Scan barcode
A review by lauren_miller
The Water Witch by Jessica Thorne
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
As a French major and speaker, I've always been fascinated by French folklore, and Brittany in particular is a region that has always interested me due to the mishmash of cultures and history. I also read The Daughters of Ys by M. T. Anderson a couple years ago and absolutely fell down a mythical rabbit hole. So when I saw that this was based on the myth of Ys, I jumped—and I was not disappointed.
The story is basically one giant paranormal treasure hunt, which in itself is a fantastic premise, but the relationships between the protagonists and secondary characters have so many deep and painful layers the reader must sift through, so many clues, all amidst a setting so cruel and yet beautiful... The depths both literally and figuratively are what kept me engaged till the very end.
I've come away very satisfied with the story, but there are still some things to note that I don't necessarily love... The relationship between Ari and Rafael was sweet, but painfully unrealistic and insta-lovey (lmao, it's a paranormal romance though, don't take this too seriously). And while I didn't see the "who done it" twist at the end coming, the foreshadowing for the OTHER person was almost painfully obvious. Like, the second we met them I immediately knew who they were?? I'm not too upset by it, but I wish it had been a tiny bit more subtle? Anyone who reads mysteries/thrillers will pick up on it immediately; I hope it doesn't ruin anything for you. And lastly, the convenience of money cannot be understated here. Rafael and Ari certainly joke about it by the end, but at what point does him being a millionaire become *too* convenient? It just felt kind of like a cop out after a while...
All that said, I had a lot of fun reading this! It was my first foray into the treasure hunting genre (which I've been seeing a lot of lately? I'm on board) and I am definitely planning to pick up more from this author. Solid 4 out of 5 stars, ★★★★☆
As a French major and speaker, I've always been fascinated by French folklore, and Brittany in particular is a region that has always interested me due to the mishmash of cultures and history. I also read The Daughters of Ys by M. T. Anderson a couple years ago and absolutely fell down a mythical rabbit hole. So when I saw that this was based on the myth of Ys, I jumped—and I was not disappointed.
The story is basically one giant paranormal treasure hunt, which in itself is a fantastic premise, but the relationships between the protagonists and secondary characters have so many deep and painful layers the reader must sift through, so many clues, all amidst a setting so cruel and yet beautiful... The depths both literally and figuratively are what kept me engaged till the very end.
I've come away very satisfied with the story, but there are still some things to note that I don't necessarily love... The relationship between Ari and Rafael was sweet, but painfully unrealistic and insta-lovey (lmao, it's a paranormal romance though, don't take this too seriously). And while I didn't see the "who done it" twist at the end coming, the foreshadowing for the OTHER person was almost painfully obvious. Like, the second we met them I immediately knew who they were?? I'm not too upset by it, but I wish it had been a tiny bit more subtle? Anyone who reads mysteries/thrillers will pick up on it immediately; I hope it doesn't ruin anything for you. And lastly, the convenience of money cannot be understated here. Rafael and Ari certainly joke about it by the end, but at what point does him being a millionaire become *too* convenient? It just felt kind of like a cop out after a while...
All that said, I had a lot of fun reading this! It was my first foray into the treasure hunting genre (which I've been seeing a lot of lately? I'm on board) and I am definitely planning to pick up more from this author. Solid 4 out of 5 stars, ★★★★☆