Fiction Hardcover
ISBN-13:
978-1-932961-40-9
6 x 9 / 432 Pages / $24.95
October 2007
Summary | Praise | Excerpt | Reading Guide | Widgets | Bio | Events
“Back in America, little was known of my life in Jamaica,” wrote Errol Flynn.
In 1946, a storm-wrecked boat carrying Hollywood’s most famous swashbuckler shored up on the coast of Jamaica, and the glamorous world of 1940’s Hollywood converged with that of a small West Indian society. After a long and storied career on the silver screen, Errol Flynn spent much of the last years of his life on a small island off of Jamaica, throwing parties and sleeping with increasingly younger teenaged girls. Based on those years, The Pirate’s Daughter is the story of Ida, a local girl who has an affair with Flynn that produces a daughter, May, who meets her father but once.
Spanning two generations of women whose destinies become inextricably linked with the matinee idol’s, this lively novel tells the provocative history of a vanished era, of uncommon kinships, compelling attachments, betrayal and atonement in a paradisal, tropical setting. As adept with Jamaican vernacular as she is at revealing the internal machinations of a fading and bloated matinee idol, Margaret Cezair-Thompson weaves a saga of a mother and daughter finding their way in a nation struggling to rise to the challenge of independence.
The #1 October 2007 Book Sense Pick!
"[A] launch pad from which the Jamaican-born writer, Margaret Cezair-Thompson, creates a wonderful confection in which Flynn becomes enmeshed in island life... the book helps to correct the view propagated by those, such as V S Naipaul, who claim that Caribbean islands have no history. Instead Cezair-Thompson presents an island almost crushed by the weight of its long and tortured past... the breathtaking pace and verve of The Pirate's Daughter make it a delight; a touch of summer reading in a grim winter." —The Independent
"Think Louis de Berniere's Captain Corelli's Mandolin, or Victoria Hislop's The Island. These are the novels that book groups love, and which Richard and Judy champion. Jamaican Margaret Cezair-Thompson's The Pirate's Daughter is one of these vast tales, and more so....in many ways it's a love song to a slice of paradise that's teetering on the edge....this novel is both a complete joy, and a subtle exploration of colonialism." —The Mirror, Five Star review Book of the Week
"[W]onderful descriptions of life in Port Antonio....the book really comes to life when the handsome Flynn is around...no doubt this will be a big seller as it's already much talked about..." —The Daily Express
“Cezair-Thompson has spun a book-club-ready saga with two gorgeous women at its center…[the book has] a knockout ending that reveals treasure buried beneath sand-encrusted secrets.”—People Magazine, Critic’s Choice “
[The Pirate's Daughter] makes for an unabashedly frangipani-scented—and wholly satisfying—armchair holiday of a read.”—Vogue
“[Cezair-Thompson] explores questions about identity and racism without being heavy-handed about it. She's best at juxtaposing Flynn's imported glamour with the realities of Jamaica and at suggesting there's more than one kind of buried treasure…The Pirate's Daughter offers plenty of serious passion and escape .”—USA Today
“The novel never stops for breath once…[it] just buzzes along, with years flying by between chapters, and dozens of characters entering and exiting, saying interesting things and doing outrageous ones. These characters range from aristocratic Europeans to desperately poor Jamaicans, and they are constantly pairing off in the most surprising ways.” –O Magazine
“Cezair-Thompson…brings a smart, lilting voice and a sharp, quirky perspective to a tried-and-true literary formula, the sweeping historical epic. By taking the classic question familiar to all storytellers -- "What if?" -- and marrying it to the classic advice of fiction-writing teachers -- "Write what you know" -- Cezair-Thompson unravels a surprising yarn that is rich, salty and ultimately satisfying…[Her] deft evocation of the beauty and unpredictability of Jamaica, its topography and its people, that raises "The Pirate's Daughter" to a level far above the bodice-ripping historic epic.” –The Washington Post
"Cezair-Thompson promises her readers a 'tropical adventure.' She evokes spectacular shipwrecks and deserted islands, infamous buccaneers and glamorous celebrities. And the story that follows makes good on these promises.”—The New York Times Book Review
"Jamaica comes alive in all its tropical splendor." —Bookmarks Magazine
"In The Pirate's Daughter, Margaret Cezair-Thompson uses this footnote in the life of an icon to spin a tough and tender story about Jamaica's people and politics. . . . With a bold eye that doesn't flinch at depicting a wide spectrum of Jamaican society and a keen ear for language and dialect, Cezair-Thompson makes an emotional connection to the island's history and its people." —BookPage
