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flannelpetticoat 's review for:
When the Tides Held the Moon
by Venessa Vida Kelley
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
When the Tides Held the Moon is a great example of filing the serial numbers off a fanfic and getting it so close to great. But not quite.
It's disappointing for a book you've been looking forward to for months trip over its own plot ambitions and subpar editing. I went into the book knowing almost nothing about it--just vibes, vague ideas, and an affection for the author's art and verbal storytelling on social media--so it's not as if expectations were let down.
The art incorporated throughout is utterly charming. The first quarter of this book is absolutely incredible. Structurally brilliant with excellent character work. I was singing its praises. And then the capitalists attacked.
Had I realized a kidnapped and enslaved merman would fall in love with his captor's accomplice I never would have requested the arc. That truly is on me, my mistake. The characters and plot support this wonderful allegory about ceasing to belittle yourself for scraps from your oppressors. It's found family. It's queer belonging. It's anti-capitalist. It's pro-union. It's dissecting the American Dream and finding magic in differences. It's everything I typically want...but then Benny and Río.
Psychological pressures and "but I swear he's a good guy" aside, I can't with this romance. And this is fundamentally why we have to stop filing the serial numbers off fanfic. The reason fanfic works is it taps into the audience's canon knowledge and affection for the characters. We *know* this couple should be together.
But I don't know that about Benny and Río. In fact, I'm quite offput by the whole idea.
I don't like collaborators.
This romance dragged the entire book down for me.The surrounding plot didn't make sense without the romance's support. 60% of the book felt like a slog, the boring and necessary middle bits to connect the wonderful beginning and the predictable ending, and there were enough inconsistencies to muddle things further (e.g. holding one's breath while talking underwater). And no amount of brilliant word choice or delightful drawings can make up for that.
It's disappointing for a book you've been looking forward to for months trip over its own plot ambitions and subpar editing. I went into the book knowing almost nothing about it--just vibes, vague ideas, and an affection for the author's art and verbal storytelling on social media--so it's not as if expectations were let down.
The art incorporated throughout is utterly charming. The first quarter of this book is absolutely incredible. Structurally brilliant with excellent character work. I was singing its praises. And then the capitalists attacked.
Had I realized a kidnapped and enslaved merman would fall in love with his captor's accomplice I never would have requested the arc. That truly is on me, my mistake. The characters and plot support this wonderful allegory about ceasing to belittle yourself for scraps from your oppressors. It's found family. It's queer belonging. It's anti-capitalist. It's pro-union. It's dissecting the American Dream and finding magic in differences. It's everything I typically want...but then Benny and Río.
Psychological pressures and "but I swear he's a good guy" aside, I can't with this romance. And this is fundamentally why we have to stop filing the serial numbers off fanfic. The reason fanfic works is it taps into the audience's canon knowledge and affection for the characters. We *know* this couple should be together.
But I don't know that about Benny and Río. In fact, I'm quite offput by the whole idea.
I don't like collaborators.
This romance dragged the entire book down for me.The surrounding plot didn't make sense without the romance's support. 60% of the book felt like a slog, the boring and necessary middle bits to connect the wonderful beginning and the predictable ending, and there were enough inconsistencies to muddle things further (e.g. holding one's breath while talking underwater). And no amount of brilliant word choice or delightful drawings can make up for that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Kidnapping, Murder
Moderate: Bullying, Gun violence, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Kidnapping
Minor: Ableism, Death, Blood, Alcohol