The Stargazer of Nantucket
In 1851, 18-year-old Winifred Starbuck decides it’s time she joined her merchant parents on their trading journey to China. Because of a dangerous incident last time Winnie was on board—which Winnie was too young to remember—her parents had no intention of ever taking her to sea.
For Captain Starbuck, this trip is about more than his usual trades. He’s mortgaged the family’s home and taken on a contract to buy illegal opium to pay for his new clipper ship, The Stargazer. Not only is he determined to set a new speed record for the Nantucket-to-San Francisco route, he’s also determined his wife should not learn how he’s financing the voyage.
Winnie stows away with help from the Chinese cabin boy and a sailor named Red, who was fond of five-year-old Winnie last time she sailed. In fact, several other crew members remember the dangerous incident, and one has blackmailed Captain Starbuck ever since.
With a robust cast of characters, each with secrets and ambitions, this story moves as fast as The Stargazer. Although the characters aren’t fully fleshed out, the nuances of life aboard ship and the abundance of twists and turns make this a fun read. You’ll cheer for Winnie, her parents, and the crew as they sail the world with misadventures around every corner. While written for adults, this historical novel is also suitable for older teens and up.
