The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye

Starred review from April 15, 2024
Cameron debuts with an exciting and multidimensional story inspired by the women pirates who sailed the Caribbean in the 17th century. Jacquotte Delahaye, who is of Haitian and French descent, defies societal gender norms by learning to become a skilled shipwright in Yaquimo, Santo Domingo. Her occupation nurtures her soul as she copes with an alcoholic father, who has been thrown out of the French aristocracy, and cares for her disabled younger brother, who has trouble sleeping through the night. After her nefarious childhood friend Florian kills her father and the island’s governor during a coup, Jacquotte flees with a group of refugees including a young woman named Teresa. They set sail on the Dorado, the ship Jacquotte had been working on, but are captured at sea by the loathsome Captain Blackhand, who makes them indentured servants aboard his pirate ship The Marauder. Though Jacquotte didn’t choose the life of a pirate, she embraces it as a path toward regaining her freedom. Cameron further disrupts the typically male domain of pirate stories by portraying Jacquotte’s love for Teresa, who turns out to be the governor’s widow. There are many thrilling fight scenes, especially after Blackhand hatches a plan to steal a shipment of precious jewels, but the heart of the novel lies with Jacquotte, whose honor, passion, and tenacity leap off the page. This fiery feminist adventure shows what legends are made of. Agent: Rebecca Wearmouth, PFD.

Starred review from May 15, 2024
From starting out as a poor shipwright forced to pay her father for her meager freedoms to becoming a notorious pirate captain in her own right, Jacquotte Delahaye has led a storied life. The novel begins in 1665 with her in prison, then goes back to tell her story. The young shipwright dreamt of honing her skills and one day leaving her stifling life in Y�quimo, Santo Domingo. However, a series of events culminating in the deaths of her father and the governor of Y�quimo spur Jacquotte to flee to the open sea, hoping to protect the people she loves. As Jacquotte navigates her new life of piracy, she must take charge and make decisions that will save or doom her crew, demonstrating her incredible strength of will and sharp intellect. Debut novelist Cameron reimagines historical events in portraying her larger-than-life protagonist in a tale of triumph over a male pirate captain, racial inequality, sexism, slavery, and violence. This is a wonderfully gripping adventure story about a lesbian pirate of color who rose from obscurity to infamy at the height of the age of piracy. Fans of LGBTQ+ historical fiction and those who relish tales of notorious figures from the past will find that this novel is an absolute treasure.

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June 14, 2024

DEBUT Gritty realism, swashbuckling adventure, and beautiful romance combine in Cameron's richly crafted pirate tale. Jacquotte, the daughter of a Haitian mother and a French father, is a shipwright on her home island until she flees with her brother, a few friends, and Teresa, a woman with whom she shares an intimate connection. The group soon finds itself indentured to the legendary pirate Blackhand, and Jacquotte's life changes forever. She is swept up in the beginning of the golden age of piracy, first as a crew member and eventually as a captain herself. While the book features several scenes of swashbuckling excitement and heated romance that readers would expect in a pirate novel, the story is graphically realistic at times. As might be expected for a woman pirate in the 1650s, Jacquotte deals with period-accurate dangers, making for an intense read. Still, it's thrilling and ultimately joyful to see Jacquotte, with the help of her found family and her true love Teresa, rise to the same heights as the famous pirate captains of the period. VERDICT Cameron's debut thrillingly introduces readers to a compelling heroine who deserves her own place in the swashbuckler pantheon.--Jenny Kobiela-Mondor

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