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theowlerybooks's review against another edition
3.0
This book was ok, it The story line and plot was really good but the way it was written didn't hit home with me.The story has a tin of potential and if it were written by a different author i think it would be much much better
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
4.0
Ananna of the Tanarau, daughter of pirates, is about to be married off to the beautiful Tarrin of the Hariri. She has never trusted beautiful people and when she spies a loosely tied up camel in the market, she grabs her chance and escapes on its back. She takes no heed of Tarrin’s threats to send an assassin after her, after all, assassins were only threats that her father gave her when she was misbehaving. She remembers tales of blood magic and men that move in the shadows. No one would send an assassin after her, a worthless pirate girl, would they? But when Ananna comes face to face with the assassin in question she inadvertently saves his life, activating a curse; he must protect her or face great pain.
The Assassin’s Curse lives up to its elegant cover; an Arabian Nights styled fantasy adventure spanning desert and ocean. I was sucked in to Cassandra Rose Clarke's world immediately and didn’t want to leave. Ananna may have grown up amongst pirates but she is still young and a little naïve. But she manages not to go all mushy over boys and she’s got such great attitude despite being in a difficult situation. Who wants to be tied to an assassin after all?
Ananna’s mannerisms sneak into the narrative, with double negatives and speech that echoes that of an uneducated, Victorian maid. This does give the impression that she is speaking directing to the reader, telling a tale just as Scheherazade might do but I’m not entirely convinced it is consistent with the more evocative writing in places. Still, I’m sure most younger readers won’t even notice this and it doesn’t detract from this wonderful tale of adventure and magic.
There is a tendency for young adult novels to veer toward romance, but this isn’t that girl meets boy story at all. Girl runs away from boy, gets stuck with another boy she doesn’t really like. Ananna would much rather be captain of her own pirate ship. She’s a plain girl and she doesn’t expect boys to fall for her, and Naji, the assassin, is no exception. I absolutely loved that this was a classic fantasy adventure tailored to a teen protagonist.
The pace is a little off nearing the end. Just when it should be reaching its nail biting climax, it slows off and the two characters plod around doing mundane things for a few chapters. Elements were undoubtedly important to the ongoing story but, dare I say it, I got a bit bored, and this odd section is the only thing stopping me giving this book five stars. Otherwise I loved it.
The Assassin’s Curse lives up to its elegant cover; an Arabian Nights styled fantasy adventure spanning desert and ocean. I was sucked in to Cassandra Rose Clarke's world immediately and didn’t want to leave. Ananna may have grown up amongst pirates but she is still young and a little naïve. But she manages not to go all mushy over boys and she’s got such great attitude despite being in a difficult situation. Who wants to be tied to an assassin after all?
Ananna’s mannerisms sneak into the narrative, with double negatives and speech that echoes that of an uneducated, Victorian maid. This does give the impression that she is speaking directing to the reader, telling a tale just as Scheherazade might do but I’m not entirely convinced it is consistent with the more evocative writing in places. Still, I’m sure most younger readers won’t even notice this and it doesn’t detract from this wonderful tale of adventure and magic.
There is a tendency for young adult novels to veer toward romance, but this isn’t that girl meets boy story at all. Girl runs away from boy, gets stuck with another boy she doesn’t really like. Ananna would much rather be captain of her own pirate ship. She’s a plain girl and she doesn’t expect boys to fall for her, and Naji, the assassin, is no exception. I absolutely loved that this was a classic fantasy adventure tailored to a teen protagonist.
The pace is a little off nearing the end. Just when it should be reaching its nail biting climax, it slows off and the two characters plod around doing mundane things for a few chapters. Elements were undoubtedly important to the ongoing story but, dare I say it, I got a bit bored, and this odd section is the only thing stopping me giving this book five stars. Otherwise I loved it.
christinaerickson33's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a lot of fun. I'm ready for book two.
Ananna comes face to face with an assassin that is out to kill her after she runs away from her betrothed. But in his attempt to kill her, she casts a curse on him and he has to protect her.
