Scan barcode
pandabear952's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
rubyredders's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book does NOT go big into details on the magic system or hitting you with the history of the world or even how the weird weather patterns work but you know what I DO NOT CARE - I didnt come here for high fantasy Tolkien level world building. I came here for the murder mystery with fantasy elements and I got that.
It's very locked room murder mystery ala And Then There Were None, with everyone on board the ship being a chosen magic user for their respective area and the deaths start thick and fast. Trying to figure out the murder mystery was fun.I was watching those dead bodies mount up like which of you are fake dead I know one of you must be because Mrs Christie has my mind always looking for that false lead and I WAS RIGHT
So many of the characters are endearing and the representation is insane. We got queers of every flavour, trans rep, a wheelchair user and a chronic pain sufferer with long term illness. Plus every one of them is some variety of messed up. These people have suffered, are suffering and are causing suffering to each other.
Our main character Ganymedes (Dee) sometimes comes across a bit younger than he is in the writing, but I can excuse it because, again, all these characters are going through it and clearly living a different life from the average person. He did have some great moments of maturity thoughHow he describes his meetings with the Crabs and others reactions to them, his care for Grasshopper and the chess match! Dee's biggest strength is how much everyone underestimates him due to his purposely off-putting behaviour
There was a romance subplot that I shan't say more about because spoilersit was sweet, is all I'll say
The ending wrapped everything up while leaving the future open to interpretation.
I'll be keeping my eye out for the authors future works because this is a very strong start.
It's very locked room murder mystery ala And Then There Were None, with everyone on board the ship being a chosen magic user for their respective area and the deaths start thick and fast. Trying to figure out the murder mystery was fun.
So many of the characters are endearing and the representation is insane. We got queers of every flavour, trans rep, a wheelchair user and a chronic pain sufferer with long term illness. Plus every one of them is some variety of messed up. These people have suffered, are suffering and are causing suffering to each other.
Our main character Ganymedes (Dee) sometimes comes across a bit younger than he is in the writing, but I can excuse it because, again, all these characters are going through it and clearly living a different life from the average person. He did have some great moments of maturity though
There was a romance subplot that I shan't say more about because spoilers
The ending wrapped everything up while leaving the future open to interpretation.
I'll be keeping my eye out for the authors future works because this is a very strong start.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Death of parent, Child abuse, and Xenophobia
ameliabiblio's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I am the audience for this book. That’s right. It’s me. Hi, I’m the audience. It’s me. (I’m sorry not sorry. I’m a huge Swiftie.)
I will admit that it took me a few chapters to get my footing and figure out if I would like it. Dee isn’t an immediately likeable character. His humor walks the line of “so cringey it’s funny” and “so cringey it’s bad.” For me, it falls on the funny side. For others, it may not. I think his overall characterization was handled well and he ended up feeling like a very real, understandable person.
When I started this book, I thought it was going to be multiple POV because I hadn’t read the description in ages. At the end of the day, I didn’t mind that you only get Dee’s POV, but I think, if it was done well, having multiple POVs could have really elevated the book. I liked the array of characters and the DIVERSITY! Love love loved it. Also, they all have different hair colors, which is very fun.
I will say that I immediately clocked the Main Big Bad. There were still plenty of other twists and turns that I didn’t see coming, though, including the biggest reveal (imo), so I wouldn’t necessarily call this book predictable. I also didn’t guess the true motivation until much closer to the end, after the book basically already told me. The mystery ended up making complete sense and I didn’t feel like Dee stupidly missed any important details.
Spoilers for the ending incoming!While I totally understand those who feel weirded out by how Ravi was going to partake in a massacre, personally? I don’t care😝 It’s a fictional book! Sometimes characters are bad, but good at heart and you just have to forgive them because they’re so darn lovable! And even though I thought he was Wyatt for most of the book, he was very lovable. Sometimes you’re just reminded how much you love someone and remember that murdering people is bad!
Thank you to Edelweiss and Michael Joseph for the ARC.
I will admit that it took me a few chapters to get my footing and figure out if I would like it. Dee isn’t an immediately likeable character. His humor walks the line of “so cringey it’s funny” and “so cringey it’s bad.” For me, it falls on the funny side. For others, it may not. I think his overall characterization was handled well and he ended up feeling like a very real, understandable person.
When I started this book, I thought it was going to be multiple POV because I hadn’t read the description in ages. At the end of the day, I didn’t mind that you only get Dee’s POV, but I think, if it was done well, having multiple POVs could have really elevated the book. I liked the array of characters and the DIVERSITY! Love love loved it. Also, they all have different hair colors, which is very fun.
