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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Talia isn't the nicest girl in the first half of the book. I find it hard to root for her.
4.5 stars! This book is soooo good! I want more of Wen tho.
Goodness, this book is a mess, but it is an entertaining mess. On one hand, I found myself getting genre whiplash because HOLY COW--this started as court intrigue, progressed to a maritime adventure, moved on to Jane-Eyre-by-the-sea, and then leapt full steam ahead into cosmological myth. On the other hand, I had to admire the author's guts at attempting to combine all of these elements into one story.
The cosmological myth seemed at first like a massive Silmarillion rip-off, but to the author's credit, she then took it in a completely different direction. Not a direction I loved, unfortunately, but a different direction. In the author's note she mentioned someone had described this book as Silmarillion fan-fiction, and that seemed somewhat accurate, at least in describing the last half of the book. The characters weren't overly likeable (especially the protagonist), and I was more interested in seeing what crazy genre left-turn was going to come next than in the characters themselves.
The friend who recommended this said I would love to hate-read it, and they were right. Three stars is being overly generous, but it was just too entertaining to pass up.
The cosmological myth seemed at first like a massive Silmarillion rip-off, but to the author's credit, she then took it in a completely different direction. Not a direction I loved, unfortunately, but a different direction. In the author's note she mentioned someone had described this book as Silmarillion fan-fiction, and that seemed somewhat accurate, at least in describing the last half of the book. The characters weren't overly likeable (especially the protagonist), and I was more interested in seeing what crazy genre left-turn was going to come next than in the characters themselves.
The friend who recommended this said I would love to hate-read it, and they were right. Three stars is being overly generous, but it was just too entertaining to pass up.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-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
I was hesitant about this book at first as I wasn't the hugest fan of Talia in the beginning, but looking back I think so much just happened at once it was hard to connect with her right away. I ended up loving getting to see her go through her journey. Having her go from entertaining the idea of reclaiming her title of Empress to saving her mom and others from the Goddess Rahn.
I also really adored Wen. I absolutely loved how he gave Talia her space and never forced anything upon her and was there to support her when she needed it. It allowed Talia to come to her own conclusions which I liked. Even if there wasn't a romance between them, I just really loved Wen. I liked how gentle his personality was and how he was determined to make his own way even if his family doubted him for it. I honestly wish more male leads were like him.
While I enjoyed how heavily the plot relied on myths and legends, I do wish there were fewer readings of it in the book. I'm guessing the author was trying to contain the mystery or find a way to show us the answers without plainly telling them, but I honestly skipped a couple of the myths because it just slowed down the story for me.
Overall, this was a very pleasant read. This author is one of my favorites and this is the first book she published. While it isn't my favorite of hers, I am glad to add it to my collection. If you love fantasy, and slow romance I definitely recommend this for you.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
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
dark
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:
N/A
4 stars
Beneath the Haunting Sea is the first book in a companion duology that follows Talia, a young woman born into a world of myths and legends that many do not believe in anymore. After she and her mother are exiled from their kingdom, they are shipped off to Ryn, a lonely island surrounded by a sea that seems to be calling to Talia. Part of her terms of being sent away from her kingdom is to be entered into an arranged marriage with the son of the Baron of the Ruen-Dahr on the large island. It is here that Talia enters into a world of learning about the myths and legends she once did not believe in and understanding why the sea is calling to her so clearly.
I absolutely adored learning about the world and the myths in this book. It was soo interesting. It had me hooked from the get go, and it's what made me interested in the book to begin with. However, there is a love triangle/square that takes up a huge chunk of the middle of the book, and while I don't mind love triangle situations, I feel it took away from how amazing this book was because it didn't add to the plot in my opinion. I also felt that one of the characters in the love triangle was more of a... lust at first sight situation, rather than an actual love interest, and that Talia just got swept up in her first romantic situation because this character was one I did not enjoy at all.
Joanna Ruth Meyer has incredible writing that I also loved reading. Her descriptions and the thought she put into this book made me enjoy it over all, despite the distraction in the middle. I will definitely be reading the companion novel and want to pick up her other works as well.
Beneath the Haunting Sea is the first book in a companion duology that follows Talia, a young woman born into a world of myths and legends that many do not believe in anymore. After she and her mother are exiled from their kingdom, they are shipped off to Ryn, a lonely island surrounded by a sea that seems to be calling to Talia. Part of her terms of being sent away from her kingdom is to be entered into an arranged marriage with the son of the Baron of the Ruen-Dahr on the large island. It is here that Talia enters into a world of learning about the myths and legends she once did not believe in and understanding why the sea is calling to her so clearly.
I absolutely adored learning about the world and the myths in this book. It was soo interesting. It had me hooked from the get go, and it's what made me interested in the book to begin with. However, there is a love triangle/square that takes up a huge chunk of the middle of the book, and while I don't mind love triangle situations, I feel it took away from how amazing this book was because it didn't add to the plot in my opinion. I also felt that one of the characters in the love triangle was more of a... lust at first sight situation, rather than an actual love interest, and that Talia just got swept up in her first romantic situation because this character was one I did not enjoy at all.
Joanna Ruth Meyer has incredible writing that I also loved reading. Her descriptions and the thought she put into this book made me enjoy it over all, despite the distraction in the middle. I will definitely be reading the companion novel and want to pick up her other works as well.
