djinnia's review against another edition
4.0
I read a review on a forum of this book by one of my writing site buddies. She adored it so I had to check it out.
It starts off with a bang when the pirate's daughter runs away from her arranged marriage and ends up being tracked by an assassin hired to kill her.
It gets more complicated when she saves the assassin's life, putting him under a curse (hence the title.)
The rest of the story is their misadventures trying to find a way to break the curse.
I thought this was a fun tale. It went fast, and I enjoyed all the characters.
Told in Annana's voice, the reader sees through her eyes as she discovers more about herself and the world around her than what was on her father's pirate ship. She also learns that not all things are not what they seem when it comes to people.
I want to read Pirate's Wish, the second book as well as the short stories connected to the world.
It starts off with a bang when the pirate's daughter runs away from her arranged marriage and ends up being tracked by an assassin hired to kill her.
It gets more complicated when she saves the assassin's life, putting him under a curse (hence the title.)
The rest of the story is their misadventures trying to find a way to break the curse.
I thought this was a fun tale. It went fast, and I enjoyed all the characters.
Told in Annana's voice, the reader sees through her eyes as she discovers more about herself and the world around her than what was on her father's pirate ship. She also learns that not all things are not what they seem when it comes to people.
I want to read Pirate's Wish, the second book as well as the short stories connected to the world.
_alwaysrealokay's review against another edition
4.0
First I would like to say if you are into high fantasy books set in a world full of magic, wizards, curses, runaway brides, independent women, pirates and assassins then look no further.
I dove into this book without any knowledge of what I was getting into. You ought to know I love the unknown feeling I get when diving into a book that I haven't read the synopsis of. I picked this book because 1) It is a library book 2) It is due very soon 3) I exceeded the amount of time I am able to renew the book. I am glad I did read it because I put it off for so long. It was such a fantastic read. It was unique heart-wrenching (Talking about the ending/last chapter) and full of mysteries. A page turner, I could not put it down but when I had to I could not stop thinking about the story.
What I liked about The Assassin's Curse.
I like how she dragged the story which made my anticipation grow stronger every second. I like the main characters. Ananna is so strong headed, independent, witty and so full of hopes. Naji is so full of mysteries and so brooding. I also like how the author found a way to make him insecure. Naji is so dark and nothing seems to faze him but when it comes to the scar that run across his cheek; this little abnormality makes him more real to me.
I was really impressed by the Assassin's curse even though it took me long while to get used to Ananna's way of speaking. Asides from that I highly recommend if you are in need of new setting or interest or if you are seeking a great story that will live with you long after you finished it.
I dove into this book without any knowledge of what I was getting into. You ought to know I love the unknown feeling I get when diving into a book that I haven't read the synopsis of. I picked this book because 1) It is a library book 2) It is due very soon 3) I exceeded the amount of time I am able to renew the book. I am glad I did read it because I put it off for so long. It was such a fantastic read. It was unique heart-wrenching (Talking about the ending/last chapter) and full of mysteries. A page turner, I could not put it down but when I had to I could not stop thinking about the story.
What I liked about The Assassin's Curse.
I like how she dragged the story which made my anticipation grow stronger every second. I like the main characters. Ananna is so strong headed, independent, witty and so full of hopes. Naji is so full of mysteries and so brooding. I also like how the author found a way to make him insecure. Naji is so dark and nothing seems to faze him but when it comes to the scar that run across his cheek; this little abnormality makes him more real to me.
I was really impressed by the Assassin's curse even though it took me long while to get used to Ananna's way of speaking. Asides from that I highly recommend if you are in need of new setting or interest or if you are seeking a great story that will live with you long after you finished it.
roseice's review against another edition
4.0
I can earnestly appreciate a story like this. It's so rich in detail that it makes up for the cliches it's built upon. I love the smallest details, here: the names of the herbs, powders, etc that Ananna collects at the market. The river nettle. The desert shrubs. The crystalline forest. The setting feels real and accurate with extra details that are immersive, and absent from many similar settings in YA. My question is, why? Because it bogs down the narrative? Excessive detail does, yes, but this is by no means excessive. It's imaginative and a treat for the senses. It's not just a tree, not just powder, not just herbs. It's rich where it could've been bland.
The ending is another thing I can appreciate. I almost wish more authors would endeavour to end things this way, instead of neatly tying everything up, because when it's neat, everything important has to happen in the first book. The romance has to all come together, leaving little time for a proper build, so that the book can end with a kiss. But it isn't just the romance that needs time; some things aren't so quick a fix, and I really enjoy the journey in general, thus I appreciate that the curse wasn't tidied up in one book. It's refreshing, especially since nothing here felt like filler. It was all necessary, and entertaining.
