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The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
by
An ocean voyage of unimaginable consequences... Not every thirteen-year-old girl is accused of murder, brought to trial, and found guilty. But I was just such a girl, and my story is worth relating even if it did happen years ago. Be warned, however: If strong ideas and action offend you, read no more. Find another companion to share your idle hours. For my part I intend t
...more
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Mass Market Paperback, 278 pages
Published
September 2nd 2003
by Avon Books
(first published 1990)
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Andrew
This answer contains spoilers…
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Lindsey
Nope, it takes place in 1832.
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
This book just flashed into my mind this evening unbidden. I can't believe how completely I had forgotten it. But for several years after I just started to read YA novels, I thought this book was the epic shit. And it has a heroine! And she's good for something besides good manners! Either this is way out of character for me, or perhaps as a ten year old I wasn't a cranky misogynist (unlikely).
I also read some of the other reviews here for this book, and I have to say, on behalf of ten year-old ...more
I also read some of the other reviews here for this book, and I have to say, on behalf of ten year-old ...more
Middle school girls who know nothing whatsoever of history will undoubtedly find this book utterly enthralling. I won't deny that the story is paced well and the prose is well constructed. The problem is, it has no internal integrity. Books with talking animals and intergalactic travel require less suspension of disbelief. Charlotte makes a completely implausible personality shift. An etiquette-obsessed, "well-bred," snobbish, wealthy Victorian girl, in a fit of remorse, suddenly rejects her soc
...more
Jul 26, 2007
Margaret Chind
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
harpertrophy,
ages-8-to-12,
ages-13-and-up,
favorites,
award-winners,
lexile-740l,
ar-8,
mp-sixth-grade
When I was about 12 or 13 years old I read this book. Before this book, I had read all other required material but was not a passionate or avid reader. After this book I have a passion for reading and literature that is very strong. I love the adventure and the imaginative dreams that follow such an adventure. There are so many books that my mind is open up to now, and I really cannot imagine the idea of not loving to read.
If you have a pre-teen girl, that does not like to read currently... I st ...more
If you have a pre-teen girl, that does not like to read currently... I st ...more
Mar 02, 2013
Erin
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
adventure lovers of any age
Shelves:
books-i-own
A sailor chooses the wind that takes the ship from a safe port.Ah, yes, but once you're abroad, as you have seen, winds have a mind of their own. Be careful, Charlotte, careful of the wind you choose.
One of my all time favorite books from my childhood. Imagine that paperbacks like this one used to cost Canadians only 4.99! Awww... the 90's! I was a huge fan of Avi when I was in grades 4-6 and The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle was my #1 favorite. I decided to read it to my secondary 1-2 ...more
One of my all time favorite books from my childhood. Imagine that paperbacks like this one used to cost Canadians only 4.99! Awww... the 90's! I was a huge fan of Avi when I was in grades 4-6 and The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle was my #1 favorite. I decided to read it to my secondary 1-2 ...more
I adored this book as a teen. Maybe it stretches credulity now. But it fired my imagination and made me want to find more books about girls who went adventuring in historical times, and for that I love it.
Jun 17, 2007
RachelAnne
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Adventure-hungry middle school girls.
Avi is an incredibly accomplished author, and this smoothly written work is well-constructed with a good dose of adventure. However, I disliked the heroine intensely and found it extremely implausible that a young lady of her disposition and upbringing should so utterly and permanently reject nearly all societal mores and roles she was taught to revere in such a short time period. Moreover, it was absolutely unbelievable that the crew would accept her offer to work as a sailor. I thought Charlot
...more
Jul 13, 2018
Leona Petrovic
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
library-books
If I had known how awesome this book is, I might have read it sooner. To be fair, I didn't even know this book existed until recently. It's one of those books in my library that I hadn't noticed, and probably wouldn't have noticed if my sister and friend hadn't read it, loved it and started urging me to pick it up. I'm so glad I listened to their advice and I seriously regret not picking this up sooner!!
This book is SO entertaining and so brilliant and just so good. It's historical fiction, but ...more
This book is SO entertaining and so brilliant and just so good. It's historical fiction, but ...more
Dec 03, 2007
Sandi
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Ages 10 & up
Shelves:
historical-fiction
Set in England in the 1830’s, this high suspense historical fiction story takes place on a ship carrying thirteen year-old Charlotte Doyle, a young lady of proper upbringing, home to her family in Providence, Rhode Island. There is high suspense as the tale unfolds and Charlotte is accused of murder. Charlotte learns a valuable lesson about not judging people based on first impressions or positions of authority. The book has won many awards including the Boston Globe – Horn Book Award, Newberry
...more
“A sailor chooses the wind that takes the ship from a safe port. Ah, yes, but once you're abroad, as you have seen, winds have a mind of their own. Be careful, Charlotte, careful of the wind you choose.”
