Seaborne

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‘A rollicking triumph of passion, filled with desire, ambition, bravery and soul, and confirms O’Connor as one of Ireland’s leading historical novelists.’ Elaine Feeney

‘A wonderful, buoyant tale, sublimely imagined and beautifully told.’ Donal Ryan

Bestselling and award-winning Irish author, Nuala O’Connor, returns with the intimate and thrilling portrayal of the life of 18th-century Irishwoman, Anne Bonny.

1703, Kinsale, County Cork. Anne Coleman is the illegitimate child of a local lawyer and his maid; disguised as ‘Anthony’ to protect reputations, the mask suits Anne just fine. But, fixated on boats and the sea, she struggles to fit in, and her devoted mother fears for her fiercely independent and impulsive daughter.

When their secrets are exposed, the family emigrates to the new colony of Carolina, but this fresh start will bring devastating loss and stifling responsibilities. Lonely and transgressive, Anne finds comfort only with Bedelia, servant and intimate friend. But her craving for the sea-wandering life and a misjudged marriage to young Gabriel Bonny will compel Anne to take to the sea again, this time around the islands of the Caribbean, famous for plunder and piracy.

Adventure, passion and freedom await, but so do violence and disappointment. And, as she tries to stay true to herself, her hopes and her few precious friendships, Anne Bonny must also face her own privilege and the sacrifices required for enduring love.

Seaborne is the thrilling and sensuous portrait of a young woman out of step with her time and place, but never her heart.