The Nine Lives of Jacob Tibbs
“Though the memories of the Melissa Rae and all that befell us that trip out remained fresh in my mind, I could hardly wait to have my paws back on deck…”
Captain Natic, preparing to sail for America on the Melissa Rae, has no intention to take a kitten aboard his ship. However, Mrs. Tibbs, a loyal mouser who has accompanied him on many trips, has given birth to a litter. When the other kittens are claimed by other captains, Natick brings the scrawny runt aboard his ship - and the life of Jacob Tibbs begins.
As Jacob learns to be a true ship’s cat, he faces loss, despair, thunderous sea storms, mutiny, and navigates the treacherous waters of life and loyalties aboard a ship.
This site earns commissions on purchases made through the following links:
Cylin Busby
Alfred A. Knopf
260 pages
The theme of this book includes grief, despair, and determination.
This book is set in the 1800s, specifically beginning in 1837. The majority of the story takes place aboard the Melissa Rae, a fictional ship, though the story also continues on land.
The main character is a ship’s cat, showing the reader the life of a cat through his eyes. The other characters are well written, seeming to react realistically to different circumstances.
This book contains death and violence, including mutiny and characters being swept overboard. The main character lives, but someone close to him does not.
This book is a work of historical fiction, and accurately represents that time period. Though I don’t have much knowledge of life on a ship, I believe that it also accurately represents the tasks and roles found aboard a vessel during that time. I enjoyed reading this book from the point of view of a cat.
People who enjoyed reading The Nine Lives of Jacob Tibbs may also enjoy Thomasina, another book from the point of view of a cat that deals with the heavy themes of grief.
