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bassmanvoh's review against another edition
2.0
Popsugar Reading Challenge 2024: Prompt Six - "A book about pirates"
I let out a huge sigh before I started to type this.
My feelings for this novel came in waves, pun intended. One way was interest that was quickly swallowed by the next - boredom. Contrary to the book I read before this one, *If I Had Your Face*, this novel spends too much time over-explaining the culture, to a point where it reads more like a history report than an adventure novel about a woman swashbuckling her way through life.
When the action of this novel unfolds, it’s fun, but it isn’t enough to take the heat off the fact that the writing lacks specific details. I could not tell you one single time where there was another word used to indicate that someone was talking; the author only uses the word "said." “He said,” “She said,” over and over and over again, and if there was another word used, I missed it.
I am giving this book 2 stars on the sheer fact that there was an insane amount of history pumped into this, and after reading several reviews that share almost the exact same thoughts of mine, I don't think that this was a bad story due to lazy or overnight writing. There is rich lore here, and there are some small character-building events that held my attention more than this novel should have; it just wasn't a fun or exciting pirate story.
I let out a huge sigh before I started to type this.
My feelings for this novel came in waves, pun intended. One way was interest that was quickly swallowed by the next - boredom. Contrary to the book I read before this one, *If I Had Your Face*, this novel spends too much time over-explaining the culture, to a point where it reads more like a history report than an adventure novel about a woman swashbuckling her way through life.
When the action of this novel unfolds, it’s fun, but it isn’t enough to take the heat off the fact that the writing lacks specific details. I could not tell you one single time where there was another word used to indicate that someone was talking; the author only uses the word "said." “He said,” “She said,” over and over and over again, and if there was another word used, I missed it.
I am giving this book 2 stars on the sheer fact that there was an insane amount of history pumped into this, and after reading several reviews that share almost the exact same thoughts of mine, I don't think that this was a bad story due to lazy or overnight writing. There is rich lore here, and there are some small character-building events that held my attention more than this novel should have; it just wasn't a fun or exciting pirate story.
djsteffen's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
mrucker's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
dlrosebyh's review against another edition
1.5
i'm kind of sad because i wanted to read a books with pirates and this was just...okay.
genuinely nothing happened ?? i did love the discussions about sexuality & motherhood though but that's about it
genuinely nothing happened ?? i did love the discussions about sexuality & motherhood though but that's about it
megreadslotsofbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury USA, Bloomsbury Publishing for an eARC of Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea!
Rita Chang-Eppig's debut historical fiction novel is beautifully crafted and unputdownable. Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea features our female main character, Shek Young, a fierce pirate. Politics, strategy, the roles of women and mothers in society, and power struggles- this novel has it all. An enjoyable read, 100%
Rita Chang-Eppig's debut historical fiction novel is beautifully crafted and unputdownable. Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea features our female main character, Shek Young, a fierce pirate. Politics, strategy, the roles of women and mothers in society, and power struggles- this novel has it all. An enjoyable read, 100%
diamondsky7's review against another edition
1.0
I don’t know how you can make female pirates boring af, but girl you managed to do that.
blimeburner's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lottie1803's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
archytas's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Chang-Eppig brings the world of Shek Yeung to life in this really entertaining fictional take on the historic pirate queen. Which is not to imply a lack of realism - Chang-Eppig's research shows here, and she doesn't flinch from the trauma suffered by Yeung or that inflicted by her. But from this historical figure, a story of the triumph of a very clever, very tough woman emerges. Chang-Eppig smartly softens Yeung to the extent she can, giving her a moral compass, a desire to provide other girls with a better life, and just enough second guessing to feel human, without getting her killed.
She also excels at evoking setting - from the chain of brothel boats, to the mansions on land, and the seas, or isolated fishing villages.
This is marketed as a fantasy, and Chang-Eppig interweaves stories of the goddess of the sea into the narrative. But there is no interventionist deities here, no superpowers swooping in to events. This is much more historical fiction with a spiritual twist - which ultimately serves to make a point about how we create legends.
And those legends involve sea battles, shifting alliances and deep friendships. I really hope someone adapts this for the screen - it would make a fabulous lavish production.
She also excels at evoking setting - from the chain of brothel boats, to the mansions on land, and the seas, or isolated fishing villages.
This is marketed as a fantasy, and Chang-Eppig interweaves stories of the goddess of the sea into the narrative. But there is no interventionist deities here, no superpowers swooping in to events. This is much more historical fiction with a spiritual twist - which ultimately serves to make a point about how we create legends.
And those legends involve sea battles, shifting alliances and deep friendships. I really hope someone adapts this for the screen - it would make a fabulous lavish production.
anibeels's review against another edition
4.0
This book moved like a tide for me. I would count pages until suddenly I had been submersed in the book for several chapters and I was in a wildly different plot landscape. I loved the pacing of it. I loved the main character’s breadth and development, but I also felt like her dryness and directness dried the story itself out for me, somehow. I didn’t anticipate that, especially since I really did enjoy her character. Her voice just wasn’t quite it for me, though. There were parts in the book where the tone of the dialogue or internal narrative felt a bit too modern for the story, but that wasn’t such a huge deal.
Overall, this was a lovely read, and I’ll be holding its images in my mind for a while yet.
Overall, this was a lovely read, and I’ll be holding its images in my mind for a while yet.