Ananna comes face to face with an assassin that is out to kill her after she runs away from her betrothed. But in his attempt to kill her, she casts a curse on him and he has to protect her.
janina_reads's review against another edition
4.0
I feel like the blurb for this book very much summarises the whole story and is more than a little spoiler-y. I usually don't mind that too much, but if you would like to be surprised, better try to not take a closer look at it. (I just noticed the blurb was changed, so you are now free to read it ;) - and not be spoiled.)
You may not believe it: we have here a book about assassins and pirates that actually includes - hold your breath, hold your breath - real pirates and a real assassin who even do a fair amount of pirating and assassinating. I know, I was shocked as well (in the most positive sense).
It is actually hard to really put a label on this novel. At its core, it is fantasy, yes - but not your typical epic quest for honor and glory, not urban fantasy either, and certainly not paranormal. And it is not your typical story featuring an introduction, main part, climax and ending either.
In a way, The Assassin's Curse read more like a very long short story or novella to me. We have little background information on the characters, sporadic world building and an overall unusual story arc ending mostly open. I know this sounds rather negative, but somehow, it worked.
The world building is very unobtrusive. It leaves room for your own imagination without holding back too much, and does a good job at not overwhelming you with information at certain points in the story. This is exactly how I like it - but I am aware of the fact that it might be too little for some. I prefer to not be told about a world, but experience it for myself, and Cassandra Rose Clarke definitely gave me that opportunity.
Clearly, the charm of this book stems from Ananna's voice and her relationship to Naji. Ananna is a very active character, feisty and dauntless - a lot of people will probably label her "kick-ass". For some reason, I have my problems with that expression - it focuses too much on the violent nature of a character for my taste. Yes, Ananna is perfectly able to wield a sword, but she is not a hard or even emotionless fighting machine. I really like her attitude to life in general, her sense of humour and her way of just acting on her feelings, but also her sensitivity and sense of family. Also, she is clearly a fan of the double negative - which sometimes annoyed me a little. Naji is more a brooding and withdrawn kind of guy, and his interactions with loud and bubbly Ananna often brought a smile to my lips. In this story, he is the one who needs to be rescued, the one carrying around emotional baggage. Despite his skills and abilities in the magic department, the position of stronger character clearly belongs to Ananna.
And yes, this novel is actually funny and does not take itself too seriously. If you can live with the very open ending and survive the long wait for a second instalment: Definitely recommended.
Thanks a lot to Netgalley and Angry Robot for the review copy.
You may not believe it: we have here a book about assassins and pirates that actually includes - hold your breath, hold your breath - real pirates and a real assassin who even do a fair amount of pirating and assassinating. I know, I was shocked as well (in the most positive sense).
It is actually hard to really put a label on this novel. At its core, it is fantasy, yes - but not your typical epic quest for honor and glory, not urban fantasy either, and certainly not paranormal. And it is not your typical story featuring an introduction, main part, climax and ending either.
In a way, The Assassin's Curse read more like a very long short story or novella to me. We have little background information on the characters, sporadic world building and an overall unusual story arc ending mostly open. I know this sounds rather negative, but somehow, it worked.
The world building is very unobtrusive. It leaves room for your own imagination without holding back too much, and does a good job at not overwhelming you with information at certain points in the story. This is exactly how I like it - but I am aware of the fact that it might be too little for some. I prefer to not be told about a world, but experience it for myself, and Cassandra Rose Clarke definitely gave me that opportunity.
Clearly, the charm of this book stems from Ananna's voice and her relationship to Naji. Ananna is a very active character, feisty and dauntless - a lot of people will probably label her "kick-ass". For some reason, I have my problems with that expression - it focuses too much on the violent nature of a character for my taste. Yes, Ananna is perfectly able to wield a sword, but she is not a hard or even emotionless fighting machine. I really like her attitude to life in general, her sense of humour and her way of just acting on her feelings, but also her sensitivity and sense of family. Also, she is clearly a fan of the double negative - which sometimes annoyed me a little. Naji is more a brooding and withdrawn kind of guy, and his interactions with loud and bubbly Ananna often brought a smile to my lips. In this story, he is the one who needs to be rescued, the one carrying around emotional baggage. Despite his skills and abilities in the magic department, the position of stronger character clearly belongs to Ananna.
