This post contains book destroying SPOILERS for Patrick O’Brian’s The Yellow Admiral. The non-spoiler post is here.
I find the title puzzling. Jack isn’t yellowed, Stranraer has a command and is not, I would say, a coward, and no other admirals make significant appearances.
It took me a ridiculously long time to understand that the enclosure stuff was not a pre-sea-plot interlude but was the plot. Which was less thrilling, really, especially being back on the Brest blockade, but I did love the golden vacation at the end and the sudden (to me, not knowing the historical timeline in sufficient detail) call to arms.
I am not sure I quite believe that Sophie would take a lover, but I recognize that O’Brian worked really hard in pursuit of plausibility. I have more trouble believing that it will benefit Jack & Sophie’s marriage in the long run, but oh well.
Aaaand my brain is cheese and I can’t think of anything else to say about this now. I will add comments if I recall things later.