Cast Off
The Strange Adventures of Petra de Winter and Bram Broen
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- £5.49
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- £5.49
Publisher Description
A tale of pirates, mutiny, and friendship on the high seas, perfect for fans of The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
It’s 1663 and there is an extra passenger on board a Dutch merchant ship setting sail for the East Indies. Twelve-year-old Petra has stowed away to escape her abusive father. But she quickly realizes that surviving for months at sea will be impossible without help. So when Bram, the half-Dutch / Half-Javanese son of the ship’s carpenter, finds her hiding spot, Petra convinces him to help her stay hidden . . .and help disguise her as a boy.
If Petra is discovered and exposed as a girl, she could be tossed overboard, or worse . . . returned to her father. And if Bram is exposed for helping her, he could lose the only home—and family—he has. As tensions rise on the ship, with pirates attacking, deadly illness, and even mutiny, Petra and Bram face impossible decisions that test their friendship and threaten their dreams of freedom.
Told in alternating voices and filled with secrets and intrigue, this richly researched novel is historical fiction at its best.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Set in 1663, Yohalem's seafaring adventure is saturated with action and historical detail. Twelve-year-old Petra De Winter escapes her abusive father in Amsterdam by stowing away on the Golden Lion, which is sailing for Batavia (now Jakarta) and carrying more than 300 passengers, as well as the Dutch East India Company's payroll. Petra is quickly discovered by Bram Broen, the illegitimate half-Dutch, half-Javanese son of the ship's carpenter, and he risks his future by hiding her in the hold, smuggling her food, and disguising her as a boy. Despite her privileged background, Petra is a hard worker, and she covertly completes Bram's chores, impressing Captain De Ridder, who has the power to get Bram a certificate of legitimacy as a Dutch citizen. As the ship faces illness, pirates, mutiny, and other hazards, Yohalem (Escape Under the Forever Sky) explores the limited options for women and minorities through Bram and Petra's first-person narratives. Vibrant descriptions and sometimes gruesome imagery make for an absorbing, informative read. An author's note details Yohalem's extensive research, as well as the nonfictional underpinnings of her story. Ages 10 up.
