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A review by thestarlessskye
Our Bloody Pearl by D.N. Bryn
5.0
GR deleted my review D:
Anyway, my rating for this initially was 4.5 stars but I'm gonna give it 5!
To begin with,
CHARACTERS
Perle was a brilliant protagonist. Their journey from being captive, abused and mistrusting humans, to rehabilitation, health and trusting humans was brilliantly done. The characterization of them being both a predator and someone with c0mplex emotions, history and thoughts was *chefs kiss!* As someone who's been separated from their own kind and left to suffer, to being cared for and understood despite their Siren-ness was one aspect that really spoke to me. Their growth as a character felt grounded and real, due to their relationship with Dejean, Murielle and Simone. The choice to make Perle Non-Binary and Asexual felt realistic and made sense. The representation through their character was well done. As an N.B. Ace individual myself, I could see myself in their character.
Dejean. Is. PERFECT! From the moment he's introduced, his gentle, compassionate and kind nature immediately wins you over. As he insists on helping Perle, regardless of the aggression they show him, he still wants to save them. Due to Perle's injury they are rendered paralyzed from the waist down, causing them to be unable to naturally use their tail. Seeing the two characters bond was beautiful and heartwarming to see! When Dejean said ' "-I’m using strange hand motions to talk to my kind’s natural predators, yet this is easier than any conversation I’ve had with another human in a long time,” ' showed how much he felt more at home with Perle than humans, and that was really heartfelt to me. I also liked that Dejean was canonically Ace and Pan. I adore this character! trust me to fall for the pirate. Lol!
The element of found family and belonging with these two characters was touching and amazingly done.
Kian as an antagonist was done well. She didn't get much page time, but towards the end I felt sorry for her. It was nice to see Perle offering her the chance for redemption and forgiveness, even though she abused them.
The side characters were really fun and were often bringing a smile to my face. I love this little family!
PLOT
To me, this book is more character-focused than plot-focused. However, with that being said, the characters are the drive and reason for both the plot and point of the story. Two "natural" enemies forming a bond of friendship, love and understanding is the catalyst for change in a world riddled with violence and fear. I loved that the book ended with Dejean and Perle taking in another siren, as well as a human that was somewhat responsible for Perle's suffering. And deciding to help change things by saving sirens and fostering trust amongst humans. I would love to see where they go next, if the author ever writes another book about them.
WRITING
The writing in this book is both poetic and emotional, yet action-packed and pacey. Bryn really balances all aspects, enticing the reader and bringing a sense of upliftment with the story. There were certain lines that really stood out to me so I highlighted them. As well as lines between the character's interactions that had me squealing!
OVERALL
This book is an automatic new favourite! I love fantasy about Pirates, Mermaids and Sea-faring. And the fact it's queer just makes it all the better! I will be recommending this book to anyone looking for pirate/siren/queer fiction, with found family and a sense of finding where you belong.
And lastly, consider this final comment me gushing about these wonderful characters! Thank you Bryn for this amazing novel! <3
Anyway, my rating for this initially was 4.5 stars but I'm gonna give it 5!
To begin with,
CHARACTERS
Perle was a brilliant protagonist. Their journey from being captive, abused and mistrusting humans, to rehabilitation, health and trusting humans was brilliantly done. The characterization of them being both a predator and someone with c0mplex emotions, history and thoughts was *chefs kiss!* As someone who's been separated from their own kind and left to suffer, to being cared for and understood despite their Siren-ness was one aspect that really spoke to me. Their growth as a character felt grounded and real, due to their relationship with Dejean, Murielle and Simone. The choice to make Perle Non-Binary and Asexual felt realistic and made sense. The representation through their character was well done. As an N.B. Ace individual myself, I could see myself in their character.
Dejean. Is. PERFECT! From the moment he's introduced, his gentle, compassionate and kind nature immediately wins you over. As he insists on helping Perle, regardless of the aggression they show him, he still wants to save them. Due to Perle's injury they are rendered paralyzed from the waist down, causing them to be unable to naturally use their tail. Seeing the two characters bond was beautiful and heartwarming to see! When Dejean said ' "-I’m using strange hand motions to talk to my kind’s natural predators, yet this is easier than any conversation I’ve had with another human in a long time,” ' showed how much he felt more at home with Perle than humans, and that was really heartfelt to me. I also liked that Dejean was canonically Ace and Pan. I adore this character! trust me to fall for the pirate. Lol!
The element of found family and belonging with these two characters was touching and amazingly done.
Kian as an antagonist was done well. She didn't get much page time, but towards the end I felt sorry for her. It was nice to see Perle offering her the chance for redemption and forgiveness, even though she abused them.
The side characters were really fun and were often bringing a smile to my face. I love this little family!
PLOT
To me, this book is more character-focused than plot-focused. However, with that being said, the characters are the drive and reason for both the plot and point of the story. Two "natural" enemies forming a bond of friendship, love and understanding is the catalyst for change in a world riddled with violence and fear. I loved that the book ended with Dejean and Perle taking in another siren, as well as a human that was somewhat responsible for Perle's suffering. And deciding to help change things by saving sirens and fostering trust amongst humans. I would love to see where they go next, if the author ever writes another book about them.
WRITING
The writing in this book is both poetic and emotional, yet action-packed and pacey. Bryn really balances all aspects, enticing the reader and bringing a sense of upliftment with the story. There were certain lines that really stood out to me so I highlighted them. As well as lines between the character's interactions that had me squealing!
OVERALL
This book is an automatic new favourite! I love fantasy about Pirates, Mermaids and Sea-faring. And the fact it's queer just makes it all the better! I will be recommending this book to anyone looking for pirate/siren/queer fiction, with found family and a sense of finding where you belong.
And lastly, consider this final comment me gushing about these wonderful characters! Thank you Bryn for this amazing novel! <3