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sandwiiche's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
SIGH... i so badly wanted to love this book, but the characters were bland and flat and i just didn't like them at all. i didn't care about them, i didn't care about the love triangle, and i saw the betrayal coming too. at times i wanted to give the main character a good old smack, because what a dumb decision that was!!!! *releases heavy sigh*
however, the magic system was extremely cool, and i loved the eeriness of the atmosphere. there are many twists along the way, which definitely added to my interest (and confusion at times). pascale lacelle's writing is also really dreamy, mystical and atmospheric.
in terms of the sequel, well... i may pick it up when it comes out-- if i feel like it.
however, the magic system was extremely cool, and i loved the eeriness of the atmosphere. there are many twists along the way, which definitely added to my interest (and confusion at times). pascale lacelle's writing is also really dreamy, mystical and atmospheric.
in terms of the sequel, well... i may pick it up when it comes out-- if i feel like it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Medical content
cneighbors36's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
4.5
Overall, I really enjoyed the book and look forward to the next one! The main things I loved about the book were the world-building, the magic system, the dark academia atmosphere the author was able to create with her writing, and the dual POV. The book was slow for about the first half because the author introduced all the characters and the world. However, the last half was fast-paced, with a good amount of action. The things that I believe were negative, in my opinion, were that it took a while for me to feel fully invested in the story, and at times, some of the writing felt a little repetitive. Additionally, I found most of the ending to be predictable. However, I think the way the author executed them and the additional plot twists were great.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Minor: Sexual content
mgcalder's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, Blood, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
pbeeandj's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, Blood, and Grief
tenderbench's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Death, Blood, and Body horror
mrsjoylovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you @SimonTeen for the ebook & @Simon.audio for the audiobook. Curious Tides is a dark academia fantasy book. It took me a while to get into it because I was slightly overwhelmed by the world building and understanding all the lunar phases and their related magic. This book is full of mystery, forbidden magic, disappeared gods, and even a secret society. Once we got deeper into the mystery of what caused the students' deaths and what's happening to certain people, I couldn't put it down. I feel like the pace of the story quickened as the characters rushed to figure things out before it was too late. In the beginning, I focused on the ebook because I wanted to take my time and understand everything developing. For the last half of the book, I did more audiobook and enjoyed hearing all the character's voices. There is a super short (38 pages) prequel, Uncharted Dreams, from one character's POV that helped me understand a little about the lunar magic and the Tides. Curious Tides was much different than my usual reads, but I will definitely pick up the sequel because I need to know what happens next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: violence, self-harm, murder, death
Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle is book one in the Drowned Gods duology. This is a YA dark academia with a magic school! I really liked the magic system in this book surrounding the moon and the tides. Neither of the MCs seem to be queer (yet), but we do get a few sapphic and achillean side characters.
We follow Emory, a New Moon student with mediocre healing abilities, who is returning to Aldryn College after a tragedy the semester before killed several of her classmates. We also follow Baz, an Eclipse student with the ability to control time, whose sister was part of the tragedy. When one of students who had been presumably swept out to Sea, is returned to shore, only to die a horrible death, Emory discovers she has powers no healer should have. Baz is the only one who knows, and was able to keep Emory's powers from going out of control.
Not only do we have a magic school, we get a secret society, a magical prison with a jailbreak, scholarly obsession, and a portal to another world. I do wish we had gotten more world-building. We get a bit about the discrimination that Eclipse-born endure as well as the exploitation at the hands of the Institute Regulators.
I pretty much guessed all the twists not far into the book, but it was still enjoyable. I did find Emory to be a bit annoying, and she treated Baz like crap, when he deserves better. I completely ship Baz and Kai, so I really hope that happens in the next book instead of him ending up with Emory. I wanted to love this book, although I enjoyed it, it still fell a little flat in a way I can't really articulate. It could just be because it's a debut book. Looking forward to book 2!
Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle is book one in the Drowned Gods duology. This is a YA dark academia with a magic school! I really liked the magic system in this book surrounding the moon and the tides. Neither of the MCs seem to be queer (yet), but we do get a few sapphic and achillean side characters.
We follow Emory, a New Moon student with mediocre healing abilities, who is returning to Aldryn College after a tragedy the semester before killed several of her classmates. We also follow Baz, an Eclipse student with the ability to control time, whose sister was part of the tragedy. When one of students who had been presumably swept out to Sea, is returned to shore, only to die a horrible death, Emory discovers she has powers no healer should have. Baz is the only one who knows, and was able to keep Emory's powers from going out of control.
