What do you think?
Rate this book
Curse of the Jolly Stone #2
The Cannibals
As Tom Tin nears Australia, where he’s to serve a lengthy sentence for a murder he didn’t commit, he and his fellow convict, Midgely, plot their escape. No matter that the ship carrying them and the other juvenile criminals is captained by Tom’s father. Tom knows his father can’t help him clear his name and regain his freedom–not as long as Mr. Goodfellow, a man who wants the ruin of the Tin family, wields power back in London. So Tom and Midgely decide to go overboard! So do other boys who seize their chance at liberty–boys who aren’t so innocent, and who have it in for Tom.
To make things worse, the islands in the Pacific look inviting, but Tom remembers his father’s headhunters and cannibals lurk there! The boys go anyway. And as conflict among them mounts, as they encounter the very dangers Captain Tin spoke of, Tom must fight to keep himself and Midgely alive.
From the Hardcover edition.
To make things worse, the islands in the Pacific look inviting, but Tom remembers his father’s headhunters and cannibals lurk there! The boys go anyway. And as conflict among them mounts, as they encounter the very dangers Captain Tin spoke of, Tom must fight to keep himself and Midgely alive.
From the Hardcover edition.
240 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 22, 2005
8 people are currently reading
143 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
June 22, 2017
This started right where The Convicts ended. I liked revisiting Tom and Midgely. Their adventures are non-stop, exciting and dangerous with cannibals and headhunters. I look forward to rejoining the boys on their journey home.
May 25, 2022
Tom and Midgely are two juvenile convicts who are sick of their treatment by the prison ships captain Mr. Tin. The two boys plan on jumping overboard and swimming to a near island called Tetakari to wait for another ship that will pick them up. Little do they know the island is infested with headhunters and cannibals that will give them a rough time while awaiting the ship.
What I liked about the book is how the author wrote with a shanty-like voice that really helped with the setting of the story. There was also a sense of adventure with the boys swimming and running around the island trying to survive. I liked that the author was able to get the reader attached to this book and the lives of Tim and Midgely.
What I liked about the book was the sea-shanty-like tone. I also like the pace of the action when it was happening. I also liked the adventurous aspect of the book with Tom and Midge trying to survive. The pace of the book allowed me to be able to understand what was going on without making me bored. I also liked that Midgley was blind to make it more challenging for the two.
What I didn't like was the slow pacing at the start which usually happens with books. The author could've changed the beginning so it wasn't like any other pirate/ at sea book. The author also could've made the two boys stay on the islands for more of the book to have more survival experiences. It personally isn't the genre I really like but I think this book was a good one.
What I liked about the book is how the author wrote with a shanty-like voice that really helped with the setting of the story. There was also a sense of adventure with the boys swimming and running around the island trying to survive. I liked that the author was able to get the reader attached to this book and the lives of Tim and Midgely.
What I liked about the book was the sea-shanty-like tone. I also like the pace of the action when it was happening. I also liked the adventurous aspect of the book with Tom and Midge trying to survive. The pace of the book allowed me to be able to understand what was going on without making me bored. I also liked that Midgley was blind to make it more challenging for the two.
What I didn't like was the slow pacing at the start which usually happens with books. The author could've changed the beginning so it wasn't like any other pirate/ at sea book. The author also could've made the two boys stay on the islands for more of the book to have more survival experiences. It personally isn't the genre I really like but I think this book was a good one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2018
This book was an okay book the story got progressively better as the story got on but the characters didn't have much emotions. The characters were boring and didn't have much conflict with each other. The two main character liked to dance together and that was weird. The characters that don't matter had more emotion than the main character. Also the prisoners were treated very badly.
I can relate to the main character tom because he is brave in his own way but scared at the same time. He is also afraid of being alone.
This story reminds me of lost the TV show.
This can relate to a lot of people in the world like being alone.
I can relate to the main character tom because he is brave in his own way but scared at the same time. He is also afraid of being alone.
This story reminds me of lost the TV show.
This can relate to a lot of people in the world like being alone.
September 23, 2020
Darn you Jolly Stone, like really how things go from bad ro worse, it IS like a Dicken's story but more horrid and darker. the play of fate and the twists and turns that the chr. Face makes you wonder what will happen next, nothing goes smoothly, yet there is a small hope, that Jolly Stone must be cruel to play its victims like that, it is like a cat playing a mouse, giving it space to run just to jump back on it... I wonder if Tom will have a happy ending by the next one, and may I say that I truly hate Penny.
December 17, 2017
Loved this 2nd book in the trilogy.
November 25, 2019
Nonstop adventure and action.
