Choppy blocks of text can make the historical narrative hard to follow, but sidebars offer historical facts and trivia alongside photographs and ephemera.
Lewis combines poetry with prose, introducing each new historical figure in a different verse form, from double sonnet to ghazal. Noting that women turned to piracy for reasons “as varied and complex as the women themselves,” the text cites “greed, adventure, pride, revenge, love, nationalism, and sometimes just the lack of any other option.” Beginning with Artemisia of Caria, who alternated flying Greek and Persian flags depending on whom she wanted to raid, the narrative also includes Sayyida al Hurra, a Moroccan ruler who sought vengeance after her family’s expulsion by raiding Christian ships, and Ching Shih, who helmed a pirate empire that faced the Chinese navy.
Reminding readers that “women have made their mark in every area throughout time,” Lewis ( It’s Not the Puppy) sails into treacherous waters with this ode to women across the globe who ruled the high seas from 520 BCE to 1844 CE.
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