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mgromero's review
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
One of the recommended books at my library and wow, so glad I picked this up. Thin but packed full of nuance and emotions. I will definitely be purchasing and rereading this book. Half a star off only because at times it was almost too much “show, don’t tell” which made it difficult to stay in the story at times. Really hope Zin Rocklyn has given interviews on this book because I am fascinated to hear more about her mind behind the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Sexual content, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Death, Grief, Child death, and Pregnancy
scarroll178's review
adventurous
dark
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? No
3.5
I liked the body horror. I also liked the MC and the weird, fucked up dynamic she had with Ket.
But the ending felt pretty anti climactic. Maybe if the MC had felt the presence of her family there as she destroyed the ship, or maybe if Hirat and the rest of the crew had tried to attack her first, I would have been more invested. But the way she just walks up to them and destroys them without a word… I don’t know, I guess I was just hoping for more.
But the ending felt pretty
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Violence, and Death of parent
discarded_dust_jacket's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
My rating of this book is based entirely on personal preference and not necessarily a reflection on how good or bad it is. I could see someone with different tastes than me absolutely loving this, and that’s totally cool.
This is one of those books that is purposefully unclear for the first, like, 75%, until you’re granted some grand revelation that’s supposed to make it all make sense. Except I still had more questions than answers at the end of this story, and feeling lost the entire time didn’t make for a very enjoyable reading experience for me.
The writing was beautiful and descriptive yet very cryptic in nature, which made it hard to connect with the protagonist and the story. I think I’d need to re-read this two or three times before having a clearer understanding of what’s going on. There’s definitely some allegorical meaning at play here, and if I had to guess, something to do with generational trauma.
Huge trigger warning for pregnancy and childbirth which is depicted in probably the gnarliest way I’ve ever encountered.
This is one of those books that is purposefully unclear for the first, like, 75%, until you’re granted some grand revelation that’s supposed to make it all make sense. Except I still had more questions than answers at the end of this story, and feeling lost the entire time didn’t make for a very enjoyable reading experience for me.
The writing was beautiful and descriptive yet very cryptic in nature, which made it hard to connect with the protagonist and the story. I think I’d need to re-read this two or three times before having a clearer understanding of what’s going on. There’s definitely some allegorical meaning at play here, and if I had to guess, something to do with generational trauma.
Huge trigger warning for pregnancy and childbirth which is depicted in probably the gnarliest way I’ve ever encountered.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Body horror, Grief, Pregnancy, Blood, Death, Gore, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Confinement and Infertility
Minor: Excrement
honeyvoiced's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy and Body horror
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Medical trauma
Minor: Miscarriage and Child death
vanesst's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Sexual content
Minor: Vomit
_fallinglight_'s review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Unremarkable save for the ending and a few other bits throughout that were intriguing. Maybe this story would've benefitted from being a 350 page novel bc it would've answered some questions and made you (or ok, me) care more about Iraxi or the other characters or the story itself that worse than not caring about, I found super silly at points. Though the point was to be lyrical and mysterious and blah blah and it didn't work for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Suicide attempt
mmccombs's review
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
This is a novel shaking with fury. Like the plot doesn’t really matter, but the anger from our main is palpable and delicious to read. The writing was really immersive and the dark vibe was complimented by the setting. A perfect little bite size treat of a story buzzing with energy and thirsty for revenge.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Body horror, and Death
Moderate: Confinement
salemander's review
5.0
stunningly beautiful and incredibly unsettling wowowow !
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage, Death, and Child death
ericarobyn's review
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Flowers for the Sea by Zin E. Rocklyn is a unique story of love, fire, and anger. Prepare yourselves for this tale before diving in; embers of anger will ignite in you and build to a roaring fire of rage.
Content Warnings: Fire/Fire Injury, Pregnancy, & Suicidal Thoughts.
There is a beautiful note at the start of this book that readers should review –
“For my readers, Flowers for the Sea contains depictions of infant harm and death, the realities of birth, and generational trauma.“
There is a beautiful note at the start of this book that readers should review –
“For my readers, Flowers for the Sea contains depictions of infant harm and death, the realities of birth, and generational trauma.“
Set on an ark after their kingdom was flooded, this group of people are doing their best to survive. Tension is thick between some of the survivors, food is limited, and their medical support is lacking. There are also rules about going onto the top deck, especially at nighttime, as there are creatures that live above and below that can attack at any moment.
Iraxi is one individual on the ship. She is heavily pregnant and covered in scarring from burns. Very early on, readers will see that she has suffered immensely already, and the pregnancy certainly isn’t helping. As the story goes on, we learn more about her past and what churns the rage inside of her.
But will she protect that fire, stoking it only when needed, or will the flames finally rage and burn themselves out to allow her to be released?
My heart broke for Iraxi on so many occasions throughout the duration of this story! The author did such an incredible job making readers feel the same emotions that Iraxi was feeling. Sure, this was seen in the rage and pain. But just one small example of this was in the yearning for being in the sunlight. I found myself so invested in the mindset as the character, my skin was prickling with anticipation of being in the sun as well.
This definitely isn’t an easy book to read. If the content warning above has you nervous, I would recommend holding off on this one for a bit until you feel more comfortable. I personally have never gone through childbirth, but the description here made me nauseous just thinking about the process, let alone seeing what this character dealt with. Phew! Of course, this is just another testament to how powerful this author’s writing is!
My Favorite Passages from Flowers for the Sea
I am insistence personified and the spite I draw is my sustenance, a weak sustenance sufficient in quieting my growing desire to perish.
Far-sea fishermen had warned us with fanciful tales of night beasts who took to the sky, blotting out the stars, muting both moons and all their brightness and all in order to hunt. They did not rest once the sun was eaten by the horizon. The night was theirs and everything that dared to cut through the ocean’s surface.
My Final Thoughts on Flowers for the Sea
A must-read. This one made me quite uncomfortable, but my goodness, does that discomfort have an incredible build up to that final scene.
I had the chance to meet the author at Merrimack Valley Book Fest, and they were wonderful! I’m so honored to have a signed copy of this one for my shelves.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Death, and Death of parent
vigil's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
this book honestly reads as extremely uninspired and derivative. i think it is unfair to compare books and authors to each other, but once i read that rivers solomon was an inspiration to the author, it was extremely clear to me why.
if you entered this book for the sea creature element, and you enjoyed the commentary on trauma, and all the other shit that fucked up baby started spouting towards the end, read the deep by rivers solomon, which a better take on the subjects by a mile.
this book tried to posit itself and its character work as something it wasn’t, and this is at it’s clearest in the ending, that is meant to be a kind of reclamation of oneself and autonomy, but to the reader, evidently less concerned with symbolism than the author, it comes across as a new kind of chain. really, the prose is lovely, and the atmosphere is strong, rocklyn conveys very visceral horror and emotions through the protagonist’s experience, but there’s really nothing in this book that justifies reading it.
if you entered this book for the sea creature element, and you enjoyed the commentary on trauma, and all the other shit that fucked up baby started spouting towards the end, read the deep by rivers solomon, which a better take on the subjects by a mile.
this book tried to posit itself and its character work as something it wasn’t, and this is at it’s clearest in the ending, that is meant to be a kind of reclamation of oneself and autonomy, but to the reader, evidently less concerned with symbolism than the author, it comes across as a new kind of chain. really, the prose is lovely, and the atmosphere is strong, rocklyn conveys very visceral horror and emotions through the protagonist’s experience, but there’s really nothing in this book that justifies reading it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Gore, Blood, Body horror, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Pregnancy, Cursing, Grief, Infidelity, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Violence