November 12, 2020
3.5 Stars...
March 6, 2023
The story starts right off from where the first book left off, I encourage readers (or listeners in my case) to not read a book in between to prevent confusion. Despite this, there were two boy characters I kept confusing because they were not as distinct as the others. In addition, it did not help that the story would switch between the use of the boys' birth names and their street names. Outside of all this, the descriptions remain fantastic and it was easy to visualize the group's travels. I liked that there was a slow build up to the primary adversaries, but it felt like the ending was rushed. I remain excited for the third and last book of the series.
September 29, 2013
While the first book had hints of Dickens in it, in a most subtle way I see hints of Hugo's Les Misérables in this book. Not the story per se, but the Ideas propelling it. Like Fate & injustice. I was already thinking this and then near the end when Mullock tells his story & it includes being sentenced to 7yrs for stealing a loaf of bread, you gotta think "Jean Valjean!"
I can't remember ever being so emotionally attached to a fictional character as I've become re Midgely.
He's so loveable!
And the poor baby is only 9yrs old and has already spent 3yrs. locked away as a convict & been blinded in a brutal attack by one of the punks you keep hoping WOULD be bumped off but keeps popping back up--rotten as ever.
I read that Iain Lawrence originally planned to have little Midge be killed off early on in the story but that he became so fond of him he kept him on. Everyone loves him as shown on p.4:
"Like every sailor on the brig, he (Tom's father) adored little Midge. My friend might have been the ship's cat for all the pats and treats that came his way."
IMO, not only did Lawrence keep Midge on, but he's the real hero of the story, not Tom who is telling it. It was Midgely's book & his dream of seeing the South Islands that is unfolding as this 2nd installment unfolds.
And it is the friendship with Midge that is beginning to change Tom from being a completely selfish boy to becoming a mature young man who cares about not just himself.
Being that this is the 2nd in a trilogy, I can't wait to read the final book. I keep hoping the rotten kids in the story will meet with justice but thus far it seems they'll be sticking around harassing Tom & Midgely to the end.
I highly recommend reading this quite enjoyable story. Beware, it's not a "cozy" though. LOL
I can't remember ever being so emotionally attached to a fictional character as I've become re Midgely.
He's so loveable!
And the poor baby is only 9yrs old and has already spent 3yrs. locked away as a convict & been blinded in a brutal attack by one of the punks you keep hoping WOULD be bumped off but keeps popping back up--rotten as ever.
I read that Iain Lawrence originally planned to have little Midge be killed off early on in the story but that he became so fond of him he kept him on. Everyone loves him as shown on p.4:
"Like every sailor on the brig, he (Tom's father) adored little Midge. My friend might have been the ship's cat for all the pats and treats that came his way."
IMO, not only did Lawrence keep Midge on, but he's the real hero of the story, not Tom who is telling it. It was Midgely's book & his dream of seeing the South Islands that is unfolding as this 2nd installment unfolds.
And it is the friendship with Midge that is beginning to change Tom from being a completely selfish boy to becoming a mature young man who cares about not just himself.
Being that this is the 2nd in a trilogy, I can't wait to read the final book. I keep hoping the rotten kids in the story will meet with justice but thus far it seems they'll be sticking around harassing Tom & Midgely to the end.
I highly recommend reading this quite enjoyable story. Beware, it's not a "cozy" though. LOL
October 1, 2014
If you really like mystery and adventure you would really like The Cannibals. I was satisfied with this book because the characters in this book have a really interesting origin. In my opinion it was a good book i have read so far in the school year, but not perfect so i rate it 4 out of 5 stars.*** Spoiler Alert *** Captain Tim dies.
The setting of this book takes place on three mysterious islands that are close to each other and is almost completely abandoned.The main plot of this book is survive the cannibals,each other and the islands. The conflict of this story is person vs person because four prisoners, a captain, a women , and a gentlemen have to survive each other, the cannibals,the mysteries of the islands, and getting out of the islands. The characters of this book are the son, the father,Midge, a mysterious women, Mr.Bullock and Captain Tim, but the major characters are the father and the son.
I liked the way the author used the islands mysteries to his advantage because he said that a dragon had appeared. Another reason is that the book said I saw shadows but they belong to no one I knew of.
A theme of the book is bravery because Midge and the son faced the cannibals and showed no sign of fear. If I faced cannibals I would be scared to death. Another theme is trust because in the book the father and the son had to trust a prisoner, a mysterious woman, a captain and a lazy gentleman. I would be kind of scared and worried if I had to trust these kind of people.
I would rate this book 4 cannibals out of 5 cannibals because the book is very difficult to understand what is happening. I would recommend to people who like adventurous and mysterious books. Read this book if not the cannibals will come after you.
