Clean book, the spine is not creased. About the book: Just as Midshipman Alexis Carew thinks shes found a place in the Royal Navy, shes transferred aboard H.M.S. Hermione. Her captain is a Tartar, liberal with the cat, who thinks girls have no place aboard ship. The other midshipmen in the berth are no better. The only advice shes offered is to keep her head down and mouth shut  things Alexis is rarely able to do.