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The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates #1
Magic Marks the Spot
Admiral Westfield sucked in his breath and released it in a tremendous gust. “My dear,” he said, “let me be clear: You are a young lady. You will not tell silly tales and you will never be a pirate.”
Hilary Westfield has always dreamed of being a pirate. She can tread water for thirty-seven minutes. She can tie a knot faster than a fleet of sailors. She particularly enjoys defying authority, and she already owns a rather pointy sword. There’s only one problem: The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates refuses to let any girl join their ranks of scourges and scallywags.
Girls belong at Miss Pimm’s Finishing School for Delicate Ladies, learning to waltz, faint, and cursty. But Hilary and her dearest friend, the gargoyle, have no use for such frivolous lessons—they are pirates! (Or very nearly.)
To escape from a life of petticoats and politeness, Hilary answers a curious advertisement for a pirate crew and suddenly finds herself swept up in a seafaring adventure that may or may not involve a map without an X, a magical treasure that likely doesn’t exist, a rogue governess who insists on propriety, a crew of misfit scallywags, and the most treacherous—and unexpected—villain on the High Seas.
Will Hilary find the treasure in time? Will she become a true pirate after all? And what will become of the gargoyle?
Hilary Westfield has always dreamed of being a pirate. She can tread water for thirty-seven minutes. She can tie a knot faster than a fleet of sailors. She particularly enjoys defying authority, and she already owns a rather pointy sword. There’s only one problem: The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates refuses to let any girl join their ranks of scourges and scallywags.
Girls belong at Miss Pimm’s Finishing School for Delicate Ladies, learning to waltz, faint, and cursty. But Hilary and her dearest friend, the gargoyle, have no use for such frivolous lessons—they are pirates! (Or very nearly.)
To escape from a life of petticoats and politeness, Hilary answers a curious advertisement for a pirate crew and suddenly finds herself swept up in a seafaring adventure that may or may not involve a map without an X, a magical treasure that likely doesn’t exist, a rogue governess who insists on propriety, a crew of misfit scallywags, and the most treacherous—and unexpected—villain on the High Seas.
Will Hilary find the treasure in time? Will she become a true pirate after all? And what will become of the gargoyle?
358 pages, Hardcover
First published September 10, 2013
About the author
Caroline Carlson
6 books257 followersCaroline Carlson is the author of funny and fantastical books for young readers, including The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates trilogy, The World’s Greatest Detective, and The Door at the End of the World. Her novels have won accolades from the New York Times, the American Booksellers Association, Bank Street College of Education, the American Library Association, and Junior Library Guild, among others.
Caroline holds a BA from Swarthmore College and an MFA in Writing for Children from Vermont College of Fine Arts. A Massachusetts native, she now lives in Pittsburgh with her family. You can visit her online at http://carolinecarlsonbooks.com.
Caroline holds a BA from Swarthmore College and an MFA in Writing for Children from Vermont College of Fine Arts. A Massachusetts native, she now lives in Pittsburgh with her family. You can visit her online at http://carolinecarlsonbooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 585 reviews
January 14, 2015
This is the most unadulterated fun I've had reading in quite some time. I wanna kiss this book square on the mouth.
Read
January 31, 2019DNF / SKIM-READ
Well, me hearties, I’m a disappointed pirate. This should have been a ripping good voyage, but I’d be a liar to say it was. I may be a burglar, but I like to think I'm an honest one.
This ship’s log was as dry as powder – it was very difficult to read as far as I did. There were one or two singularly funny entries which stood out all the more because the rest of the log was decidedly not funny.
Aside from that, we’ve a rum crew onboard. Other than a very cute stone gargoyle with a love for Treasure Island, the rest of the lot are the same old, tired and annoying crew you find on other ships.
For the last straw, this ship kept raising the colors of feminism. All the female characters are perfect and capable in every way whereas all the men in the story misfire like a badly-trained gun crew.
As for the voyage itself, it seemed at first that we might have something interesting on our hands bur then our ship was taken-all-a-back by a hurricane of cliches followed by a violent boarding by the Pirate League of Tropes who insisted that our main crew member be nothing more than the: “I’m a girl so I hate embroidery and dresses and I can do anything a boy can do” character.
I don’t know about you, my fellow freebooters, but this sort of trope and character just takes all the fun out of pirating and sits worse in my stomach than a bottle of bad grog.
In conclusion, too much ballast and poor navigation sent this ship right down to Davy Jones Locker before it had barely cleared the harbor.
Tis a shame, but after following this poorly drawn map for a time, I finally skipped to the end expecting to find treasure and found nought but an empty chest.
