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rosesforreading's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Blood
Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Cursing, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Transphobia, Islamophobia, and Religious bigotry
sarahyjackson's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? It's complicated
5.0
I am absolutely undone by how incandescently wonderful this book was: the prose, the characters, the setting, the narrative. I loved it dearly and cannot wait to take to the high seas with Amina again, soon!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Transphobia and Xenophobia
displacedcactus's review against another edition
adventurous
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? No
Look, I know it's only March, but this book is an early front runner for my "best books of 2023" list. Just an absolute delight. You should read it if you like any of the following:
- Stuff inspired by/related to 1001 Nights (aka The Arabian Nights)
- Pirates, especially lady pirates
- Adult characters who actually act like adults
- No really, the main character is in her FORTIES, and a MOM
- Adventure books
- Getting the gang back together
- Well-researched historic settings with thoughtfully integrated fantastical elements
- DID I MENTION PIRATES?
I did see this on at least one "most anticipated YA of 2023" list, which I find really amusing because while you could argue that the Daevabad Trilogy was a little YA-ish (although marketed as adult fiction), this is a book about an ADULT coming out of RETIREMENT. I do think that teen readers can enjoy it too, but Amina has the concerns of a woman in her forties with a kid at home.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Cursing
There is a cat in this book:ezwolf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
Amina Al-Sirafi is a retired pirate trying to live out her retirement in peace with her daughter and family. When the mother of one of Amina's long dead crewmates comes to hire her to retrieve her kidnapped granddaughter, Amina brings her crew together for one last adventure. As you may have guessed, this adventure does not go as planned.
I loved this book SO much! Amina's devotion to her daughter, her sense of humor, and her crew being more than her crew but being her family were what I enjoyed most. The end of the book had me crying, but and not for the reasons you might think. I can't wait to read about more of Amina's adventures!
I listened to the audiobook version and I thought it was done in a clever way, where at points the narrator, Amina, would turn away from the recorder and speak to the scribe detailing her adventures.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for making this available in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this book SO much! Amina's devotion to her daughter, her sense of humor, and her crew being more than her crew but being her family were what I enjoyed most. The end of the book had me crying, but and not for the reasons you might think. I can't wait to read about more of Amina's adventures!
I listened to the audiobook version and I thought it was done in a clever way, where at points the narrator, Amina, would turn away from the recorder and speak to the scribe detailing her adventures.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for making this available in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Minor: Drug use, Sexual assault, Slavery, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria
meshell's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I'll admit, I went in to this audiobook having expectations - Shannon Chakraborty wrote one of my favourite series a few years ago (the Daevabad Trilogy), and I've always found it easy to recommend to others. Well, this book also hooked me from the beginning - I loved the middle aged large woman protagonist, former/current pirate having to get the gang back together to do one more heist (aka, search and rescue mission to find the child of a former shipmate.)
I think Chakraborty does a lot in her books - but I also think she does them all extremely well. It's funny, playful, semi-educational, and told from a perspective that doesn't always get centred. I thought the struggle of being a working parent and feeling both the freedom from and longing for wasn't belaboured, but nicely expressed. I enjoyed the queer rep, the themes of defying gender norms, the magic and the mayhem. The whole story is just very fun and engaging, and I look forward to any future adventures of Amina al-Sirafi.
Specifically to the narration - I loved the performance of the interview asides, I really felt like I was in the moment with them. I did play this at 2x, but that's my normal audiobook speed. Thanks to the publisher HarperAudio and Netgally for the opportunity to review this title and enjoy it a bit early.
I think Chakraborty does a lot in her books - but I also think she does them all extremely well. It's funny, playful, semi-educational, and told from a perspective that doesn't always get centred. I thought the struggle of being a working parent and feeling both the freedom from and longing for wasn't belaboured, but nicely expressed. I enjoyed the queer rep, the themes of defying gender norms, the magic and the mayhem. The whole story is just very fun and engaging, and I look forward to any future adventures of Amina al-Sirafi.
Specifically to the narration - I loved the performance of the interview asides, I really felt like I was in the moment with them. I did play this at 2x, but that's my normal audiobook speed. Thanks to the publisher HarperAudio and Netgally for the opportunity to review this title and enjoy it a bit early.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Cursing, Violence, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Fatphobia and Transphobia
bethanycrowepowell's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
A rollicking woman-led Sinbad type adventure on glittering, lethal seas.
Amina al-Sarafi left her beloved ship for many good reasons. She’s pulled out of retirement not because those reasons are gone, but because one of her biggest regrets has come knocking. The chance at fabulous wealth (which was missing from her sudden flight to the hinterlands) doesn’t hurt. Amina’s swagger and cynicism captured my heart, while her regrets and maturity made this feel more weighty as a fabulous adventure.
Chakraborty’s skill at turning the screws of stakes and evoking marvelous but dangerous worlds clinch this as a new favorite.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Torture, Violence, and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual violence, Slavery, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, and Dysphoria
Everything "phobia" in these content warnings are not presented in a positive light. The graphic violence/gore are mainly in the last third of the book when dealing with a horrifying villain, but I was glad to be skimming text instead of listening by audio to that part!