Pirates!

The pirate genre is often male-dominated, so I wonder what motivated Celia Rees to center her characters around women seeking adventure and independence.

The descriptions of life at sea and pirate culture felt so vivid — do you think Rees did extensive research, or was it more fictionalized flair?

The story has exciting pirate escapades but also delves into the characters' inner conflicts. Did anyone else find the emotional moments as compelling as the action?