Give no quarter and slip this book the black spot, mateys for it tain’t worth a particle of your piratical time.
Well, me hearties, I’m a disappointed pirate. This should have been a ripping good voyage, but I’d be a liar to say it was. I may be a burglar, but I like to think I'm an honest one.
This ship’s log was as dry as powder – it was very difficult to read as far as I did. There were one or two singularly funny entries which stood out all the more because the rest of the log was decidedly not funny.
Aside from that, we’ve a rum crew onboard. Other than a very cute stone gargoyle with a love for Treasure Island, the rest of the lot are the same old, tired and annoying crew you find on other ships.
For the last straw, this ship kept raising the colors of feminism. All the female characters are perfect and capable in every way whereas all the men in the story misfire like a badly-trained gun crew.
As for the voyage itself, it seemed at first that we might have something interesting on our hands bur then our ship was taken-all-a-back by a hurricane of cliches followed by a violent boarding by the Pirate League of Tropes who insisted that our main crew member be nothing more than the: “I’m a girl so I hate embroidery and dresses and I can do anything a boy can do” character.
I don’t know about you, my fellow freebooters, but this sort of trope and character just takes all the fun out of pirating and sits worse in my stomach than a bottle of bad grog.
In conclusion, too much ballast and poor navigation sent this ship right down to Davy Jones Locker before it had barely cleared the harbor.
Tis a shame, but after following this poorly drawn map for a time, I finally skipped to the end expecting to find treasure and found nought but an empty chest.
Give no quarter and slip this book the black spot, mateys for it tain’t worth a particle of your piratical time.
April 2, 2017
A pleasant, but ultimately unsatisfying, read. The strong premise just didn't really blossom as the story went along, and I felt a bit underwhelmed by some of the "big" moments. I like the idea that magic is a commodity and that anyone can use magic--this is kind of a nice change from all the stories in which one has to be extra-special to use magic, but then it turns out that some people are better at using magic than others. I like the idea of "Very Nearly Honorable" pirates--but I found this was rather vague throughout the book. What, exactly, was the relationship between the pirates and the people? It seems that piracy is permitted/accepted--to an extent. But I was never fully clear how much, and what sort, of piracy is okay and what would send one to the royal dungeons? Here are pirates who look like typical arrrgh peg-leg, grungy pirates but who live on a beautiful island that sounds like something right out of the pages of a British country tour book--riots of flowers, adorable cottages, even ice cream shoppes with striped umbrellas. This intriguing paradox is not really explained. And I felt that the High Society people are all selfish snobs aspect was oversimplified and overdone. Moreover, the characters never fully developed for me. My favorite was Miss Grayson--I really did like her and the fact that a governess gets to be "cool" for a change. (I can't say more without spoilers.)
January 21, 2019
i love this book sm
it's so cute and fluffy and adventurous and funny
it's so cute and fluffy and adventurous and funny
September 14, 2013
"Magic Marks the Spot" Misses the Mark!
"The Very Nearly Honorable League of Good Pirates: Magic Marks the Spot" has all the elements of a good story: a precocious girl, a talking gargoyle, a Great Enchantress, pirates, and a hidden treasure map.
"Magic Marks the Spot" started slowly. After the first few chapters, the story appeared to be a bit silly and far fetched, but still a good yarn. Hilary's pet gargoyle is cute (I imagined him as a cross between a talking dog and a cat with wings) and while the introduction of magic to the story was somewhat awkward, it did add a level of intrigue and excitement.
However, while there's nothing wrong with a good farce, as the story unfolded, it was almost like it couldn't decide whether or not to take itself seriously. Lots of threads are introduced, but not followed through with. Several characters are presented as simple caricatures, with relationships and behavior that just don't add up. And for me, without giving too much away - once I discovered who the Great Enchantress was, I found her to be rather disappointing.
"Magic Marks the Spot" started out with great promise. Unfortunately, this was one of those books that had all of the makings of what should have been a delightful read, but just didn't pan out.
Please don't get me wrong - it wasn't terrible. It does have some fun parts and there are probably many little girls who would find it entertaining. However, there are so many excellent children's books available, that one can afford to, and therefore should be, choosy.
I received this book for free as part of Goodreads First Reads Program. This did not, in any way, affect my review.
