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A review by janina_reads
The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke
4.0
I feel like the blurb for this book very much summarises the whole story and is more than a little spoiler-y. I usually don't mind that too much, but if you would like to be surprised, better try to not take a closer look at it. (I just noticed the blurb was changed, so you are now free to read it ;) - and not be spoiled.)
You may not believe it: we have here a book about assassins and pirates that actually includes - hold your breath, hold your breath - real pirates and a real assassin who even do a fair amount of pirating and assassinating. I know, I was shocked as well (in the most positive sense).
It is actually hard to really put a label on this novel. At its core, it is fantasy, yes - but not your typical epic quest for honor and glory, not urban fantasy either, and certainly not paranormal. And it is not your typical story featuring an introduction, main part, climax and ending either.
In a way, The Assassin's Curse read more like a very long short story or novella to me. We have little background information on the characters, sporadic world building and an overall unusual story arc ending mostly open. I know this sounds rather negative, but somehow, it worked.
The world building is very unobtrusive. It leaves room for your own imagination without holding back too much, and does a good job at not overwhelming you with information at certain points in the story. This is exactly how I like it - but I am aware of the fact that it might be too little for some. I prefer to not be told about a world, but experience it for myself, and Cassandra Rose Clarke definitely gave me that opportunity.
Clearly, the charm of this book stems from Ananna's voice and her relationship to Naji. Ananna is a very active character, feisty and dauntless - a lot of people will probably label her "kick-ass". For some reason, I have my problems with that expression - it focuses too much on the violent nature of a character for my taste. Yes, Ananna is perfectly able to wield a sword, but she is not a hard or even emotionless fighting machine. I really like her attitude to life in general, her sense of humour and her way of just acting on her feelings, but also her sensitivity and sense of family. Also, she is clearly a fan of the double negative - which sometimes annoyed me a little. Naji is more a brooding and withdrawn kind of guy, and his interactions with loud and bubbly Ananna often brought a smile to my lips. In this story, he is the one who needs to be rescued, the one carrying around emotional baggage. Despite his skills and abilities in the magic department, the position of stronger character clearly belongs to Ananna.
And yes, this novel is actually funny and does not take itself too seriously. If you can live with the very open ending and survive the long wait for a second instalment: Definitely recommended.
Thanks a lot to Netgalley and Angry Robot for the review copy.
You may not believe it: we have here a book about assassins and pirates that actually includes - hold your breath, hold your breath - real pirates and a real assassin who even do a fair amount of pirating and assassinating. I know, I was shocked as well (in the most positive sense).
It is actually hard to really put a label on this novel. At its core, it is fantasy, yes - but not your typical epic quest for honor and glory, not urban fantasy either, and certainly not paranormal. And it is not your typical story featuring an introduction, main part, climax and ending either.
In a way, The Assassin's Curse read more like a very long short story or novella to me. We have little background information on the characters, sporadic world building and an overall unusual story arc ending mostly open. I know this sounds rather negative, but somehow, it worked.
The world building is very unobtrusive. It leaves room for your own imagination without holding back too much, and does a good job at not overwhelming you with information at certain points in the story. This is exactly how I like it - but I am aware of the fact that it might be too little for some. I prefer to not be told about a world, but experience it for myself, and Cassandra Rose Clarke definitely gave me that opportunity.
Clearly, the charm of this book stems from Ananna's voice and her relationship to Naji. Ananna is a very active character, feisty and dauntless - a lot of people will probably label her "kick-ass". For some reason, I have my problems with that expression - it focuses too much on the violent nature of a character for my taste. Yes, Ananna is perfectly able to wield a sword, but she is not a hard or even emotionless fighting machine. I really like her attitude to life in general, her sense of humour and her way of just acting on her feelings, but also her sensitivity and sense of family. Also, she is clearly a fan of the double negative - which sometimes annoyed me a little. Naji is more a brooding and withdrawn kind of guy, and his interactions with loud and bubbly Ananna often brought a smile to my lips. In this story, he is the one who needs to be rescued, the one carrying around emotional baggage. Despite his skills and abilities in the magic department, the position of stronger character clearly belongs to Ananna.
And yes, this novel is actually funny and does not take itself too seriously. If you can live with the very open ending and survive the long wait for a second instalment: Definitely recommended.
Thanks a lot to Netgalley and Angry Robot for the review copy.