Bloody Jack (Bloody Jack #1)
by
L.A. Meyer
Life as a ship's boy aboard HMS Dolphin is a dream come true for Jacky Faber. Gone are the days of scavenging for food and fighting for survival on the streets of eighteenth-century London. Instead, Jacky is becoming a skilled and respected sailor as the crew pursues pirates on the high seas.
There's only one problem: Jacky is a girl. And she will have to use every bit of h...more
There's only one problem: Jacky is a girl. And she will have to use every bit of h...more
Paperback, 320 pages
Published
June 10th 2010
by Graphia
(first published June 6th 2002)
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Oct 12, 2007
Debbie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
historical fiction; mystery; action adventures all in one
Shelves:
teen,
historical_fiction
I loved this book. REminds me of the True COnfessions of Charolotte Doyle, btu for an older reader... From School Library Journal Grade 6-8-With the plague running rampant in London in 1797, Mary's parents and sister are soon counted among the dead. Left alone and penniless, the eight-year-old is taken in by a gang of orphans and learns survival skills. However, when their leader is killed, Mary decides to try her luck elsewhere. She strips the dead body, cuts her hair, renames herself Jack Fabe...more
Aug 03, 2007
Jeanne
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
All me mates
Shelves:
young-adult
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I love, love, LOVE all of the Bloody Jack books. She does edge a little into Mary Sue territory at times, but not in typical ways for a female character. She's kind of like an adolescent female version of Jack Ryan (Patriot Games, etc).
Sangat mudah menemukan anak-anak jalanan di hampir setiap sudut jalan-jalan di Jakarta, sepertinya di banyak kota di Indonesia. Ada yang jadi pengemis, pengamen, pedagang asongan, dan pedagang koran. Kebanyakan, dipaksa untuk melakukan pekerjaan itu, baik oleh orang tuanya ataupun oleh orang lain yang “menyewa” mereka. Tapi, tidak sedikit juga yang memang melakukan pekerjaan itu karena ingin membantu orang tau dalam memenuhi kebutuhan hidup keluarga, atau bisa juga karena mereka memang sudah tid...more
Apr 19, 2008
Caitlin
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
My family and Friends
Recommended to Caitlin by:
Mom
Shelves:
read-for-schoolwork
Summary: Life changes forever when Mary’s family dies of Cold and hunger....
Mary finds herself in the streets of London with only the clothes on her back, which are soon stolen by a gang of urchins, who then adopt her into their group. Charlie, Polly, Judy, Nancy, and Hugh teach Mary how to survive on the streets. Begging, thieving, and running from the law become second nature to her. Then someone murders Charlie and Mary decides life is far too dangerous for a girl, so she disguises herself as...more
Mary finds herself in the streets of London with only the clothes on her back, which are soon stolen by a gang of urchins, who then adopt her into their group. Charlie, Polly, Judy, Nancy, and Hugh teach Mary how to survive on the streets. Begging, thieving, and running from the law become second nature to her. Then someone murders Charlie and Mary decides life is far too dangerous for a girl, so she disguises herself as...more
Feb 13, 2009
Emily Mcelveen
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone with a love for stories filled with adventure, fights, foul play, and the ocean
Shelves:
book-club
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Jul 25, 2008
Gina Weibel
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
teen-youth,
adults-will-enjoy
This book is about as much fun as Harry Potter...a coming of age story for a child with the odds stacked against her. And yes, BONUS, the heroine is a girl. I found it to be an engaging read with a novel setting and story line (for me). I'm so happy I picked up on the series!
Jun 13, 2007
Anita
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
childrens-juniorfiction
What a romp! Great fun.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I thoroughly enjoyed at least the first half of this, and enjoyed many bits after, so I'd rather give three and a half stars if I could...
Know all those great old ballads where the girl cuts off her hair, sometimes binds up her breasts and goes off to sea? With never a mention of how the hell she's going to continue to pass for a boy on a ship full of sailors - no private bedrooms or nice, locking toilets? Well, this book has the same plotline, except the heroine more sensibly gets taken on as a...more
Know all those great old ballads where the girl cuts off her hair, sometimes binds up her breasts and goes off to sea? With never a mention of how the hell she's going to continue to pass for a boy on a ship full of sailors - no private bedrooms or nice, locking toilets? Well, this book has the same plotline, except the heroine more sensibly gets taken on as a...more
After the death of her parents and little sister, Mary Faber is turned out on the streets of London where she bands together with other orphans to beg and steal to stay alive. When the gang’s leader is bludgeoned to death in an alley, she decides it’s time to change her living conditions. Removing his knife and clothes from his dead body she cuts off most of her hair; changes her outfit, and heads for the docks. There H.M.S. Dolphin is taking on cabin boys. She tells the recruiters that she can...more
Sep 10, 2008
Allison
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
everyone possible!