"This is a lush, lovely fairy tale filled with obvious love for the characters, history, and place, rendered in faultless prose and patois. The feel of this novel is of Gone with the Wind in Jamaica instead of the old South, full to the bursting with romantic adventure and epic scope." — School Library Journal
"The Pirate's Daughter is the best kind of middle-brow fiction, neither pandering nor elitist, and not least of its charms is the desire to visit Jamaica that it will inspire in many of its readers." —South Florida Sun-Sentinel
"This story will haunt the reader long after it ends." —The Historical Novels Review
"[A]n intriguing and captivating novel." — Book-Remarks.com
"The Pirate's Daughter provides the kind of full-bodied yarn ideal for readers looking to be swept away." — The Christian Science Monitor
"The Pirate's Daughter is picturesque in its setting and a nice escape to a different world and different time. It's an easy, warm read for the holiday season." — The Clarion Ledger
"The intertwining of Jamaican history and the characters' lives elevates this novel from simply entertaining to truly memorable." — ForeWord
"Escape to Jamaica, to sun and romance and rhythm. Margaret Cezair-Thompson’s novel, The Pirate’s Daughter, lets you do just that.... This is the kind of absorbing, sweeping novel that can draw you in and make your forget everything else. If you feel the chills of fall, dive into these lush, warm, bougainvillea-covered pages." –Tegan Tigani, Queen Anne Books
"I devoured the book this weekend and will handsell it enthusiastically to our customers. With her beautifully-crafted opening lines, Ms. Cezair-Thompson draws the reader to the smell and taste of Jamaica and into the lives of her intriguing characters." –Amy Pierson, Toad Hall Bookstore
"The Pirate's Daughter is an entertainment filled with non-stop excitement, and sure to appeal to a wide audience." –Mary Whipple, MostlyFiction.com
Reviews from BookBrowse.com:
Rating:  of 5 by Beverly (Rockville MD).Wonderful Read!! 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!!!
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| Rating: of 5 by Beth (Savannah GA). Un-Put-Downable! I expected to enjoy this book, but it surpassed my highest expectations. This is a FABULOUS read that I will recommend to everyone. The chapters fly by - a compelling story, well-drawn characters, believable dialogue, fantastic sense of place -- all work seamlessly together to make one of the most enjoyable books in a long, long time. Bravo to Margaret Cezair-Thompson for a real treasure. Grab this one and enjoy!
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| Rating: of 5 by Laura (Wheeling IL). The Pirates Daughter 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.
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| Rating: of 5 by Kathy (Richmond VA). Excellent - didn't want to put it down I SO enjoyed this book. I thought the premise was intriguing (Errol Flynn fathering a child in Jamaica), although Flynn is not the main character, and actually, comes off as sort of a self-absorbed, pitiful character. the book was rich with details about Jamaica, of which I know little. I always enjoy multi-generational tales, especially ones that take me to another time and place. I found myself thinking about the characters when I wasn't reading, and didn't want the book to end. I enjoyed the dialogue and even if I didn't like all the characters, I came to care about them. I don't know that I would have picked the book on my own, so I really appreciated the opportunity to read and comment on it.
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| Rating: of 5 by Karla (Dana Point CA). Cezair-Thompson has a hit! 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.
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| Rating: of 5 by Phoenix (Eclectic AL). Movie stars, pirates and treasures, oh, my! This was a thrilling read. It transports you to Jamaica at the glamorous time of Flynn and Monroe and brings you a vision of a young girl's future. We see May transform from a disillusioned tomboy who never gets a chance to have a relationship with her father to a caring and compasionate young woman. It is a vacation in Jamaica with a taste of political change and exciting characters. If you are very still, you can feel the breeze and hear the reggae music. Don't miss this brilliant novel.
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| Rating: of 5 by Sandra (Las Vegas NV). Hooray for Cezair-Thompson I can hardly wait to hear from Margaret Cezair-Thompson again. I was delighted to read a book in which I enjoyed the main characters. I did not always like what they did but I still liked them The supporting characters lent such a wonderful and sometimes frightening background. This is a book not only about mothers and daughters but parents and children. The choices made always bring unexpected results. This is a real page-turner. Enjoy! |
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| Rating: of 5 by Colleen (Denver CO). The Pirate's Daughter 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.
