Blackbeard's Treasure (Flashbacks)

Blackbeard’s Treasure is an absolute delight. Iszi Lawrence uses her knowledge of the Golden Age of piracy to great effect, creating a truly immersive experience of life in the Caribbean in the 18th-century.Iszi’s pirates are a great laugh, but they’re not the silly sorts of pirates that tend to feature in pirate-themed stories. These are men with hopes and ambitions, men who are dangerous and impulsive, as well as being capable of great loyalty to their friends. It was a wonderful experience following the main character, Abigail, as she navigates life among them and becomes a pirate herself.The story doesn’t shy away from the dark underbelly of 18th-century exploits in the Caribbean, with slavery being a major theme throughout. Abigail’s best friend, Boubacar, is also her father’s slave, and the complexities of this sometimes strained relationship are explored throughout. It was great to see Boubacar gravitate towards the freedoms of piracy after spending so much of his childhood as a slave.I loved every moment of this story. It’s action packed, immersive, and takes you on a wild adventure where danger feels real and immediate. This is a great read for kids and adults alike. I’d recommend it to anyone enjoys adventure stories and is drawn to piratey tales.

Like author great read

I am a little over the target age range (I am almost 61), but I hugely enjoyed reading this. Iszi Lawrence clearly writes in a way which credits the young (and perhaps the not-so-young) reader with intelligence and curiosity - and she does know her history!The novel is set in a time and in a location where large numbers of people were enslaved, and this backdrop is often not the highest priority in stories based on pirates, but it means that the story has significantly more 'bite'. Indeed, the relationships between the owners and the owned, are pivotal to the development of the story. This makes it all the more thought-provoking.

Another excellent book from Izsi! My 9 year old daughter loved it.

My author pal Iszi Lawrence sent me a proof copy of this book, which features a protagonist who is fearless, brilliant and passionate... not unlike Iszi! This action-packed tale introduces real pirates and tackles important topics. It's sometimes quite brutal but always sensitively handled. Think of Pirates of the Caribbean grounded in real historical detail. A real treasure trove!