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A review by enchantedfiction
The Cursed Soul by K.C. Smith
adventurous
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
*Thank you to KC Smith for the beautiful hardcover copy!*
The Cursed Soul is a duel POV story of Doraan, a man with his crew who have been cursed for 10 years to never step foot on land again, and Kamira, a runaway Sorceress in hiding. Sorcerers have been nearly wiped clean from Emmoria's lands, and even though Doraan has no love for them, he feels as though they are his only answer on how to break the curse. When Kamira flees her unfortunate situation and stows away on the first ship she comes upon, it just so happens to be The Cursed Soul. Without revealing who she is, Kamira tries to blend into the pirate life, but when the truths start unraveling, the two realize that maybe they are what the other needs.
This Davy Jones meets elemental magic tale was very engaging and had me wanting to know how everything would play out. There were certain elements I thought were going to fall into a trope that didn't, and that was pretty refreshing. I like being surprised by what characters do or the consequences of their actions because it feels way more relatable. I really enjoyed the magic system, and the pacing felt pretty comfortable.
I liked the characters, though I did wish we had a bit more gradual growth for both of them. I felt that Doraan kind of had a switch that got flipped instead of leaning on the knob, if that makes sense. Kamira also did a LOT of eye-rolling, which I feel could have been cut down, and maybe a different gesture of frustration could have been used a few times. I also wanted more of the Temple of Gorria! This felt like such a turning point to the story, and it felt so rushed to me.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and EXCUSE ME THE ENDING. I need to know more! Can't wait for book 2! I recommend to anyone who enjoys pirate stories with elemental magic and both plot and character driven narrative.
The Cursed Soul is a duel POV story of Doraan, a man with his crew who have been cursed for 10 years to never step foot on land again, and Kamira, a runaway Sorceress in hiding. Sorcerers have been nearly wiped clean from Emmoria's lands, and even though Doraan has no love for them, he feels as though they are his only answer on how to break the curse. When Kamira flees her unfortunate situation and stows away on the first ship she comes upon, it just so happens to be The Cursed Soul. Without revealing who she is, Kamira tries to blend into the pirate life, but when the truths start unraveling, the two realize that maybe they are what the other needs.
This Davy Jones meets elemental magic tale was very engaging and had me wanting to know how everything would play out. There were certain elements I thought were going to fall into a trope that didn't, and that was pretty refreshing. I like being surprised by what characters do or the consequences of their actions because it feels way more relatable. I really enjoyed the magic system, and the pacing felt pretty comfortable.
I liked the characters, though I did wish we had a bit more gradual growth for both of them. I felt that Doraan kind of had a switch that got flipped instead of leaning on the knob, if that makes sense. Kamira also did a LOT of eye-rolling, which I feel could have been cut down, and maybe a different gesture of frustration could have been used a few times. I also wanted more of the Temple of Gorria! This felt like such a turning point to the story, and it felt so rushed to me.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and EXCUSE ME THE ENDING. I need to know more! Can't wait for book 2! I recommend to anyone who enjoys pirate stories with elemental magic and both plot and character driven narrative.