The setting of this book takes place on three mysterious islands that are close to each other and is almost completely abandoned.The main plot of this book is survive the cannibals,each other and the islands. The conflict of this story is person vs person because four prisoners, a captain, a women , and a gentlemen have to survive each other, the cannibals,the mysteries of the islands, and getting out of the islands. The characters of this book are the son, the father,Midge, a mysterious women, Mr.Bullock and Captain Tim, but the major characters are the father and the son.
I liked the way the author used the islands mysteries to his advantage because he said that a dragon had appeared. Another reason is that the book said I saw shadows but they belong to no one I knew of.
A theme of the book is bravery because Midge and the son faced the cannibals and showed no sign of fear. If I faced cannibals I would be scared to death. Another theme is trust because in the book the father and the son had to trust a prisoner, a mysterious woman, a captain and a lazy gentleman. I would be kind of scared and worried if I had to trust these kind of people.
I would rate this book 4 cannibals out of 5 cannibals because the book is very difficult to understand what is happening. I would recommend to people who like adventurous and mysterious books. Read this book if not the cannibals will come after you.
Want to read
October 15, 2014 I just got done reading a book called “The Cannibals”. I like this one, it has a different kind of plot to it. It isn’t like most books. This book author is Iain Lawrence. The book stands out from the rest and very interesting to read. I do recommend this book to my peers and other people around me. It has surprising, shocking, gross parts to do it. Those are the kind of books I like reading about. This book is in my top 20 of books.
This boy Tom Tin gets accused of murder by someone in London. Tom was scared and didn’t know what to do. So what happen Tom makes his family move out of the city just in case someone comes looking for them. In the british law in the 1820’s convicts are shipped out on ship and they go to Australia. Tom is one of the people that are going to be shipped. This is called the “The seven years in chains” Tom’s father became his jailer and was soon caught.
This book makes you feel like you are with the character you sorta get attached to him, so if something dramatic happens you would feel it. I do recommend this to my peers around me. It’s a mystery, action pack, ETC. I like this book because it has a great plot to it and it makes you feel like you are with them. It’s really nothing what the title of the book says. Even the title alone grabs your attention.
There are also some things in the book I also didn’t like, but that is okay as well. Everyone has different taste in books. movies, games, ETC. The book gets a little confusing at times and you have to reread it a couple times just to understand it. I don’t like doing that. Also the book gets a little boring. But after that boring part of the book I am always wanting to know what happens more.
This boy Tom Tin gets accused of murder by someone in London. Tom was scared and didn’t know what to do. So what happen Tom makes his family move out of the city just in case someone comes looking for them. In the british law in the 1820’s convicts are shipped out on ship and they go to Australia. Tom is one of the people that are going to be shipped. This is called the “The seven years in chains” Tom’s father became his jailer and was soon caught.
This book makes you feel like you are with the character you sorta get attached to him, so if something dramatic happens you would feel it. I do recommend this to my peers around me. It’s a mystery, action pack, ETC. I like this book because it has a great plot to it and it makes you feel like you are with them. It’s really nothing what the title of the book says. Even the title alone grabs your attention.
There are also some things in the book I also didn’t like, but that is okay as well. Everyone has different taste in books. movies, games, ETC. The book gets a little confusing at times and you have to reread it a couple times just to understand it. I don’t like doing that. Also the book gets a little boring. But after that boring part of the book I am always wanting to know what happens more.
May 12, 2016
I’ve just started to read books by Iain Lawrence this year and they are amazing but this by far is my favorite. This book The Cannibals is another best selling book by Lawrence and is the second book in the Curse of the Jolly Stone Series. Again Lawrence does a great job creating an eerie atmosphere to show the most intense suspicion he can. Throughout the book I personally loved how mysterious some of the events and how some of the characters our. As I kept getting further and further into the book I loved it more and more.
One of my favorite parts that Lawrence did is include the subtle mysteries throughout this book. Like how Mr. Mullock’s name was kinda random but Lawrence kept dropping hints that it wasn’t until we finally found out what it meant. Since I read the first book in the series I liked the book a lot more. There was a lot of unsolved mysteries in the book for me that is what makes a mysterious book like this one so much better. There was only little parts of the book that were slow and a little bit boring but after those parts mostly at the beginning it is an excellent book.
I would strongly recommend this book and the entire series to anyone that loves mystery and suspense. This book also has quite a bit of action and danger which I liked a lot about it. This book is one of the best books I have read in a long time and I would highly encourage people who love mystery and suspense to read this and the whole series of The Curse of the Jolly Stone. Also make sure to check out other books and series by Iain Lawrence trust me they are good.