I will say that I immediately clocked the Main Big Bad. There were still plenty of other twists and turns that I didn’t see coming, though, including the biggest reveal (imo), so I wouldn’t necessarily call this book predictable. I also didn’t guess the true motivation until much closer to the end, after the book basically already told me. The mystery ended up making complete sense and I didn’t feel like Dee stupidly missed any important details.
Spoilers for the ending incoming!
Thank you to Edelweiss and Michael Joseph for the ARC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, and Murder
meggiemoo7's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
geminidragonbadger's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-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? Yes
4.5
lilacverses's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I would like to preface this review with (1) my great disappointment that I did not enjoy this book and (2) that my own name is Cordelia, and that will become relevant shortly.
This book should be commended for its bold and wide diversity. Truly imaginative and colorful, this book is perhaps the most inclusive in its characters that I’ve read in a while if ever. However, this book also made me think on at least one occasion how important it is that marginalised perspectives be written by the marginalised, which gave me complicated feelings, since I do think all authors should consider and employ diversity in storytelling as often as possible.
I hated the main character. I did not find them or their voice funny, which this book really was trying to be. I found it similar to bad sitcom humor.
I hated most of the other characters, mostly because the main character whose whole existence is supposed to foil the eleven others, was just as filled with disdain for them as they were for him. Moments of empathy were only found when the veil of archetype/caricature were briefly lifted, but often almost immediately fell back into place. If you’re going to write an ensemble cast, can I suggest making them people? Perhaps not relying on one-note flags to skip the work of characterising? Especially because I could feel reading how much this book wanted to push for its “everyone matters, everyone is human” sentiments, but time and time again characters crueler actions were brushed off as being motivated by nothing but their lack of qualities aside from cruelty. The book seemed in conflict with itself in that regard.
A great way to have dealt with this would’ve been multiple POV, one for each character, sprinkled through our main POV. I’d have loved to see it, the dramatic irony and consequent tension that could have built, on top of really exercising the reader’s own empathy skills throughout! It would have been delicious!
We shant be discussing the worldbuilding. There isn’t much to speak of, anyway.
Generally, I did not enjoy the plot. This I think is not the fault of the book or author. I hate mysteries in books. I hate the way information is revealed, I hate how so often (while specifics remain unknown) I can call exactly where it’s going. However, there was also a big plot twist that made me want to throw my hands up in the air and toss the book entirely. I wish I could say more but out of respect for the pub date and the future readership, I shall say nothing more than “how fucking convenient.”
Really had a hard time with the prose at times. There was a small handful (I think three) really gorgeous lines, like truly beautiful gems of description. These ultimately made me more frustrated because I could taste however briefly the full potential of the author. Could’ve done with a small handful more! Got it, flaunt it, Frances!!! Mostly, thought the mix of “pain in my backside” washed word choice and “fuck this fuck that fuck you” happening really had me confused and frustrated. Also the sexual humor in a literal locked box murder situation was like … “in front of my salad?” But the salad is a mutilated corpse and the fate of an empire.
Finally, I want to briefly discuss the Cordelia. As a character who is not our main character, she is hated, for various reasons, some valid and some less so. As a person called Cordelia, I cannot hide my bias. I wanted to identify with her. And I did, a little. As a Cordelia who, while brunette, generally also identifies as “skinny” and has been called/likened to a “doll” (as our fictional Cordelia has), I just want to say that villainising a character or generally trying to create a sense of audience dislike for a character shouldn’t mean that character is subject to negative comments about their body. I wanted to think this would be something the main character (who is fat) would understand? Especially as he is subject to body comments throughout the book as well? It was just sort of unfortunate to read a book that was so inclusive and about uplifting others and kindness and empathy and then to have the one female character who is explicitly skinny be called “stick” over and over. Yeah, there are worse things to be called, but I’ve only ever been called “stick” and it’s not a compliment! The opposite actually! There are better words and ways to communicate the size and consequent expectations of ability of someone’s body than words like stick. Which the author demonstrated with other slender male characters who got a more favorable opinion from the MC.
All that said, the book is fine. I don’t think I will recommend it with my personal stamp of approval on it, but it’s still better than Fourth Wing, so if you like goofy fun delightfully queer tales with potentially cringey humor, pick this one up! Please read trigger warnings, though!
