It would be hard living in the 1830s in England, but have to take a three month voyage to America, right? Well, that's what 13 year old Charlotte Doyle did…… except with no company on the ship other than the 12 mutinous, uprising crew members and the vicious captain who was out for blood. All the while, being charged and put in prison for a murder she didn’t commit. Just when Charlotte starts to know who to trust, the truth starts to peek out and she is left bewildered once again. If any of this sounds interesting, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle would be the perfect book to read.
Charlotte’s family goes ahead of her on a separate ship to America, but she stays behind so she can finish her school year, at “Barrington School for Better Girls”(2). A …show more content…
The horror and the emotion in this story will leave the reader on the edge of their seat. This historical novel gives an incredible idea of the difficulties of an ocean journey in 1830s. The novel also teaches about the importance of trust and that stereotypes are not always true. Believing everything that one might be told is not a good idea. Charlotte experiences this piece of wisdom first hand when deciding whether to trust Captain Jaggery,but later recalls to the crew members that she “hates him”(101). The author, Avi, is a strong, bold writer who shows emotion through the characters’ actions. It is so well-written and exciting that it could be finished in a day or so. Additionally, some honor books can be hard to understand, but this book is not one, despite the old-fashioned dialogue and all the complicated “ship” vocabulary. The book has a middle school reading level, but it is appropriate for all ages of about ten and up. If drama, adventure, mystery, and murder sound fascinating, then make sure to pick up a copy of The True Confessions of Charlotte