by John Boyne
First published 2008
December 1787. A troubled teen named John Jacob Turnstile boards the HMS Bounty, replacing an injured crew member just as the ship sets sail for Tahiti. Amid the long voyage, Tahitian adventures, and the legendary mutiny, Turnstile witnesses the complex history behind one of naval lore's most infamous events. At the story's heart lies the evolving relationship between Turnstile and the enigmatic Captain Bligh, whose brutal reputation is recast through the boy's fresh perspective.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, 19th-century, naval-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Great Britain
Period: 18th century
544 pages · Paperback · BLACK SWAN