Curse of the Blue Tattoo: Being an Account of the Misadventures of Jacky Faber, Midshipman and Fine Lady

Meyer, L.A. Curse of the Blue Tattoo: Being an Account of the Misadventures of Jacky Faber, Midshipman and Fine Lady. 2004. 488p. ISBN 0-15-205115-5. FIC MEY on the library shelves.

As an orphan Mary “Jacky” Faber headed out to sea as a ship’s boy on the HMS Dolphin. But during an extended cruise Jacky’s gender was finally discovered, and she was forced to land in Boston. There she was enrolled at the Lawson Peabody School for Young Girls.

Now that school is in session, Jacky’s experiencing the toughest battle of her life: living among pampered and educated young ladies. Her previous life as a sailor and as an orphan did not prepare her for the obstacles and anger she has to face on a daily basis, and, to top it all off, she really misses Jaimy Fletcher, who remained on board the Dolphin.

Jacky’s off to a poor start, as her classes are harder than she expected, and she is criticized for everything by her teachers, from her manner of speech to the way she behaves at the table. Worse yet, every time she leaves the school to explore the city and find a little entertainment she lands in trouble. And, of course, how can she possibly explain her blue anchor tattoo that all members of the Brotherhood got during their cruise in Bloody Jack?

With the old puritan priest on the lookout for any sign of witchcraft, and with Jacky’s reputation already tarnished from her life on a ship, she will need more than luck to survive becoming a lady, but in the meantime Boston may never see an uneventful day again!