Mutiny's Daughter

by Ann Rinaldi

What if?

In the most famous mutiny in the world, Fletcher Christian risked imprisonment by leading a rebellion aboard the HMS Bounty in 1789. But what happened to Fletcher Christian after that? There were stories that he survived a vicious massacre in the South Pacific and boarded a ship back to England. We know that he had several children by his Polynesian wife, including a daughter named Mary. Could he and Mary have reunited in England?

Respected writer of historical fiction Ann Rinaldi brings her magic touch to the fascinating prospect “What if?” and weaves an enthralling tale told through the words of Fletcher Christian's fourteen-year-old daughter, Mary. Behind the privileged walls of her new boarding school, Mary struggles to fit in, trying not to reveal the identity of her father, who dishonored his family name.

Rollicking adventures await Mary as she ventures out into London's crowded streets, desperately searching to see her father's loving face one more time.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction, Teen, Young Adult Historical Fiction, Historical, Childrens

218 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Ann Rinaldi (b. August 27, 1934, in New York City) is a young adult fiction author. She is best known for her historical fiction, including In My Father's House, The Last Silk Dress, An Acquaintance with Darkness, A Break with Charity, and Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons. She has written a total of forty novels, eight of which were listed as notable by the ALA. In 2000, Wolf by the Ears was listed as one the best novels of the preceding twenty-five years, and later of the last one hundred years. She is the most prolific writer for the Great Episode series, a series of historical fiction novels set during the American Colonial era. She also writes for the Dear America series.

Rinaldi currently lives in Somerville, New Jersey, with her husband, Ron, whom she married in 1960. Her career, prior to being an author, was a newspaper columnist. She continued the column, called The Trentonian, through much of her writing career. Her first published novel, Term Paper, was written in 1979. Prior to this, she wrote four unpublished books, which she has called "terrible." She became a grandmother in 1991.

Rinaldi says she got her love of history from her eldest son, who brought her to reenactments. She says that she writes young adult books "because I like to write them."

Reviews

[Rebecca]

In her latest historical novel, Ann Rinaldi tells a "what-if" story. She imagines what might have happened had Fletcher Christian, who led the famous mutiny on the HMS Bounty, returned to England with Mary, his daughter by his Polynesian wife. Mary Christian is fourteen when this novel opens, and ever since she was brought to England at five years old, she has been forced to live a lie. Raised by her grandmother, she must tell anyone who asks that her uncle is her true father, for her grandmother cannot bear that the good name of the family be tarnished. When she is sent off to London to be educated in a school for girls from wealthy families, the secret of her true parentage becomes even harder to keep. At the same time, she longs to see her father again, but she knows she may never, for her went into hiding after leaving Mary with her grandmother, and she has not heard from him in all those nine long years.

Ann Rinaldi has a knack for taking lesser known stories from history and shaping them into fascinating historical novels, and she has done so again in Mutiny's Daughter. I highly recommend this book to all of her fans, and to new readers who enjoy historical fiction. I had never before heard of Mary Christian, but I found her story fascinating, and after reading this book, wished I could find out what really happened to her.

[Rebekah]

This book is the story of a young girl whose father is the famous mutineer Christian Fletcher. Mary never knew her father but she believes she sees him sometimes in the streets of London by her boarding school.

[Jeanine]

I love this book alot. But it has some challenging vocab for some people but not for me!

[Mara]

This is a wonderful "what if" story, filled with Rinaldi's classic historical detail, adding such life to her fiction that it's hard to pick the made-up from the facts. Mary is a very well balanced heroine, neither too forceful nor too meek, though perhaps a little too accepting of her situations at times. Still, she is a good narrator; one that doesn't get on one's nerves.

The only flaw with this particular Ann Rinaldi novel? Like all boarding-school stories, there is the jerky prim and proper girl who bullies everyone else and tries to ruin the heroine's life. Lizzy is an excellent bully - I hated her the moment she popped into the story, and she's especially fun to hate because she has nothing in her past to even slightly excuse her for her bad attitude; she simply is a jerk. But Mary never gets even with her; she never brings Lizzy down even a little bit. Oh, Lizzy doesn't exactly win, either, but when a story has the mean girl, every Reader wants something bad happen to her. And it never does.

So on that account, Mutiny's Daughter is disappointing. But in every other respect, it is one of Ann Rinaldi's finest.

