Westward Ho! or, the Voyages and Adventures of Sir Amyas Leigh, Knight, of Burrough

by Charles Kingsley, N.C. Wyeth (Illustrator)

From the coral reefs of the Barbados to the great sea battle with the Spanish Armada, this vibrant novel captures the daring spirit of Elizabethan adventurers who sailed with Sir Francis Drake.

Charles Kingsley wrote not only novels of action and romance, but stories for children (Water Babies) as well. His work still pulses with life and vitality.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Classics, Adventure, School, Literature, Historical

428 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1855

About the author

Charles Kingsley was an English clergyman, university professor, historian, and novelist, particularly associated with the West Country and north-east Hampshire.

He was educated at Helston Grammar School before studying at King's College London, and the University of Cambridge. Charles entered Magdalene College, Cambridge in 1838, and graduated in 1842. He chose to pursue a ministry in the church. From 1844, he was rector of Eversley in Hampshire, and in 1860, he was appointed Regius Professor of Modern History at the University of Cambridge.

His writing shows an impulse to reconfigure social realities into dream geographies through Christian idealism.

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this edition thinking my adult son would want it for his collection on behalf of his children of the Scribner's Classics. I'd never read it. Turns out he already has it. I read it with respect and pleasure, finding in it, along with the work of Kingsley's contemporary Captain Frederick Maryatt, a progenitor of later historical-adventure-romances e.g. Stevenson, R.P Blackmore, Sabatini in particular, Patrick O' Brien, J. Meade Falkner, C.S. Forester, and lesser-known books like John Inglesant, The Cloister and the Hearth, Martin Hyde the Duke's Messenger and Green Mansions (the last-named I've read only in the Classics Illustrated comic). It's a good Odyssey. I got tired of the rabid anti-Catholic rants, which I hope reflected more what Kingsley imagined protestants in the late 16th C to feel than what he himself as a clergyman and Oxonian believed. If you like the writers and books named above, this is a fun discovery. Oddly, the N.C. Wyeth illustrations in this edition (pub ca 1927) are not as vivid as most NC Wyeth. I don't know if it's reproduction artifact or if Wyeth didn't put as much into them as, say Treasure Island..

[Chelsea Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book much more than I expected. I read it alongside my middle school child as part of her homeschool curriculum called Amblesideonline. In addition to this book we read selections from nonfiction also about the same time period by Winston Churchill in History of the English Speaking People Volume 2, the Voyage Armada by David Howarth and Our Island Story by H.E. Marshall. Reading the chapter in Westward Ho about the Spanish Armada after just reading Howarths description of the events from the Spanish perspective in Voyage Armada was one of my top 25 literary experiences.

[hh · Rating 3 out of 5]

read for my nation, empire, and literature class. an english bestseller. fascinating from an historical and sociological perspective. an obviously nationalistic book. it was fun to write a paper on, though. and it made my recent robin hood obsession suddenly relevant.

[Stephanie C · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written in the 19th century, about the 16th century, this book was like a time travel device: I read views (from both the characters and the narrator) that were so different from my own and from what is considered acceptable in my time period/culture. It certainly made me think. And rage a little bit too. Lots of references to people and places that I had never heard of. A rather meandering approach to storytelling. A very challenging book, but I'm glad I finished it because I feel like it stretched my mind.

Also (this falls under the "raging" mentioned earlier), if a girl wants to marry someone, that's her own choice. It doesn't matter how many young men are in love with her: it's none of their business and they have no right to follow her half-way across the world to try break up the relationship. Hmph.

[Gavin Felgate · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, I didn't really get into this book until almost half-way through. The start seemed to be largely about Amyas Leigh, the protagonist, desiring to go to sea, and his romance with the character Rose.

The story really gets going after Amyas loses Roses to the main antagonist, Don Guzman, and the characters start buckling their swashes, and travelling across to the Americas and fighting the Spanish.

I found the imagery in the book to be incredible, with descriptions of Amyas sitting on deck with sea spray hitting him during Christmas Day and also the depiction of a journey through South America that comes later on in the book.

At times, this book felt really long-winded, with a lot of talking of events and several moments where it seemed to go for a long time without dialogue, but I was glad I kept going with this. I liked the way that the narrative included real-life historical events, including shocking chapters involving the Spanish Inquisition and an epic climactic scene portraying the battle against the Spanish Armada.

