Seventeen Against the Dealer

Seventeen Against the Dealer follows 21-year-old Dicey Tillerman as she pursues her dream of building wooden sailboats. After dropping out of college, she sets up a workshop in Crisfield, Maryland, determined to turn her passion into a viable business. The story takes place over six weeks in 1986, continuing the narrative of the Tillerman family established in earlier books of the series. Key relationships include Dicey's interactions with her three siblings, her grandmother Gram, her boyfriend Jeff Greene, and her friend Mina Smiths. Dicey faces the challenges of being a young entrepreneur in a traditionally male-dominated field. Her single-minded focus on the boat-building business puts strain on her personal relationships, particularly after Jeff proposes marriage. This final installment of the Tillerman Cycle explores themes of ambition, independence, and the balance between pursuing dreams and maintaining connections with loved ones.

Readers call this the darkest and most mature book in the Tillerman series, with a bittersweet tone that resonates with fans who grew up following Dicey's story. Many note it provides closure while avoiding an overly neat ending. Readers appreciated: - The realistic portrayal of Dicey's struggles with work-life balance - Complex family dynamics - Detailed boat-building sequences - Authentic teen voice and decision-making Common criticisms: - Slower pacing than previous books - Less involvement of other Tillerman siblings - Some found the ending unsatisfying - Technical boat-building details overwhelm the plot at times Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (1,900+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (30+ ratings) Multiple readers mentioned feeling torn - while they value the book's realism, they wished for more hope and triumph for Dicey after following her journey through seven books. As one Goodreads reviewer noted: "A fitting end, but not an easy one."

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🔸 "Seventeen Against the Dealer" (1989) is the seventh and final book in the Tillerman Cycle, which began with the Newbery Medal-winning novel "Dicey's Song." 🔸 The art of wooden boatbuilding, central to the plot, is a centuries-old craft that reached its peak in America during the 19th century, with Maryland being a significant hub for this tradition. 🔸 Cynthia Voigt wrote the first book in the Tillerman series, "Homecoming," while working as a high school English teacher, and it was rejected by five publishers before being accepted. 🔸 The character of Dicey Tillerman was partially inspired by Voigt's observations of resilient students she encountered during her teaching career. 🔸 The book's title references the gambling term "seventeen" in blackjack, where players decide whether to risk taking another card when their hand totals seventeen - metaphorically reflecting Dicey's risky career choice.