Nancy Kingston is in for a shock when her beloved father dies, and she travels to his plantation in the West Indies with her brother, leaving her childhood friend and betrothed behind. When arriving at the plantation, Nancy is shocked to discover her father was a keeper of slaves and her brother is attempting to marry her off to a cruel neighbor. Nancy and Minerva, a girl she befriends on the plantation, run away together and end up boarding a pirate ship in disguise, and start their life as high sea adventurers.

This book always gets 5/5 stars for me on the nostalgia level because I frickin loved this book as a young girl, and I still remember the thrills from when I initially read it, and marveled at this amazing, exciting life of female pirates.

Celia Rees expertly combines a story of two women who are struggling to find different kinds of freedom - Minerva freedom to be herself without suffering cruelty and racism, and Nancy a freedom to be herself away from the bindings of society. The friendship and sisterly bond between Nancy and Minerva is everything, and it is the main focal point of the story for me and romantic relationships are completely overshadowed by Nancy's love for Minerva which is fantastic.

While Celia Rees doesn't shy away from the cruelty and injustice of the time period - particularly the treatment of people of colour and the disgusting slave trade, there's definitely a sense of acceptance the older reader needs to have with the adventures Nancy and Minerva have as female pirates and the level of safety they appeared to have on board the ship, and the lack of injuries they obtained while fighting.

The book does slow down a bit near the middle, and the pace meanders for a while before picking back up, and the resolution and the ending of the 'villain' near the end all happens a little bit quickly.

But I absolutely love this book. Some amazing, strong female characters fighting for their right to be exactly who they are and I adore it. 100% recommend to everyone!