And yes, this novel is actually funny and does not take itself too seriously. If you can live with the very open ending and survive the long wait for a second instalment: Definitely recommended.
Thanks a lot to Netgalley and Angry Robot for the review copy.
imabbyjay's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars. I've been wanting to read this for awhile, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would! I loved the story itself, but the way that Ananna talked bothered me because it was too much. I didn't quite connect with the characters either. Usually with a first fantasy book, there's a lot of world building going on, but we only understood a little of it and the book ends with a journey beginning. I'm still interested enough to read the sequel, that is if I can find it. I'm still glad to have read this though!
katiemichellereads's review against another edition
4.0
My reviews can also be found on my blog.
3.5 stars
The writing style for this one took a lot of getting used to. I’m used to proper grammar and am picky about it, even in real life. It was appropriate, because Ananna was a pirate, but it was still difficult for me to read at times. I feel like it pulled me from the book a little.
It was also a bit difficult for me to connect to Ananna, or even Naji, although I did prefer his character to hers. Her voice felt detached to me and I believe I would have enjoyed the story more if it weren’t in her point of view. The romance felt forced as well and I really didn’t see it coming, but this might have been a lack of understanding and relating to Ananna’s character.
I did enjoy the plot, though, and the characters were unique – even if I couldn’t relate to them as much as I’d like to. I really want to know what happens next, and will probably read the sequel soon. I do wish the ending had wrapped up more, even if there is a sequel, but it wasn’t too bad.
3.5 stars
The writing style for this one took a lot of getting used to. I’m used to proper grammar and am picky about it, even in real life. It was appropriate, because Ananna was a pirate, but it was still difficult for me to read at times. I feel like it pulled me from the book a little.
It was also a bit difficult for me to connect to Ananna, or even Naji, although I did prefer his character to hers. Her voice felt detached to me and I believe I would have enjoyed the story more if it weren’t in her point of view. The romance felt forced as well and I really didn’t see it coming, but this might have been a lack of understanding and relating to Ananna’s character.
I did enjoy the plot, though, and the characters were unique – even if I couldn’t relate to them as much as I’d like to. I really want to know what happens next, and will probably read the sequel soon. I do wish the ending had wrapped up more, even if there is a sequel, but it wasn’t too bad.
perjacxis's review against another edition
1.0
I didn't have high expectations for it. All I wanted was a fun read and this book was no fun at all. I hate giving books one star, but it was a struggle for me to finish it.
At the beginning everything felt rushed. There were only few or no explanations at all. Ananna doesn't want to marry Tarrin, because he is too beautiful.
During the whole book she trusts not a single person who is pretty (which is kind of ridiculous). Ananna is naive, annoying and everything pisses her off. She thinks she is so badass which she is not at all. It is also strange that Ananna trusted Niji so quickly. He wanted to kill her and she saved his life and trusted him from this point on. (He is lucky that he isn't considered beautiful/handsome.) I usually don't mind slang/dialect/accent (it can be really interesting), but Ananna was the only one with this accent and it sounded more like a Southern one. The accent didn't help the story at all - it made her sound uneducated.
Niji is the lamest assassin ever. He is boring, weak and whiny. Most of the time Niji is silent and incompetent. Such a disappointment.
The real story begins when the book is almost over. Why did you do this?
Really disappointing book.
At the beginning everything felt rushed. There were only few or no explanations at all. Ananna doesn't want to marry Tarrin, because he is too beautiful.
During the whole book she trusts not a single person who is pretty (which is kind of ridiculous). Ananna is naive, annoying and everything pisses her off. She thinks she is so badass which she is not at all. It is also strange that Ananna trusted Niji so quickly. He wanted to kill her and she saved his life and trusted him from this point on. (He is lucky that he isn't considered beautiful/handsome.) I usually don't mind slang/dialect/accent (it can be really interesting), but Ananna was the only one with this accent and it sounded more like a Southern one. The accent didn't help the story at all - it made her sound uneducated.