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| Rating: of 5 by Deborah (Chambersburug PA). Family and Identity 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.
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| Rating: of 5 by Jennifer (Tucson AZ). Couldn't put it down 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. |
"[Cezair-Thompson] succeeds magnificently in evoking a world distant in both time and place." –Publishers Weekly
"Margaret Cezair-Thompson has written a beautifully crafted, compelling saga. In vivid and powerful language, she explores the inner lives of a racially mixed Jamaican mother, her daughter, and the family and loved ones around them. The characters are astonishingly real, and the reader is immersed in the pulses and timbres of Jamaican culture. . . . This is a brilliant, moving novel that captures the continued complexities of race, class, love, and womanhood in post-colonial Jamaica. An exquisite story of love and growth painted against the background of the harshness of Jamaican post-colonial reality." –Anand Prahlad, author of Reggae Wisdom: Proverbs in Jamaican Music
"Just finished The Pirate's Daughter--it was wonderful! My only complaint is I wanted to keep reading and I was done. Very interesting, different, refreshing. Thumbs up!!" –Amy Hemsley, a reader for The Book Vault
"Glamorous Hollywood and small town island life clash in this moving debut by Margaret Cezair-Thompson. Full of Jamaican lore and history, the novel has an easy, flowing tone that pulls you in and holds you in its grasp long after the last page. Errol Flynn provides a glimpse into the Hollywood stars of days gone by, but the real stars are the many central women characters. Watching Ida grow up and fall in love, and then again with her daughter May, carries a tragic, sad hope of better things awaiting them just around the corner. For a time and place that does not otherwise get a lot of attention, Cezair-Thompson's novel is a welcomed change." –Chelsea W., posted at Barnes & Noble.com
"A very clever read...the excitement and glamour of Old Hollywood mixed with the rich and bold characters of Jamaica make for a great adventure. But what makes this novel such a standout is the author's talent of evoking place! I was there...I could smell the dampness, the rotting bannas..feel the languor brought on by the heat, and taste the Otaheite apples. Sometimes after I finish a book I think of what I would have done differently...not in this case. The Pirate's Daughter is perfect." –Angela Bobbitt, Reed's Gum Tree Bookstore
"I LOVED the historical aspects of the book. It reminded me of an intelligent Fantasy Island at times. With the Hollywood references and the exciting adventure story, The Pirate's Daughter should be an easy sell to anybody looking for a smart escapist read." –Tyson Cornell, Book Soup
"LOVED IT!!! Am looking forward to selling it to my customers since I'm in Blackbeard territory and pirates are strong here. Though I agree with the review (whose I forget) that said Jamaica is the main characcter. I get very little time to read in the summer but I read this word by word." –Gee Gee Rosell, Buxton Village Books
"Great story, wounderful/fully developed characters (will I ever forget Ida?), a little bit of Hollywood charm and name dropping (Capote, Monroe), but most interesting to me were all the political and social changes that were happening in Jamaica during the time period of the story.... Altogether a great book. –Fred Powell, Main Street Books
"I loved it, it was a wonderful read... Thank you for letting us have a copy and I cannot wait to start selling it." –Kelly Peroni, High Sierra Books & Gifts
"I just finished The Pirate's Daughter and wanted to thank you for leaving us copies at Tall Tales. After spending two straight days reading, I guess you could say I was totally absorbed. The chance meeting of an aging, ever vain Errol Flynn and Ida, a young, mixed-race girl and their ensuing brief relationship is the beginning of a poignant story of unrequited love and its ripple effect over two generations of family and friends. Imperfect yet intriguing characters made the narrative come to life, and the setting on the island of Jamaica is so vividly described, I almost felt the ocean breezes, smelled the frangipani, and listened to the island's patois. What is it about pirates and other swashbuckling types that continues to hold our interest over the years? Is it the freedom from ordinary rules? I wonder." –Susan Diffenderfer, Tall Tales Book Shop
"Jamaica will never feel so close as when you’re reading this fictionalized tale of Errol Flynn’s accidental arrival onto this island and into the hearts of many of its residents, especially young Ida, who bears his illegitimate daughter, May. They struggle to fit in to one or the other of their societies, not quite fitting the white, expatriate society, nor being accepted by the island natives. This is a delightful, original treasure that I heartily recommend!" –Dee Robinson, Village Books
