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montereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, and Gore
Minor: Child death
lacee's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Medical content, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Racism, and Sexual content
Minor: Miscarriage, Infertility, Infidelity, Death, and Death of parent
thereadingskeleton's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Flowers for the Sea is a gothic fantasy novella described as “Rosemary’s Baby by way of Octavia E. Butler” (which, hello, all the yes). Set on an ark surrounded by ravenous sea beasts, the novella centers on Iraxi, a misfit among the refugees of a flooded kingdom. Iraxi is despised and feared, not least of all because she’s pregnant—a nearly miraculous feat among the ship’s population. The truth is, though, that there may be reason to fear: it’s possible her child is more than human.
Holy body horror, Batman! Look, y’all, as someone who’s had reproductive issues her whole life (including several surgeries), pregnancy and childbirth scare the CRAP out of me, and Flowers for the Sea did not ease that. There was both the casual, regular horror of it AND the extra horror brought on by the specific situation described in a vivid but succinct style that was absolutely captivating.
This was truly just a glimpse into Iraxi’s life, and I think I could have read a couple hundred more pages diving into the world and backstory. I was just so interested (not to mention horrified) by everything that was happening. And, without saying too much, I would LOVE to see more of what happened at the end. Give me MORE!
As a last note, I was thrilled to see the author list Rivers Solomon as one of their general inspirations, because faer work was the first I could think of to compare this to. Both authors have lyrical styles, and I felt like Flowers for the Sea had elements of both The Deep and Sorrowland. They’re not at all the same, but if you like Solomon’s work, I think you’ll enjoy this novella.
CW: graphic depictions of pregnancy, labor, and childbirth; body horror; racism/discrimination/persecution; fire (and people being trapped in said fire); consensual sexual content
Holy body horror, Batman! Look, y’all, as someone who’s had reproductive issues her whole life (including several surgeries), pregnancy and childbirth scare the CRAP out of me, and Flowers for the Sea did not ease that. There was both the casual, regular horror of it AND the extra horror brought on by the specific situation described in a vivid but succinct style that was absolutely captivating.
This was truly just a glimpse into Iraxi’s life, and I think I could have read a couple hundred more pages diving into the world and backstory. I was just so interested (not to mention horrified) by everything that was happening. And, without saying too much, I would LOVE to see more of what happened at the end. Give me MORE!
As a last note, I was thrilled to see the author list Rivers Solomon as one of their general inspirations, because faer work was the first I could think of to compare this to. Both authors have lyrical styles, and I felt like Flowers for the Sea had elements of both The Deep and Sorrowland. They’re not at all the same, but if you like Solomon’s work, I think you’ll enjoy this novella.
CW: graphic depictions of pregnancy, labor, and childbirth; body horror; racism/discrimination/persecution; fire (and people being trapped in said fire); consensual sexual content
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy and Body horror
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Racism, and Sexual content
shadeyc's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Well. This certainly delivers on creep factor.
I was a bit confused at the beginning, and part of the middle. There are a few flash backs that I got mixed up with dreamscapes, so it felt a bit muddly. BUT! The end is triumphant.
The last quarter/end ramped this up a whole star for me, even though it feels abrupt.
Someone else has mentioned they felt the same reading this as they did reading The Deep.
I personally liked The Deep a little better, but I'm used to Solomon's writing style and I felt that book was a little longer, had more room to fully immerse you. Plus that one got me in the feels hard.
This is an excellent novella - it's full of anger and maternal horror. Perhaps I was a little disconnected from it as I am not a mother and don't plan to be, so it had to lie solely on body horror and painful history to get to me.
I'm definitely interested to read more from this author in the future though.
I was a bit confused at the beginning, and part of the middle. There are a few flash backs that I got mixed up with dreamscapes, so it felt a bit muddly. BUT! The end is triumphant.
The last quarter/end ramped this up a whole star for me, even though it feels abrupt.
Someone else has mentioned they felt the same reading this as they did reading The Deep.
I personally liked The Deep a little better, but I'm used to Solomon's writing style and I felt that book was a little longer, had more room to fully immerse you. Plus that one got me in the feels hard.
This is an excellent novella - it's full of anger and maternal horror. Perhaps I was a little disconnected from it as I am not a mother and don't plan to be, so it had to lie solely on body horror and painful history to get to me.
I'm definitely interested to read more from this author in the future though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
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