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A review by kelsey3
The Emerald Sea by Richelle Mead
3.0
Overall: 3.6
Book Breakdown —
Characters: they were pretty awesome. This book was better than it’s predecessors, as were the characters. A more interesting and varied set of characters. I actually found myself caring for them.
Pacing/ length: it was a little long, just as the others were, and the pacing was certainly off, but it was ok overall. I just wish some of the more important parts were more drawn out, which is more of a pacing issue than length.
Interesting Plot?: yes actually. From the moment I read Glittering Court, I was most excited to read Tamsin’s story. She was the most interesting to me, but after reading Mira’s story I aimed my hopes low because Tamsin irritated me in Midnight Jewel. I was wrong though. It was interesting being in Tamsins head and her story was much more fleshed out, developed, and interesting.
Reading Medium: audiobook, some e-book, and a few pages of the physical book. Though the audiobook helped me get through this final installment in the fraction of time it would’ve taken me to read it physically, I don’t want to say I recommend it. I thought the narrator did a poor job at portraying the story. I think there are better audiobooks out there, but there are worse too. If audio is your thing, it’s still worth a listen.
Detailed Review—
First things first, Tamsins big secret was not surprising at all. I had guessed it when I read the first book and I was right. It was very predictable and ultimately felt a wee hollow in emotion, but I was glad we finally got to see it play out regardless.
Her story was much more interesting than her predecessors. Mostly because majority of her story was away from Cape Triumph. She visited other colonies and met new characters and her overall story fell outside of the norm. I appreciated it greatly.
Because of this, it made not only her, but also her story much more interesting. Made for a faster read as well. I found myself actually wanting to pick it up, unlike the previous installments.
I’m really glad we got to meet so many new characters too. I really enjoyed them, especially the other young women from the other manor house at the glittering court. It made for an interesting addition, as did the other colonies and tribes of people.
The love interests in this installment was also much, much better than the previous books. They were both so sweet. Though it was obvious from the get go who she would choose, it was still nice seeing such good love interests. The only thing that I wish had been more detailed was how old Jago was. When I first pictured him, I thought he was double Tamsins age, but I think in actuality he was only a few years her senior. I wish this had been better described because it took me awhile to change my picture of him. Regardless, the connection between her and Jago was electric and made me ship them so much.
Just like the previous installments you have to suspend reality a bit. You have to make yourself believe that three nations would trust a random 20 year old to help council said nations into peace negotiations. Do I believe that? No. But when you suspend your beliefs it’s easier.
Ultimately, I’m glad this was the final installment. It was the most varied. It was the most interesting. And it was the only installment in which I actually cared about the characters and wanted to keep reading. It was a great way to round out the series and I’m glad I pushed through and finished it.
Character List—
Tamsin- protagonist. A member of the glittering court so she can earn a better life for her, her daughter Mary, and her family. Almost dies in a shipwreck on the way to the new world. Meets Gideon after her shipwreck; he eventually proposes to her but wants her to lie about her daughters parentage. Meets and falls in love with Jago Robinson who accepts her daughter and her and proposes marriage to her. She agrees and pays off her contract so she and her daughter can live in happiness with him.
Orla- an Icori princess who helps Tamsin and Jago.
Jago- a tradesman who loves Tamsin. He wants to breed horses and become successful.
Gideon- a pastor type of person who used to work in Constancy before realizing how awful they are. Decides to make his own religion. Proposed to Tamsin. Wanted her to lie about her daughters parentage, but they ultimately end on a decent note.
Mary- Tamsins daughter with the son of a noble. Her father didn’t care to be involved. Approves of Tamsins fiancé Jago and they live out their days happily.
Memorable Quotes—
If you’re on the path of right, and someone crosses it with wrong, you don’t need to turn. Build a bridge over their path and continue on your way.
Be cautious of those who are too quick to act in your best interests and even quicker to tell you that they are. Too often, your best interests become indistinguishable from theirs.
Summary—
Borrowed from https://alexisthelectorem.wordpress.com/2018/07/27/review-the-emerald-sea/amp/
Tamsin Wright is unstoppable. She must become the Glittering Court’s diamond: the girl with the highest test scores, the most glamorous wardrobe, and the greatest opportunities to match with an elite suitor in the New World. Training alongside other girls in the Glittering Court, Tamsin immerses herself completely in lessons about etiquette, history, and music–everything a high-society wife would need to know. Once she’s married, she’ll be able to afford a better life for her family, so the sacrifice is worth it if she can be the best.
