A True Account by Katherine Howe #bookreview #audiobook

Thank you Libro.fm / Macmillan Audio, for the ALC and Henry Holt and Co, #partner for the advanced copy of A True Account in exchange for my honest review.

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co / Macmillan Audio

Published: November 21, 2023

 

Summary:

From New York Times bestselling author Katherine Howe comes a daring first-hand account of one young woman’s unbelievable adventure as one of the most terrifying sea rovers of all time.

In Boston, as the Golden Age of Piracy comes to a bloody close, Hannah Masury – bound out to service at a waterfront inn since childhood – is ready to take her life into her own hands. When a man is hanged for piracy in the town square and whispers of a treasure in the Caribbean spread, Hannah is forced to flee for her life, disguising herself as a cabin boy in the pitiless crew of the notorious pirate Edward “Ned” Low. To earn the freedom to choose a path for herself, Hannah must hunt down the treasure and change the tides.

Meanwhile, professor Marian Beresford pieces Hannah’s story together in 1930, seeing her own lack of freedom reflected back at her as she watches Hannah’s transformation. At the center of Hannah Masury’s account, however, lies a centuries-old mystery that Marian is determined to solve, just as Hannah may have been determined to take it to her grave.

A True Account tells the unforgettable story of two women in different worlds, both shattering the rules of their own society and daring to risk everything to go out on their own account.

 

My thoughts:

I first became a fan of Katherine Howe’s writing when I read Conversion many years ago. I have since read another of her books and enjoyed it, so I just knew I had to read this one…and who knew I would love a book about pirates so much!

This book completely captivated me from the start. As much as I love reading historical fiction, I haven’t read too many books set in the 1700s, yet I found myself completely engaged in that timeline just as much as I was in the more modern-day one that we also have – that in the 1930s. Again, this is all due to Howe’s phenomenal writing and her ability to create such dynamic characters. I fell in love with both Hannah and Marian and I think having the two timelines really helped to create a strong, engaging story. Both women were such forces for their time. They each in their own way bucked against the roles expected of them at the time, showing remarkable strength of character.

I loved how the two timelines were woven together – and it is this mystery that really drives the story for me. Historical mysteries really have become a favorite of mine lately and this one just jumped to the top for me! The amount of research that went into this book is quite evident and while there are a few graphic scenes depicted – they are easily able to be skimmed over if you feel the need – they are not done gratuitously.

I cannot recommend this one enough and will be quite eager to see what Katherine Howe writes next. She truly is a master at her craft.

 

Audio thoughts:

I loved listening to this one, though I did have the print book on hand. The narrator, Petrea Burchard, did an amazing job bringing this story to life and I was completely immersed in this story.