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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
This kind of poetic writing gives me vibes of Night Circus mixed with the little mermaid, although don’t be mistaken I don’t think its a retelling of little mermaid at all. At first the title also reminded me os CS Lewis’ the Lion, the witch, and the wardrobe.
Here are some things I enjoyed about this story.
1. Swashbuckling pirates. Where is the sign-up sheet? I want to apply to be on board the Leviathan with the Pirate Supreme.
2. Strong heroines. And even women villains are strong and cool. I no longer want to read books with limpid female characters. No no no. Time for revolution ladies!
3. Magic. Yes.... we loves magicsies. Lovely mysterious magicsies.
4. The Sea. Being a diver, I love anything that gives the ocean a voice and shows how much humans have done damage to it - I know this can get preachy but it’s true - especially after you’ve seen with your own eyes fishlines cutting manta rays and hooks dragging through living corals... humans deserve the wrath of the sea, we really do. Sigh. Glad the sea got some fictional revenge here.
Pick up this book, you will not regret it... I mean did I also mentiom how CHEAP IT IS??? The Kindle version was like 2.99 USD.
Here are some things I enjoyed about this story.
1. Swashbuckling pirates. Where is the sign-up sheet? I want to apply to be on board the Leviathan with the Pirate Supreme.
2. Strong heroines. And even women villains are strong and cool. I no longer want to read books with limpid female characters. No no no. Time for revolution ladies!
3. Magic. Yes.... we loves magicsies. Lovely mysterious magicsies.
4. The Sea. Being a diver, I love anything that gives the ocean a voice and shows how much humans have done damage to it - I know this can get preachy but it’s true - especially after you’ve seen with your own eyes fishlines cutting manta rays and hooks dragging through living corals... humans deserve the wrath of the sea, we really do. Sigh. Glad the sea got some fictional revenge here.
Pick up this book, you will not regret it... I mean did I also mentiom how CHEAP IT IS??? The Kindle version was like 2.99 USD.
okay! went into this having heard a lot of mixed reviews all across the spectrum, but i did end up really enjoying this? i honestly think it's marketed a little strangely because it's SO DARK, and the cover makes it feel like it's a ~whimsical tale of adventure and magic~ when it's PIRATES AND BLOOD AND CONSEQUENCES. i wish i had the foresight to look up content warnings before i went into it, because i feel like that would've helped prepare me for a lot of the more explicit/gory scenes. all in all, i thought this was a wonderful YA fantasy debut that really shows off the author's talent for worldbuilding and treating setting as a character. the little interludes with the personification of the sea, as well as the lore surrounding mermaids, mermaid blood, and practical magic were the most fascinating parts of the story.
DNF @ 54%
I'm sorry. Maybe I've just gotten really picky when it comes to YA fantasy, but I can't push myself through this one - especially since I feel like it would've gotten a 2.5★ at best.
I'm sorry. Maybe I've just gotten really picky when it comes to YA fantasy, but I can't push myself through this one - especially since I feel like it would've gotten a 2.5★ at best.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
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:
Complicated
sapphic, bipoc representation, mermaids, witches, pirates, more mermaids. murder, betrayal, help from unexpected people, and more mermaids and more pirates. i loved this book.
cawpile rating as follows:
* Characters - 7
* Atmosphere/Setting - 7
* Writing Style - 9
* Plot - 8
* Intrigue - 7
* Logic/Relationships - 8
* Enjoyment - 7
53/7= 7.57 = 4 stars
cawpile rating as follows:
* Characters - 7
* Atmosphere/Setting - 7
* Writing Style - 9
* Plot - 8
* Intrigue - 7
* Logic/Relationships - 8
* Enjoyment - 7
53/7= 7.57 = 4 stars
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
medium-paced
I REALLY enjoyed the first half of this book and it was setting up to be at least a four star but unfortunately it went a little down hill for me after the half way point. I enjoyed our characters, and the blooming romance in the first half. The world, and some of the lore was really interesting to me throughout the book as well. Of course I LOVED the representation throughout this book, bipoc characters, sapphic relationship and even a nonbinary/gender fluid main character. So the fact that I didn't completely love this broke my heart a little.
I think my biggest struggle with this book was the writing style and storytelling definitely felt a bit clunky to me. While some of the writing was really nice prose, sometimes it just felt awkward and like it was trying a little too hard. Along with the fact that how the story was told just didn't always flow well and easily. I think it especially struggled in the middle. Flora's story arc with the witch just didn't fully feel like it fit quite right. There were some things as well that just felt like they were too easily and conveniently resolved. The stakes never felt like they were as high as they should have been.
If the ending was absolutely spectacular this probably still could have been a 4 star read but also one of my LEAST favorite tropes happened and that just kind of set the 3 star mid rating in stone for me.The trope of a character dying and then coming back to life in some form or fashion just never feels right and is something I hate. It cheapens the emotions of the death and feels like a cop out to me. I kind of enjoyed the fact that they both became mermaids, but still it always annoys me a little.
I think my biggest struggle with this book was the writing style and storytelling definitely felt a bit clunky to me. While some of the writing was really nice prose, sometimes it just felt awkward and like it was trying a little too hard. Along with the fact that how the story was told just didn't always flow well and easily. I think it especially struggled in the middle. Flora's story arc with the witch just didn't fully feel like it fit quite right. There were some things as well that just felt like they were too easily and conveniently resolved. The stakes never felt like they were as high as they should have been.
If the ending was absolutely spectacular this probably still could have been a 4 star read but also one of my LEAST favorite tropes happened and that just kind of set the 3 star mid rating in stone for me.
adventurous
emotional
tense
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
Despite the violence of warring pirates and imperialists at sea, this was filled with moments of found family, gender-fluidity, and queer love. The characters were well developed and as intended, easy to hate or love. I did find the final chapter a bit disappointing as it was a cliffhanger with a side character, while I felt the world and story had been neatly wrapped up within the prior chapter as a single novel.
Flora was a young girl around ten when she and her older brother were taken on as crew members by the captain of a slaver ship. She is raised amongst them as a young man named Florian. When their most recent load of passengers contains a young Imperialist girl of noblity, Evelyn, Florian is assigned to stay at her door and guard her from the rest of the crew. They develop a close bond that quickly turns into love. Florian helps Evelyn escape, sending them on a whirlwind of journeys both together and separate, finding magic, empowerment, confidence, and eventually each other once more.
Flora was a young girl around ten when she and her older brother were taken on as crew members by the captain of a slaver ship. She is raised amongst them as a young man named Florian. When their most recent load of passengers contains a young Imperialist girl of noblity, Evelyn, Florian is assigned to stay at her door and guard her from the rest of the crew. They develop a close bond that quickly turns into love. Florian helps Evelyn escape, sending them on a whirlwind of journeys both together and separate, finding magic, empowerment, confidence, and eventually each other once more.