“(The Convicts), aimed at those mature and strong-stomached enough to endure Tom’s horrors, powerfully draws readers into another time and place, and gripping Dickensian coincidences abound. The ending offers a glimmer of hope for down-trodden Tom and also leaves a door open for a sequel.” *Starred Review*
— Publishers Weekly
“To say that this lively novel is Dickensian is to understate its debt to that author. The story abounds in terrifying villains, grime, misery, and cruelty…This book is as action packed and as thoroughly researched as the author’s seafaring trilogy, but it will be accessible to a wider audience because of its easier reading level. Give it to reluctant readers who are looking for an exciting adventure.”
— School Library Journal
“Brilliant writing, adventure and a likable character mired in the claustrophobic dark of a 19th-century convict ship will entrance all readers who love an old-fashioned tale well told.”
— Kirkus Reviews
“[What] readers … will find unforgettable is the gritty historical fact, especially the horror of the young convicts’ daily struggle and the wretched suffering of 500 children packed and punished on the ship.”
— Booklist