Scan barcode
lilifane's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I liked the setting and the atmosphere a lot. The world was very intriguing and magical. The book read like a fairy tale... although a gruesome one. I was really shocked by how gruesome this story actually was. There was violence and death and blood and torture on page, and implied rape and assault. Also, topics like colonialism, imperialism, and sexism were present.
What I absolutely loved was the queer representation and diversity. One main character is gender-fluid, the other a lesbian, there is a non-binary side character. And I liked how these were portrayed.
But the pacing and plot was kind of off. I wish we had more times to get to know the characters, and especially more time with the characters interacting with each other. They spend a lot of time together and get to know each other, but because most of it happens off page, the romance feels very instant and over the top dramatic towards the end.
The middle part was also weird. I loved the witchcraft element that is introduced, but the magic system is not really explained well. It's interesting, but very confusing. And it's not used enough afterwards to justify how much time we spend learning about it.
I liked the ending and how all the characters and plots came together. It just would have been more impactful if we had more time before to develop more feelings for everyone and everything that was happening.
I didn't mind all those things that much because of the fairy tale character of the book. It just could have easily been a 5 star for me with a bit more substance.
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Vomit
queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
"There's freedom in stories, you know. We read them and we become something else. We imagine different lives, and while we turn the pages, we get to live them. To escape the lot we've been given."
The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuoda-Hall is a stand alone fantasy that has everything you could ever want: pirates, mermaids (obvs), magic, nonbinary pirates(!), Sapphic love, spies, and sentient Sea. Do I even need to say more?
No. But I will 😆. We follow Flora/Florian, a gender confused pirate on the Dove who is assigned to watch over an Imperial girl, Evelyn. Evelyn is incredibly sheltered and doesn't really understand the danger she's in, but decides to teach Florian to read, and thus starts their love story. Flora and Evelyn escape with aid from the Sea, since Evelyn figured out how to save a captured mermaid, and though they end up separated, both go through transformations.
I loved the characters in this! Flora/Florian is one of the only Black people aboard, and I loved seeing their journey toward gender acceptance and understanding that they can contain both of their identities. Evelyn is spiteful af and I'm here for it. I love the way Tokuda-Hall uses the story within a story as a device to connect the plot as well as the circular nature of it. The magic being propelled by a story is a love letter to those of us who believe and hold stories in our hearts. Tokuda-Hall shows us that stories can and do change us.
I also appreciated the criticism of imperialism and colonialism and the governments who claim they are "saving" or "civilizing" other nations, when they are in fact the barbarians bent in war and conquest. I almost wish this were a series, so I could continue to follow Flora and Evelyn as well as the Pirate Supreme (who I'm pretty sure is agender 😍).
Graphic: Gore, Torture, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, and Slavery
Minor: Rape and Suicide
shadeyc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Side note - that cover is gorgeous.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Emotional abuse, Torture, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Blood, Grief, and Classism
Minor: Confinement, Misogyny, Vomit, Trafficking, and Lesbophobia
disnelyse's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Trafficking, and Murder
Minor: Sexual assault
archcon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, and Colonisation
Moderate: Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Child death, Confinement, Homophobia, Sexual assault, and Lesbophobia
talonsontypewriters's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Vomit, Grief, Outing, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Homophobia and Lesbophobia
Self-injury for magical purposes. Misgendering of a side character.claudiamacpherson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Child death
dariusmortee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I must say Evelyn annoyed me a bit, but that may have been intentional and she was a nice contrast to Flora/Florian as a great way to reflect for all of us white girls who grew up loving stories. Especially the ones who also grew up rich.
Flora/Florian was a great protagonist and I loved reading from their point of view. She is the right amount of courage, but without being oblivious to the consequences. His journey of self discovery throughout the book is amazing.
If you like LGBTQAI+ stories, pirates, mermaids and witches this is absolutely a book for you.
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Murder, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Minor: Child death
ceresper's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Murder, and Colonisation
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Child death, Death, Rape, Slavery, and Trafficking
thewileyseven's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Homophobia and Torture
Moderate: Sexual assault