Don Guzman remained a constant presence throughout the story, but his conflict with Amyas was bought to an end in a way that I definitely had not expected.

Overall, a recommended book.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly amazing book. The writing style was very realistic and the book was very, very complete in that it had times of joy, sadness, romance, jealousy, and pretty much everything else. Amyas is a captain and adventurer during the time of the Spanish Main, and his Christian values and acts of selflessness are inspiring.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes reading true-life type books, with challenges, temptations, and other feelings that each of us feel throughout life. Great read.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so glad I took the time to read this book. There is so m much food for thought in these pages. I was leery of Kingsley's anti-Catholic bias going in, but while it did make me roll my eyes occasionally, I don't think it detracted from the story at all. I am really looking forward to reading this with my kids when the time comes.

[Juho Pohjalainen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one took a long while to get going, and felt even longer on account of its old-style writing and a great deal of prejudices and nationalism besides. But once it does pick up, it picks up.

I'm still not sure if it was worth it in the end, though.

[rockfortrookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has every possible human emotion that I can relate to every part of my life, and at the right proportion. Truly a magic portion!

[Claire Pratt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did it!! I survived somehow. If you enjoy not knowing what is happening and constantly being confused, this is the perfect book for you 😭 🤣 I am just glad to say I finished the book.

[R.K. Cowles · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars

[Remy Sexton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very fun book to read! There are a few dark themes of violence with the Spanish army, so I wouldn't recommend it for kids under 13. This is a very long book with a few slow spots, but over all, I really enjoyed reading it.

[Kellyn Roth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for school. It was all right, although I found it extremely boring.

[Abigail Whitcomb · Rating 3 out of 5]

AO Y8 ✔️

Wow, this one was a doozy! Kingsley has no lack for words! The beginning and the end were good- the middle was lengthy and I got lost several times. Probably won't re-read unless another child wants me to read it with him/her, but I am GLAD I kept with it and FINISHED!

[PaminKokomo]

Read to Olivia, AO8

[M-girl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful book, and I enjoyed it quite a lot. The story was sad but came out satisfactorily in the end. It is unfortunately preachy, always pitting the wonderful Protestant English against the terrible Catholic Spanish. (Note: This is not my opinion, but it was what the book seemed to be saying.)

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm no snob when it comes to old books, but the appeal of this one escapes me. Westward Ho! is the story of an Englishman, Amyas Leigh, who leaves his English town searching for maritime adventure and the chance to avenge a grudge. Kingsley completely avoids political correctness as he present the Spanish as beasts who care for nothing but themselves and their evil Papist religion. Amyas, having lost his brother and his true love to the Inquisition, chases a Spanish villain all over the world hoping to even the score. The writing style is florid and overly-emotional, and the plot is cheesy, especially the character of native girl Ayacanora, whose temptestuous, savage ways and broken English made Dempsey and I want to commit murder.

[Erin Winslow · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first read this in the 6th grade (in 1976) I absolutely LOVED it! The story had action, adventure, chivalry, a hopeless cause. . .what more could I want. After rereading the book in 2011 I can still enjoy it for the genre BUT it is so dripping with anti-catholicism, racism, and a colonial mentality that I could never recommend it to any kids! Take Westward Ho! for what it is: a 19th century writer's take on the 16th century. It is valuable as a primary source on 19th century popular literature and on the colonialist mindset so I would recommend this book with the cavaet that it is read by adults.

[Christofer Boeyink · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across a chapter of this book in a collection of adventure stories in a book appropriately titled, "The Book of Adventure," and realized that I had Westward Ho on my shelf (found it in my parent's attic). Thoroughly anti-Catholic, yet if one can get past that, it is truly a great adventure book. I found it fascinating as it is a 19th century view of the 16th century. Any male Anglophile will love this book. Not about the American West like I assumed.

[Dave T · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is basically a sea adventure novel that turns into a vengeance story set against an fascinating time in history (spanish inquisition, the new world).

Written by a Church of England priest during the 19th century, there are times where this reads like simply anti-catholic propaganda, but if you can get past that, you'll be rewarded with a brilliant story, unique, clear characters and a wonderful history lesson.

Well worth the read, despite its faults.

[Bethany · Rating 2 out of 5]

Blah. I'm not sure where to start. The writing style is not so great, good for the era though. The story is very prejudiced and is filled with hate. The message conveyed is best described as dour. You start life as a rock star and then chase after a certain thing, get denied it, and then end up blind and dependent on other people. Life's hard, get a helmet. Work hard, be passionate and at least you won't drown far away from home.

