What readers think of The Pirate's Daughter, plus links to write your own review.

The struggle for Jamaica's independence and the mother/daughter give and take seemed parallel. Cezair-Thompson's descriptions of the island and it's inhabitants are wonderful. I felt I was a close observer. All the characters were well developed. What a pleasure to read.

The Pirate's Daughter is a wonderful, original story. The characters have depth and weight and I found that I could not put the book down. I wanted everything to work out for Ida and May and for all the people of Jamaica. I liked the way the story was written, the changes in both women paralleling the changes in Jamaica's government. I would recommend this book and look forward to other books by this author.

It was with trepidation that I began reading this book as I usually do not like books that contain what I call gimmicks. This turned out to be an intriguing intergenerational historical novel about the beginning of the independence of Jamaica which coincided with the growing independence of a mother and daughter. The characters were richly portrayed and the inclusion of Erroll Flynn was an added enjoyment. Baby Boomers have long known who Erroll Flynn was, but knew little about him. This showed a side of the movie star that aroused curiosity and interest. Dialect and dialogue made me feel as though I, too, were there at the scene.I highly recommend this book to people who like historical fiction and who appreciate a well written novel.

I was hoping to receive this book prior to the Labor Day weekend. I did and read the book in one sitting as I could not put it down. You will feel the breeze off the Caribbean sea and feel like you are there with the characters. Prose is wonderfully crafted. As you move through the story and see how race, class and colonialism affected people, through the eyes of a mixed cast of characters. You will learn how the phase "no problem" is really a sign of a problem. I am going to recommend to my book club!!!

I am an avid Errol Flynn fan, Captain Blood is one of my all time favorite movies, so I just devoured this book. I loved the descriptions of Jamaica and the relationships between the mothers and daughters. Overall, I couldn't wait to come home each night and have this book waiting for me to dive into. The plot is compelling and the backdrop of Jamaica was beautifully described. I think you will really enjoy this juicy, engaging novel.

An imaginative, touching book about love, the longing for family, and the search for identity. Both Ida and May are caught among racial identities (African, Chinese, Caucasian) in the changing Jamaica of the 1960s and beyond. The author portrays perfectly the prickly relationship between mother and daughter, especially Ida's need to protect May. Cezair-Thompson writes beautifully, and she clearly has a mastery of Jamaican dialect and customs. I highly recommend this wonderful novel.

Combining the sultry, yet exciting, atmosphere of Jamaica with the glamor of “Old Hollywood”, this novel evokes feelings that are both unsettling and nostalgic. The characters are as rich and varied as the setting, and in their search for themselves, the women, especially, come to life - you will remember May and Ida long after the book is finished. Both of them, coming of age a generation apart, weave relationships and intrigues that will fascinate the reader.

It is absolutely amazing how Margaret Cezair-Thompson captures the smells, sights and sounds of Jamaica!! I wanted to hop on a plane and time travel to the pre-war era on the island.

The novel was suspenseful and chock full of history not only of the island, but of philandering swashbuckler, Errol Flynn, whom prior to this novel I knew absolutely nothing about him. Now I want to rent his movies!

The characters became such three dimensional figures at the hand of Cezair-Thompson. I loved May’s strength in such personal turmoil and in dealing with the turmoil of her country, during an era of war and drugs. And the reality of her situation and her choices.

Cezair-Thompson vividly shows the picture of poverty, not as I know it in the U.S., but in countries where there is such a vast difference between the classes; the richest and poorest living in such close proximity.

The literary references to Treasure Island not only authenticated (for me) the adventure story of The Pirate’s Daughter, but impelled me to pull out my leather-bound copy and reread the classic!