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A review by roadtripreader
Merciless Waters by Rae Knowles
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? Yes
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed not knowing WTF was going on in the first chapter as little pieces of the tragedy and sea curse come together.
"I wish he would drown.
But the gods will not be so kind" - and we're off.
A crew that has no memory starts remembering and it's all downhill from there.
Plot/Storyline/Themes:
As a sucker for melancholic poetic prose, the narration was catnip. I loved the slow drowning into loss and betrayal, maritime voodoo/magic/bad juju and a pirate crew of women who are living a second life and have no memories of their life before taking over the ship.
Two Sentences, A Scene or less - Characters:
You know I can accept any pirate crew, zombies, undead, Jack Sparrow hoodwinking everyone - I'm open to all the drama (except those real-life whale-hunting,island burning, turtle starving, turtle eradicating Quaker arseholes from The Essex...) so this crew was mysterious, unique and darn captivating.
Also, what in the hell is Ambrose? A sea snake? Is that what a sea krait is? Like a snake-meets mini dragon? Hold on I need to google some fantasy art - oh it's a snake. And it's not even blue like the sea? Just a snake that would be indistinguishable from it's land brethren if it were up here. 🤷🏽♀️
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Scene:
✔️Jaq and Lily's first meal on the Scylla ship. The horror.
✔️Meeting Captsin Rose on the Island-Ship
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Quotes:
🖤 “Such a lonely thing, to be lost at sea ” (Lily being cryptic )
🖤 “A deep craving finally satisfied. I see so clearly now the cause.
A simple truth known long to men and only now discovered by womenfolk. We crave violence. So we swallow violent men.” (Jaq on the sustenance of men)
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Concepts:
■ All women crew ...until the interloper
■Reginald is the destroyer
■ Magic: ship in a bottle with tiny sailors
■Scylla ship and The Orb
■Full Moon Ritual on Deck
StoryGraph Challenge: 1800 Books by 2025
Challenge Prompt: 150 Fantasy Books by 2025
"I wish he would drown.
But the gods will not be so kind" - and we're off.
A crew that has no memory starts remembering and it's all downhill from there.
Plot/Storyline/Themes:
As a sucker for melancholic poetic prose, the narration was catnip. I loved the slow drowning into loss and betrayal, maritime voodoo/magic/bad juju and a pirate crew of women who are living a second life and have no memories of their life before taking over the ship.
Two Sentences, A Scene or less - Characters:
You know I can accept any pirate crew, zombies, undead, Jack Sparrow hoodwinking everyone - I'm open to all the drama (except those real-life whale-hunting,island burning, turtle starving, turtle eradicating Quaker arseholes from The Essex...) so this crew was mysterious, unique and darn captivating.
Also, what in the hell is Ambrose? A sea snake? Is that what a sea krait is? Like a snake-meets mini dragon? Hold on I need to google some fantasy art - oh it's a snake. And it's not even blue like the sea? Just a snake that would be indistinguishable from it's land brethren if it were up here. 🤷🏽♀️
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Scene:
✔️Jaq and Lily's first meal on the Scylla ship. The horror.
✔️Meeting Captsin Rose on the Island-Ship
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Quotes:
🖤 “Such a lonely thing, to be lost at sea ” (Lily being cryptic )
🖤 “A deep craving finally satisfied. I see so clearly now the cause.
A simple truth known long to men and only now discovered by womenfolk. We crave violence. So we swallow violent men.” (Jaq on the sustenance of men)
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Concepts:
■ All women crew ...until the interloper
■Reginald is the destroyer
■ Magic: ship in a bottle with tiny sailors
■Scylla ship and The Orb
■Full Moon Ritual on Deck
StoryGraph Challenge: 1800 Books by 2025
Challenge Prompt: 150 Fantasy Books by 2025