with the boat's luxury and the loving treatment by the passengers, who know of the story of the children told by Captain Marpole. Despite her fondness for Captain Jonsen and the fact that she promised not to tell about what really happened, Emily quickly tells the truth to a stewardess. The pirate ship is pursued and seized by the British authorities. Back in London, the children are reintegrated into their families. They seem completely unaffected by their traumatic experiences aboard the ship, apart from Margaret who has lost her sanity. (It is hinted that she may also be pregnant.) Emily is only half aware of the crime she has committed. The younger children have distorted and contradictory memories of the facts, and after unsuccessfully attempting to extract any information from them, the family solicitor decides that only Emily should testify at the trial against the pirate crew and then only to repeat a statement written by him. Under the pressure of the courtroom, Emily breaks down and cries out that the Dutch captain died as she watched. She does not exactly say who performed the murder, but the trial's outcome is decided. The pirates are executed. The book ends with Emily playing with her schoolmates. She is so similar to them that "only God", but no one else, could tell them apart. Critical reception The book received much criticism for its content at the time of release. Many critics responded negatively to the behaviour and treatment of the children in the novel, ranging from sexual abuse to murder. Others lauded Hughes for contradicting the Victorian romances of childhood by portraying the children without emotional reduction. The book is often given credit for influencing and paving the way for novels such as Lord of the Flies by William Golding. In 1998, A High Wind in Jamaica'' was included as number 71 in the Modern Library's 100 Best Novels, a list of the best English-language novels of the 20th century. Trivia The cocktail Hangman's Blood is first described in this novel. References External links Introduction by Francine Prose 1950 Radio adaptation 2000 Radio adaptation 1929 British novels British novels adapted into films Novels about pirates Chatto & Windus books Novels set in the Caribbean