― Avi, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
Honestly? I am in love..with this book.
So we all read and read and as each new year starts I know for me, I look forward to finding, not just books I like but maybe a few that I c an adore...you know what I mean don't you? It's why we read..always lo ...more
― Avi, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
Honestly? I am in love..with this book.
So we all read and read and as each new year starts I know for me, I look forward to finding, not just books I like but maybe a few that I c an adore...you know what I mean don't you? It's why we read..always lo ...more
Is it possible that I have never reviewed this book?! Or maybe I've just reviewed another edition? Whatever the case, this book is fantastic! A young, respectable girl returning from her English boarding school to her home in Massachusetts ends up caught in the middle of a mutiny, and pressed into service as a sailor. Wonderfully descriptive, with meticulous detail about life on board a ship, readers of all ages and sexes can enjoy this book.
This book represents so much of my middle school years, and so many day-dreams, that I hardly know where to begin with it. I love this story. In my imagination, I've written countless sequels. Charlotte is my friend and playfellow and her fellow sailors remain some of my favorite people. This book will always be near and dear to my heart.
Dec 31, 2015
Faith M ✨
rated it
it was ok
Shelves:
historical,
get-thee-behind-me-satan,
middle-grade,
soulless,
mc-gurl,
1st-person,
backpack,
2-stars
I was forced to read this in the 6th grade and I couldn't stand Charlotte Doyle and the sheer unbelievability that this loser 12 year old participated in a mutiny and became the captain of a ship.
It is 1832 and thirteen year old Charlotte Doyle is making her way to her family’s home in Rhode Island from England, having finished her schooling. The voyage does not have an auspicious beginning – the two families who were meant to travel with her do not appear, so she is left without a guardian or supervision on board a merchant vessel whose captain everyone seems to want to avoid.
The environment of the ship is new and scary but, although frightened, Charlotte keeps her wits and her manners ...more
The environment of the ship is new and scary but, although frightened, Charlotte keeps her wits and her manners ...more
When 13-year-old Charlotte Doyle embarks on a voyage across the Atlantic, little does she know that she is about to have the adventure of her life. The ship on which she sails is led by a ruthless captain and a disgruntled crew who would like nothing better than to mutiny. As unrest and danger begin to grow onboard, Charlotte must let go of her prim and proper upbringing and take sides before she herself becomes a victim of the sea.
This book is one of my top 5 favorite MG books of all time. The ...more
This book is one of my top 5 favorite MG books of all time. The ...more
I remembered very little of this book from my childhood and it was so fun to revisit it with my girls!
I have now read this novel, well, 13 times. Wait! Thirteen times? How can that be? And why? This novel is okay, but it is definitely not of a "read thirteen times" caliber.
The first reading was when I was a sixth grade student; it was a class novel. Inspired by the novel, my classmates and I signed a round robin in an attempt to overthrow our teacher. We knew that the crew was on to something, and like them, we were dissatisfied with our "captain". And, like the crew, we failed. After scribblin ...more
The first reading was when I was a sixth grade student; it was a class novel. Inspired by the novel, my classmates and I signed a round robin in an attempt to overthrow our teacher. We knew that the crew was on to something, and like them, we were dissatisfied with our "captain". And, like the crew, we failed. After scribblin ...more
This isn't something I would have read if the librarian hadn't handed it to me, but I'm glad she did. Charlotte's struggle to decide who to trust was intriguing, and the description of the ship, complete with an appendix and drawings was excellent. It was an exciting and also thoughtful book.
I think I regret rereading this. I read this originally at 13, so Charlotte's age, and chaffing for something other then Fear Street, Sweet Valley, Poirot and Anne McCaffrey.
This felt like a breathe of fresh air and I am indebted to it for the simple fact it gave me a reason to broaden my reading horizons to historical fiction (mostly of the romance kind).
But n this reread - the first time in 21 years I've picked the book up again - I was so uttetly bored I worried I had read a different book as ...more
This felt like a breathe of fresh air and I am indebted to it for the simple fact it gave me a reason to broaden my reading horizons to historical fiction (mostly of the romance kind).
