The title is a little misleading - this book isn't just about female ship captains but about the history of women's involvement in all maritime occupations. From young women who disguised themselves as men to work on whaling boats or warships to the wives and daughters who managed the household and raised the family alone while their men were at sea, this book chronicle's women's unsung contribution to the nautical world.
Book #62 -- Jackson Pearce, Sweetly
When Gretchen was eight, she and her brother and her twin sister went looking for a witch in the woods. When they finally made their way home, Gretchen's sister had vanished. Haunted by the loss of their sister and plagued by nightmares of the yellow-eyed being who chased them, Gretchen and Ansel rely only on each other as first their mother, and then their father succumb to their grief. After being kicked out by their stepmother when Gretchen turns eighteen, the siblings travel cross-country looking for a new start. They find it in the small town of Live Oak, South Carolina, when their ancient car breaks down and local candy-maker Sophia takes them in. But something is not right in this small Southern town. Girls are disappearing and the locals blame Sophia, calling her a witch. Troubled by the similarity to her own childhood trauma, Gretchen is determined to find the truth about the disappearances and to vindicate Sophia, but as she digs deeper with the help of local outcast Samuel, she stumbles on more than she bargained for. This is a very interesting conflation of 'Hansel and Gretel' and 'Red Riding Hood' - the atmosphere is dark and perfect.
Progress toward goals: 236/365 = 64.7%
Books: 62/100 = 62.0%
Pages: 19469/30000 = 64.9%
2011 Book List
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