Just Finished Reading: Clarissa Oakes by Patrick O’Brian (FP: 1992) [256pp]

The Pacific Ocean, 2 days out from the penal colony at Botany Bay, Australia, early 19^th Century. Captain Jack Aubrey is not happy, not at all. One source of the unhappiness is clear to him – spending any time in Botany Bay. The other, at least for the moment, escapes him. After years aboard the Surprise, a vessel he knows well and loves more, something is….. off. He can’t place his finger on it but something is most assuredly wrong with the feel of the ship. Even the officers are behaving oddly. Then all is made clear and Jack is no longer unhappy. He’s furious. Not only has midshipman William Oakes smuggled a stowaway on board (and a woman!) but the officers and crew knew about it and kept it from him. As the Surprise is no longer under Admiralty regulations there is only so much he can do about the situation but still, it rankles. To make matters worse they are being hotly pursued by the British cutter Éclair. Convinced that the pursuit is to retrieve the stowaway Jack ensures that Oakes marries the woman in question to put an end to things. Naturally things are never that simple. The cutter carries dispatches (and personal mail!) regarding a privateer flying the American flag harassing British whalers. Sent in pursuit Jack is prevented from disposing of his stowaway and her new husband on the nearest inhabited island (or any passing British ship heading home). Forced now to entertain Mrs Oakes on board Jack discovers a young woman of surprising education and pleasing looks. His very good friend, ship’s surgeon and intelligence officer, Stephen Maturin discovers something else about her – she has information about a highly placed person with Bonapartist inclinations, information that must reach England.

This was my second Patrick O’Brian book picked up somewhere at random. I’d previously read ‘Far Side of the World’ (following seeing the movie) so had a good idea of what I was letting myself in for. Actually I was surprised that there was a lot less nautical terms scattered through this novel than I remember in his earlier work – or maybe I’m just getting used to jibs and studding sails? This is actually the 15^th book in the Jack Aubrey series with ‘Far Side’ being his 10^th. I really need to start back at the beginning especially as the 2^nd book has recently come into my possession. Anyway, at first I was unsure what to make of this novel. Most of the plot – well over half – revolves around the eponymous lady in question: Clarissa herself. At first I thought she was some kind of sociopath and was at Botany Bay for a host of horrible crimes. Criminal she definitely was but her back story was a very interesting and intriguing one. As a character she was a real gem – once you understood her a bit more fully. I think I’ll remember her for quite some time. The sub-plot (or at least one of them) revolved around a traitor in the British establishment with definite French sympathies. To be honest I’ve never given this aspect of the Napoleonic conflict much thought. Sure there would be spies on the ground ferreting out upcoming moves but traitors – especially in the establishment – had never crossed my mind, not once! Although quite a short book this is a delightful read giving an insight into life on board a small(ish) ship of the time and some of the events in the Pacific and on various chains of islands scattered throughout. I’m looking forward to wrapping myself deeper into the experiences of Aubrey & Maturin series – all 20 books of them! (not counting the ‘unfinished’ novel published after the authors death). Recommended for those who like their salt in the air and the smell of gunpowder.