July 27, 2017
wow, i have been looking everywhere for a story about a gargoyle and finally... ^^
it was such a wonderful book about pirates, heroes, GARGOYLES, really, can't express my love for these creatures enough :)
it was such a wonderful book about pirates, heroes, GARGOYLES, really, can't express my love for these creatures enough :)
August 31, 2015
After my last middle grade was such a terrible dud, I was a bit afraid to embark into these pirate-laden waters. What if I felt like they'd shivered the timbers of these books unfairly, robbing them of a better life for inferior content? Or stole away my precious time, better spent with other books? Thankfully, Caroline Carlson's pirates aren't such vicious fiends. They're quite honorable, as pirates go anyway, and entirely lovable. Magic Marks the Spot is pretty close to perfect for what I want from a light-hearted middle grade: humorous, populated by lively characters, and promoting the idea that both boys and girls are capable of the same sorts of things.
Before I even got to page one, Magic Marks the Spot had already made me smile and snort. See, before the page numbers even start counting, there are several pages of letters, which set the tone for the rest of the novel. In fact, letters, documents, and snippets of books are woven brilliantly throughout the novel, a technique often used, but rarely done to quite so enjoyable effect.
Hilary Westfield receives a letter congratulating her on her acceptance to the Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates' Piracy Apprenticeship Program and telling her that the program will change her from "a wide-eyed and innocent young man." Hilary writes back, informing them of her excitement and correcting them on a factual error: namely, she's a girl. The VNHLP writes back aghast and offended, forwarding her application on to Miss Pimm's Finishing School for Delicate Ladies, much to Hilary's disgust. In her final response to the VNHLP, she closes with this:
From that moment on, I was in love with this book and its characters. Hilary is a fantastically sassy girl who refuses to let anyone, be they parent, headmistress or pirate, tell her what her gender means she can and cannot do. Magic Marks the Spot is so girl-positive and anti-stereotypes. Pirates can be friendly, girls can be pirates, boys can sew without it doing them a lick of harm, governesses can be sassy, and old ladies can be badasses. These are excellent lessons for the intended age group, and are conveyed in a totally non-preachy way.
Look at her finding treasure. WE GOT THIS.
Though almost everyone she meets tells Hilary she cannot be a pirate because of her gender and social standing, she does not give up. She has a dream and will not let anyone stop her from getting there. Plus, she has a plucky gargoyle sidekick to help cheer her up when times get rough, like when she's forced to attend Mrs. Pimm's, which teaches courses like etiquette and fainting. Gargoyle is so completely precious, with his desire for ear scratches and dream of one day having a pirate hat.
Who doesn't want a pirate hat?
Hilary's governess, introduced as a rather drab, formidable figure, turns out to be wholly delightful as well. As soon as she ceases being Hilary's governess, she's able to open up to Hilary and truly be a friend. Eloise Greyson is a wonderful human being, and I totally support the ship of her with the pirate captain Jasper, Terror of the Southlands. He's basically the most lovable pirate after Captain Shakespeare from Stardust. Oh, and Charlie, his first made is adorably awkward, and I am waiting for some super cute middle grade romance to happen later.
And this is why Jasper is second, even though he too has a fine sense of fashion.
Magic Marks the Spot kept me grinning and laughing the whole way through. There's situational humor, sarcasm everywhere, and silly puns. Basically, it's perfection for me and other people who have the sense of humor of a ten year old, like, say, actual ten year olds. I see this being a huge hit with the intended audience, but it's a delight for an older reader as well.
Before I even got to page one, Magic Marks the Spot had already made me smile and snort. See, before the page numbers even start counting, there are several pages of letters, which set the tone for the rest of the novel. In fact, letters, documents, and snippets of books are woven brilliantly throughout the novel, a technique often used, but rarely done to quite so enjoyable effect.
Hilary Westfield receives a letter congratulating her on her acceptance to the Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates' Piracy Apprenticeship Program and telling her that the program will change her from "a wide-eyed and innocent young man." Hilary writes back, informing them of her excitement and correcting them on a factual error: namely, she's a girl. The VNHLP writes back aghast and offended, forwarding her application on to Miss Pimm's Finishing School for Delicate Ladies, much to Hilary's disgust. In her final response to the VNHLP, she closes with this:
"I assure you that I will walk the plank a thousand times, into cold and shark-infested waters, before I will attend Miss Pimm's.
I remain,
Hilary Westfield
Really Quite Furious with You"
From that moment on, I was in love with this book and its characters. Hilary is a fantastically sassy girl who refuses to let anyone, be they parent, headmistress or pirate, tell her what her gender means she can and cannot do. Magic Marks the Spot is so girl-positive and anti-stereotypes. Pirates can be friendly, girls can be pirates, boys can sew without it doing them a lick of harm, governesses can be sassy, and old ladies can be badasses. These are excellent lessons for the intended age group, and are conveyed in a totally non-preachy way.
