Sailing Against The Tide

by Carol Busby

She escaped a hanging, built a life andleft her past behind. Or so she thought. Pirate, smuggler, wife, mother and fugitive . . . Anne Bonny always sailed against the tide.

400 pages, Paperback

Published November 23, 2020

Reviews

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed reading this book. It definitely has many plot turns and twists. It starts from the beginning with the main antagonist in the story, Anne Bonny in prison for piracy in early 1700s Jamaica under British rule. We learn the only thing keeping her from the hangman’s noose is her pregnancy by a notorious pirate named Jack Rackham.
Just after her delivery of a son, which is taken from her, her father, a Carolinas tobacco plantation owner rescues her and sneaks her onto a boat bound back to the Carolinas.
After arriving there, she makes amends with her father for running off at 16, with Jack Bonny.
The first twist comes when her father has found a man to marry her and take her to another tobacco plantation the father has given him for marrying her and the man, Joseph Burleigh took the offer. They are married the next morning, and the adventures begin. She learns in time that Joseph also has a shady past , involving being a highwayman, forger, and all around rogue, hence his willingness to take on, as Anne puts it, " My father found a land pirate to take his sea pirate daughter off his hands".
The adventures are many and in some instances, apart from each other as Anne goes back to the sea to try and save the plantation. Her adventures lead her far from the plantation as her Husband Joseph remains at the "Great River Plantation, now their home of eight years, to make sure that it continues to run and produce tobacco and profit.
As she embarks to sea, Anne realizes she is pregnant and wants desperately to keep this child. remove Without going any further and revealing too much of the story and its ending, I will just say how great a book this I and a real page turner.

[Debra Pawlak · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of pirate woman Anne Bonney is steeped in mystery. We will most likely never know the exact truth, but author Carol Busby offers a version of Bonney after her pirate days were over. It is no less exciting. According to the story, Bonney makes her escape from a Jamaican prison and returns to the United States where she marries and has a family. Sounds a little dull after her sea adventures, but I assure you, dull is not the word to describe this story. Busby tells a rounded tale full of adventures, excitement, and suspense. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and speculating what may or may not have happened to Bonney. I recommend this book if you are interested in an intriguing tale about an intriguing woman.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

From pirate to plantation

I loved this book about a rebel daughter becoming a pirate where she found adventure and love. She was arrested and charged with piracy but was not hanged because she was pregnant, they would wait for her to give birth. After the child was born she was able escape the noose but she had to go home with Daddy. She was set up with a tobacco plantation, husband and slaves to help. Ann didn't like how slaves were treated so she treated hers with honor and respect they just couldn't let the word get around that her slaves we treated differently. There is more to this story that will keep you reading until the end and be satisfied that you did.

[Rebecca Cunningham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is more of a 4.5 rounded up. The book was very interesting because no one knows where Ann Bonny disappeared to and this was a story that took the more probable rumors. At times I found it not convincing or found the diaglogue to be a little off. The story didn't move at first but really picked up as it went on. Overall, I like this theory of Ann Bonny and want to learn more about some of her friends.

[Pudds Downing · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read! I will admit it started a little slow for me, but it didn't take long until I was hooked. This book should be made into a movie. It has all the adventure, danger, and swashbuckling of a classic pirate story with the addition of a strong female lead, an enduring love story, and a strong anti-slavery message.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great freshman novel. Super good story.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book about this female pirate and how she proved herself as a remarkable woman. Sometimes you need to outwit the corrupt with a taste of their own medicine.

[Lena Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read for me! I enjoyed the journey of the story.