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spicedragon's review against another edition
5.0
4.5/5
Head full of thoughts and literally no way to articulate them
Makiia Lucier hitting it out of the park once again!! No one does a kind protagonist, a benevolent king, the king’s witty female relative, murder, and a plague like Ms. Lucier. This is her niche, and her niche only, and I respect that immensely.
We follow Elias, a master navigator/map maker, as he looks to unravel the supposed mystery behind the disappearance/death of two young princes and his own father from eighteen years ago… a mystery which indicates that some of the missing/thought to be dead people may even be alive. Joining Elias on this journey is Mercedes, his childhood bestie who also happens to be his other childhood bestie’s cousin… the cousin being the king of their kingdom. We get intrigue, murder, and a look into the supernatural making for a thoroughly intriguing novel.
Lucier, I’ve found, is a master at setting forth a setting that gets you all cozy. She introduces her cast of characters and emphasizes the relationships between every single one, she builds this community for the reader that radiates warmth. Then, in the second half, she tears everything to shreds. But it’s done in such a well thought out and well written manner way that you can’t help but be amazed. Lucier also drops hints that can help the reader solve the mystery before the protagonists and it’s very gratifying when you read Elias and Mercedes have their waitaminute moments.
You very much feel the emotions the protagonists feel, and that’s why I’m obsessed!! The moment that Elias learns that his father might be alive and he starts spiralling because his mother already remarried and has multiple children with his stepfather (who is the father that STEPPED UP!!!) which would result in her being accused of bigamy and brand his younger siblings as bastards…. we FELT that and even more so when [REDACTED]. By the end of the novel literally everything we knew and had thought to be the truth at the start of the story is absolutely shattered, and all I could do was sit on my couch and eat crackers and collect my thoughts.
The characters themselves are not perfect, they also have their flaws. Yes, Elias is kind and caring but he has his own prejudices to grapple with. Prejudices he was raised with, such as the position of women in their society and their so-called roles… how he responds to those suffering from illness and so on! Which was nice to see, flawed protagonist coming to terms like damn I need to rethink some things.
I took off half a star because there were some story elements that kinda irked me… a lot of it has to do with medieval sort of setting Lucier has set her story in but I was like yea bet people from that era talked like that but I did not enjoy those snippets
Other than that… read Makiia Lucier’s books!! She writes ethnic characters in settings that books would traditionally publish as white and!! I’ll be picking up the second book in this series which focuses on a side-character from this very novel :)
Head full of thoughts and literally no way to articulate them
Makiia Lucier hitting it out of the park once again!! No one does a kind protagonist, a benevolent king, the king’s witty female relative, murder, and a plague like Ms. Lucier. This is her niche, and her niche only, and I respect that immensely.
We follow Elias, a master navigator/map maker, as he looks to unravel the supposed mystery behind the disappearance/death of two young princes and his own father from eighteen years ago… a mystery which indicates that some of the missing/thought to be dead people may even be alive. Joining Elias on this journey is Mercedes, his childhood bestie who also happens to be his other childhood bestie’s cousin… the cousin being the king of their kingdom. We get intrigue, murder, and a look into the supernatural making for a thoroughly intriguing novel.
Lucier, I’ve found, is a master at setting forth a setting that gets you all cozy. She introduces her cast of characters and emphasizes the relationships between every single one, she builds this community for the reader that radiates warmth. Then, in the second half, she tears everything to shreds. But it’s done in such a well thought out and well written manner way that you can’t help but be amazed. Lucier also drops hints that can help the reader solve the mystery before the protagonists and it’s very gratifying when you read Elias and Mercedes have their waitaminute moments.
You very much feel the emotions the protagonists feel, and that’s why I’m obsessed!! The moment that Elias learns that his father might be alive and he starts spiralling because his mother already remarried and has multiple children with his stepfather (who is the father that STEPPED UP!!!) which would result in her being accused of bigamy and brand his younger siblings as bastards…. we FELT that and even more so when [REDACTED]. By the end of the novel literally everything we knew and had thought to be the truth at the start of the story is absolutely shattered, and all I could do was sit on my couch and eat crackers and collect my thoughts.
