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bladebailey's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
5.0
Call of the Sea holds such incredible representation for fat, queer, and neurodivergent communities as Kenna exists in all of these spaces, her fatness regularly explored as a simple fact while also being weaponized against her by her peers. The Little Mermaid and Brave influences a great deal of Call of the Sea, so any Disney lover will enjoy it but don't worry: the story stands strong on it's own, with complex characters that undergo a great deal of development, and rich settings both on land in Kenna's kingdom and below the surface *wink*. Cameron must fight an uphill battle with Kenna who has faced lots of unkindness from men in the past, but his patience and blatant honesty about his interest make for a really satisfying romance. Rose has launched a really impressive debut here, and I highly recommend reading Call of the Sea.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia and Body shaming
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
caitandthelibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I knew from the Prologue that reading Call of the Sea was going to be a cinematic experience. The descriptions were detailed and vivid making it easy to picture the lands of Cladach and the yearning Kenna experiences for the sea. I loved the fat and neurodivergent representation in this book. The anxiety, self-consciousness and frustration that coming from existing differently than the rest of society were represented true to the experience of many. Call of the Sea is a story of a girl trying to find herself in the most trying of times, when everything feels like it's out of control. It's moving and emotional, but with well timed comedic relief. Rose manages to explore the heavy topics of fatphobia and bullying without slowing the pace of the book or making light of the issues. Tristan is a gem and I hope we get to see more of him and I love the relationship he has with Kenna and how they've spent their lives supporting each other. Mr. Love Interest was a dream even when he was being annoying and I love the way he loves her. The romance was swoony, the adventure was interesting and overall the experience was pure joy to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Death, Fatphobia, and Violence
Moderate: Body shaming and Bullying
My favorite quote (without any context) was "I feel like a pirate"
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