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book should be commended for its bold and wide diversity. Truly imaginative and colorful, this book is perhaps the most inclusive in its characters that I’ve read in a while if ever. However, this book also made me think on at least one occasion how important it is that marginalised perspectives be written by the marginalised, which gave me complicated feelings, since I do think all authors should consider and employ diversity in storytelling as often as possible.
I hated the main character. I did not find them or their voice funny, which this book really was trying to be. I found it similar to bad sitcom humor.
I hated most of the other characters, mostly because the main character whose whole existence is supposed to foil the eleven others, was just as filled with disdain for them as they were for him. Moments of empathy were only found when the veil of archetype/caricature were briefly lifted, but often almost immediately fell back into place. If you’re going to write an ensemble cast, can I suggest making them people? Perhaps not relying on one-note flags to skip the work of characterising? Especially because I could feel reading how much this book wanted to push for its “everyone matters, everyone is human” sentiments, but time and time again characters crueler actions were brushed off as being motivated by nothing but their lack of qualities aside from cruelty. The book seemed in conflict with itself in that regard.
A great way to have dealt with this would’ve been multiple POV, one for each character, sprinkled through our main POV. I’d have loved to see it, the dramatic irony and consequent tension that could have built, on top of really exercising the reader’s own empathy skills throughout! It would have been delicious!
We shant be discussing the worldbuilding. There isn’t much to speak of, anyway.
Generally, I did not enjoy the plot. This I think is not the fault of the book or author. I hate mysteries in books. I hate the way information is revealed, I hate how so often (while specifics remain unknown) I can call exactly where it’s going. However, there was also a big plot twist that made me want to throw my hands up in the air and toss the book entirely. I wish I could say more but out of respect for the pub date and the future readership, I shall say nothing more than “how fucking convenient.”
Really had a hard time with the prose at times. There was a small handful (I think three) really gorgeous lines, like truly beautiful gems of description. These ultimately made me more frustrated because I could taste however briefly the full potential of the author. Could’ve done with a small handful more! Got it, flaunt it, Frances!!! Mostly, thought the mix of “pain in my backside” washed word choice and “fuck this fuck that fuck you” happening really had me confused and frustrated. Also the sexual humor in a literal locked box murder situation was like … “in front of my salad?” But the salad is a mutilated corpse and the fate of an empire.
Finally, I want to briefly discuss the Cordelia. As a character who is not our main character, she is hated, for various reasons, some valid and some less so. As a person called Cordelia, I cannot hide my bias. I wanted to identify with her. And I did, a little. As a Cordelia who, while brunette, generally also identifies as “skinny” and has been called/likened to a “doll” (as our fictional Cordelia has), I just want to say that villainising a character or generally trying to create a sense of audience dislike for a character shouldn’t mean that character is subject to negative comments about their body. I wanted to think this would be something the main character (who is fat) would understand? Especially as he is subject to body comments throughout the book as well? It was just sort of unfortunate to read a book that was so inclusive and about uplifting others and kindness and empathy and then to have the one female character who is explicitly skinny be called “stick” over and over. Yeah, there are worse things to be called, but I’ve only ever been called “stick” and it’s not a compliment! The opposite actually! There are better words and ways to communicate the size and consequent expectations of ability of someone’s body than words like stick. Which the author demonstrated with other slender male characters who got a more favorable opinion from the MC.
All that said, the book is fine. I don’t think I will recommend it with my personal stamp of approval on it, but it’s still better than Fourth Wing, so if you like goofy fun delightfully queer tales with potentially cringey humor, pick this one up! Please read trigger warnings, though!
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Body shaming, Ableism, Blood, Bullying, and Violence
Minor: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Outing
amarachireadss's review against another edition
3.0
This was a unique book, im still not sure what I really think about it but it was interesting. This is a queer fantasy mystery that takes place on board a boat for a cruise. There are 12 people on this boat who have magic and a murder takes place and the main character is trying to figure out who did it. I liked the main character despite the chaotic narration and pov he was just trying to find himself. I thought the other characters were interesting but I'm still confused about the magic and worldbuilding aspect. My biggest thing about this book is that I was confused for a majority of the book i needed to know more about the world, animals, nicknames, and magic system to grasp what was going on. I really like the main characters' development and emotional growth especially when it comes to love and overcoming heartbreak. The book ends on a cliffhanger and I will say I'm interested in the next book because I need to know who the killer is. Overall this was okay, if you like suspenseful fantasies with a boat trip and lots of chaos you should pick this up. Thank you HTP for this arc.
vicerry's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
tessav01's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
4.75
elskesbooknook's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-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? Yes
3.75