When I was about 5, I started reading Enid Blyton's Famous Five books. I'd say about 30% of all plots were based around smuggling, which seemed, to me, like the most exciting thing I'd ever heard of. Tiny Kate loved those contraband goods and devastating shipwrecks. Loads of fun. Turns out my mum is where I inherited it - a while ago she leant me a book that she'd enjoyed as a child, and then kept asking if I'd read it. So, fancying a short, easy read (and subsequent review) between some heavy content (looking at you, My Heart is a Chainsaw), and no longer being able to resist the cover art of that foundering ship, I finally picked it up.
The small village of Moonfleet, on the coast of Dorset, and is a haven for smugglers, and everyone knows it. It's also the home of the legend of Colonel John Mohune, aka Blackbeard, a notoriously evil man said to haunt the local churchyard looking searching for his ill-gotten treasure. After the accidental discovery of a contraband hoard and a close encounter with Blackbeard's skeleton, 15 year old orphan John Trenchard becomes entangled in a world of smuggling, murder and treasure hunts, his tale spanning over ten years of hardship and adventure.
Considering the first page of this book says that this books is for "all readers from 9 upwards", I wasn't sure how much I was going to enjoy it. This was then followed by "especially boys", after which I was determined to enjoy it. Can't tell me what books I won't especially enjoy! Take that, Penguin Publishing! [end sarcasm], Anyway, turns out I did enjoy it. Who doesn't love a rip-roaring adventure, with pistols at dawn, shipwrecks and buried treasure? Putting me in mind of Treasure Island, this is a lesser known classic, but with similar coming of age themes and still worth picking up. The setting is atmospheric and evokes powerful imagery of storms and crashing seas, and has certainly made me consider visiting Dorset, particularly since Moonfleet - or at least the main house in the story - Mohune House, is actually a real place.
Apart from a small amount of anti-Semitism, this book holds up pretty well. There's some strong character development, lovely relationships for John - both romantic with Grace Maskew and the wonderfully touching paternal relationship with Elzevir Block - arguably the most morally sound character in the whole book, even with his free-trade side hustle. Just an idea John, when your solid, trustworthy, surrogate father figure who has been consistently right and stood by you up till this point warns you not to do something... maybe don't do it. Just an idea. The pacing is pretty decent for the first two thirds, but then I did find the last third-ish rushed and increasingly full of contrivances. It's already a speedy read at just over 250 pages, so there was definitely space for more exploration of a vast chunk of the timeline that's glossed over, without it becoming too long for the children it's aimed at. Despite this, the story is wrapped up neatly in an emotional and satisfying end.
Though it is light, enjoyable fun, I do think it's probably one of those things that's best enjoyed initially as a kid, and then looked back on with nostalgia, I was definitely aware that, being 31 on my first read, I probably wasn't the target audience. So, read it yourself for sure, but if you know any adventure loving children from 9 upwards (Regardless of gender!) then, then maybe nudge it in their direction too.
I'm glad you finally read it.
And enjoyed it too.