[Karen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm glad this is over. I guess it's a good example of mid-19th century pro-colonialist adventure fiction? The first half was not bad, but then the author's scorn for the indigenous people of South American really took over the dance floor and I stopped enjoying it.

[B. Scott Holmes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Swashbuckle from my childhood.

[Will Lyons · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a rewarding book! And yet, what a long read - coming to just under 700 pages. Charles Kingsley is a master of description and character understanding, describing the pastoral lands of Devon with as much clarity as the abundant jungles of South America, and allowing the characters of Amyas and Eustace Leigh to develop alongside one another - opposites of manly virtue and cowardly vice respectively. His historical knowledge is unparalleled, providing intricate immersion among the Elizabethan court culture of England and the Spanish settlement of the West Indies in the latter half of the book. With gripping naval action (most especially the Spanish Armada scenes towards the end), rousing pathos and intricate immersion and description, the pacing and variety of events in this book make it a masterpiece, and enshrine Kingsley at the forefront of Victorian writers. The plethora of heroes and rogues provides complex plot lines and engaging developments of motives and aspirations, making this book a study in humanity as well.

[Sandybeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a difficult book to read at times. I started it late in October as part of Victober. I had many other books on the go at the time so just dipped in and out. The writing took a while to get in to and the story was padded out to the degree that sometimes I literally lost the plot. I was somewhat overwhelmed with historical facts that I had little knowledge of and felt guilty at the lack of teachings of my own country’s history. That saying, parts of the story were very exciting , especially the last third of the book. I enjoyed Amyas’ adventures across South America and his heroics in the Armada. It has certainly encouraged me to learn more about that period of history. This novel forms part of the Ambleside Online curriculum for 14-15 year olds and was written as a children’s book. I am in awe of any child that has read it!

[Toryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not sure what to think of this book. It’s the sort of book that the characters are just SO mean, disregarding and looking down upon other “kinds” of people - the Spaniards, Catholics, natives, you name it. It’s all that can be expected, since the book was written a while ago, but still. Hard to look past the awful views of people. The point of the book was basically a bunch of sailors trying to track down a girl who they were all in love with? And ended with the English beating Spain in some sort of war? And in the end the main character goes blind and marries a Spanish girl even though originally he wouldn’t even think about it since he couldn’t bear the thought of having children with Spanish blood? Anyway, I feel like Amyas’s mother, Mrs. Leigh, was the best and probably only lovely person in the book.

[Eva Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I say, is there anything grander than being an EnglishMAN under the good queen Bess? Not according to Charles Kingsley. For a modern reader the plot is slow moving and the characters very black or white, and painfully long winded in their speech.

Still, it was an interesting window to how people were thinking, not during the reign of Elizabeth I, but in the late 1800's. Regardless of all the worrisome things happening in Europe today, at least I expect most people to disagree with most of Kingsley's values.

[Elizabeth]

I don't think I've ever read such a vile book. I don't really know why I plodded on to the end, except that I'm a Completer-Finisher and I'm doing the Reading Challenge this year and had to get to 52 books... Of course one has to understand the cultural context that a work of literature is written in and so casual racism and sexism can be a part of a writer's unquestioned worldview. Nevertheless the way that non-white characters were written was particularly offensive, and above this I've never read a book with such vicious anti-Catholicism. Not an enjoyable read.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did start this in February. I’d pick it up and stop for long lengths of time. The first part of this book was a slog to get through, with one brilliant gem of a story of survival and heartache. After about half way the entire storyline picks up. I don’t really think I could give this classic of classics lass then 4 star because the brilliance of his writing is beyond anything I could imagine. He sets the stage beautifully and takes me to another place and time entirely. It has all the makings of a sea faring voyage of chivalry, bravery, woes, revenge and discovery. Westward Ho!

[Quinta23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me la recomendaron como un clásico de las novelas de piratas y aventuras, y ciertamente lo es.

Además es nacionalismo inglés en cada capítulo, una loa constante a la Reina Virgen, y a sus honorables capitanes como Drake, que no hacen ascos al saqueo.

Por contraste destaca la visión de España y los españoles del siglo XVI. Malos, como el demonio y papistas a más no poder.

No obstante, coincido en que es una fantasía histórica muy entretenida y recomendable.