snowbenton's review
5.0
Giant sea monsters? Incredibly ferocious and badass teenage girls? Futuristic pirates? An abundance of strong and flawed female characters? A lesbian romance? An honest reckoning of consent without any of the overdone rape attempt tropes? METRIC FUCKTONS OF EXCITING SEA BATTLES?
Look, if you don't want to read this book after all that, I really can't help you.
Look, if you don't want to read this book after all that, I really can't help you.
charlotte_owl's review
2.0
While I appreciate the premise of the book - lesbian pirates with sea creatures - I didn't really enjoy the execution that much. I didn't dislike this book. I did find myself curious about what was going to happen next at some parts. However, I did find myself a bit bored at times, and I felt like the MC jumped all over the place with her decisions. I wasn't really hooked on the story.
isabelleax's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
freja_ts's review
4.0
if u like lesbians and pirates and subtle lovecraftian vibes ("we prowl the night, every bit the ancient horror we were meant to be" like yes please!), boy do i got the book for u
silpulsar_lexapro's review
5.0
This was fantastic. I read it in less than a day because I couldn't put it down.
hollyn_middle's review
adventurous
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
lunar_moths's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
anam_ali's review
5.0
Oh my god, this book! This book! I am in love with everything! I had NO IDEA when I picked it up that it would be this amazing but it is! I am completely blown away by Emily Skrutskie! It has all the things I love:
-Simple but comprehensive worldbuilding. It's beautiful. Skrutskie is not trying to overload you with information, she tells you all the basics, and only goes into relative details about things like Reckoner species, their anatomy, their care, and it is good. It is not a huge, useless info dump. You can imagine it all in your head without being overwhelmed or bored.
-I started this morning and couldn't put it down, I finished it in between patients at work and I was not bored for even a single second!
-A diverse roster of characters, a great queer, poc heroine/anti-heroine done right, beautifully flawed and conflicted and strong and vulnerable! The characters are nuanced and layered. I love Cassandra Leung who cries more for the Reckoner who died on her watch than herself while she is kidnapped, held prisoner and forced to do another's bidding! And I love Swift in all her messed up glory and cannot wait for the upcoming angst in book 2.
-Speaking of which this book has romance done so right, so up my alley, I could scream for joy (or agony, cause you know I am a sucker for slow burn, pain and angst). It is beautiful, I cried five times. It still hurts.
-Giant fat and adorable sea monsters you guys!!
-This book BROKE MY HEART INTO SEVERAL TINY PIECES SEVERAL TIMES! Skrutskie does emotions very well, I cried over Cas a lot.
-I also cried over Durga a lot. I really wish Cas had gotten at least one emotional outburst/punch you in the fkn nose thing over how much Durga's death affected her because it hurt me in my soul!
-Bao, that little shit also made me cry for him. Big dumb asshole *cries again*
-Code's demise man. That scene. I got chills. I don't know whether to love or hate Santa Elena but my god that woman!
-At this point I am mostly just rambling about the book so I will stop. I know this review i incoherent because that's how I feel about this book rn.
-Simple but comprehensive worldbuilding. It's beautiful. Skrutskie is not trying to overload you with information, she tells you all the basics, and only goes into relative details about things like Reckoner species, their anatomy, their care, and it is good. It is not a huge, useless info dump. You can imagine it all in your head without being overwhelmed or bored.
-I started this morning and couldn't put it down, I finished it in between patients at work and I was not bored for even a single second!
-A diverse roster of characters, a great queer, poc heroine/anti-heroine done right, beautifully flawed and conflicted and strong and vulnerable! The characters are nuanced and layered. I love Cassandra Leung who cries more for the Reckoner who died on her watch than herself while she is kidnapped, held prisoner and forced to do another's bidding! And I love Swift in all her messed up glory and cannot wait for the upcoming angst in book 2.
-Speaking of which this book has romance done so right, so up my alley, I could scream for joy (or agony, cause you know I am a sucker for slow burn, pain and angst). It is beautiful, I cried five times. It still hurts.
-Giant fat and adorable sea monsters you guys!!
-This book BROKE MY HEART INTO SEVERAL TINY PIECES SEVERAL TIMES! Skrutskie does emotions very well, I cried over Cas a lot.
-I also cried over Durga a lot. I really wish Cas had gotten at least one emotional outburst/punch you in the fkn nose thing over how much Durga's death affected her because it hurt me in my soul!
-Bao, that little shit also made me cry for him. Big dumb asshole *cries again*
-Code's demise man. That scene. I got chills. I don't know whether to love or hate Santa Elena but my god that woman!
-At this point I am mostly just rambling about the book so I will stop. I know this review i incoherent because that's how I feel about this book rn.
mimosaeyes's review against another edition
4.0
Well-plotted and sets up nicely for the sequel. My main gripe was that since most of the drama comes from the captain, Santa Elena, I thought her motivations should have been clearer.
blacksphinx's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Grief, Violence, Death, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Injury/injury detail, Gun violence, and Confinement
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Gore