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athenathestorier's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The story of The Little Mermaid meets the characters and dynamics of Pirates of the Caribbean, but make it queer and enemies-to-lovers.
You can really tell where the author got her inspiration from, but she framed it in such a way that made me excited to keep reading. I found myself quite giddy from the ways it matched and deviated from some of my favorite stories growing up. The ways that the characters were distinct and consistent and lovable. Our pirate siren-hunter Captain/Princess Kae who never intrudes into others' business or feelings unless she's explicitly desired or needed (for better or for worse). The desperate and conflicted Aqeara, willing to sacrifice everything for her family and kingdom to feel somewhat whole again after a major loss. And the way that all of the other characters are described and interacted with, making readers feel totally immersed alongside the crew. "Show don't tell" is strong with this one, as was the world-building. And as a character-driven reader, this story kept me in its waves throughout.
I thoroughly enjoyed the representation and the discussions surrounding sexuality present throughout the book, but in a non-preachy and non-explicit manner that I think many readers will appreciate. Whether with the lesbian female leads, the gay support characters, the sapphic nature of siren culture, and even the casual use of 'they' used at one point.
Something that I will always love in queer media, is how many characters wind up being queer. It makes me happy.
But, my enjoyment doesn't come without caveats. For one, this is very much a book that feels like a Disney movie - for better or for worse. As a self-proclaimed quotaholic, I didn't find very many quotable moments (which is a bit saddening). In fact, several of the words of wisdom felt like standard sayings - not fully befitting the wiser-than-thou-years reputations of the characters speaking them. And several subplots were climaxed and resolved so quickly I wondered if I missed something. Even the ending portion of the book, leading into the sequel, didn't feel built up to - which made it feel out of place. Like I said, rather like a Disney movie. Which may have been the intent, as the author writes in her back copy about enjoying these stories very much (and the inspiration materials are both Disney).
This very much could have been a standalone, but based on the promotions for the sequel, I can understand and appreciate why it isn't. And I am very much looking forward to seeing these characters and their dynamics with each other and their world again.
You can really tell where the author got her inspiration from, but she framed it in such a way that made me excited to keep reading. I found myself quite giddy from the ways it matched and deviated from some of my favorite stories growing up. The ways that the characters were distinct and consistent and lovable. Our pirate siren-hunter Captain/Princess Kae who never intrudes into others' business or feelings unless she's explicitly desired or needed (for better or for worse). The desperate and conflicted Aqeara, willing to sacrifice everything for her family and kingdom to feel somewhat whole again after a major loss. And the way that all of the other characters are described and interacted with, making readers feel totally immersed alongside the crew. "Show don't tell" is strong with this one, as was the world-building. And as a character-driven reader, this story kept me in its waves throughout.
I thoroughly enjoyed the representation and the discussions surrounding sexuality present throughout the book, but in a non-preachy and non-explicit manner that I think many readers will appreciate. Whether with the lesbian female leads, the gay support characters, the sapphic nature of siren culture, and even the casual use of 'they' used at one point.
But, my enjoyment doesn't come without caveats. For one, this is very much a book that feels like a Disney movie - for better or for worse. As a self-proclaimed quotaholic, I didn't find very many quotable moments (which is a bit saddening). In fact, several of the words of wisdom felt like standard sayings - not fully befitting the wiser-than-thou-years reputations of the characters speaking them. And several subplots were climaxed and resolved so quickly I wondered if I missed something. Even the ending portion of the book, leading into the sequel, didn't feel built up to - which made it feel out of place. Like I said, rather like a Disney movie. Which may have been the intent, as the author writes in her back copy about enjoying these stories very much (and the inspiration materials are both Disney).
This very much could have been a standalone, but based on the promotions for the sequel, I can understand and appreciate why it isn't. And I am very much looking forward to seeing these characters and their dynamics with each other and their world again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Grief, Death, Misogyny, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, and Lesbophobia
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