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anitaxlit's review
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Thanks to NetGalley and Dundurn press for sending me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Rebellious Tide tells the story of Sebastien, a young biracial man who, after losing his mother, joins the staff of a luxury liner where the father he has never met works as a high ranking official. It is very much a story of found family and grappling with one's identity, with an element of mystery and the exotic setting of a cruise ship sailing the Mediterranean.
This novel looked very promising but I'm sad to say it fell a bit flat for me. When I picked it up I was expecting a reflective book that went deeper into Sebastien's journey of self-discovery than into the mystery plot, and that wasn't what I found. We do get a good amount of Sebastien struggling with his identity, his past actions and his growing self-awareness, and I think that was where the author's writing shone, but it was outstaged by the melodramatic antagonists and some elements (*cough* stun guns and tranquilizer darts *cough*) that seem taken from the most clichéd Hollywood action movies.
I enjoyed the interspersed anecdotes and the portrayal of Petit Géant, the town where Sebastien grew up. I think the author really captured the oppressive atmosphere of its small community while also letting readers know that Sebastien's unkind view, while justified, is incomplete. However, when it comes to life aboard the cruise ship, there was a lot of telling and little showing. For example we're often told that the members of staff and the crew think of each other as family, including Sebastien (even if he has barely been there for two weeks and for all we know most of his socialising has been limited to Ilya and Diya). I just couldn't believe the found family trope here because nothing had happened to justify these unbreakable bonds. Another problem I had was the big amount of secondary characters (although I must give the author props for the diversity), there are too many for any of them to feel fully developed. The exception would be Nikos, he was very interesting and solid.
All in all, The Rebellious Tide was entertaining and I believe it will be a good pick for people looking for a fast-paced mystery with a diverse cast of characters. It just wasn't for me!
The Rebellious Tide tells the story of Sebastien, a young biracial man who, after losing his mother, joins the staff of a luxury liner where the father he has never met works as a high ranking official. It is very much a story of found family and grappling with one's identity, with an element of mystery and the exotic setting of a cruise ship sailing the Mediterranean.
This novel looked very promising but I'm sad to say it fell a bit flat for me. When I picked it up I was expecting a reflective book that went deeper into Sebastien's journey of self-discovery than into the mystery plot, and that wasn't what I found. We do get a good amount of Sebastien struggling with his identity, his past actions and his growing self-awareness, and I think that was where the author's writing shone, but it was outstaged by the melodramatic antagonists and some elements (*cough* stun guns and tranquilizer darts *cough*) that seem taken from the most clichéd Hollywood action movies.
I enjoyed the interspersed anecdotes and the portrayal of Petit Géant, the town where Sebastien grew up. I think the author really captured the oppressive atmosphere of its small community while also letting readers know that Sebastien's unkind view, while justified, is incomplete. However, when it comes to life aboard the cruise ship, there was a lot of telling and little showing. For example we're often told that the members of staff and the crew think of each other as family, including Sebastien (even if he has barely been there for two weeks and for all we know most of his socialising has been limited to Ilya and Diya). I just couldn't believe the found family trope here because nothing had happened to justify these unbreakable bonds. Another problem I had was the big amount of secondary characters (although I must give the author props for the diversity), there are too many for any of them to feel fully developed. The exception would be Nikos, he was very interesting and solid.
All in all, The Rebellious Tide was entertaining and I believe it will be a good pick for people looking for a fast-paced mystery with a diverse cast of characters. It just wasn't for me!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Trafficking and Confinement
Moderate: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, and Infidelity
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