Not only do we have a magic school, we get a secret society, a magical prison with a jailbreak, scholarly obsession, and a portal to another world. I do wish we had gotten more world-building. We get a bit about the discrimination that Eclipse-born endure as well as the exploitation at the hands of the Institute Regulators.
I pretty much guessed all the twists not far into the book, but it was still enjoyable. I did find Emory to be a bit annoying, and she treated Baz like crap, when he deserves better. I completely ship Baz and Kai, so I really hope that happens in the next book instead of him ending up with Emory. I wanted to love this book, although I enjoyed it, it still fell a little flat in a way I can't really articulate. It could just be because it's a debut book. Looking forward to book 2!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Self harm
Minor: Sexual content
bibliofrog's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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
Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Curious Tides has everything I love in a book-- a magical school setting, exploration of female friendships, a diverse cast of characters, a textured and interesting romance, and heaps and heaps of whimsy. Pascale Lacelle managed to include well-loved tropes while writing a book that feels fresh and unpredictable.
To start, the magic system in Curious Tides is so well thought out and compelling. The moon and the tides hold power over the character's magic. This system works for me in two big ways. First, intangible magic being tied to something tangible in the book's universe rather than just being an inexplicable ability makes the whole magic system and world at large feel more real and plausible. Second, the limits to the magic characters are able to wield at any given moment keep the plot and characters grounded and the stakes of the book believable. Too often in fantasy, characters (especially protagonists) are able to access limitless stores of power, giving them the upper hand in every battle and making every obstacle they face obsolete. This was not a problem in Curious Tides, as even after Emory uncovers her greater tidecaller powers and Baz discovers the truth about Eclipse-Born, there are still limitations to how much power they can wield.
Now, about the setting. It's clear that Pascale Lacelle set out to write a dark academia book that would scratch that itch for those of us who simply cannot get enough of that genre, and she executed it wonderfully. The descriptions of the commons and libraries made me feel so warm and at home, which balanced perfectly with the sense of foreboding coming from the nearby caves and rising tides. The result is a beautifully atmospheric campus that I can so vividly picture myself walking through at this very moment.
Each character in Curious Tides was given the grace and time to become rounded individuals. This is rare, especially with side characters. Of course some characters are more explored than others, but I really felt a sense of understanding of each side character. Kai, Virgil, and Jae are some of my favourite side characters that I've read in a long time. Even Romie, who for the majority of the book is revealed to us through flashbacks and memories, feels like a friend I've known my whole life. The exploration of Emory and Romie's friendship especially felt very personal and real to me. I think the complications of female friendship-- oscillating between fierce love and shameful jealousy-- is a very common experience for women and Lacelle hit that bittersweet feeling right on the nose. The love triangle is the only thing that I had reservations about, since that's a trope I don't usually love (despite my formative Hunger Games obsession), but I actually ended up quite enjoying it here. I think it illustrated really well how power-hungry men often take advantage of women's love in order to get what they want, and the shame and regret that comes with realizing you've been taken advantage of by someone you trusted. I slightly suspect Kieran's betrayal but found myself questioning my judgement often while in Emory's POV chapters as he continuously lied to her to get his way. And Baz-- I'm not sure if I can put into words how much I love his character. He is so sweet and curious and good. I cannot wait to read more of these characters in the next book (please, please, let there be a next book!!!)
Finally, the plot. I was kept on my toes the whole time and by the end of the book there were enough questions answered to satisfy me, but enough left up in the air that I am itching to get my hands on a sequel to find out. As soon as I see any announcement of a sequel ARC I will surely be first in line to request it.
I will absolutely be hand-selling this book to every customer I see lingering in the YA section, every person picking up other dark academia and romantasy reads (The Atlas Six, Fourth Wing, etc), and babbling on about it to my co workers until they have no choice but to read it too. This has been one of my favourite reads of the year and I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to read the ARC before release.
Curious Tides has everything I love in a book-- a magical school setting, exploration of female friendships, a diverse cast of characters, a textured and interesting romance, and heaps and heaps of whimsy. Pascale Lacelle managed to include well-loved tropes while writing a book that feels fresh and unpredictable.
Now, about the setting. It's clear that Pascale Lacelle set out to write a dark academia book that would scratch that itch for those of us who simply cannot get enough of that genre, and she executed it wonderfully. The descriptions of the commons and libraries made me feel so warm and at home, which balanced perfectly with the sense of foreboding coming from the nearby caves and rising tides. The result is a beautifully atmospheric campus that I can so vividly picture myself walking through at this very moment.