Look at her finding treasure. WE GOT THIS.
Though almost everyone she meets tells Hilary she cannot be a pirate because of her gender and social standing, she does not give up. She has a dream and will not let anyone stop her from getting there. Plus, she has a plucky gargoyle sidekick to help cheer her up when times get rough, like when she's forced to attend Mrs. Pimm's, which teaches courses like etiquette and fainting. Gargoyle is so completely precious, with his desire for ear scratches and dream of one day having a pirate hat.
Who doesn't want a pirate hat?
Hilary's governess, introduced as a rather drab, formidable figure, turns out to be wholly delightful as well. As soon as she ceases being Hilary's governess, she's able to open up to Hilary and truly be a friend. Eloise Greyson is a wonderful human being, and I totally support the ship of her with the pirate captain Jasper, Terror of the Southlands. He's basically the most lovable pirate after Captain Shakespeare from Stardust. Oh, and Charlie, his first made is adorably awkward, and I am waiting for some super cute middle grade romance to happen later.
And this is why Jasper is second, even though he too has a fine sense of fashion.
Magic Marks the Spot kept me grinning and laughing the whole way through. There's situational humor, sarcasm everywhere, and silly puns. Basically, it's perfection for me and other people who have the sense of humor of a ten year old, like, say, actual ten year olds. I see this being a huge hit with the intended audience, but it's a delight for an older reader as well.
November 15, 2015
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
A copy of Magic Marks the Spot was provided to me by HarperCollins/Edelweiss for review purposes.
After recently being denied admittance to The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates simply because she's a girl, Hilary is now being forced into attending Miss Pimm's Finishing School for Delicate Ladies. Not that she has any desire to become a Delicate Lady. She can tread water for 37 minutes, can tie a knot that cannot be undone and hates dresses because dresses make climbing ship's rigging next to impossible.
While Hilary is quite the vibrant character on her own, her gargoyle side-kick provided the comic relief when the story veered too far into weighty territory. The weighty territory mostly involved the odd choice in bad guy, which was a bit of a shock and surprise, however it was handled well. While the story was only occasionally serious, the remaining characters were still just as lighthearted making this a perfect read for young kids. In addition to the story there are between chapter snippets of letters, newspaper articles and other assorted information that was a charming addition.
Magic Marks the Spot is an extremely cute Middle Grade novel that comes equipped with a super spunky heroine, entertaining pirates, magical gargoyles and treasure hunting adventures. While this works as a stand-alone novel with its solid wrap-up ending, it's actually a brand new start to a planned trilogy. Definitely looking forward to future mischief from Ms. Hilary!
A copy of Magic Marks the Spot was provided to me by HarperCollins/Edelweiss for review purposes.
After recently being denied admittance to The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates simply because she's a girl, Hilary is now being forced into attending Miss Pimm's Finishing School for Delicate Ladies. Not that she has any desire to become a Delicate Lady. She can tread water for 37 minutes, can tie a knot that cannot be undone and hates dresses because dresses make climbing ship's rigging next to impossible.
While Hilary is quite the vibrant character on her own, her gargoyle side-kick provided the comic relief when the story veered too far into weighty territory. The weighty territory mostly involved the odd choice in bad guy, which was a bit of a shock and surprise, however it was handled well. While the story was only occasionally serious, the remaining characters were still just as lighthearted making this a perfect read for young kids. In addition to the story there are between chapter snippets of letters, newspaper articles and other assorted information that was a charming addition.
Magic Marks the Spot is an extremely cute Middle Grade novel that comes equipped with a super spunky heroine, entertaining pirates, magical gargoyles and treasure hunting adventures. While this works as a stand-alone novel with its solid wrap-up ending, it's actually a brand new start to a planned trilogy. Definitely looking forward to future mischief from Ms. Hilary!
August 14, 2016
Not quite what I expected but it was enjoyable with lots of funny moments..
The story started with a rather slow pace, it could've contained a lot more adventures and action, the characters were good,
Hilary Westfield, daughter of admiral James Westfield, a wanna be pirate, gets sent to Miss Pimm’s Finishing School for Delicate Ladies against her will, and wasn't accepted in the "Very Nearly Honorable Lague of Pirates" because she's a "girl"..
Her Gargoyle, with magic in his heart, who I found to be quite cute..
Jasper Flecher, handsome pirate and captain of the ship "The Pigeon" , looking for the "Enchantress Hidden Treasure" with his companion Fitzwilliam Fletcher (the parrot) and who started it all..
Miss Grayson, the Governess, who gets involved in the adventure after Hilary escapes from school..
