Kingston by Starlight: A Novel

Christopher John Farley

Jun 2005 · Sold by Crown

About this ebook

Irish-born Anne Bonny is only a teenager when she is left destitute by her mother’s death. Abandoned by her father, she seems destined to be forgotten by the world. But Anne chooses to seek her fortune in the lush tropics of the colonial West Indies, where she passes herself off as a young man named Bonn. She finds work as a ship’s hand, sailing under the command of Calico Jack Rackam, a notorious and charismatic pirate with a bounty on his head. Calico Jack has his heart set on raiding the Madrid Galleon, the richest ship in the Caribbean, which sails from Kingston laden with Cuban gold and Jamaican rum.

Bonn is entranced by the sea and by the ship’s violent crew, which includes a mysterious swordfighter named Read, who, it turns out, has a secret life of his own. Calico Jack soon discovers Bonn’s and Read’s true identities, but it is only when the three pirates are captured that their darkest secrets begin to surface. In the shadow of the gallows, a strange twist of fate reveals a shocking betrayal that may save Bonn from death, while permanently changing everything she has known about her past and the world around her.

Gorgeously written and full of mystery, intrigue, and startling revelations about gender, race, history, and the human heart, Kingston by Starlight is a once-in-a-lifetime read.

Ratings and reviews

Well written, I enjoyed the flow of the story, as well as facts mixed with story. Made it easy and fast to read and at times hard to put down. On numerous occation, I felt the sea spray and the loneliness of the ocean at night. Definately recomend to anyone wanting a great pirate story.

About the author

Christopher John Farley was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and now lives in New York. He is a senior editor at Time magazine.