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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
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:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
sad
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:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
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
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really wanted to love this book but it was just boring to me. All of the characters have the exact same personality and I didn't really feel a reason to root for them.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
“Powerful things, stories. If you care to listen to them."
QUEER PIRATE ROMANCE!!!!!!!!!!
okay, now that I have your attention 🤭
An absolutely INCREDIBLE story!!! I love a multiple POV, and that lent itself well to explaining the world without a huge lore dump at the beginning. If you're looking for a very queer story about pirates, and magic, and storytelling, this is absolutely the book for you!
It follows pirate Florian— born Flora— as his life aboard the Dove is thrown into chaos by high-born Imperial daughter Lady Evelyn Hasegawa, a passenger on the ship on her way to an arranged marriage. Tasked with guarding Evelyn until his fellow pirates show their true colors and detain their wealthy passengers as slaves, friendship blossoms between the two, and then more. They encounter mermaids and witches and embark on the adventure of their lifetimes as they are forced to face their own identities and forces that conspire to keep them apart.
I adored the representation in this book: a Black genderfluid MC, a Japanese-coded sapphic MC, nonbinary major side character, Black major side character, and several Japanese-coded side characters.
This book does open with a very intense scene aboard a hostile pirate ship, but that only drew me in more! Maggie Tokuda-Hall built an exquisite world of pirates and mermaids and magic as you’ve never seen before. I’m infinitely glad my partner recommended it to me, and I in turn fervently recommend it to all of you!
CWs to keep in mind: blood, injury, and graphic violence; murder; references to slave trade; allusions to rape and rapists; alcoholism; some descriptions of torture
CWs to keep in mind: blood, injury, and graphic violence; murder; references to slave trade; allusions to rape and rapists; alcoholism; some descriptions of torture
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol
blood, injury, and graphic violence; murder; references to slave trade; allusions to rape and rapists; alcoholism; some descriptions of torture
adventurous
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Torture, Blood, Murder, Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence
Minor: Child death
not exactly “cute” bc there was some dark stuff in this but enjoyable ! loved the mermaids
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A