what a maritime voyage must have felt like during Elizabethan times.

The pace of the novel is great, the short chapters allow you feel the ongoing sense of movement Maria must have felt. Marmery shows an agile writing style that is utterly welcomed within the frame of the story.

Another compelling aspect of this read is the fact that the story is based on a true story. This shade of veracity provides a stronger connection and understanding of Maria and her adventures.

Third staunch item of the novel, Maria herself. It’s an amazing and forceful female character that endures more harshness and bitterness than any normal being might be able to endure in a lifetime. Her resilience and strength make her an outstanding and memorable character that will be compared with many other symbolic female characters of literature.

For history lovers, this book will put 2020 on hold and take you to the 1500s for a while, so if you fancy an escape for a while, get yourself a copy!

[Suman Naik · Rating 4 out of 5]

On Wilder Seas: The Woman On The Golden Hind; a compelling historical fiction about Maria, the only woman aboard the Golden Hind during Sir Francis Drake’s circumnavigation voyage in 1577-1580, who is referred to as The General in the novel.

The tale of Drake’s circumnavigation and the barbarity and pillaging that came along with it was unknown to me. So was the history behind the Golden Hind, and the woman who was not even mentioned on the recount of the voyage. It was enlightening to see the events happening through the eyes of Maria, an enslaved African woman, who frees herself from her Spanish captives, only to be stuck on a long, grueling voyage with the Englishmen and his crew for months while being pregnant.

It would be an understatement to say that it was a tough read. Not because of the language, but because of the suffering and dehumanization we get to see through the entire book.

The author did a marvelous work at world building. I could picture everything and felt like I was on board the ship. The character development for Maria never wavers; it shows how her journey from a woman in captivity to a woman fighting for her freedom was full of thorns.

The first half was slow paced, and it took me a while to get invested. But it picked up its pace after that. The book shows us the darker sides of exploration and colonialism; how the Englishmen were hell bent on converting indigenous people to Christianity, to forsake their own faith to accept Christ.

The ending, however, didn’t fit into the tale. It was more like a dream, that Maria lived the rest of her life happily after she stayed on the crab island in Indonesia.

But I’m glad that I got to read this extraordinary piece of history and an eye-opening account of the life of a woman enslaved aboard Drake’s ship.