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lizlogan's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is a quick, but good read. It deals with everyday life when everything is anything but every day. This book is how to heal, how not to heal, how to sit, how to fall in love, how to be, how to have relationships, and how to be a person.
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Eating disorder, and Drug abuse
happyhaley's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Suicidal thoughts, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Rape
julietthague's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
some families carry survival in their genes like others carry beauty. violet larkins family is one of them. after her brother sam's failed su!c!de attempt, violet gets sent to lyric, maine, the town founded by her very own great(x3)-grandmother, fidelia, after she was the sole survivor of a shipwreck. her involuntary exile not only brings violet to complate her ancestors‘ and own family history, but also marks the beginning of a journey of a wreckhunt, of growing and of healing.
this book. where do i even begin. it broke my heart and healed them in all the right places because it resonated with me so much. the writing was so simple yet beautifully poetic, i feel like i annotated and underlined every third sentence.
everything about this was perfect.
the family history, the incredible friendship dynamics, the complicated yet intricate, slow and beautiful development of a wlw relationship, the trauma, the sibling bond, the oldest daughter guilt, the healing, the pain.
this book has such a special place in my heart from now on!
this book. where do i even begin. it broke my heart and healed them in all the right places because it resonated with me so much. the writing was so simple yet beautifully poetic, i feel like i annotated and underlined every third sentence.
everything about this was perfect.
the family history, the incredible friendship dynamics, the complicated yet intricate, slow and beautiful development of a wlw relationship, the trauma, the sibling bond, the oldest daughter guilt, the healing, the pain.
this book has such a special place in my heart from now on!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Homophobia, Alcohol, and Eating disorder
sailinginthetea's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexual content, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Eating disorder, and Medical content
lilifane's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I had a totally different idea about the plot of this book. I might have mixed it up with something else and since I don't read synopses, I was really surprised what this book was actually about. And pleasantly surprised even because it has so many things I love to read about.
A small coastal town, family history, mystery and adventure, a treasure hunt, sibling dynamics, a friends group, LGBTQIA representation. And I really really enjoyed the majority o the book. The main character went through some hard hitting things and made some questionable decisions, but I still enjoyed reading from her perspective.
I was disappointed by the last quarter of the book, though. The plot didn't really progress, and then it was suddenly over, but the ending took half an eternity to conclude. Weird pacing and I get the focus was on some important topics, but still, the rest was just forgotten somehow.
But yeah, still liked and enjoyed the majority and the atmosphere was perfect for a summer read.
A small coastal town, family history, mystery and adventure, a treasure hunt, sibling dynamics, a friends group, LGBTQIA representation. And I really really enjoyed the majority o the book. The main character went through some hard hitting things and made some questionable decisions, but I still enjoyed reading from her perspective.
I was disappointed by the last quarter of the book, though. The plot didn't really progress, and then it was suddenly over, but the ending took half an eternity to conclude. Weird pacing and I get the focus was on some important topics, but still, the rest was just forgotten somehow.
But yeah, still liked and enjoyed the majority and the atmosphere was perfect for a summer read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, Eating disorder, Grief, Mental illness, Sexual content, Death, and Medical content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Drug use, and Homophobia
mads1706's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Death, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide attempt
jenmaysiereads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
5 out of 5 stars
Threads of mystery thrum through ‘The Last True Poets of the Sea’, interweaving with the unkempt messiness of heartache, sorrow, grief and hope, tugging the cast of characters through their journey of wreck-hunting.
‘The Last True Poets of the Sea’ follows Violet Larkin after her Year of Wild is cut dramatically short by her younger brother Sam’s (thankfully) failed attempt to end his life. In a bid to keep their daughter out of trouble and focus on helping their son, Violet’s parents parents ship her off to Lyric, Maine, to live with her uncle.
There, wrecked ships and cursed emeralds and whale song weave their way into Violet’s heart. In the aftermath of her brother’s suicide attempt, Violet is desperate to disappear. Once the focal point of every room, the centre of all attention, she craves nothing more than to sink in on herself and vanish into the violent, quiet crush of Lyric.
However, it’s only a matter of time before she resolves to find the lost shipwreck of her family’s tangled past—desperate to make amends with her own and prove to herself and her brother that their lives meant something. Desperate to heal the notorious shipwreck gene that drags at their heals, sinking them deeper and deeper into sorrow.
