Reviews

Floating somewhere between fantasy, fairy tale, and horror, "Merciless Waters" is a darkly delectable gem of a novella that brims with revenge and toxic sapphic love. Gorgeous prose, complex relationships, and a twist on rusalka folklore are all packed into the pages. I really enjoyed this, including the twist ending!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

emmacantread's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

theduchess93's review against another edition

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4.0

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I'm a sucker for queer monsters and this book did not disappoint in that arena. The pacing of the unraveling mystery and the unique stories of all the characters kept me hooked until the very end -- I was frustrated that Lily was essentially cursed in perpetuity to a lopsided relationship and now lacks anyone to tell her she deserves better, but my frustration just demonstrates how attached I was to the characters.

arianaristovski's review against another edition

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4.0

This book is usually not the genre that I gravitate towards; however, I think that the author writes in such a beautifully detailed style that it makes it amazing. I loved the world and the premise of this being about an all female crew on a pirate ship. I loved the rage that fueled each of these characters. The twists and turns in this novella will get your heart pumping.

kaz_loves_books's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Here is my review of Merciless Waters by Rae Knowles

This was an intriguing book to read, set in the high seas. Set aboard an old ship with an all female crew, everything is happening in the present time until they pick up a man they find in the sea, then things start to change for the worse. The book is well written by the author and she has used her imagination well. I haven’t read this author before but I would be interested in reading more of her books.

Blurb :

Aboard the ship Scylla, there is no future or past. Jaq, her fickle lover Lily, and their all-female crew exist in an endless present. It's better this way. At least it keeps Lily by Jaq's side, where she belongs. But the meddling gods care little for Jaq's longing, and despite her protective rituals, their punishment arrives all the same:

A man, adrift on the open ocean. Delivered to snatch Lily from Jaq's arms forever.

Jaq knows what to do. She's lost Lily before. Her lover will return-when this interloper, this distraction, is snuffed out. But Jaq's murderous schemes may not be enough. The intruder's presence infects her crew with a plague her spells cannot cure: memory. And as the women recall how they came to Scylla, their minds bend one by one towards revenge.

questionablereads's review

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The best way I could describe this book is a dark sapphic horror/fantasy tale told with bits of breadcrumbs that explores toxic relationships, a seemingly endless journey at the sea and discussions of purgatory. It’s also written in such poetic language that took a minute for me to get used to, and I often had to reread some bits just to make sure I didn’t miss anything. But I loved how unlikeable one of the main characters was, and how sinister this story played out.

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