Bloody Jack

By: L. A. Meyer

Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren

Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Life as a ship's boy aboard HMS Dolphin is a dream come true for Jacky Faber. Gone are the days of scavenging for food and fighting for survival on the streets of 18th-century London. Instead, Jacky is becoming a skilled and respected sailor as the crew pursues pirates on the high seas. There's only one problem: Jacky is a girl. And she will have to use every bit of her spirit, wit, and courage to keep the crew from discovering her secret. This could be the adventure of her life...if only she doesn't get caught.

Listen to the sequel, Curse of the Blue Tattoo.

©2003 L.A. Meyer (P)2007 Listen and Live Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

• Audie Award Winner, Children's Titles - Ages 12+, 2008

Brilliantly Masterful!!!

L. A. Meyer is an amazing author! Bloody Jack is fresh and entertaining as ever! Katherine Kellgren brings her skills to the table and delivers masterfully! With original and authentic accents Katherine helps bring to life the characters born in Mr Meyers novels. I personally fell in love with the heroine Jacky Faber and continue reading this book as well as all in the series and grow more attached as each word passes. To date I begin book 6 after reading the first five and recommend each and every one! I commend you Mr Meyer and Katherine K. for doing a masterpiece that has brought me much frustration on account of the insanely yet wonderful situations Jacky Faber goes through; but great satisfaction that the character's travels continue to change the world in which this fantasy thrives! Thank you for a most amazing read but more for the very heartfelt adventure that has brought actual laughs as well as tears to my own heart and eyes! I love the character Jacky Faber and will root for her in all her endeavers! Those who refuse to read these, well it would be a loss your soul cannot afford to suffer! ... Sincerely the dedicated Jacky Faber/ Katherine Kellgren fan... Brandy Autrey

Fun and Engaging!

Delightfully full of life, well written and performed! I loved Jackie and simultaneously felt protective of her, proud of her and empathetic with her. As her character revealed itself, the little brave waif who stands up to life with extraordinary courage and cunning captured my heart. I am now listening to the second in the series and lick my mental chops to enjoy so much fun with the coming books in the series. Written ten years ago, I am happy to have discovered it at the beginning of 2013. What a great way to start out the new year!

One of my favorite books

This book is a different from what i usually read/listen to... but it caught my attention and is now one of my favorite books... I liked the whole story and want to finish getting through the rest of the series. It had moments that just make me laugh and I think the narrator of the book does a great job of making the main character come to life as she tells her story

I would recommend this book! It’s a great listen

Great Fun!

I enjoy all 12 works of this series but this is one of the best of the litter. I have read AND listened to this book several times & I find I like Ms Kellgren's participation better each time. She is one of the best narrators out there. I also admire the attention to detail as Jacky states her cockney accent becomes more noticeable when she is excited or scared. The gradual refinement of Jacky's speech over the course of the series is also quite admirable. The book is well worth the read & borders on compulsory as a listen.

Unexpectedly amazing

*Update: 02/06/2023
My kids are finally old enough to listen to the Bloody Jack series. There was complete silence from everyone in the car during our long drive to our vacation destination recently. Jacky Faber's wild adventures captured the attention and imaginations of all who were on that trip. Even my husband was fascinated with the story. We just finished the last book in the series, and we are all sad that it is over. This makes the 6th time that I have listened to the entire series, and I still love it!

I can't decide what I love most about this series. I love the heroine's frequently ridiculous thought process, I can easily relate to her dramatic fantasies that never play out the way she intends them to. She's loveable and not overly sweet or overly good. The narration is perfect. It couldn't be better. Annoyingly frantic (in all the right parts), soft, sad, boastful, rambunctious, this narrator really makes Jackie Faber come to life! I avoided it for over a year because the cover didn't look like something I'd enjoy, and the description just isn't my usual cup of tea, but it has become one of my favorites. I've listened to this series over and over again, and I'm still not tired of it. I do wish that they would offer an edited version of the books with slightly less swearing and perhaps a couple of scenes that talk about sex related things out, simply because I know my young kids would adore Jackie Faber and the Brotherhood. But they're not quite old enough for some of the language and "descriptive" talk yet. There's nothing truly obscene, but it's a bit too risqué for an 8 year old, in my opinion.

Perfect story!

I love this book and series so much! I just re-read the first book and it absolutely does not disappoint

Wonderful

Great story and fantastic narration. So very enjoyable. I’m glad there are many more books in the series.

Award-winning author and narrator. 'Nuf said!

STORY (historical) - First of all, I totally disagree with the categorization of this book as "Teens Ages 11-13" The main characters in the story are teens, but there are mature themes which make it more appropriate for adults. The main character, "Jacky," is a young orphan girl who must survive on the streets of London until a dear friend is killed, she takes his clothing and sets off in search of a better life disguised as a boy. Her life as a street urchin is pretty dark and depressing. Jacky gets a job as a ship's mate aboard a seagoing vessel, which is where the adventures begin, but there are still some scenes with sexual undertones which I wouldn't consider appropriate for 11-year-olds.

I also think the title is a bit misleading. Jacky gets the nickname "Bloody Jack" because she happens to kill an unworthy individual in self-defense and another in a battle with pirates, but the story is actually a touching coming-of-age story that is mixed with lots of fun and adventure. It's a light, easy listen once Jacky becomes a ship's "boy." The ending is good, but definitely leaves the door open for the rest of the series.

PERFORMANCE - Amazing! Katherine Kellgren is one of my favorite narrators. I was undecided about this series until I noticed she was the narrator. She gives every character a different voice and accent and they're all wonderful. There's even a toothless pirate, and you can literally "see" him when you hear her portrayal. (She also reads the Her Royal Spyness series.) You must hear her to believe how good she is.

OVERALL - (Actual rating 4.5 stars) This is Book 1 of the series, and you should listen to them in order. As I mentioned above, I would recommend this for high school age and above. Guys and gals would probably both enjoy the adventures of Jacky and her crew.

Smart People

There are so many good things about this book, but the one thing that makes it the most appealing, is the fact that Jacky Faber is smart. It is easy to write a book about a dumb person because they can get themselves into terrible situations because they don't use their brain. That's why when a book is written about a smart person, it is a thing to be admired. A lot of thinking has to happen in order to put a smart person into a difficult situation. I like every single book in this series because it is exciting listening to how a smart girl thinks of solutions, instead of listening to how a dumb person makes problems.

LOVED IT!!!!!! FANTASTIC LISTEN!!!!

Katherine Kellgren is amazing in reading this amazing story. If you are looking for a great book that has been narrated in a fantastic way, then this book is for you.

I can't wait to listen to the next in this series.