Niji is the lamest assassin ever. He is boring, weak and whiny. Most of the time Niji is silent and incompetent. Such a disappointment.
The real story begins when the book is almost over. Why did you do this?
Really disappointing book.
ameserole's review against another edition
4.0
So.. since I'm a pirate trip I'm thinking I should watch all the Pirate of the Caribbean movies. Just saying.
The Assassin's Curse was so much better than I thought it would be. For some reason, I read the reviews before diving into the book. Not sure why I did that this time around but I'm also kind of happy at the same time? Why? Well, I got to form my own opinion and ended up falling in love with everyone and the entire adventure.
You can't have pirates without a curse. I mean, you could but that doesn't mean it will be amazing or enjoyable. That being said, I devoured this book. Especially after meeting Ananna! God, she was all kinds of lovable and feisty. She was definitely a leader and one bad ass. Then there's Naji, who is the famous and mysterious assassin.
I'm not going to lie, the moment they met each other - ugh - I just loved them. They were everything for me and they just made this whole thing so entertaining. They complained about one another BUT they were like made to form a friendship. I'm not sure how I would feel about this book or these two if they never met - yeah know?
Then I got to the ending and now I need to get my hands on the next book. Maybe even the novellas as well. I'm just hoping that they are equally amazing and entertaining as this one.
The Assassin's Curse was so much better than I thought it would be. For some reason, I read the reviews before diving into the book. Not sure why I did that this time around but I'm also kind of happy at the same time? Why? Well, I got to form my own opinion and ended up falling in love with everyone and the entire adventure.
You can't have pirates without a curse. I mean, you could but that doesn't mean it will be amazing or enjoyable. That being said, I devoured this book. Especially after meeting Ananna! God, she was all kinds of lovable and feisty. She was definitely a leader and one bad ass. Then there's Naji, who is the famous and mysterious assassin.
I'm not going to lie, the moment they met each other - ugh - I just loved them. They were everything for me and they just made this whole thing so entertaining. They complained about one another BUT they were like made to form a friendship. I'm not sure how I would feel about this book or these two if they never met - yeah know?
Then I got to the ending and now I need to get my hands on the next book. Maybe even the novellas as well. I'm just hoping that they are equally amazing and entertaining as this one.
haleyelisereads's review against another edition
3.0
The Assassins Curse was such an exciting read! Right from the start of the book you are picked up and thrown into a fast paced novel. Ananna is a pirate, not just any pirate though, she is the daughter of the captain of the Tanarau. Ananna is supposed to be married off to Tarrin of the Hariri to better her family in the Pirates Confederation. But she doesn’t want to marry a man she hardly knows, so when the first chance arrives, she takes off and runs away on a camel. By running away Ananna has disrespected the Hariri, and in return they send an assassin after her.
When Ananna runs into the assassin Naji and saves his life by killing a snake, she finds out he is cursed. She also finds out that she is now involved in this curse and Naji must protect her or die. A curse to break, pirates and otherworlds to run from, and a little romantic tension made The Assassins Curse a great adventure.
The entire book is from Ananna’s point of view and she made for a great main character. She was independent, strong, outspoken, resourceful, and witty. But while she was strong she was also very insecure and stubborn at times, this to me just made her more relatable, she wasn’t perfect, and no character ever should be.
Then you have Naji who throughout the novel is just a big mystery. He doesn’t tell Ananna much, he keeps quiet about the curse, and himself. Readers do get glimpses of him though, every once and while he will show his caring side, or his brutal side. While there is some very small romantic tension between himself and Ananna, it doesn’t really start showing till the end of the novel.
The writing itself was good, while something’s did seem repetitive, it was still an enjoyable adventure that flowed perfectly. The world building was good, it was very easy to picture everyone going on around Ananna, the magic, the sea, the desert, the fights, everything. The dialogue between Ananna and Naji was occasionally humorous. Just overall this was a well written adventure.
If you are someone that wants to read a fun young adult adventure, with pirates and assassins, then look no further. The Assassins Curse was a great start to what seems like is going to be an epic series adventure!