Helpful Score: 5
A fictional account of a young woman's harrowing sea voyage, based on a true story. The author does a good job of imaginatively fleshing out the few details that are known, and the story is full of details about the clipper ships and sailing procedure of the era. Yet I felt it was a little hollow, and that the story was told sort of at arm's-length. I think that may be due to the constraints of telling a fictional story about an actual person. The book was worth reading and I enjoyed it, but it wasn't as absorbing as I think it could have been.
Helpful Score: 1
A well written women's-type adventure novel about a capable and competent woman
Helpful Score: 1
I liked this book a lot, but this story of real courage on the part of the main female character ended sadly. Genny
Helpful Score: 1
I found this fact-based fictional account of Mary Patten very interesting. Set in 1857 aboard one of the clipper ships making the trip between New York and San Francisco. The captain, Mary's husband, falls ill. During his confinement, Mary is faced with helping to navigate the ship around Cape Horn through terrible storms and a mutinous first mate. Details how difficult life was aboard one of these vessels. I did get a little bogged down in the details of the ship (ie sails, etc.), but overall was a good read.
Based on the true story of Mary Patton, The Captain's Wife begins in 1856 on a treacherous vaoyage from New York to San Fransisco through Cape Horn. the first mate is put in chains for plotting mutiny and the captain falls ill, forcing Mary to take command of the ship.
This is a fascinating story! I felt I was actually there, it was so real to me. When a book has me doing research on a character and I continue to think about it long after I'm done, well, that's a sign of a good story. I recommended this one to friends--just awesome!
Entertaining and fascinating account of life on a ship during the gold rush.
