Booklife Review

Runkle and Webb (authors of Glitter Girl) put a modern spin on a good old-fashioned swashbuckling adventure, mixing it with the drama and angst crucial to young adult fiction. The story follows 15-year-old orphan and juvenile delinquent Bonnie Hartwright, whose latest stunt is the last straw for her foster family. When Bonnie’s sent to what she thinks is a bizarre sailing-themed reform school, she discovers it's actually the training ground for a secret society dedicated to waging war on the undead pirate Calico Jack Rackham—who gains life by killing his heirs, all of whom share the same birthmark.

That secret society—the Brigands of the Compass Rose—and their recruits are led by the elderly Captain Ballister. Bonnie's crew consists of a New Yorker named Wilder, snooty film producer's son Tanner, young legacy brigand Barnaby, and the Captain's dashing grandson, Reed, among others. Each character earns their moment in the sun, as they uncover, together, a yacht-theft ring being run by men who answer to Calico Jack. More secrets are revealed, and Bonnie discovers, shockingly, that her parents are still alive—and she's the next target for Calico Jack. The climax is a rousing ship-to-ship battle between Bonnie's crew and the evil pirates, made all the more effective by Runkle and Webb’s careful development of the camaraderie between the young brigands.

More than just a high seas adventure, The Pirate’s Curse dives into sailing, sword fighting, herbalism, the history of piracy, and even the Gullah Geechee culture of the Carolinas, all subtly developed through the teens’ complex interplay. The love triangle between Bonnie, Reed, and Wilder stays at a steady boil, and, though the story has a satisfying ending, the authors leave plenty of unresolved threads for potential sequels. Beyond the compelling fantasy setup, this is a deeply emotional exploration of belonging and community.

Takeaway: Rollicking high-seas adventure with surprising depth.

Comparable Titles: Namina Forna’s The Gilded Ones, Erin A. Craig’s House of Salt and Sorrows.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: NA
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A-

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