This was an enticing, quick read about a pirate’s life story. His name is Alberto. As a young gardener subject to a rich girl’s amusement, his life is about to take a turn for the worse. Bonita, the girl whom he must amuse at all times, is his love interest. Being rich and a little older than he is, he’s quick to idealize her. She represents things he will never have – comfort, wealth, stability. After he’s caught kissing her by her mother, Bonita accuses him of doing it against her will. As punishment, he’s soon enlisted in the navy as a cook. When pirates capture the ship, they decide to keep him alive since he can cook well. After the pirate ship’s captain is killed, the crew picks Alberto as his successor, as he has been voted “the least likely person to get everyone killed.” His life is never an easy one yet he views much of the events with humour.

I’ve always enjoyed the age of sail and the life of pirates is certainly interesting to imagine. You can also tell that the author has done a lot of research on the time period and you can’t help but wonder if there’s some truth to the story he’s written. The love story between Alberto and Bonita is cruel. What this book does show is the stark contrast between wealthy and poor, especially back then.

This was a great read and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction – or any great story with some tongue in cheek humour.