[James Crawford]

The story takes place in 1808 and is based on The Mutiny on the Bounty, centering on Fletcher Christian, the leader of the mutiny, and his daughter. In the story, it's assumed that he survived a massacre on an island where he and other crew members had lived, and had somehow managed to get back to England with his daughter. She is attending school in London, but has had no contact with her father since being left with others.

The story gives some insight into how rough life was for those who lived on the streets of the time. It also tells the story (fictional) of her search for her father. It's not an overly-exciting story, but it's still well done and interesting.

[Peggy]

I knew about the "Mutiny on the Bounty" story but was not very familiar with what led to the mutiny. This book approaches the story from the viewpoint of Mary, the daughter of Fletcher Christian, leader of the mutiny,and speculates on what might have happened if father and daughter were reunited. This was an interesting perspective on the background of the mutiny and a reminder that our actions affect many people.

[Alyssa]

This book was defineately interesting! It was about the daughter of a mutineer that was brought to england. At first the book was quite dry and a bit boring, but keep reading 'cause it perks up some in the middle. The characters were fine, the plot was ok, and the setting was fine. It was almost a knockoff of "The Little Princess", but it was still good. Nothing made me really love or really hate this book so I'll give 3 stars.

[Debbie]

"Mutiny's Daughter" by Ann Rinaldi was a very poorly written novel that posed the question: what if Fletcher Christian from "The Mutiny on the Bounty" had had a daughter and returned her to England? The story rambled and never arrived at a satisfactory conclusion. The characters showed little development. And the plot was pointless. I was surprised at how awful the book was. I absolutely recommend moving past this book to something much better.

[Kelli]

As with any Ann Rinaldi book, you get the very best of research. This was one that I thought the concept and premise of the story seemed more exciting than the actual read. As I get older, I am getting to the point when I reread Ann Rinaldi's books, I am not satisfied with her endings in all her books.

[Jenny]

Mary Fletcher hides a secret past. Her father is Fletcher Christian, instigator of the mutiny aboard the Bounty. Now at school in London, Mary must pretend she is the daughter of her Uncle Charles. If anyone discovers her real identity, her family would be disgraced. Will Mary keep her secret, and will she ever see her father again?

[Sydney Reithinger]

I found this book to be interesting for a historical novel. I liked this book, but found it boring at some points. I enjoyed learning about a girl similar to my age living in London in the 1800s. It was interesting to hear how they spoke, acted, and dressed back then. I recommend this book to younger readers, as it is more of a children's book than an adult novel.

[Susie]

Enjoyable read.What if Fletcher Christian did survive the massacre on Pitcairn Island. He did have children by his Polynesian wife. What if his daughter Mary was sent to London? This book deals with how Mary learns to survive in a boarding school in London and how she longs to see her father just one more time.

[Michelle]

The "What if..." of the famous mutiny of the HMS Bounty in 1789 by Fletcher Christian. It follows the story of his daughter and her longing for a father, her journey of growing up and discovery. A fast, entertaining, sweet read.

[Dan Rogers]

Being familiar with both Ann Rinaldi and story of The Mutiny on the Bounty I just had to read this book. I true Ann Rinaldi fashion, this is such a wonderful "what if" story. As with all her works which I've read, this was very enjoyable and well done.

[Tracy]

Weak plot and characters.

[Clara]

kinda weird

[Karen Gibson]

another by one of my favorite authors--Ann Rinandi

[Jessie]

I love historical fiction but Mutiny's Daughter was not my cup of tea.

[Abbiey]

it was great and heartwarming

[Carol Hahn]

While the story was pleasant enough, I didn't find it as historically accurate as some of her other books. This was definitely a "what if...." story.

[Mary]

I always learn something when I read historical fiction.

[Angela Kinnett]

Loved this tale built upon an historical story. Ann turned her “What if?” Into an enjoyable story with a great ending.

[Karina Castro]

Cute, different, nice to read

[Xavy]

The first third of the book felt slow, reading to me like a journal of “this happened, then this, then this...” But I started to enjoy the story once Mary finally arrived at school in London. However, it all wraps up rather abruptly after a quick climactic scene. I would have rated it with 4 stars except for the sporadic references to the “second-sight” of two different characters. This made me uncomfortable and also had nothing to contribute to the story.

[Jolene Knighton]

So many other better novels out there. It was just o.k.