Claire, daughter of the fisherman, a crazy dudette, who wants to be a part of the high society..
Charlie Dove, the ward, someone who's allergic to the navy (he has his reasons, good ones)
The enchantress, whome I discoverd the identity quite early, was kind of disppointing, totally, she could have done better..
The material for this book was awesome, but the result was not really satisfying..
Gonna give it another chance with the second book
The story started with a rather slow pace, it could've contained a lot more adventures and action, the characters were good,
Hilary Westfield, daughter of admiral James Westfield, a wanna be pirate, gets sent to Miss Pimm’s Finishing School for Delicate Ladies against her will, and wasn't accepted in the "Very Nearly Honorable Lague of Pirates" because she's a "girl"..
Her Gargoyle, with magic in his heart, who I found to be quite cute..
Jasper Flecher, handsome pirate and captain of the ship "The Pigeon" , looking for the "Enchantress Hidden Treasure" with his companion Fitzwilliam Fletcher (the parrot) and who started it all..
Miss Grayson, the Governess, who gets involved in the adventure after Hilary escapes from school..
Claire, daughter of the fisherman, a crazy dudette, who wants to be a part of the high society..
Charlie Dove, the ward, someone who's allergic to the navy (he has his reasons, good ones)
The enchantress, whome I discoverd the identity quite early, was kind of disppointing, totally, she could have done better..
The material for this book was awesome, but the result was not really satisfying..
Gonna give it another chance with the second book
December 31, 2015
Eh.
The letters and notices at the end of each chapter seemed interminable. I started to dread the end of the chapter because of them (then I started skipping them, tralala).
This was too unbelievable and ridiculous, and coming from me, that's saying a lot. I mean, Hilary's own father doesn't even recognize her? I don't care how detached you are. You'd recognize your own daughter.
Besides that, I don't know if I'd want my hypothetical kids reading a book in which the heroes say, 'We are always on the hunt for vengeance,' and 'I can't be virtuous.' (Paraphrased. I don't have the book on me.)
The book was hilarious though. I laughed forever at the Friendly Vegetable part.
The letters and notices at the end of each chapter seemed interminable. I started to dread the end of the chapter because of them (then I started skipping them, tralala).
This was too unbelievable and ridiculous, and coming from me, that's saying a lot. I mean, Hilary's own father doesn't even recognize her? I don't care how detached you are. You'd recognize your own daughter.
Besides that, I don't know if I'd want my hypothetical kids reading a book in which the heroes say, 'We are always on the hunt for vengeance,' and 'I can't be virtuous.' (Paraphrased. I don't have the book on me.)
The book was hilarious though. I laughed forever at the Friendly Vegetable part.
November 4, 2014
The audiobook for this is FABULOUS!
May 26, 2018
This book is charming, hilarious, and well written. Part of the reason I found it so enthralling (and funny) of course was the narrator. I primarily listened to the audio book and she is one of the best of not the best narrator I've ever heard. I really enjoyed her work on the Incorrigible Children series and I was over the moon when I started the audio book and heard her voice. Interestingly enough, this book was perfect for all the same reasons as the Incorrigible Children, she must have a type haha. Both feature strong female leads and the depiction of women as capable no matter what their job is. Some "feminist" books make a point of putting down "traditionally" female dominated careers as stupid and have their heroine do something more "traditionally" male, which is horrible and the opposite of feminism, imo. Both of these books have very strong, smart, and capable governesses who are constantly saving the day, but not in a brash I'm-not-your-typical-governess-I-kick-butt-all-the-time-unlike-those-other-wimpy-governesses-#feminism, they're much more natural and sort of force the reader into taking for granted that all governesses kick ass. And then, of course, this book also has a pirate as the main character, which pushes all the buttons of the traditional society of the book and people are constantly trying to shut her down and she responds with the appropriate zeal. That's another thing that bothers me in books, sometimes the female lead will meet sexist resistance to whatever she's trying to do and she's like "Oh, as a member of the fairer sex, I will be perfectly courteous and take the high road" when all you're thinking as a reader "take him down!!" . This book is much more satisfying because she confronts every bully and sexist overlord head-on and tells them exactly what she thinks. Wow this review really got away from me haha, when there's feminist themes in a book to discuss it's hard for me not to ramble. Anyways:
TL;DR This book was really funny and well-written and contained excellent themes that I believe every child would benefit from.
TL;DR This book was really funny and well-written and contained excellent themes that I believe every child would benefit from.
February 1, 2024
I loved this book! xD It was so hilarious!