When her friendship with Mira and Adelaide, her roommates at the Glittering Court, threatens her status as the top-ranked prospect, she does the only thing she knows will keep her on track: she cuts them out of her life. But when her voyage across the sea goes off course, Tamsin must use her unrelenting grit and determination to survive the harsh winter far north of her intended destination in hopes of making it back to the Glittering Court in time to secure a proposal–and a comfortable future for her family.
Experiencing new cultures and beliefs for the first time, Tamsin realizes that her careful studies haven’t prepared her for everything, and with new alliances formed with roguish tradesman Jago Robinson and good-natured minister Gideon Stewart, Tamsin’s heart begins to be pulled in different directions. But she can’t let her brewing attraction get in the way of her ultimate goal: protecting the secret she holds closest to her heart, the one that would unravel everything she’s worked for if it’s uncovered.
Spoiler Summary:
After Tamsins ship is shipwrecked, she becomes the defacto leader of the glittering court girls. They are rescued by a group of Icori led by Orla. They take the young women to a town of ex-Osfridians turned religious fanatics, named Constancy. Orla tells her they have a resident and tradesman named Jago Robinson who may be able to help the glittering court ladies make their way back to Cape Triumph.
At Constancy her life is made miserable by her host, Dinah, who is jealous that Gideon has become smitten with Tamsin. She finds Jago and asks for his help. After a while he agrees to help her escape and that they will come back for the others. They bond through her escape and find passage for the other glittering court ladies; she sleeps with him and reveals her secret to him.
Gideon proposes to her as he and the other constancy people escort the girls to cape triumph. Tamsin confides her secret to him so she enters a marriage with him truthfully. He is ok with it but asks that she lie and tell people that Mary — her daughter — is actually her sister. He asks this of her so their reputations aren’t damaged as he tries to build his own church. She is infuriated that he’d want to hide Mary’s parentage and refuses him.
She tries to woo the governors son but when he believes she caught him in a political scandal he orders her killed. She runs to Jago for help and their connection is lit anew. He vows to buy her out of her contract and be with her if she chooses. Tamsin solves the political problems of three nations with the help of Adelaide and Mira’s stories. She secures a job and buys herself out of her contract. Mary arrives in Cape Triumph where Jago and Tamsin welcome her. They live out their days in a nearby city happily ever after.
Book Breakdown —
Characters: they were pretty awesome. This book was better than it’s predecessors, as were the characters. A more interesting and varied set of characters. I actually found myself caring for them.
Pacing/ length: it was a little long, just as the others were, and the pacing was certainly off, but it was ok overall. I just wish some of the more important parts were more drawn out, which is more of a pacing issue than length.
Interesting Plot?: yes actually. From the moment I read Glittering Court, I was most excited to read Tamsin’s story. She was the most interesting to me, but after reading Mira’s story I aimed my hopes low because Tamsin irritated me in Midnight Jewel. I was wrong though. It was interesting being in Tamsins head and her story was much more fleshed out, developed, and interesting.
Reading Medium: audiobook, some e-book, and a few pages of the physical book. Though the audiobook helped me get through this final installment in the fraction of time it would’ve taken me to read it physically, I don’t want to say I recommend it. I thought the narrator did a poor job at portraying the story. I think there are better audiobooks out there, but there are worse too. If audio is your thing, it’s still worth a listen.
Detailed Review—
First things first, Tamsins big secret was not surprising at all. I had guessed it when I read the first book and I was right. It was very predictable and ultimately felt a wee hollow in emotion, but I was glad we finally got to see it play out regardless.
Her story was much more interesting than her predecessors. Mostly because majority of her story was away from Cape Triumph. She visited other colonies and met new characters and her overall story fell outside of the norm. I appreciated it greatly.
Because of this, it made not only her, but also her story much more interesting. Made for a faster read as well. I found myself actually wanting to pick it up, unlike the previous installments.
I’m really glad we got to meet so many new characters too. I really enjoyed them, especially the other young women from the other manor house at the glittering court. It made for an interesting addition, as did the other colonies and tribes of people.
The love interests in this installment was also much, much better than the previous books. They were both so sweet. Though it was obvious from the get go who she would choose, it was still nice seeing such good love interests. The only thing that I wish had been more detailed was how old Jago was. When I first pictured him, I thought he was double Tamsins age, but I think in actuality he was only a few years her senior. I wish this had been better described because it took me awhile to change my picture of him. Regardless, the connection between her and Jago was electric and made me ship them so much.