"After the tumultuous drama of her first novel The True History of Paradise, Margaret Cezair-Thompson’s new novel takes on a lighter air, but one no less atmospheric, about the unique way of life that is Jamaica. Combining elements both real and imagined—the actor Errol Flynn’s wayward years there, spent in mischief, like Gauguin’s time in Tahiti, as well as the author’s own romance with the high seas and Robinson Crusoe—The Pirate’s Daughter is a fantasy which unfolds in its own time, and on its own level of entertainment. Island characters who grow chapter by chapter are accorded respect as much as a sense of the comic (and, even, the cosmic), as they seek to entangle the secrets behind Flynn’s life and the mysteries of fiction. This is not the book that the title leads one to think it will be, or should; it flowers all on its own as a perfect word-of-mouth family fantasy." - Stephen F. Shapiro, Rainy Day Books
"Thank you for sending the advance reader copy of The Pirate's Daughter by Margaret Cezair- Thompson. I read it over the holiday and wish it had gone on and on. It made the recent history of Jamaica come alive around this incredible story of Ida and May. This book will be a pleasure to hand sell and certainly makes me think and dream of Jamaica." - Patricia Worth, River Reader Books
"I was completely caught off guard by how wonderful it is.... Everything here is very real and alive. The story is light and swift as a sea breeze, and imbued with the genuine essence of Jamaica. Her characters bound off the page, and while many writers would be tempted to give Errol Flynn run of the show, the mother and daughter outshine the matinee idol. I won't soon forget this family. The Pirate's Daughter has the makings of a sleeper hit." - Jamie Kornegay, Turnrow Books
"The Pirate's Daughter snuck up on me like the tide coming in - set in beautifully-drawn 1940's Jamaica, this is a story of family life interrupted by the incoming celebrity of Errol Flynn and his large presence in a small community. Margaret Cezair-Thompson's skillful storytelling reveals a chess game that has Flynn slide around from active figure to towering backdrop, casting shadow and influence on her central mother/daughter pair, Ida and May. The Pirate's Daughter grows subtle layers of complexity and relationship, weaving history, racial divide and political change with the surprising interactions life presents, the struggle and growth through choices and sacrifices made, and most wonderful of all, the casual, internal musings of each of her characters that Cezair-Thompson seems to carelessly toss our way as she floats in and out, from one to another, that become the anchoring force of human interaction in a world of unanswered questions, lost maps and long-searched-for hidden treasures. A fantastic read with so much to offer, one that I'm impatient to hand sell." —Eileen Lynch, Dutton’s
"Buried treasures, lost treasures, and treasures of the heart; all are fair game in this tale of love and desire. Be warned though, Margaret Cezair-Thompson buccaneers are not the swash-buckling ones of storybooks. Here classic Hollywood and Jamaica collide in a story of place, friendship, and family. The Pirate's Daughter is rich in the complications of who and how we keep those we love close to us." - Lisa Baudoin, Books & Company, Oconomowoc, WI
“The Pirate's Daughter could be a break-out commercial read. This first novel combine pirates, the hottest thing going, with Errol Flynn, the hottest action star of his time, with some voodoo spells and reggae music. Add some Jamaican history and a bit of patois and you'll crave a cool breeze, a cold drink and plenty of time to finish this.” - Sydne Waller, Hudson Booksellers
"There are books and then there are great books . Once in awhile, these days, a great book comes along that makes a bookseller proud to be a part of its success. The Kite Runner, The Life of Pi, and now The Pirate's Daughter. The Pirate's Daughter is a literary triumph that combines all the elements of a great novel: romance, intrigue, history, glamour and suspense. What an unforgettable masterpiece. I can't wait for the giant to awaken!" - Marva Allen, Hue-Man Bookstore (NY)
“What a great read!! It is perfect for the arm-chair traveler--or those who forget that we now need a passport for all out of the country travel. Thank goodness for this book. Cezair-Thompson lets us experience Jamaica post WWII through the establishment of the country--from the shipwreck off shore to the mountain top home of Uni. The characters who move the story along flesh out Jamaica's people and culture at this crossroads in its history. Here's hoping every Jamaican ex-pat finds this book. And haven't we all wanted to be pirates--at least for the burying and unearthing the treasure part. So the title invites us all in. The story we share of the pirate's daughter who eventually finds the treasure is rewarding.” - Mary Gay Shipley, That Bookstore in Blytheville (AR)