First of all, can anyone beat that series title? Like, come on! It's so... contradictory. It sounds like a comedy right from the first word!
However, "Magic Marks the Spot" had me wary from the beginning because I don't believe in magic and I hesitate to read it because of my Christian beliefs. This book’s whole plot was about pirates and magic. However, it was HILARIOUS. I loved it so much. It was easy to read, had an engaging plot and really caught me by surprise at one point in the story. It was not a Christian book perse, but it had no bad content or bad words. If you are alright with magic and want a good read for a breezy summer afternoon, head this way!
First of all, can anyone beat that series title? Like, come on! It's so... contradictory. It sounds like a comedy right from the first word!
However, "Magic Marks the Spot" had me wary from the beginning because I don't believe in magic and I hesitate to read it because of my Christian beliefs. This book’s whole plot was about pirates and magic. However, it was HILARIOUS. I loved it so much. It was easy to read, had an engaging plot and really caught me by surprise at one point in the story. It was not a Christian book perse, but it had no bad content or bad words. If you are alright with magic and want a good read for a breezy summer afternoon, head this way!
December 23, 2019
What a delightful book. Fun, high-seas swashbuckling adventure that had be reliving my childhood fantasies of becoming a pirate and giggling like mad late into the night. Completely charming.
April 5, 2017
It was a fun adventure, and the slightly steampunk world was a pleasant surprise! Still, I thought some parts of the world and plot could have been explained better, and ultimately, I think it will be a fairly forgettable story, even though I enjoyed it while reading it.
March 7, 2019
Chci svýho Chrliče! A budu pirátem! Arrr...
Druhé čtení: Chci svýho Chrliče! A budu pirátem! Arrr...
Třetí čtení: Chci svýho Chrliče! A budu pirátem! Arrr...
Druhé čtení: Chci svýho Chrliče! A budu pirátem! Arrr...
Třetí čtení: Chci svýho Chrliče! A budu pirátem! Arrr...
August 24, 2019
So good! A really fun middle grade book that people of all ages can enjoy!
Shelved as 'to-read-own'
June 7, 20186/7/18 bought Kindle for $1.99
April 23, 2023
This book is comedic gold and I love it so much 😂
June 29, 2019
My kids now only want to listen to audiobooks in the car. Goodbye, classical music I'll miss you! They picked this book out from the library's digital collection. It was a lot cuter than I thought it would be. The narrator did a fantastic job and there are some great characters in here that you can really root for.
September 12, 2023
Magic Marks the Spot is a middle grade adventure story set in the fictional lands of Augusta where magic is a commodity that used to be fairly common all around the lands but has become scarce in recent times after it was all taken away and hidden away by someone responsible for its distribution - the enchantress.
Hilary as an MC was a good enough character imo. I enjoyed her adventures from her home to Miss Pimms Academy and ultimately becoming the pirate she had always dreamed of. The gargoyle remained by her side throughout it all and honestly it was a great companion! I absolutely enjoyed its little quips throughout the journey.
This one had all the typical elements of a children's adventure book, the allure of magic, kids fighting off bad guys and the juvenile humor as well. However, something remained missing in the sense of excitement of being a pirate.
I felt like the book delivered less than it promised at certain times but ultimately what made me ignore it all and enjoy it regardless was the fact that it was a fun adventure none the less.
4 stars.
Hilary as an MC was a good enough character imo. I enjoyed her adventures from her home to Miss Pimms Academy and ultimately becoming the pirate she had always dreamed of. The gargoyle remained by her side throughout it all and honestly it was a great companion! I absolutely enjoyed its little quips throughout the journey.
This one had all the typical elements of a children's adventure book, the allure of magic, kids fighting off bad guys and the juvenile humor as well. However, something remained missing in the sense of excitement of being a pirate.
I felt like the book delivered less than it promised at certain times but ultimately what made me ignore it all and enjoy it regardless was the fact that it was a fun adventure none the less.
4 stars.
September 13, 2013
You can also read this review on my blog
In short: Magic Marks the Spot by Caroline Carlson is a whimsical and light-hearted story that never takes itself too seriously.
You got to bet this one caught my eye immediately because a) I love cute middle grade books with cute middle grade covers, b) I love fun titles, and c) I love pirates. And Magic Marks the Spot delivered exactly what it promised: a whimsical and light-hearted story that had me chuckling at its brilliant tongue-in-cheek humour. Hilary desperately wants to be the most fearsome pirate of the High Seas, but when The Very Nearly Honourable League of Pirates says that no girl is to join their ranks, she sets out to find her own way to make it happen by looking to uncover the most prized treasure known.
