Book Review: The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, by Avi
Release Date: 1990
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 215
Received: Bought
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars 
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Summary:

The year is 1832 and thirteen year old Charlotte Doyle finds herself aboard a ship bound to take her from her school in England to her home in America. Charlotte is a proper young lady, bred to be dainty and prim. She is therefore horrified to find that the family who are supposed to serve as her companions on her voyage will not be accompanying her and she will instead be left alone on a ship full of coarse sailors. What ensues, however, goes beyond any of Charlotte’s wildest dreams as she finds herself caught up in mutiny, murder, and mayhem. A kindly stowaway and a truly depraved captain add depth to this swashbuckling adventure.

Review:

I first read this story when I was in late elementary school. I read it again when I was in middle school. And again when I was in high school. Then again when I was in college. And many times since then. Each time I return to Charlotte, the experience is just as good as the last.

Charlotte herself is a wonderful character. She narrates the story, and so her personality shines through every page. What we see is a strong and admirable young girl with a heart of gold. Charlotte is exactly the type of friend I would love to have: loyal, kind, hard working, tenacious, inquisitive, and with just enough spunk to make her endearingly fun.  The decision she makes in the end always has me cheering.

As a narrator, her voice is captivating, keeping tension and excitement high. The way she describes her experiences make them come alive: I feel like I’m right there next to her on board the rolling ship with the salt water spraying my face and the sea winds tossing my hair. I can smell what she smells, hear what she hears, and feel what she feels. I am fully transported into Charlotte’s world.

The plot is equally fantastic. This book is an example of a story that is well-plotted and complex enough to enthrall adult readers while still remaining accessible and interesting to younger tweens.  The pacing is fast and engaging, always causing me to fly through the pages to find out what happens next (even though, by this point, I well know what happens).  The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is simply a perfect example of good storytelling, and this quality transcends the bounds of age levels. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if in the future this book is referred to as a classic.

The historical fiction parts are detailed enough that you feel like you are learning something about the time period and setting, but not so detailed that you feel swamped by historical details. Likewise, the characters don’t feel awkwardly modern and out of place, but they are modern enough that readers can easily relate to them.

I have a book shelf that I refer to as “The Special Shelf,” which contains copies of my most treasured books. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle sits prominently on that shelf. The cover above is the newer cover, which I think makes the book look a lot more grown up. I wouldn’t feel embarrassed at all if some scholarly adult happened to catch me reading it. The cover to the right, however, is a little more embarrassing. It definitely looks like a book for a younger audience, while also funnily enough channeling just a hint of “romance cover” with Charlotte’s wind-tossed tresses. Despite all that, this is the cover on my well-loved edition and that girl will always be Charlotte to me.

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