The best books, in my opinion, contain an unnameable, unfathomable magical quality which lifts the prose from the page. The best books make you feel as you’re stood, toes wriggling into the sand and the cool water of the ocean pooling around your ankles, right alongside the protagonists.
And that’s precisely what ‘the Last True Poets of the Sea’ feels like.
This book is heavy with the scent of warm summer nights and saltwater tides; the smell of campfire sweet s’mores and cigarette ash clings to your fingertips as you turn the page. There is a finality and honesty that grants the book this bittersweet goodbye; it’s a tribute to lost shipwrecks and lost girls and the hope that they can be found once more.
Julia Drake plays with form, tense and perspective in a whimsical and soul-crushing way that I really admired. The lyricism of her prose coupled with the innovative way she utilised narrative structure made for a spell-binding read.
Moreover, ‘The Last True Poets of the Sea’ snags on the haunting nature of family, mapping out the bruising brilliance that such relationships can have on your heart. It’s magical and beautiful and agonising all at once, and Julia Drake manages to convey that complexity perfectly here.
While Sam’s suicide attempt is the catalyst for their family’s fallout, it is nevertheless treated with the utmost care and dignity within the narrative. The portrayal of mental illness within the novel overall is nothing short of wonderfully nuanced and respectful; the experience of the characters is never tokenised, used for cheap drama or conflict and is always, always treated with kindness.
Violet’s attempts to grapple with her self-loathing is heartbreaking—her sorrow runs bone deep, deep enough to swallow you wholly and fully. ‘The Last True Poets of the Sea’ captures so well some of the most vulnerable parts of my heart; the weight of isolation and the twisting, poisoned blade of self-hatred and the fear that, no matter how hard I try, how much I want to be better; I will never be good enough.
It’s hard to bare those aspects of your soul to someone, harder still to see them reflected back at you on paper.
This is truly a beautiful book and I highly, highly recommend picking up this absolute work of brilliance. What a magical read.
(Notable content warnings for ‘The Last True Poets of the Sea’: suicide, suicide ideation, discussions of suicide, disordered eating, loss of a loved one, panic attacks, underage drug/alcohol use.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Drug use, and Alcohol
brookey8888's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I just don’t think this book was for me. I can see why a lot of people like this and I did like the topics discussed, but that being said I didn’t love it. I thought the characters were honestly annoying and the “quirky” style of character was too much for me. As for the romance I thought it was cute, but I honestly didn’t like how they tried their friend(also violet totally had feeling for him, but that just disappeared). I also wish that we got to see more of Sam and violet and their relationship develop and grow.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Outing, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Child death, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, and Suicide attempt
nmcannon's review against another edition
Last True Poets of the Sea was a sapphic book club pick for June.
I wasn't in the right place to read this book. Both in terms what happening in my life this year and in terms of my expectations going in. Going by the blurb, I was expecting a Twelfth Night retelling with some light personal reflections and, overall, a romantic beach read. Nope. Last True Poets of the Sea is nowhere near a heartwarming comedy! More to my own fault, I thought this was an Adult book, and teenagers going through these heavy, intense mental health troubles squicked me out at times. Heed the content warnings! They're not kidding with this one!
To the book's credit, it's indeed beautifully written. On a sentence level, the novel is ornate without being overwrought, and the teenage voice is believable. Friends noted that their teenage selves would have appreciated this book so much.
I wasn't in the right place to read this book. Both in terms what happening in my life this year and in terms of my expectations going in. Going by the blurb, I was expecting a Twelfth Night retelling with some light personal reflections and, overall, a romantic beach read. Nope. Last True Poets of the Sea is nowhere near a heartwarming comedy! More to my own fault, I thought this was an Adult book, and teenagers going through these heavy, intense mental health troubles squicked me out at times. Heed the content warnings! They're not kidding with this one!
To the book's credit, it's indeed beautifully written. On a sentence level, the novel is ornate without being overwrought, and the teenage voice is believable. Friends noted that their teenage selves would have appreciated this book so much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
Moderate: Eating disorder, Sexual content, Car accident, Biphobia, Medical content, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Transphobia, and Suicide attempt
imstephtacular's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Grief
Minor: Death, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Medical content, Self harm, Blood, Ableism, Alcohol, Biphobia, Classism, and Cursing