But n this reread - the first time in 21 years I've picked the book up again - I was so uttetly bored I worried I had read a different book as ...more
loved avi's city of orphans! hope i'll like this as much :D
super-short review
loved charlotte's character development! also zachariah's my new favorite character - he's such a kind and gentle man. :D
super-short review
loved charlotte's character development! also zachariah's my new favorite character - he's such a kind and gentle man. :D
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Jan 09, 2008
Lisa
rated it
it was ok
Recommends it for:
children who will grow up to read Harlequin romances
Shelves:
childrensbooksforadults
This book is also part of my Newbery quest. To be honest, I don't know how this book won. It reminded me of nothing so much as a sanitized Moll Flanders for children (no prostitution). It has that antiquated-pulp feel, implausible and sensationalistic. No child of her age in that era would have been sent to travel alone without a chaperone, there would have been a backup plan if anything went wrong, neither the story nor Charlotte's physical and personal changes could have occurred in the less t
...more
At first, the main character, Charlotte, really made me annoyed. But in the end...I really liked her.
Oct 17, 2019
Abby
added it
This book is Great! There is a lot of suprises throughout the book and if you like mystery then this is the book for you.
So so SO should have left this as a fond memory rather than attempt to re-read this.
I didn’t realize how important Avi and his books were to me as a young girl until I met him at an ALA conference one year and I just BURST into tears and I couldn’t speak, at all, let alone coherently. I scared the poor man. Which surprised me, because don’t all women of my age cry all over him, gasping about how important his books were to them when they were little girls?
So imagine my absolute dread and horro ...more
I didn’t realize how important Avi and his books were to me as a young girl until I met him at an ALA conference one year and I just BURST into tears and I couldn’t speak, at all, let alone coherently. I scared the poor man. Which surprised me, because don’t all women of my age cry all over him, gasping about how important his books were to them when they were little girls?
So imagine my absolute dread and horro ...more
For the twelve year old girl who first read this it is still a thrilling 5 star read.
For the almost 40 year old re-reading it, it is far fetched with a highly unbelievable plot and flat characterization.
For the almost 40 year old re-reading it, it is far fetched with a highly unbelievable plot and flat characterization.
This book definitely had a good plot, it was not my style of book! Also, the book kind of got off to a very slow start.
This book was fantastic to read! If you like ships and sailors you have to read this!
This was an ok book, it was well written but it wasn't really my favorite genre.
May 26, 2013
Amy Gonzalez
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
middle schoolers into adventure books
Mutiny! A hurricane at sea! A 13 year old girl in a tall ship surrounded by seasoned and brutish sailors! This book definitely has some exciting elements going for it. Yet, it all falls sort of flat.
A big reason for this is because the protagonist, Charlotte Doyle, is a weak character. Ironically, the book is structured according to her character development. In Part One, she is a snobby girl concerned with manners and status who looks down upon the crew. In Part Two, she is wearing a sailor's ...more
A big reason for this is because the protagonist, Charlotte Doyle, is a weak character. Ironically, the book is structured according to her character development. In Part One, she is a snobby girl concerned with manners and status who looks down upon the crew. In Part Two, she is wearing a sailor's ...more
May 29, 2007
Chelsea
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
teens, lovers of piratesque books
I have read this book so many times. Once I start it, I absolutely can't put it down. I started out borrowing it from my library all the time, until finally I found my own copy. It's my favorite book by Avi, who is truly a very gifted storyteller.
The book focuses on 13-year-old Charlotte Doyle, making the passage (alone) from England to Providence, Rhode Island, to be reunited with her family. They've taken care of all the arrangements, booking her passage aboard the Seahawk. But from the momen ...more
The book focuses on 13-year-old Charlotte Doyle, making the passage (alone) from England to Providence, Rhode Island, to be reunited with her family. They've taken care of all the arrangements, booking her passage aboard the Seahawk. But from the momen ...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patricia Bergmen - Review 7 | 1 | 2 | Nov 08, 2019 08:41PM | |
| What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Girl runs away with pirates. [s] | 6 | 26 | Feb 01, 2018 05:40PM | |
| Great Middle Grad...: * BOTM for September is True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle | 20 | 49 | Oct 08, 2017 06:26AM | |
| What's the Name o...: Please help me remember this book. | 7 | 50 | Jul 04, 2017 09:12PM |
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Avi is a pen name for Edward Irving Wortis, but he says, "The fact is, Avi is the only name I use." Born in 1937, Avi has created many fictional favorites such as
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle,
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and the Crispin series. His work is popular among readers young and old.
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7 trivia questions
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“A sailor chooses the wind that takes the ship from a safe port. Ah, yes, but once you're abroad, as you have seen, winds have a mind of their own. Be careful, Charlotte, careful of the wind you choose.”
—
128 likes
“A sailor may choose the wind to ride out of seaport, but the wind has a mind of it's own.”
—
29 likes
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