Shelves:
audiobooks
Meyer, L.A. Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy, 320 pgs. Harcourt, Inc.; Language~PG-13, Sexual Content~PG-13; Violence~PG-13
Life in the 18th century England was not kind to many. Poverty, sickness, violence, and filth abounded. Mary Faber lost her mother, father, and little sister to the pestilence one summer and was drafted into a gang of street urchins. Thus begins Mary’s life of crime and begging. After the violent death of her gang’s r...more
Life in the 18th century England was not kind to many. Poverty, sickness, violence, and filth abounded. Mary Faber lost her mother, father, and little sister to the pestilence one summer and was drafted into a gang of street urchins. Thus begins Mary’s life of crime and begging. After the violent death of her gang’s r...more
The audio version of this book does exactly what an audio version should do - it not only gives voice to a darn good story, but it carries the reader/listener into the heart of the story. The audio version helps interpret the dialect that the story is written in, which also helps give Jacky her character in a palpable way. This book is made for audio - it has action, adventure, and emotion, all of which are vividly portrayed by the narrator (I forget her name right now, but I'll look it up.) All...more
First review: I loved this book. There's some romance, a lot of cussing' and some action too! I just loved it and can't wait to start on the next one in the series. I enjoyed how it was written in a way that showed her accent and progressed as she started to talk more properly. A must read for adventure and pirate lovers.
2nd review:
Why I read this: This is actually a reread for me. I love these books and decided that this year it was time to catch up on the last two books out that I haven't rea...more
2nd review:
Why I read this: This is actually a reread for me. I love these books and decided that this year it was time to catch up on the last two books out that I haven't rea...more
Apr 03, 2011
Alethea
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
girl sailors and plucky orphans
Recommended to Alethea by:
Kristen Nielsen
Shelves:
audiobook,
young-adult,
series,
romance,
melodrama,
page-turner,
funny,
historical,
favorites,
nautical,
pirates,
re-read,
awesome
Re-read on 3/31-4/3... still awesome.
Re-reading 5/4/09 (cannot freaking wait for Mississippi Jack audio)
Once I got past the sad beginning, it was un-put-downable. If that can be said of an audiobook. I'm too tired to think right now. But not too tired to download the rest of the series.
Mary "Jacky" Faber is an orphan, reluctant beggar/thief, book lover, musician, seamstress, salty sailor, and cross-dresser--masquerading as a boy on H.R.M.S. Dolphin, she figures a death by drowning is preferable...more
Re-reading 5/4/09 (cannot freaking wait for Mississippi Jack audio)
Once I got past the sad beginning, it was un-put-downable. If that can be said of an audiobook. I'm too tired to think right now. But not too tired to download the rest of the series.
Mary "Jacky" Faber is an orphan, reluctant beggar/thief, book lover, musician, seamstress, salty sailor, and cross-dresser--masquerading as a boy on H.R.M.S. Dolphin, she figures a death by drowning is preferable...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Honestly didn't think I would like this one--you know, cause I get seasick, and this being a story about sailors and ships.
Jacky Faber has wonderful characteristics: strong female, too much pride for her own good, and clever. Her voice stays with you long after you close the book.
The only thing that bothered me (and this is going to sound really stupid) are the run-on sentences. I hope I'll get used to it with the next installment.
My favorite line: "The Captain is so happy, he's forgivin' you fo...more
Jacky Faber has wonderful characteristics: strong female, too much pride for her own good, and clever. Her voice stays with you long after you close the book.
The only thing that bothered me (and this is going to sound really stupid) are the run-on sentences. I hope I'll get used to it with the next installment.
My favorite line: "The Captain is so happy, he's forgivin' you fo...more
This series comes highly recommended from Mimal
Audio book
Absolutely wonderful story of a young girl who disguises herself as a boy to become a ship's boy on HMS The Dolphin. Story is well narrated and the narrator captures the young girl's observations well. I found myself smiling and laughing at Jackie's many adventures. Well done.
Recommended for middle grades and higher.
Absolutely wonderful story of a young girl who disguises herself as a boy to become a ship's boy on HMS The Dolphin. Story is well narrated and the narrator captures the young girl's observations well. I found myself smiling and laughing at Jackie's many adventures. Well done.
Recommended for middle grades and higher.
This is definitely a book for the younger reader, but adults will find much here to capture their interest, as well.
Mary, orphaned at a young age, survives on the streets of eighteenth century Britain with other orphans. Until the death of her friend (her gang's boss and her protector) sends her looking for another life. She's always dreamed of sailing, so that's what she sets out to do. Reading being a rare skill for the lower classes in that time, her ability gains her a place as a ship's boy...more
Mary, orphaned at a young age, survives on the streets of eighteenth century Britain with other orphans. Until the death of her friend (her gang's boss and her protector) sends her looking for another life. She's always dreamed of sailing, so that's what she sets out to do. Reading being a rare skill for the lower classes in that time, her ability gains her a place as a ship's boy...more
Mar 11, 2009
Eva Mitnick
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction,
ya
I don't know why I resisted reading this series for so long. My own daughter, who shares many of my reading tastes, adores it despite the fact that it is not fantasy (this in itself should have told me something).
