In 1999, Bob and I signed on aboard the HM Bark Endeavour, a sail-training
replica of Captain Cook’s 18th-century three-masted ship, for its three-week
crossing from Vancouver to Hawaii. Novices at the beginning of the voyage,
we were expected to learn the ropes in short order and to help with everything
from steering the ship to washing up the dishes!
The scariest part by far was
climbing up the ratlines and out on the yards high above the deck, to make
and furl sail. Also daunting was the sheer number of lines needed to work
the sails, and trying to memorize the names and locations of every one. There
were
a fair number of women among the crew, and we all did the same jobs as the
men. Aboard Endeavour I learned the meaning of the old saying, Many hands
make light work.
The idea for Star-Crossed was born on a night watch at the helm of Endeavour when I started wondering what it would have been like for a woman to be a part
of a ship’s crew back in the 18th century…
“Collison’s research shows, not just in the appended author’s note and glossary, but also in the details of mid-18th century birth control and life as a ship’s surgeon.”
From Kirkus Reviews October 15, 2006
A “well-researched, riveting adventure that
brings to light an overlooked
part of women's history.”
From Kliatt November, 2006
”Collison has done her research well: Details of life on ship, diseases, injuries and treatments, battles and politics, women who sailed with the men – these details are copious and realistic. … Readers come away from Collison’s work with an understanding of what it meant to be a woman in those times, and with an experience of living on board a British ship.”
From School Library Journal December, 2006
“Historical details are smoothly woven into the story, and a
historical note and bibliography are appended. Readers who enjoyed Avi's The
True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle (HarperCollins, 1992) will find a more
substantial, mature story here to captivate them again.”
From VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates Magazine) 2007-02-01
“Collison, a former nurse and experienced seafarer, pens her first novel with an ear for wonderfully dynamic dialogue, an insistence on thorough research, and the heart of one who cares about issues timelessly important to women, from birth control to self-reliance.”
From Historical Novels Review November, 2007
"The characters are well-drawn and the dialogue rings true...(Patricia's) transition to adulthood and the path she takes to personal freedom are the stuff of seafaring legend."
Star-Crossed by Linda Collison
(Knopf; 2006)
In Progress The Star-Crossed Trilogy!
The further adventures of Partick/Patricia MacPherson, ship surgeon's mate (in disguise).
