Mutiny on the Bounty by John Boyne
Fourteen year old John Jacob Turnstile is a convicted pickpocket and instead of going to prison is co-opted to be the cabin boy for Capt William Bligh on “The Bounty”. John Boyne’s research is meticulous as our narrator Turnstile takes us through the voyage to Tahiti, the temptations in this tropical paradise and the subsequent mutiny led by Fletcher Christian, who is portrayed as an ‘egocentric dandy’ and is the villain in this tale. As Bligh and those loyal to him head off on the perilous return journey we see Capt Bligh in quite a different light to so many other versions of this story. To the narrator Turnstile, it is Bligh’s heroism and leadership that save all but one of the 19 men who choose to go with their Captain and face the improbable odds of survival. This book has it all – adventure, action, drama, history, humour and a satisfying ending. Boys will love it!
Ms Boyd
