Scan barcode
A review by tifftastic87
Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warning: blood, injury description, slavery, misogyny, violence, child abuse, emotional abuse, death of a parent, death and murder . . . and Kyle
Althea Vestrit’s father is ill, her family’s live ship is about to quicken, her brother-in-law imagines what it will be like when he is captain, a pirate is desperate to become king, the serpents look for their future, and a priest in training questions his future.
So, I made a joke in the content warnings but I couldn’t help it. Kyle is the worst human in this story, in many stories. Robin Hobb has a fantastic ability to write villains that are incredibly human and not just a caricature of evil. I thought my loathing couldn’t deepen anymore until I saw what his way of parenting had done to his daughter and then I loathed them both with every fiber of my being. This story has so many parts and watching them come together has been such an experience. I dislike a lot of these characters, but I need to know what is going to happen to them!
I am incredibly serious when I say that I feel my hatred of Kyle in my bones. The way he has raised his children is chilling and how he treats Keffria, his wife, made me rage for her so much. Keffria on the other hand, some moments I want to slap her and others I feel like she needs a hug. Ronica is definitely my favorite character, I love a stoic matriarch and the moments in her POV are amazing. The character growth in Althea has been fantastic and is so well earned.
All of that being said there so many POVs in this book that I wasn't sure I would like it, but I settled into it really really well. There are at least 10 POVs throughout but no head hopping, which is nice at least. I am immediately jumping into the next book and I usually have to give myself a couple of weeks between epic high fantasy like this so that is saying something.
I am incredibly serious when I say that I feel my hatred of Kyle in my bones. The way he has raised his children is chilling and how he treats Keffria, his wife, made me rage for her so much. Keffria on the other hand, some moments I want to slap her and others I feel like she needs a hug. Ronica is definitely my favorite character, I love a stoic matriarch and the moments in her POV are amazing. The character growth in Althea has been fantastic and is so well earned.
All of that being said there so many POVs in this book that I wasn't sure I would like it, but I settled into it really really well. There are at least 10 POVs throughout but no head hopping, which is nice at least. I am immediately jumping into the next book and I usually have to give myself a couple of weeks between epic high fantasy like this so that is saying something.