The humour and the characters are what makes a book like Magic Marks the Spot shine. The pirates were basically parodies of what pirates are thought to be - scourges and scallywags - and debut author Caroline Carlson adds a lot of comedy poking fun at the stereotypical pirate image. The characters are all a bit two-dimensional, but I guess I don't expect much complexity from such a light, easy book. Even though the characters weren't complex, they were plenty vibrant. Magic Marks the Spot is one of those books that makes you wish you were listening to it via audiobook instead because you know a narrator could have had a lot of fun with these quirky characters.
I think my only complaint stems from one of the book's strengths: it's light-heartedness, while totally fun, kind of took away from any suspense in the book. I know pirates to live dangerous lives, and there are certainly pirate ship fights in Magic Marks the Spot, but at no point is any character in any real danger at all; there are only mild troubles here and there. And you can't tell me it's because it's an MG book and they needed to tone that down. You can still have a clean book for MG readers and have a little more tension there!
Ultimately though, I really enjoyed myself while reading Magic Marks the Spot. It garnered a number of chuckles out of me and I had a lot of fun with the cast of characters - especially the talking gargoyle. It reads as a standalone, but is really apart of a greater series entitled The Very Nearly Honourable League of Pirates. I would definitely recommend this book to MG fans who are looking for something that never takes itself too seriously.
In short: Magic Marks the Spot by Caroline Carlson is a whimsical and light-hearted story that never takes itself too seriously.
You got to bet this one caught my eye immediately because a) I love cute middle grade books with cute middle grade covers, b) I love fun titles, and c) I love pirates. And Magic Marks the Spot delivered exactly what it promised: a whimsical and light-hearted story that had me chuckling at its brilliant tongue-in-cheek humour. Hilary desperately wants to be the most fearsome pirate of the High Seas, but when The Very Nearly Honourable League of Pirates says that no girl is to join their ranks, she sets out to find her own way to make it happen by looking to uncover the most prized treasure known.
The humour and the characters are what makes a book like Magic Marks the Spot shine. The pirates were basically parodies of what pirates are thought to be - scourges and scallywags - and debut author Caroline Carlson adds a lot of comedy poking fun at the stereotypical pirate image. The characters are all a bit two-dimensional, but I guess I don't expect much complexity from such a light, easy book. Even though the characters weren't complex, they were plenty vibrant. Magic Marks the Spot is one of those books that makes you wish you were listening to it via audiobook instead because you know a narrator could have had a lot of fun with these quirky characters.
I think my only complaint stems from one of the book's strengths: it's light-heartedness, while totally fun, kind of took away from any suspense in the book. I know pirates to live dangerous lives, and there are certainly pirate ship fights in Magic Marks the Spot, but at no point is any character in any real danger at all; there are only mild troubles here and there. And you can't tell me it's because it's an MG book and they needed to tone that down. You can still have a clean book for MG readers and have a little more tension there!
Ultimately though, I really enjoyed myself while reading Magic Marks the Spot. It garnered a number of chuckles out of me and I had a lot of fun with the cast of characters - especially the talking gargoyle. It reads as a standalone, but is really apart of a greater series entitled The Very Nearly Honourable League of Pirates. I would definitely recommend this book to MG fans who are looking for something that never takes itself too seriously.
January 23, 2014
genre: fantasy/adventure
summary: Hilary wants to be a pirate more than anything else. Unfortunately, she is being sent to Miss Primm's School to be a proper young lady. She escapes with her friend (a magic talking gargoyle) and finds herself employed on a pirate ship in search of the lost treasure of the Enchantress.
notes: piracy is regulated via the "Very Honorable League of Pirates" (similar to the guilds in the Discworld series)
for kids who like: Tale of Despereaux, Peter and the Star Catchers, Pippi Longstocking
age group: age 8+
my review: loved it! I found the gargoyle and the governess a little cheesy at times but I think that young readers would find them endearing. I really like the female protagonist...the book is very "girl power" without being bashing one over the head with it. Good fun and rather funny at times...especially the course work taught as Miss Primm's (ex)swooning). It's part of a series...but I honestly don't think that a second or third book with these characters would hold my attention.
summary: Hilary wants to be a pirate more than anything else. Unfortunately, she is being sent to Miss Primm's School to be a proper young lady. She escapes with her friend (a magic talking gargoyle) and finds herself employed on a pirate ship in search of the lost treasure of the Enchantress.
notes: piracy is regulated via the "Very Honorable League of Pirates" (similar to the guilds in the Discworld series)
for kids who like: Tale of Despereaux, Peter and the Star Catchers, Pippi Longstocking
age group: age 8+
my review: loved it! I found the gargoyle and the governess a little cheesy at times but I think that young readers would find them endearing. I really like the female protagonist...the book is very "girl power" without being bashing one over the head with it. Good fun and rather funny at times...especially the course work taught as Miss Primm's (ex)swooning). It's part of a series...but I honestly don't think that a second or third book with these characters would hold my attention.
