RUNAWAY AT SEA

A young boy finds adventure and danger after stowing away on a navy sailing ship in Maitland’s YA novel.

Set in the mid-19th century, this narrative is based on a journal by the author’s ancestor about his youthful adventures at sea and on land, from England to the Americas. Alive with vivid imagery, the saga begins as Robert, age 12, along with his 14-year-old friend Michael, runs away from his difficult life in an English coastal village by stowing away on one of Her Majesty’s Royal Navy vessels. Discovered when the ship sets sail to patrol “the world’s oceans to keep the peace,” the unwelcome pair are pressed into service. They learn what it takes to maintain the ship’s equipment, defend it against storms and foes, and repair damage, working to exhaustion doing jobs given to the lowliest members of the crew. Above all, they must adhere to a strict code of naval discipline—infractions earn bloody lashes and desertion carries a death sentence. (While not excessive, the violence and other rougher plot elements are not sugarcoated or sanitized.) Maitland’s meticulous observation of the ships of that time (down to how ropes were coiled depending on their placement and function) could have overwhelmed the plot; instead, the informed details deepen the storytelling as Robert struggles with hard labor, suffers painful clashes with the ship’s bully, and experiences the terror of ship-tossing storms (“black clouds spreading like ink spilled on parchment”). Just as resonant is Robert’s wide-eyed wonder over first seeing whales, his pride in his hard-earned callouses and growing strength, and his hidden burden of shame over leaving home for fear of his older brother’s savage beatings. In a dramatic, fraught shift, the boys mistakenly jump ship in South America after hearing drunken sailors talk about easy gold pickings in “America.” Their struggles to survive while avoiding discovery and deserter’s deaths will lead readers to a welcome sequel, Adventurer at Sea: On the Edge of Freedom (2024). The novel ends with a comprehensive glossary of period-specific words and phrases.

Engrossing “you are there” storytelling centered around a relatable young protagonist—a page-turner.