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A review by allison_r
Goddess Tithe by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
4.0
I received a copy of "Goddess Tithe" from the author in exchange for an honest review. So. Here we go.
"Goddess Tithe" follows a young sailor, Munny, through the most dangerous voyage he has ever faced. When the crew finds a stowaway on board, instead of casting him overboard as the murderous sea-goddess demands, the captain grants him safe-passage to his destination. And even worse, he puts Munny in charge of the foreigner.
I liked this very much. Particularly since the jester-castaway was none other than Leo, the exiled prince of the Southlands, a principal character in Anne Elisabeth Stengl's earlier novels.
The plot:
I liked it. A vengeful sea-goddess demanding her tithe, and a captain who refuses to give it to her. The transition between the land of dreams and the world of reality is flawlessly handled. Admittedly, "Goddess Tithe" is a novella, so the plot is fairly to the point.
The characters:
Munny, the protagonist, is a very interesting individual. His mother is dying of sickness on the mainland, and all he wishes is to return to her before she passes away and bring her the white peonies she loved so dearly. Munny provides a way for the reader to see the rest of the crew. It was like looking up from a toddler's perspective, seeing all of these grand, frightening figures towering above. His age, or lack thereof, was handled masterfully.
I also liked the way his friendship with Leo progressed. Munny disliked him for a good long time before he finally warmed up to the irascible jester.
As for the rest of the cast, chiefly the crew and the captain, they were all sufficiently fleshed out to keep me interested. I am very curious of the captain's true identity and purpose and will enjoy seeing him return in future novels.
The writing:
Out of everything in this book, I enjoyed the descriptions the most. The bulk of "Goddess Tithe" takes place on the open sea, and the author beautifully captures its many moods, from raging storms to eerie calm. My favorite moment was the stunning imagery when Munny viewed the ship from underwater.
If I nitpick, and I feel I must in a review, I would say that the illustrations, although well-done, contributed little for me. They conflicted with the images I had formed of the characters, which is true for any illustration but I noticed particularly with these. The only one that decidedly helped me visualize the scene was the picture of Risafeth.
All in all, "Goddess Tithe" by Anne Elisabeth Stengl is another chapter in a beautifully stylized and polished series.
"Goddess Tithe" follows a young sailor, Munny, through the most dangerous voyage he has ever faced. When the crew finds a stowaway on board, instead of casting him overboard as the murderous sea-goddess demands, the captain grants him safe-passage to his destination. And even worse, he puts Munny in charge of the foreigner.
I liked this very much. Particularly since the jester-castaway was none other than Leo, the exiled prince of the Southlands, a principal character in Anne Elisabeth Stengl's earlier novels.
The plot:
I liked it. A vengeful sea-goddess demanding her tithe, and a captain who refuses to give it to her. The transition between the land of dreams and the world of reality is flawlessly handled. Admittedly, "Goddess Tithe" is a novella, so the plot is fairly to the point.
The characters:
Munny, the protagonist, is a very interesting individual. His mother is dying of sickness on the mainland, and all he wishes is to return to her before she passes away and bring her the white peonies she loved so dearly. Munny provides a way for the reader to see the rest of the crew. It was like looking up from a toddler's perspective, seeing all of these grand, frightening figures towering above. His age, or lack thereof, was handled masterfully.
I also liked the way his friendship with Leo progressed. Munny disliked him for a good long time before he finally warmed up to the irascible jester.
As for the rest of the cast, chiefly the crew and the captain, they were all sufficiently fleshed out to keep me interested. I am very curious of the captain's true identity and purpose and will enjoy seeing him return in future novels.
The writing:
Out of everything in this book, I enjoyed the descriptions the most. The bulk of "Goddess Tithe" takes place on the open sea, and the author beautifully captures its many moods, from raging storms to eerie calm. My favorite moment was the stunning imagery when Munny viewed the ship from underwater.
If I nitpick, and I feel I must in a review, I would say that the illustrations, although well-done, contributed little for me. They conflicted with the images I had formed of the characters, which is true for any illustration but I noticed particularly with these. The only one that decidedly helped me visualize the scene was the picture of Risafeth.
All in all, "Goddess Tithe" by Anne Elisabeth Stengl is another chapter in a beautifully stylized and polished series.