July 4, 2017
I adored this book, I found myself chuckling to some of the antics and happenings for our young Hilary. Hilary longs to be a pirate on the open seas and skip finishing school for high society girls.
How is a GIRL with a pet gargoyle going to escape her governess and Miss Primm's finishing school to become a pirate?
This will make a SHIVER ME TIMBERS bedtime read-aloud for parents to enjoy with their kids. Be warned, they will probably be begging for one more chapter each night :) Or your independently reading child will be found under the covers with the flashlight sneaking in more reading time.
The variation in the reading to include letters in different typeset is a nice touch and a map is always a good idea.
Grab your pirate hat and set sail on the first in the Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates series.
In compliance with FTC guidelines: I received this book as an ARC (advanced reader copy) for free through Goodreads First Reads program.
How is a GIRL with a pet gargoyle going to escape her governess and Miss Primm's finishing school to become a pirate?
This will make a SHIVER ME TIMBERS bedtime read-aloud for parents to enjoy with their kids. Be warned, they will probably be begging for one more chapter each night :) Or your independently reading child will be found under the covers with the flashlight sneaking in more reading time.
The variation in the reading to include letters in different typeset is a nice touch and a map is always a good idea.
Grab your pirate hat and set sail on the first in the Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates series.
In compliance with FTC guidelines: I received this book as an ARC (advanced reader copy) for free through Goodreads First Reads program.
December 24, 2013
I do enjoy books about pirates! MAGIC MARKS THE SPOT tells of Hilary Westfield's journey to become a pirate, complicated by the facts that she's a girl and the daughter of an admiral. I have always enjoyed girl-crossdresses-as-a-boy stories, but that is not this one. Hilary is determined to do it all as a girl.
MAGIC MARKS THE SPOT is a very fun story, filled with a search for treasure and mysterious thieves and unexpected magic. I'm not sure it's a great start to a series, because it stands very well on its own. There are no loose ends here. The only real problem is that the chapters end with bits of letters and newspaper articles. This would be a nice way to catch up with what's going on with other characters, except at least half of the letters are in a little cursive font on a darkened background. It's hard to read as an adult who was taught cursive - I can definitely see it tripping up kids.
MAGIC MARKS THE SPOT is a very fun story, filled with a search for treasure and mysterious thieves and unexpected magic. I'm not sure it's a great start to a series, because it stands very well on its own. There are no loose ends here. The only real problem is that the chapters end with bits of letters and newspaper articles. This would be a nice way to catch up with what's going on with other characters, except at least half of the letters are in a little cursive font on a darkened background. It's hard to read as an adult who was taught cursive - I can definitely see it tripping up kids.
February 17, 2017
So, I'm giving this 5 stars because I read it to my kids, 1 chapter per night, & they stayed engaged the entire time. We had a blast reading this together. Myy 8-year-old son laughed non-stop at the gargoyle & Charlie. My 6-year-old daughter dressed-up as Hilary for their book day at school this year. It has adventure, humor, mystery, and age appropriate swashbuckling. This book was also a ton of fun to read out-loud. I loved being able to swap back & forth between the "High Society voice" & the "Pirate Voice". It's not often I can find books that both of my children love & that I enjoy reading to them. Moving on to the 2nd book...
January 13, 2017
If you liked this book, you might also enjoy:
✱ Here, There Be Dragons
✱ Etiquette & Espionage
✱ Here, There Be Dragons
✱ Etiquette & Espionage
August 4, 2014
Awesome book for the whole family. There are many books with female lead characters but it's refreshing to read a book about a little girl who doesn't care about being girly, pretty, or being a princess. It's just as refreshing to read a pirate story that features a heroine. A girl who wants to be pirate. How cool is that?! This is a book full of excitement, fun twists and turns, and humor. It's such an enjoyable read for grown-ups and children alike.
October 18, 2020
The writing style is good but how the hell is every single character so unbelievably dense? And anybody who isn't dumber than a brick has the world's most infuriating voice (im listening to to the audio book and the narrator has the most unsufferable voice). The "adventure" feels nonexistent, and all the adults act like children.
February 1, 2014
Fun reading! A wonderful creation of another world, full of adventure. Loved the ending.
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