''Nightbirds on Nantucket'' is a children's novel by Joan Aiken, first published in

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...

. Taking place in an

alternate history Alternate history (also alternative history, althist, AH) is a genre of speculative fiction of stories in which one or more historical events occur and are resolved differently than in real life. As conjecture based upon historical fact, altern ...

, the story presents the further adventures of Dido Twite, an eleven-year-old

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literature ...

tomboy, aboard a whaling ship and in

Nantucket Nantucket () is an island about south from Cape Cod. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the Town and County of Nantucket, a combined county/town government that is part of the U.S. state of Massachuse ...

. The novel is the third in the ''

Wolves Chronicles Joan Delano Aiken (4 September 1924 – 4 January 2004) was an English writer specialising in supernatural fiction and children's alternative history novels. In 1999 she was awarded an MBE for her services to children's literature. For ''The ...

'', a series of books set in a fictional 19th century in which the

Stuart Stuart may refer to: Names * Stuart (name), a given name and surname (and list of people with the name) Automobile *Stuart (automobile) Places Australia Generally *Stuart Highway, connecting South Australia and the Northern Territory Northe ...

kings were never ousted by William of Orange; a key plot driver (from ''Black Hearts in Battersea'') is the efforts of "Hanoverians" to overthrow "King James III" and his heirs. ''Nightbirds on Nantucket'' is the second novel to feature Dido Twite and the first in which she is the main character. The UK editions and their covers were initially illustrated by Pat Marriott, whose moody pen and ink drawings were used for most of the Wolves Chronicles, and several other Joan Aiken books.

Plot

Dido Twite awakens aboard the whaling ship ''The Sarah Casket'', where she has been cared for in a coma by Nate Pardon, a young sailor who found her adrift in the Atlantic Ocean after the adventures of ''Black Hearts in Battersea''. Dido is induced by the ship's captain to look after his daughter, Dutiful Penitence Casket, a neurotic eight-year-old who is travelling aboard the whaler. After drawing the girl out of her shell, Dido agrees to stay briefly on Nantucket to help "Pen's" transition to life with her Aunt Tribulation, who is to look after Pen while her father pursues his obsession, a mysterious pink whale. Dido is discomfited to find that Aunt Tribulation is apparently a demanding invalid, and Dido's plan to leave and take ship to London are further delayed when Nate brings Captain Casket to the house; when approaching the pink whale in a longboat, "Rosie Lee" sank it, and the injured captain is only semi-conscious. While exploring the surrounding countryside, Dido encounters a mysterious but comic foreigner, who proves to be sighting a gigantic cannon intended to assassinate King James III by blowing up the royal palace; Mr. Slighcarp, the Sarah Casket's first mate, is part of the plot together with his sister Letitia, the villainess of '' The Wolves of Willoughby Chase''. Disbelieved by the other adults, Dido and Pen, with the help of Nate, attempt to disable the cannon, whose recoil would send the island of Nantucket crashing into New York City.

Characters

* Dido Twite, the protagonist of the novel * Jabez Casket, the captain of ''The Sarah Casket'' * Dutiful Penitence Casket, daughter of Captain Casket * Tribulation Turvey, the sister of Captain Casket and Pen's aunt * Miss Letitia Slighcarp, formerly the governess of Bonnie and Sylvia Green in ''The Wolves of Willoughby Chase''; an activist of the Hanoverian cause * Mr. Slighcarp, first mate of ''The Sarah Casket'' and Letitia Slighcarp's brother * Nathaniel Pardon, a seaman of ''The Sarah Casket'', rescuer of Dido * Doktor Axeltree Breadno, a European gunnery expert

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nightbirds On Nantucket 1966 British novels 1966 children's books British children's novels English novels British alternative history novels Novels by Joan Aiken Children's historical novels Novels set in Massachusetts Jonathan Cape books Children's books set on ships Children's books set in Massachusetts Children's books set in the 19th century