Suffice it to say, this tale, narrated by Jack Faber (London street urchin turned salty sea dog), is a rip-roaring sea adventure with plenty of heart besides. Jack happens to be a girl (Mary) but must masquerade as a boy to gain a berth aboard the HMS Dolphin in the latter part of the...more
Suffice it to say, this tale, narrated by Jack Faber (London street urchin turned salty sea dog), is a rip-roaring sea adventure with plenty of heart besides. Jack happens to be a girl (Mary) but must masquerade as a boy to gain a berth aboard the HMS Dolphin in the latter part of the...more
Oh, I am so disappointed! "Bloody Jack" was terrible. When I was checking it out, the librarian said something like "Bloody Jack! That's a wonderful book!". I'll never listen to her again; I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
Positives:
1) A strong anti-rape, anti-sodomy and anti-bully theme.
2) A strong sense of self, as in determining on your own how to act and what to do.
3) A reading-is-good message.
4) A balance of good male characters vs. bad male characters.
Negatives:
1)Older subject...more
Positives:
1) A strong anti-rape, anti-sodomy and anti-bully theme.
2) A strong sense of self, as in determining on your own how to act and what to do.
3) A reading-is-good message.
4) A balance of good male characters vs. bad male characters.
Negatives:
1)Older subject...more
On page one of L.A. Meyer’s book Bloody Jack, Mary Faber’s entire family suddenly dies, she is thrown in the street and is left with nothing. “on That Dark Day when my poor dad died of pestilence and the men dragged him out of our rooms and down the stairs, his poor head hanging between his shoulders,... and Mum no help, she bein’ sick, too,...”(L.A. Meyer pg. 1). She soon falls into the hard life of a street urchin in London during the eighteen hundreds. She scavenges for food and shelter and o...more
This series is one of my favorites.
In Bloody Jack we are introduced to Mary Faber, a young girl who is orphaned in England early in the 19th century. Where many in her circumstance would die, she does not. She finds a way to make her way in the world. Although the world she finds herself literally tossed into without a second thought, into a world that is cruel and often pitiless, she finds herself a family among others who share her circumstances, which she does her best to rise above. When di...more
In Bloody Jack we are introduced to Mary Faber, a young girl who is orphaned in England early in the 19th century. Where many in her circumstance would die, she does not. She finds a way to make her way in the world. Although the world she finds herself literally tossed into without a second thought, into a world that is cruel and often pitiless, she finds herself a family among others who share her circumstances, which she does her best to rise above. When di...more
Jan 19, 2013
Angela
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2011,
british-ir-project
When 12-year-old Mary Faber is orphaned by the plague in London during the 1700s, she is left to fend for herself on the streets. She first runs with a street gang made up of other children in her predicament, but a tragic opportunity takes her to the docks disguised as a boy. Because she can read, Mary is taken onto a British military ship as a ship’s boy. As the soldiers hunt pirates over the next two years, Mary, now Jack, must hide her changing body from the other ships boys, avoid a few abu...more
Tragedy is one of the most inspiring forces in a person’s life. When people are faced with tragedy, they try to escape, to change, to forgive, and to forget. People try to start their lives anew so that their grief doesn’t consume them. This is all too true for a certain girl whose life spirals steadily downward as she watches her family and her friends stolen from her by death. Her tragic life leads her to the docks where she tries to escape and make a life of her own, however this time as a bo...more
I love me some Napoleonic War era British Navy fiction (how's that for a specialized taste) and this fits the bill nicely even if it does stretch the bounds of reality. It is told in the voice of 12-14 year old Jacky Faber, who in order to escape life on the streets in late eighteenth century England, pretends to be a boy in order to get a berth as Ships Boy on a royal navy ship. Adventures ensue.
This is definitely young adult fiction so nothing too complex but its a fun rollicking adventure.
J...more
This is definitely young adult fiction so nothing too complex but its a fun rollicking adventure.
J...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teens @ Pewaukee ...: Bloody Jack: Book Club, November 2012 | 1 | 6 | Nov 01, 2012 05:34pm | |
| Wild Things: YA G...: Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer | 27 | 281 | Jul 20, 2011 06:15pm |
Louis A. Meyer is best known as the author of the Bloody Jack novels. He is also a painter and the author of two children's picture books, and he and his wife own an art gallery called Clair de Loon in Bar Harbor.
More about L.A. Meyer...
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“What's the matter Jaimy? Ain't-cha never seen a girl before?
-Jacky Faber”
—
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-Jacky Faber”
“men i swear."
-jacky faber”
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