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dembury's review
3.0
The strongest aspect of "The Bright and Breaking Sea" was the overall seafaring fun of the story- it felt like a book that took place in the world of the Pirates of the Caribbean films, all full of sailing adventures and double-crossing and quirky, if ultimately disposable, side characters. In general I also liked the magic system and the idea of being Aligned to a certain element (although I'm just a sucker for elemental stuff) but the system was fairly underdeveloped and lacked explanation. The actual plot was amusing but also predictable, and I don't think there was a single plot twist I was surprised by. The last third of the book was also a bit of a fumble and felt anticlimactic; Neill attempts to wrap up a handful of plot threads and deliver big, splashy finale scenes, yet everything fell a bit flat. All in all, it was fun enough to read, just underdeveloped! I would probably read a sequel but would definitely be hoping for deeper development and more exciting writing.
floressius's review
1.0
I really wanted to like this book! I was hoping for a magical, sea-faring adventure with a tough, assertive female captain at the helm; that's what the book tried to do, at least, but I was disappointed at every turn. Also, if you're a queer lady like me, you'll be at least a little disappointed to know that, no, despite the image on the cover, Kit is not LGBTQ+ (in this novel at least).
The story and the characters feel like a lot of missed potential. The Regency/alternate-Napoleonic era is cool, the magic concept is initially interesting, and the idea of swashbuckling fantasy at sea is fun. In full, however, there was much to be desired.
The dialogue feels bland, even though most of the story is told through said dialogue at the expense of the descriptive language. The Bright and Breaking Sea prefers to tell you things rather than show you things, and even then it doesn't tell enough. Important plot points happen entirely in vague dialogue without being mentioned otherwise - sometimes you aren't even told about it, it just happens. Major conflicts are solved in the span of several sentences. The worldbuilding is underdeveloped. Parts of the story that I expected to be filled with tension and emotion feel lacklustre and 2-dimensional. The antagonist and major conflict feel very non-threatening and/or under-developed and there is no real sense of urgency to have me fighting and cheering alongside naval captain protagonist Kit Brightling & co.
On the romance between Kit and war veteran, aristocrat Grant: the story hits so many tropes (enemies to lovers, reluctant partners, a spot of fake dating, a late night talk by the fire in their night clothes) but doesn't quite hit the mark. There is no romantic tension between the two, no building attraction, and no passion, connection or reason to get behind them or be as invested as I am with leads in other books. This lack of connection extends to the other characters also - I can hardly remember their names, let alone feel attached to them properly.
The overall story falls flat also. I wanted Kit, Grant and the other leads to have more inner conflict, more emotion to them, more personal challenges and growth, but everything is solved too easily. Grant has trauma, but Kit just fixes things for him in single 'insightful' sentences. Kit is looked down upon because of her status as Aligned, foundling and female (yay, fantasy misogyny!), but she feels flat, her motivations/beliefs feel empty, and she feels unrelatable. One antagonist is predictable, while the other is entirely absent and non-threatening. And there so many loose, unexplained threads and random characters who just appear for a single scene, add little value, then vanish once more.
I'm sad that the magic did not feel more alive or developed. I'm frustrated the story wasn't more. I'm disappointed because of what I thought this book was going to be vs. what it actually turned out to be. This could have used a look over by another fantasy writer or editor, along with some solid constructive feedback. I only finished it to give an honest review, and I'm glad to able to put it away and pick up something else.
If you're looking for a strong, vibrant female sea-farer, a loveable found family, and a rich world filled with political tension, adventure and magic, you'll find a little of that here, but you'll find better elsewhere.
The story and the characters feel like a lot of missed potential. The Regency/alternate-Napoleonic era is cool, the magic concept is initially interesting, and the idea of swashbuckling fantasy at sea is fun. In full, however, there was much to be desired.
The dialogue feels bland, even though most of the story is told through said dialogue at the expense of the descriptive language. The Bright and Breaking Sea prefers to tell you things rather than show you things, and even then it doesn't tell enough. Important plot points happen entirely in vague dialogue without being mentioned otherwise - sometimes you aren't even told about it, it just happens. Major conflicts are solved in the span of several sentences. The worldbuilding is underdeveloped. Parts of the story that I expected to be filled with tension and emotion feel lacklustre and 2-dimensional. The antagonist and major conflict feel very non-threatening and/or under-developed and there is no real sense of urgency to have me fighting and cheering alongside naval captain protagonist Kit Brightling & co.
On the romance between Kit and war veteran, aristocrat Grant: the story hits so many tropes (enemies to lovers, reluctant partners, a spot of fake dating, a late night talk by the fire in their night clothes) but doesn't quite hit the mark. There is no romantic tension between the two, no building attraction, and no passion, connection or reason to get behind them or be as invested as I am with leads in other books. This lack of connection extends to the other characters also - I can hardly remember their names, let alone feel attached to them properly.
The overall story falls flat also.
Spoiler
The pirate base is conquered with ease (thanks to the homemade bombs put together by Kit's sister - what?), conflicts with other characters feel simple, and the final climax of the book is solved because of a design flaw; the weapon they've been chasing just doesn't work, so they just... win?I'm sad that the magic did not feel more alive or developed. I'm frustrated the story wasn't more. I'm disappointed because of what I thought this book was going to be vs. what it actually turned out to be. This could have used a look over by another fantasy writer or editor, along with some solid constructive feedback. I only finished it to give an honest review, and I'm glad to able to put it away and pick up something else.
If you're looking for a strong, vibrant female sea-farer, a loveable found family, and a rich world filled with political tension, adventure and magic, you'll find a little of that here, but you'll find better elsewhere.
theblackmothreads's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
raenegade's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Refreshingly straightforward main character, proving the will-they-wont-they tug can be there without overused miscommunication tropes. As a fan of British period romances and fantasy adventure, this book has a bit of it all. Kit gives me everything I wanted from a female main character along the lines of Persuasion and POTC, without any simpering or woe is me internal monologuing. That said, there could be a bit more time spent describing characters and their physical appearance as I had to check initial descriptions a few times to keep them in my minds eye. The fact the diversity of characters who are all competent indivoduals is not overly called out in a 'look at me, I'm such a considerate author' manner that I see in so much modern fantasy, makes for a smooth and immersive reading experience.
I really enjoyed the balanced level of detail in world building and visualisation of the action and sailing mechanics. I felt it was a shame that the betrayal aspect didn't hit as hard as it could have, if only the reader was given more of a lens into how the relevant relationship was established in the first place it might have felt more impactful.
I found the steady and subtle romance build nicely contrasts with the fast pace of the plot, although I was hoping for a bit more spice towards the end.
Keen for a sequel given the set up on both the romance and plot aspects. Excited to see another female fantasy author join my shelves.
I really enjoyed the balanced level of detail in world building and visualisation of the action and sailing mechanics. I felt it was a shame that the betrayal aspect didn't hit as hard as it could have, if only the reader was given more of a lens into how the relevant relationship was established in the first place it might have felt more impactful.
I found the steady and subtle romance build nicely contrasts with the fast pace of the plot, although I was hoping for a bit more spice towards the end.
Keen for a sequel given the set up on both the romance and plot aspects. Excited to see another female fantasy author join my shelves.
sockmoxy's review
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
beancape's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
andougherty's review
adventurous
funny
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? No
4.0
sydney_arcuri's review
dnf 75%
I took a break from listening to this book because my school year just started, and I honestly couldn't remember what happened so i decided that I was not enjoying the book all that much and wanted to move on.
I took a break from listening to this book because my school year just started, and I honestly couldn't remember what happened so i decided that I was not enjoying the book all that much and wanted to move on.