Just like the previous installments you have to suspend reality a bit. You have to make yourself believe that three nations would trust a random 20 year old to help council said nations into peace negotiations. Do I believe that? No. But when you suspend your beliefs it’s easier.
Ultimately, I’m glad this was the final installment. It was the most varied. It was the most interesting. And it was the only installment in which I actually cared about the characters and wanted to keep reading. It was a great way to round out the series and I’m glad I pushed through and finished it.
Character List—
Tamsin- protagonist. A member of the glittering court so she can earn a better life for her, her daughter Mary, and her family. Almost dies in a shipwreck on the way to the new world. Meets Gideon after her shipwreck; he eventually proposes to her but wants her to lie about her daughters parentage. Meets and falls in love with Jago Robinson who accepts her daughter and her and proposes marriage to her. She agrees and pays off her contract so she and her daughter can live in happiness with him.
Orla- an Icori princess who helps Tamsin and Jago.
Jago- a tradesman who loves Tamsin. He wants to breed horses and become successful.
Gideon- a pastor type of person who used to work in Constancy before realizing how awful they are. Decides to make his own religion. Proposed to Tamsin. Wanted her to lie about her daughters parentage, but they ultimately end on a decent note.
Mary- Tamsins daughter with the son of a noble. Her father didn’t care to be involved. Approves of Tamsins fiancé Jago and they live out their days happily.
Memorable Quotes—
If you’re on the path of right, and someone crosses it with wrong, you don’t need to turn. Build a bridge over their path and continue on your way.
Be cautious of those who are too quick to act in your best interests and even quicker to tell you that they are. Too often, your best interests become indistinguishable from theirs.
Summary—
Borrowed from https://alexisthelectorem.wordpress.com/2018/07/27/review-the-emerald-sea/amp/
Tamsin Wright is unstoppable. She must become the Glittering Court’s diamond: the girl with the highest test scores, the most glamorous wardrobe, and the greatest opportunities to match with an elite suitor in the New World. Training alongside other girls in the Glittering Court, Tamsin immerses herself completely in lessons about etiquette, history, and music–everything a high-society wife would need to know. Once she’s married, she’ll be able to afford a better life for her family, so the sacrifice is worth it if she can be the best.
When her friendship with Mira and Adelaide, her roommates at the Glittering Court, threatens her status as the top-ranked prospect, she does the only thing she knows will keep her on track: she cuts them out of her life. But when her voyage across the sea goes off course, Tamsin must use her unrelenting grit and determination to survive the harsh winter far north of her intended destination in hopes of making it back to the Glittering Court in time to secure a proposal–and a comfortable future for her family.
Experiencing new cultures and beliefs for the first time, Tamsin realizes that her careful studies haven’t prepared her for everything, and with new alliances formed with roguish tradesman Jago Robinson and good-natured minister Gideon Stewart, Tamsin’s heart begins to be pulled in different directions. But she can’t let her brewing attraction get in the way of her ultimate goal: protecting the secret she holds closest to her heart, the one that would unravel everything she’s worked for if it’s uncovered.
Spoiler Summary:
After Tamsins ship is shipwrecked, she becomes the defacto leader of the glittering court girls. They are rescued by a group of Icori led by Orla. They take the young women to a town of ex-Osfridians turned religious fanatics, named Constancy. Orla tells her they have a resident and tradesman named Jago Robinson who may be able to help the glittering court ladies make their way back to Cape Triumph.
At Constancy her life is made miserable by her host, Dinah, who is jealous that Gideon has become smitten with Tamsin. She finds Jago and asks for his help. After a while he agrees to help her escape and that they will come back for the others. They bond through her escape and find passage for the other glittering court ladies; she sleeps with him and reveals her secret to him.
Gideon proposes to her as he and the other constancy people escort the girls to cape triumph. Tamsin confides her secret to him so she enters a marriage with him truthfully. He is ok with it but asks that she lie and tell people that Mary — her daughter — is actually her sister. He asks this of her so their reputations aren’t damaged as he tries to build his own church. She is infuriated that he’d want to hide Mary’s parentage and refuses him.
She tries to woo the governors son but when he believes she caught him in a political scandal he orders her killed. She runs to Jago for help and their connection is lit anew. He vows to buy her out of her contract and be with her if she chooses. Tamsin solves the political problems of three nations with the help of Adelaide and Mira’s stories. She secures a job and buys herself out of her contract. Mary arrives in Cape Triumph where Jago and Tamsin welcome her. They live out their days in a nearby city happily ever after.