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semisinful's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
I felt no connection to any of the characters other than Yinka and we were stuck with Jaq’s inconsistent ass perspective. I personally found all the character’s to have extremely similar voices and I just couldn’t stand much of the prose. I was interested in the middle for a while but the beginning and the ending SUCKED. Every “love” scene felt like SA.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Homophobia, Outing, Gore, Gaslighting, Body horror, Colonisation, Violence, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Biphobia, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Lesbophobia
vixenreader's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
The ending is a bit anti-climatic and it is hard to read about such a toxic relationship. Written more as a first draft than a complete piece, it definitely needed some rewrites, even if there was potential.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Abandonment, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexism, Torture, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Alcohol, Stalking, and Suicide attempt
Be aware that there are scenes of drowning, death of a sibling, romantic manipulation, strangulation, and explicit sapphic sex.themelleh's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley, the Author and editors for the ARC. My review is completely my own.
I’m going to leave this as my completely incoherent mess of a review but what an absolutely wild ride. It’s so dark and messy and absolutely different from what I usually read. It was also so beautiful and painful despite it’s darkness and the infuriatingness of Jaq’s devotion to Lily was so frustrating. The absolutely beauty of the sister-ship of our crew was magnificent. It’s quite the read. I would love a fully fleshed out tale of all our girls, their origins and their adventures on the seas. It’s such a gorgeous take on mythology and how women are treated.
I couldn’t stop reading. I devoured it in one sitting.
I’m going to leave this as my completely incoherent mess of a review but what an absolutely wild ride. It’s so dark and messy and absolutely different from what I usually read. It was also so beautiful and painful despite it’s darkness and the infuriatingness of Jaq’s devotion to Lily was so frustrating. The absolutely beauty of the sister-ship of our crew was magnificent. It’s quite the read. I would love a fully fleshed out tale of all our girls, their origins and their adventures on the seas. It’s such a gorgeous take on mythology and how women are treated.
I couldn’t stop reading. I devoured it in one sitting.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Murder, Death, Animal death, Gore, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Violence
simonlorden's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I received an advance reader's copy for free in exchange for an honest review.
A quick and thrilling read, full of myth and magic and the sea. Lily and Jaq are lovers, two of many women sailing aboard the mysterious ship called the Scylla, in an endless present without any memory of their pasts.
I loved how the story and the nature of the women aboard the Scylla gradually came to light. I wasn't particularly fond of Jaq, but the book had a really immersive style, and Jaq's possessive desire for Lily drives the story. The ending was unexpected and truly chilling.
Also, Yinka is just the best.
A quick and thrilling read, full of myth and magic and the sea. Lily and Jaq are lovers, two of many women sailing aboard the mysterious ship called the Scylla, in an endless present without any memory of their pasts.
I loved how the story and the nature of the women aboard the Scylla gradually came to light. I wasn't particularly fond of Jaq, but the book had a really immersive style, and Jaq's possessive desire for Lily drives the story. The ending was unexpected and truly chilling.
Also, Yinka is just the best.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, Murder, Gore, Animal cruelty, and Lesbophobia
hailstorm3812's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It has a dark fairy tale vibe that was so much fun to float through. It has a kind of lyrical prose that really helps with removing the elements of reality and join the crew, regardless of their horrendous acts. We are supporting women's wrongs here. Jaq can be petty and jealous and murderous if she wants. That does include Lily since I love a toxic sapphic even though she really is quite mean sometimes. I did get a little nervous in the beginning that we were leaning into bisexual stereotypes but I think it is made clear that this is how Lily would always behave as a way to get to Jaq. I wish we had spent more time with the rest of the crew and gotten their stories. It's a really short books so I think we could have spent more time here. I also think a missed opportunity is not interrogating that they all died in groups of two. I wasn't super familar with the lore so it was very fun to dive into this mythology. I also loved the ending, even if the twist was a bit predictable. Overall I had a great time, and it is perfect for spooky season.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Lesbophobia, Death, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Body horror, Suicide attempt, Outing, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Death, Sexual content, Sexism, and Physical abuse
atlastheninth's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC. All opinions are my own.
"A simple truth known long to men and only now discovered by womenfolk. We crave violence. So we swallow violent men."
First of all: The cover is so pretty! As is the prose!
It is fast-paced, engaging and a bit fucked up.
This book is based on the "Rusalka" in Slavic mythology (man hating woman by the water). So that is what we have: A bunch of violent, murderous women sailing the sea forever, searching for revenge and I absolutely adored it.
The main romance was not only sapphic but also really messed up and non of the characters were really likeable and that was all weirdly refreshing to read.
I truly love reading about unhinged women.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Gore
Moderate: Sexual content and Animal death
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