The characters themselves are not perfect, they also have their flaws. Yes, Elias is kind and caring but he has his own prejudices to grapple with. Prejudices he was raised with, such as the position of women in their society and their so-called roles… how he responds to those suffering from illness and so on! Which was nice to see, flawed protagonist coming to terms like damn I need to rethink some things.
I took off half a star because there were some story elements that kinda irked me
Spoiler
Such as when one of the characters sees a woman with a moustache and is like “is that even a woman” even though the character is antagonizing on purpose and Elias quickly corrects him about different customs, and sometimes how the characters would talk about those suffering from disease, and obvs the patriarchal society and how they view womenOther than that… read Makiia Lucier’s books!! She writes ethnic characters in settings that books would traditionally publish as white and!! I’ll be picking up the second book in this series which focuses on a side-character from this very novel :)
ghutter05's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars, picked up on a whim and enjoyed, but it didn't make 4 stars because the writing and pacing seemed uneven, both in detail and in plot. I really liked Mercedes and Rayna, as well as the mapmaking/navigation trade. I'd read a second one.
jesassa's review against another edition
5.0
I needed a good read and when my friend recommended this, I was happy to take her advice. I sure am glad I did! I enjoyed this very much. I look forward to the companion!
*Disclosure: I work for HMH, but I do not review HMH titles unless I feel extremely strongly about them as a reader. They have to be something special if I'm going to review them. This is one of those very special ones.
*Disclosure: I work for HMH, but I do not review HMH titles unless I feel extremely strongly about them as a reader. They have to be something special if I'm going to review them. This is one of those very special ones.
skwiecien's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
stacie_w_books's review against another edition
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
4.0
shinesalot's review against another edition
4.0
Classic adventure/fantasy and fully enjoyable read. The world of del Mar has your betrayal and mystery that needs to be solved by characters you will want to find a seat right next to at the castle. Also, there are sea serpents that are all colors of the rainbow - awesome!! Elias and Mercedes are tasked with solving the mystery of two princes kidnapped 18 years ago - lots of adventure on every page. Excellent story. Wraps up nicely. Really enjoyed.
maryfaithreads's review against another edition
3.0
I really did like this. It had such a great concept and an engaging plot. It just wasn't the most entertaining book ever, and that's okay. It was little low on the action. But I still enjoyed it. It was a fun read. I really liked these characters, and I was invested. So, really, what more could I ask for?
Speaking of the characters, I just really love Elias and Mercedes. Their relationship is adorable and she was such a strong female character and ugh they were just great.
I also really appreciate that this will be a standalone. I thought it would turn into a series (and still thought it would somehow despite the ending, due to how the book is labelled), but I'm glad it's on its own. It ended perfectly in one volume, and it's so rare to see a fantasy do that. I am excited for the companion novel, though (which I am predicting could be about Reyna perhaps...).
Speaking of the characters, I just really love Elias and Mercedes. Their relationship is adorable and she was such a strong female character and ugh they were just great.
I also really appreciate that this will be a standalone. I thought it would turn into a series (and still thought it would somehow despite the ending, due to how the book is labelled), but I'm glad it's on its own. It ended perfectly in one volume, and it's so rare to see a fantasy do that. I am excited for the companion novel, though (which I am predicting could be about Reyna perhaps...).
rachelibrary's review against another edition
4.0
Slow to begin, and slow to end, which is why I knocked off a star. I enjoyed the characters and most of the plot to this one, but what knocked me off my feet was the world-building! It has been a long time since I read a world I could sink into so easily. I love everything about the island of St. John del Mar, its kingdom and the rich descriptions of life there. I could read small stories about its inhabitants happily: jobs, currency, food, stories, traditions. Breathtaking, and worth five stars on its own. If YA fantasy is your thing I recommend giving this a shot!
lovenecy's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book was a good read. I struggled at tomes as it soed up then slowed down. I knew quickly who the bad guy was but the location of the prisoners was a surprise to me. Hoping to pick up the next one soon.
epgr's review against another edition
3.0
3 1/2 stars. This is a good stand alone book. I was kind of surprised to see it's going to have a sequel. We will see where the author takes the story--I'll look forward to it.