Rosemary Minns

Starting off in dismal circumstances in Ireland, Kath is found guilty of stealing, and is sentenced to indentured service in the Caribbean for 7 years. Her husband has died, one son has been hanged, and another sent to Virginia as punishment, plus she has narrowly escaped starvation. While sailing in tropical waters, the convicts' ship has wrecked and Kath is washed up alone and naked on a deserted island. Her rescue by Greville Knowles is just the beginning of her Bahamian life, which includes being taken in lovingly by Knowles's grandmother and a small island community, the destruction of that community by a Spanish sea captain who absconds with Kath, and the rescue by the pirate Ben Hornigold. In order to be protected from rape and violence at the hands of his pirate crew, Kath agrees to marry Hornigold and settle in Nassau, even though she has always loved Greville. This novel provides a fascinating glimpse into life in the 18th century, first in the utter poverty of the Irish under English rule, next in a tiny isolated Bahamian island community, and then in primitive Nassau dominated by the pirate community. The author has created main characters to care about, and Kath's adventures propel the story forward in a fast paced page-turner.… (meer)