One of my favorite parts that Lawrence did is include the subtle mysteries throughout this book. Like how Mr. Mullock’s name was kinda random but Lawrence kept dropping hints that it wasn’t until we finally found out what it meant. Since I read the first book in the series I liked the book a lot more. There was a lot of unsolved mysteries in the book for me that is what makes a mysterious book like this one so much better. There was only little parts of the book that were slow and a little bit boring but after those parts mostly at the beginning it is an excellent book.
I would strongly recommend this book and the entire series to anyone that loves mystery and suspense. This book also has quite a bit of action and danger which I liked a lot about it. This book is one of the best books I have read in a long time and I would highly encourage people who love mystery and suspense to read this and the whole series of The Curse of the Jolly Stone. Also make sure to check out other books and series by Iain Lawrence trust me they are good.
August 28, 2013
drives you crazy with the worst and most hated characters which you want dead but don't die.
continuous action
like how the language used is of an authentic accent/pronunciation. not that i'm one to know.
uses real ship and sailor terminology.
quick page turner, not one you'll leave and come back to later. although sadly i read the first book a very long time ago and forgot most of it.
has it's illogical pieces, like why didn't they do this or why not that. some scenes i didn't fully capture in my head, maybe lack of spatial imagination.
this book was a full subway read.
continuous action
like how the language used is of an authentic accent/pronunciation. not that i'm one to know.
uses real ship and sailor terminology.
quick page turner, not one you'll leave and come back to later. although sadly i read the first book a very long time ago and forgot most of it.
has it's illogical pieces, like why didn't they do this or why not that. some scenes i didn't fully capture in my head, maybe lack of spatial imagination.
this book was a full subway read.
December 19, 2010
I liked it, but it didn't have as much suspense. Every time, it lasted for about a second. I don't remember more than two pages of the cannibals being there, so I don't think that it should be called that. Maybe it should be called Survival, just anything but the cannibals. Just my opinion. Like some other books that I hated, although I liked this one much better, the cover was better than the book. I wish that it was all about them hiding from horrible, bloodthirsty cannibals.
February 2, 2009
Y The second in a trilogy about 14 year Tom falsely put on a convict boat prison for boys and sent to Australia. This one is as spellbinding as the last with fast action, grisly details of 19th century life for convicts and the seafaring life including pirates, cannibals, etc. I would recommend this for boys in particular, 5th grade up.
November 30, 2010
Better than the first one and more time spent out at sea. A little intense and gruesome at the end when the actual cannibals show up. The background plot gets explained finally, Tom Tin becomes a lot smarter and more likeable throughout it, and the characters you hated from the first book survive and you hate them more all the time.
September 26, 2007
This book is awsome. The book is the next in the seris. the fisrt one is the convicts which is also very good.Cannibals is about a boy who is getting shiped to australia because of a crime he did not comit. The captian of the ship is his dad
September 17, 2009
The second book in the Jolly Stone trilogy. A definite recommend to those interested in seafaring in the south Pacific in the early 19th century. I like this of the three books the best. Lawrence is a decent storyteller and the story itself is quite adventurous, if not completely believable.
April 15, 2012
I really like these books! They are amazing, and mysterious all at the same time! Tis book is definitley for you if your into blood and gore. I can't wait to read the last in trilogy and am curious to see what becomes of Tom, or will the Jolly Stone curse still hauntt him forever?
February 20, 2013
I didn't like it as much as the first book because of the sad ending and that there were just so many sailor words. All I'm thinking is "That sounds like a torture device?!" I think that the overall message of this book was don't trust anyone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2014
I liked this book ok, it wasn't amazing but it didn't bore me. The topic was interesting but I feel like the writing style wasn't as good. I wish there was more description of what was happening and what things looked like. I sometimes felt lost because of lack in description
January 2, 2017
2nd in Trilogy. Ends with a cliffhanger. A very exciting read in the historical adventure genre. Supposed to be a book for middle schoolers but adults who enjoy historical fiction will find this one a very authentic read.
September 14, 2008
Continuation of The Convicts.
December 9, 2009
I loved this book so much!!! Though it was kind of creepy.
Read
April 5, 2010F LAW cotjs bk.2
February 24, 2012
Tom Tin and his crew sail to the legendary elephant island. Will they Make it out alive?
July 19, 2012
I loved this book because it was a "couldn't put it down" read. From escaping a ship to almost being eaten by cannibals. This book was so amazing everyone has to read it.
Read
November 19, 2012Really good
October 3, 2013
A good sequel even if it is a little bizarre. It is very suspenseful and it will keep you reading.
Read
August 26, 2011its a good book
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews