Reviews

The Emerald Sea by Richelle Mead

veronicavip's review against another edition

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adventurous
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

isabella1018's review against another edition

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3.0

Really interesting to be able to finally understand all the secrets and complexities of this character and awesome to see another side of this world.

alyssaindira's review against another edition

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4.0

*no spoilers were harmed in the making of this review*

"Being better than everyone else was exhausting work"

Yes, hello, it's me. By some miracle, I was able to squeeze in another novel of my choosing during the semester, I know, shocking. But, not as shocking as this novel. So, I was able to read The Emerald Sea (The Glittering Court #3) by Richelle Mead. Now, I must admit, during the other glittering court novels, I wasnt overly fond of Tamsin. However, I was extremely curious about her and what happened when the big thing in the first novel happened and her storyline. This movel answered all those questions, and more. This novel revealed the big, big reason for Tasmin's behavior during the previous novels. It explains everything, why she wanted to be the best, why she was so motivated, why she flipped so much, just why. The reason is so obvious once it was explained. But if it hadnt been, I never would have even thought. I wish I could tell her guys what is her constant motive through the storyline, the reason why she wont ever admit defeat again, the reason why she wont give up, the reason why is the person who gets things done, but obviously, that would be a huge spoiler. So, my lips are sealed. Sorry not sorry. Anyway, this novel was really interesting, so different than the others, in my opinion. Like I said, it showed what happened to Tamsin during the other events of the story. And wow, that's all I can say. Wow. I never realized just how much she had to deal with. She had to experience and take so much...man. There was just drama after drama in this storyline. So much trauma. Just when you think that things "might" be settling down, NOPE. Something happens. I swear. The places where she wound up didnt help matters. Nor did the people. The first part of her journey involved being around these weird as hell people who had strict, strict gender roles, religious customs, and laws. Man, their culture was just the strangest I have read in a while. And poor Tamsin, she had a hell of a time there. Mostly due to the people, bleh. I mean, I can kind of understand why they were so hostile to the people who just interrupted their whacked way of life, but I dont understand at the same time. The only person who could have helped was Gideon, a man we are acquainted with in the other novels. We learn more about him and his background. At first I thought he was the most modest and shy dude who wanted to change the world, with Tamsin by his side. And he kind of was, but he wasnt. He wanted Tamsin, but for his own personal gain. Acting like most men these days. But he didnt even want all of her, he just wanted what he wanted from her, not what she wanted. He was only willing to accommodate her on his own terms, not hers. And well, if you know Tamsin, you probably know how she took that. HOnestly, I never liked Gideon as a potential love interest nor husband for Tamsin. I just didnt. WHich is why I didnt pay too much attention to their drama. It ran the course it was suppose to run, and that was that. But now, the main, true, amazing, love interest. Jago RObinson. OHHHHH JAGO. Jago is amazing. Jago is perfect. Jago is bae. He is the man I want. He is the best male in this entire series. He is so charming and witty and funny and upbeat and just a bundle of joy and smiles and hope and love. He is bae. He was almost always there for her and he never looked down on her for her situation. He never judged her harshly. He welcomed her with loving, open arms. He was the man of Tamsin's dreams. The ones she never dreamed about, ha. Even though she had her mind set on her main goal, she allowed herself to entertain Jago, and so she did. Their banter and interactions was just to die on the floor laughing for. Their journey together was just something amazing. She never would have thought she would have fallen for a rueful rogue man like Jago. And yet, here she was. And everything worked out as it was supposed to. Heh. Alright, I think I prattled on long enough. As you can tell, I enjoyed this book and learning more about Tamsin. Although at some times it was a bit heavy on the details, it was necessary for the story. However, I did breeze through some because I got the gist of what was occurring. Ha. Okay, loved hearing the story from Tamsin's view and loved loving Jago with her. As always, if you guys have any questions or comments, drop em below. Till next time. Bye.

jdgroom's review against another edition

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5.0

I really loved the Glittering Court series of books and the way they all interlinked.
I think out of the three this was my favourite as it was slightly different to the first two. It settled any lingering questions that the first books didn’t answer as well as introducing you to more of the new world.
I had picked up on Tamsin’s big secret in the original Glittering Court but it was enjoyable getting to know her character more. Out of all the people you get to meet across the series, Jago has to be the best.

samrushingbooks's review against another edition

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5.0

Yes! This is probably my favorite of the trilogy, and I'm actually really glad that Richelle Mead released them in the order she did. And now I totally need to go back and reread both Adelaide and Mira's books, just so I can see if I can piece together other details and such that I didn't even realize that I missed. Tamsin is such a determined individual, and even though her secret was very predictable, Mead didn't try and hide it for too long. I think it was revealed in the first few chapters, and then revealed to a few other people over the course of the book. But I flew through this whole thing, and when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. I can't wait to see what Richelle Mead releases next, because I'm sure it will be amazing as well.

thewillisway's review against another edition

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5.0

Omg this one was my favorite one of them all! There was a perfect amount of EVERYTHING, drama, adventure, and romance. It weaved so perfectly into the other two stories!! I definitely recommend.

aljj's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

My favorite of the three, which was a plesant suprise. She was my least favorite girl in the beginning, but I liked the homestead vibes.

jillyrabb101's review against another edition

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5.0

The best of the trilogy!

ameserole's review against another edition

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3.0

Is it weird that the first book was the only out of the three that I didn't like? I mean, it was an okay book but I remember it annoying the hell out of me. Then I dove into the second book and things were looking a bit better. As for this one? Well, it was also okay for me. I don't know - I think it's just the characters themselves that somehow find a way to annoy me.

In this, you will meet Tamsin. Going off the rating I gave the first book, I'm just going to assume I didn't like the girl (lol). Mostly stating this because I never wrote a review for that one. I know that the second one was about Mira, and she was okay in her book too.

I just feel like these books take me on a rollercoaster because the girls go up and down from likable to dislikable. It might just be me though. So to dive into Tamsin, eh, I guess I was okay with it. A lot of things shocked me in this one. She was probably the most sane in this book because everyone was freaking crazy. I'm looking at you Dinah.

In the end, this book did the impossible. Took an annoying character to someone likable. The journey she went on definitely changed my opinion on her for the better. I guess I'm glad that I finally finished the trilogy too because I don't think I could handle another book in the glittering court.

kelsey3's review against another edition

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3.0

Overall: 3.6

Book Breakdown —
Characters:
they were pretty awesome. This book was better than it’s predecessors, as were the characters. A more interesting and varied set of characters. I actually found myself caring for them.



Pacing/ length: it was a little long, just as the others were, and the pacing was certainly off, but it was ok overall. I just wish some of the more important parts were more drawn out, which is more of a pacing issue than length.



Interesting Plot?: yes actually. From the moment I read Glittering Court, I was most excited to read Tamsin’s story. She was the most interesting to me, but after reading Mira’s story I aimed my hopes low because Tamsin irritated me in Midnight Jewel. I was wrong though. It was interesting being in Tamsins head and her story was much more fleshed out, developed, and interesting.


Reading Medium: audiobook, some e-book, and a few pages of the physical book. Though the audiobook helped me get through this final installment in the fraction of time it would’ve taken me to read it physically, I don’t want to say I recommend it. I thought the narrator did a poor job at portraying the story. I think there are better audiobooks out there, but there are worse too. If audio is your thing, it’s still worth a listen.




Detailed Review—
First things first, Tamsins big secret was not surprising at all. I had guessed it when I read the first book and I was right. It was very predictable and ultimately felt a wee hollow in emotion, but I was glad we finally got to see it play out regardless.

Her story was much more interesting than her predecessors. Mostly because majority of her story was away from Cape Triumph. She visited other colonies and met new characters and her overall story fell outside of the norm. I appreciated it greatly.

Because of this, it made not only her, but also her story much more interesting. Made for a faster read as well. I found myself actually wanting to pick it up, unlike the previous installments.

I’m really glad we got to meet so many new characters too. I really enjoyed them, especially the other young women from the other manor house at the glittering court. It made for an interesting addition, as did the other colonies and tribes of people.

The love interests in this installment was also much, much better than the previous books. They were both so sweet. Though it was obvious from the get go who she would choose, it was still nice seeing such good love interests. The only thing that I wish had been more detailed was how old Jago was. When I first pictured him, I thought he was double Tamsins age, but I think in actuality he was only a few years her senior. I wish this had been better described because it took me awhile to change my picture of him. Regardless, the connection between her and Jago was electric and made me ship them so much.

Just like the previous installments you have to suspend reality a bit. You have to make yourself believe that three nations would trust a random 20 year old to help council said nations into peace negotiations. Do I believe that? No. But when you suspend your beliefs it’s easier.

Ultimately, I’m glad this was the final installment. It was the most varied. It was the most interesting. And it was the only installment in which I actually cared about the characters and wanted to keep reading. It was a great way to round out the series and I’m glad I pushed through and finished it.



Character List—
Tamsin- protagonist. A member of the glittering court so she can earn a better life for her, her daughter Mary, and her family. Almost dies in a shipwreck on the way to the new world. Meets Gideon after her shipwreck; he eventually proposes to her but wants her to lie about her daughters parentage. Meets and falls in love with Jago Robinson who accepts her daughter and her and proposes marriage to her. She agrees and pays off her contract so she and her daughter can live in happiness with him.

Orla- an Icori princess who helps Tamsin and Jago.

Jago- a tradesman who loves Tamsin. He wants to breed horses and become successful.

Gideon- a pastor type of person who used to work in Constancy before realizing how awful they are. Decides to make his own religion. Proposed to Tamsin. Wanted her to lie about her daughters parentage, but they ultimately end on a decent note.

Mary- Tamsins daughter with the son of a noble. Her father didn’t care to be involved. Approves of Tamsins fiancé Jago and they live out their days happily.



Memorable Quotes—

If you’re on the path of right, and someone crosses it with wrong, you don’t need to turn. Build a bridge over their path and continue on your way.


Be cautious of those who are too quick to act in your best interests and even quicker to tell you that they are. Too often, your best interests become indistinguishable from theirs.




Summary—
Borrowed from https://alexisthelectorem.wordpress.com/2018/07/27/review-the-emerald-sea/amp/

Tamsin Wright is unstoppable. She must become the Glittering Court’s diamond: the girl with the highest test scores, the most glamorous wardrobe, and the greatest opportunities to match with an elite suitor in the New World. Training alongside other girls in the Glittering Court, Tamsin immerses herself completely in lessons about etiquette, history, and music–everything a high-society wife would need to know. Once she’s married, she’ll be able to afford a better life for her family, so the sacrifice is worth it if she can be the best.

When her friendship with Mira and Adelaide, her roommates at the Glittering Court, threatens her status as the top-ranked prospect, she does the only thing she knows will keep her on track: she cuts them out of her life. But when her voyage across the sea goes off course, Tamsin must use her unrelenting grit and determination to survive the harsh winter far north of her intended destination in hopes of making it back to the Glittering Court in time to secure a proposal–and a comfortable future for her family.

Experiencing new cultures and beliefs for the first time, Tamsin realizes that her careful studies haven’t prepared her for everything, and with new alliances formed with roguish tradesman Jago Robinson and good-natured minister Gideon Stewart, Tamsin’s heart begins to be pulled in different directions. But she can’t let her brewing attraction get in the way of her ultimate goal: protecting the secret she holds closest to her heart, the one that would unravel everything she’s worked for if it’s uncovered.

Spoiler Summary:
After Tamsins ship is shipwrecked, she becomes the defacto leader of the glittering court girls. They are rescued by a group of Icori led by Orla. They take the young women to a town of ex-Osfridians turned religious fanatics, named Constancy. Orla tells her they have a resident and tradesman named Jago Robinson who may be able to help the glittering court ladies make their way back to Cape Triumph.

At Constancy her life is made miserable by her host, Dinah, who is jealous that Gideon has become smitten with Tamsin. She finds Jago and asks for his help. After a while he agrees to help her escape and that they will come back for the others. They bond through her escape and find passage for the other glittering court ladies; she sleeps with him and reveals her secret to him.

Gideon proposes to her as he and the other constancy people escort the girls to cape triumph. Tamsin confides her secret to him so she enters a marriage with him truthfully. He is ok with it but asks that she lie and tell people that Mary — her daughter — is actually her sister. He asks this of her so their reputations aren’t damaged as he tries to build his own church. She is infuriated that he’d want to hide Mary’s parentage and refuses him.

She tries to woo the governors son but when he believes she caught him in a political scandal he orders her killed. She runs to Jago for help and their connection is lit anew. He vows to buy her out of her contract and be with her if she chooses. Tamsin solves the political problems of three nations with the help of Adelaide and Mira’s stories. She secures a job and buys herself out of her contract. Mary arrives in Cape Triumph where Jago and Tamsin welcome her. They live out their days in a nearby city happily ever after.