Each character in Curious Tides was given the grace and time to become rounded individuals. This is rare, especially with side characters. Of course some characters are more explored than others, but I really felt a sense of understanding of each side character. Kai, Virgil, and Jae are some of my favourite side characters that I've read in a long time. Even Romie, who for the majority of the book is revealed to us through flashbacks and memories, feels like a friend I've known my whole life. The exploration of Emory and Romie's friendship especially felt very personal and real to me. I think the complications of female friendship-- oscillating between fierce love and shameful jealousy-- is a very common experience for women and Lacelle hit that bittersweet feeling right on the nose. The love triangle is the only thing that I had reservations about, since that's a trope I don't usually love (despite my formative Hunger Games obsession), but I actually ended up quite enjoying it here. I think it illustrated really well how power-hungry men often take advantage of women's love in order to get what they want, and the shame and regret that comes with realizing you've been taken advantage of by someone you trusted. I slightly suspect Kieran's betrayal but found myself questioning my judgement often while in Emory's POV chapters as he continuously lied to her to get his way. And Baz-- I'm not sure if I can put into words how much I love his character. He is so sweet and curious and good. I cannot wait to read more of these characters in the next book (please, please, let there be a next book!!!)
Finally, the plot. I was kept on my toes the whole time and by the end of the book there were enough questions answered to satisfy me, but enough left up in the air that I am itching to get my hands on a sequel to find out. As soon as I see any announcement of a sequel ARC I will surely be first in line to request it.
I will absolutely be hand-selling this book to every customer I see lingering in the YA section, every person picking up other dark academia and romantasy reads (The Atlas Six, Fourth Wing, etc), and babbling on about it to my co workers until they have no choice but to read it too. This has been one of my favourite reads of the year and I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to read the ARC before release.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm, Blood, Death of parent, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting
natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A delightfully lush, dark academia debut that’s teeming with forbidden magic, mystery and secret societies—that fans of Lev Grossman’s The Magicians or Leigh Bardugo’s Ninth House are bound to enjoy.
Set in a world full of magic (and told through alternating, dual perspectives) we follow Emory, a teen mage still grieving the loss of her best friend, Romie, to a tragic drowning accident. And Baz, Romie’s reclusive brother still coming to terms with her loss.
Estranged since childhood, the pair haven’t spoken in years. But when the drowned students start to wash ashore—with bodies that aren’t as dead as they should be. Emory and Baz must reunite once more.
Working together, they hope to uncover the truth behind the drownings, and the shady secret society that shares ties to the all the missing students. But time is of the essence and they must solve the mystery before the magic that claimed Romie and the others, decides to claim the lives of anyone else.
I loved every exquisitely detailed second of this! The world-building was breathtakingly, with prose that practically swam off the page — and in a very Erin Morgenstern fashion, submerging us in a world of intricately woven lore and lunar-based magic that I found utterly fascinating.
I was particularly fond of the excerpts we encounter (from MC Baz’s favourite book, Song of the Drowned Gods.) Which I thought were really reminiscent of the interconnected stories I fell hopelessly in love with, in Morgenstern’s The Starless Sea.
Our protagonists, Emory and Baz were likewise incredibly fascinating too. Suffering from survivor’s guilt (having followed Romie to the sea cave, and being present moments before the tragedy occurred) Emory’s emotional response was quite heartbreaking. However, some of her choices had me seriously questioning her decision making skills.
I do admit, that of our two main characters, it was Baz that I felt the most connected to. Being born with Eclipse magic (the most stigmatised branch of magic), Baz has endured a lifetime of vitriol. And yet, his determination to help Emory, (and risk having his own magic bound if they’re caught) was incredibly endearing. Especially after witnessing the depth of his compassion and his unwavering drive to do the right thing—even if it means breaking the rules.
Overall, phenomenally magical and mystery filled, YA fantasy with a sprinkle of romance (and dark academia deliciousness) that will have readers on the edge of their seats and eager for book two immediately.
Also, a huge thank you to Rachel Quin and Simon & Schuster UK for the e-arc.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Confinement, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Drug use and Vomit
theespressoedition's review against another edition
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Classism, Grief, and Blood
Moderate: Self harm, Murder, Toxic relationship, Cursing, and Death
Minor: Drug use, Vomit, Sexual content, Torture, and Alcohol