The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye by Briony Cameron

Jacquotte Delahaye may or may not have existed. That has never stopped anyone from spinning a good yarn. Or in this case an average yarn but loaded with enough pirate pizazz to make you overlook its shortcomings. Almost.
I am being too critical? I don’t want to be. I LOVE pirate stories. And female pirates are a delightful rarity I’d read about any day.
But then as an author and a reader, I am rather fond of well written books, and it is impossible not to notice that this one could have used some more …well, at least editing. It stands to mention here that I read a Netgalley ARC, so it may not be the final version, but then again Simon and Schuster usually provides perfectly print-ready ARCs.
I mean, this book has been edited in a sense that there are no typos and grammar snafus. But there are a lot of repetitions, sentences like so-and-so felt they could not find the words that felt right or clunkers like father’s mother’s tongue. Or usage of the word Lothario in 1655, just ever so slightly nearly 50 years before it originated (based upon a character in The Fair Penitent, a 1703 tragedy by Nicholas Rowe, if you care, since the author, editor, and publisher do not).
This book had obviously taken a lot of work and research. It just needed more. 
Also, it’s no ballad. Not poetic, no musical accompaniment. It’s a saga or a folk tale or a legend, but it isn’t a ballad. But then, this isn’t the one for details or definitions.
The thing is, it’s such a fun story. It has everything you want it a fun pirate book, all kinds of adventures. But the writing is so notably basic. Short simple sentences, nothing to dazzle you.
It reads like a book sold on a premise rather than style. And of course, it would sell: this book and its author check every minority representational box there is. I mean, it probably sold just based on “gay pirates.” For those who did not get enough with “Our Flag Means Death”, this is a real treat.
Except, OFMD is cleverer, funnier, and has Taika Waititi. This novel has a very young, very tough (almost unbelievably so) protagonist who gets a LOT done in a very (almost unbelievably so) short time. 
Also, just so we’re clear: I’m all about representation in fiction. I love it. I think there should be more of it. Definitely more gay pirates of all races. I am absolutely all for it. I’m just saying one shouldn’t be so dazzled by it as to overlook mediocre writing.
Mind you, it is still fun. Oodles of fun. While dramatic scenes are a mixed bag, the action ones are great. It’s all wham, bam, kill it, ma’am. 
So overall, the book is very entertaining. Someone should probably go make a movie out of it right now. It’ll probably make the story even less realistic and who knows what that writing will be like, but hey … pirates! 
We may never know if Jacquotte Delahaye existed. But you kind of wish she did, don’t you? And now that there’s an entire book imagining her into existence … well, that’s sort of like a life, isn’t it? Books are magical like that. 
Don’t go in expecting fine literature, just have fun with it. Thanks Netgalley.