"I love The Pirate’s Daughter. The cultural melting pot of Jamaica against the celluloid backdrop of Errol Flynn and his Hollywood friends, young women and local workers on Navy Island provides the author with so much rich material. The Pirate’s Daughter brings to life a cast of remarkable characters who maneuver their way through cultures, real and imagined, families and classes looking for security and love...charms even the most hard hearted with her simple prose, authentic dialects, and heartbreaking look at dreams, both broken and realized in an era of stardom and glamour. I think you have a winner on your hands." - Sarah Bagby, Watermark Books (KS)
"Impossible to put down." - Lisa Casper, Tattered Cover Bookstore
"A treasure to read…A splendid adventure in reading and one that I would highly recommend for any armchair traveler." - Kathy L. Patrick, Founder of the Pulpwood Queens Book Clubs
"It's really hard to describe how thrilling it is to read such an original story.” - Valerie Koehler, Blue Willow Bookstore
"Margaret Cezair-Thompson writes a pirate story we can read unashamed on the beach or at the coffee-shop…" - Keri Holmes, The Kaleidoscope: Our Focus is You
"[T]he story was the kind that eats up a week of time and leaves you happier for having done so.” - Hans Weyandt, Micawbers
"[R]emarkably believable and engrossing....This is a book filled with the desire for adventure, unfulfilled romantic intentions, and a bold and startling history.”—Laura Hansen, Bookin' It
Margaret Cezair-Thompson is the author of a widely acclaimed previous novel, The True History of Paradise. Other publications include short fiction, essays, and articles in Callaloo, The Washington Post, Journal of Commonwealth Literature, Graham House Review, and Elle. Born in Jamaica, West Indies, she teaches literature and creative writing at Wellesley College.
CLICK HERE to read the first two chapters of The Pirate's Daughter in PDF format!
The swimming pool dazzled her. She walked over to the edge and gazed down. Ribbons of sunlight wavered across the bottom. She knelt down and put her hand in the water.
"Hullo?"
The voice startled her but she did not pull out her hand.
"You'll fall in if you're not careful."
She saw a man standing wet in the doorway with a towel around his waist and a drink in his hand.
He saw a child who looked white but who wore a loose, faded old dress like the kind the servants’ children wore. He noticed, however, that she had on a good pair of leather sandals. Where on earth had she come from?
"Who are you?" His voice rang out.
"May," she said, standing up, and then she remembered to say, "I’m Eli Joseph’s grand-daughter.”
She heard the crackle of ice as he lifted the glass to his lips. He studied her for a few more seconds.
"Well, come in then," he said and stood aside so she could come in.
Inside, the floor tiles were larger than any she'd ever seen and she believed that if she were to touch them they would feel cool against her palms. Some of them were wet from the man’s feet. Her eyes swept round and she took in everything quickly: the dark, polished railing of the stairway, a bar with high stools, and a huge brown leather couch where she sat down, a little embarrassed at how unsteadily she sank into it. The walls were white and bumpy, and there was an enormous painting of a black horse on the wall.
He studied her as he made himself another drink. His hands were shaking. The child’s resemblance to him was astounding.
"Where did you come from?" he asked.
"Port Antonio." He was not so white, she thought. She had seen whiter people. His tummy was big, almost like a pregnant woman, and she thought his chest looked a bit womanly too. He was almost as dark as her Lebanese grandfather was except for his very white feet. Was this him? The rich, handsome movie star everyone talked about who might be her father? Maybe not. She decided to question him.
"Where you come from?" she asked.
His eyebrows lifted in surprise, and he thought for a moment before answering her.
"Tasmania," he said.
She had never heard of it. She frowned.
"It’s an island far from here."
"Are you my father?"
He took a sip, put his drink down, and then walked over to the couch.
His weight threw her off balance when he sat beside her, and she almost toppled onto him. He was too close for her to look at without straining her neck, so she looked at her own feet.
He touched her hair. "And you just appear, like Peter Pan," he murmured.
She looked at him, not understanding.