That said, if this book didn't have its well-researched charm of detail and immersion, it probably would've received three stars. It's really nothing special character-wise. I found Naji's magic fascinating, but he's a boring character. In Leila we're treated to the former-lover archetype (ugh), and she's a jerk. Fun. Of course, Naji has to moon over her like a love-struck five year old. The wizard at the end? Even less imaginative. When he revealed the "three impossible tasks," I groaned out loud. Seriously? (A sentiment Naji shared in his next line of dialogue, to my amusement.) Marjani was interesting, and I enjoyed the details of navigation and the activities on the ship, but she didn't really stand out. Really the only character who wasn't a cardboard cut-out was Ananna. What I appreciated about her was she was smart, and the attention the narrative took to detail actually proved that.
The ending is another thing I can appreciate. I almost wish more authors would endeavour to end things this way, instead of neatly tying everything up, because when it's neat, everything important has to happen in the first book. The romance has to all come together, leaving little time for a proper build, so that the book can end with a kiss. But it isn't just the romance that needs time; some things aren't so quick a fix, and I really enjoy the journey in general, thus I appreciate that the curse wasn't tidied up in one book. It's refreshing, especially since nothing here felt like filler. It was all necessary, and entertaining.
That said, if this book didn't have its well-researched charm of detail and immersion, it probably would've received three stars. It's really nothing special character-wise. I found Naji's magic fascinating, but he's a boring character. In Leila we're treated to the former-lover archetype (ugh), and she's a jerk. Fun. Of course, Naji has to moon over her like a love-struck five year old. The wizard at the end? Even less imaginative. When he revealed the "three impossible tasks," I groaned out loud. Seriously? (A sentiment Naji shared in his next line of dialogue, to my amusement.) Marjani was interesting, and I enjoyed the details of navigation and the activities on the ship, but she didn't really stand out. Really the only character who wasn't a cardboard cut-out was Ananna. What I appreciated about her was she was smart, and the attention the narrative took to detail actually proved that.
silence_underrated's review against another edition
3.0
Hmm. I suppose it was good. I feel like it didn't go anywhere, and maybe that all of the series should have been all together. I feel like I can't fully pass judgement until I read the others. Still the book was fast at least, but it seemed a little weird that she pretty much fell in love with him because of the scar on his face. She hates beautiful people but because he's got this disfigurement she trusts him and is attracted to him. Seems a little silly to me. Also on the description says theirs this romantic tension? I guess I wasn't paying enough attention because I didn't feel the romantic tension at all.
linguana's review against another edition
1.0
Wow. What a painful reading experience. If it hadn't been a e-ARC I wouldn't have finished the book at all. Following an incredibly stupid protagonist around as she and Naji try to break a curse might have been interesting. But the author's amateur writing style, the lack of plot and story arc made this no fun at all. Plus, there is no ending to this. The story stops mid-plot and nothing that happens has any impact on anything... what a waste of time!
Read a full review on why I hated this so much over at the SFF Book Review
Read a full review on why I hated this so much over at the SFF Book Review
kabari's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Fun read. Ananna and Naji's relationship tired me out a whole lot. But they clearly have a communication problem and I hope they fix it in the next book. And also, I hope they can cure the curse too. Oh yeah, and I HATE
Spoiler
Leilaladyknightmeg's review against another edition
4.0
"They were the last refuge of a coward, of a man too afraid to fight you himself - and that was why they were so dangerous. They gave power to cowards
This book is the beginning of a tale of an unusual pair who are brought together in an unusual way:
Ananna of Tanarau is a pirate girl, who escapes an arranged marriage to the son of another pirate family who then send an assassin after her. A special kind of assassin - a Jadorr'a who dabbles in the art of blood magic.
That assassin is Naji, who it seems has an "impossible" curse, one that Ananna unintentionally activates.
This sends the pair on an adventure to do the impossible: find a way to break an impossible curse.
The very slow start was really the only complaint that I had about the book. I honestly struggled a little bit until about 50% in when the action began.
Spoiler
The second 25% of the book or so, was a lot of trudging through desert, which seemed boring for both the characters and the reader (I'm just glad that I wasn't in that heat). But once the characters finally leave the desert, the plot picks up quite a bit.Things I liked about this book:
1. Clarke does an amazing job of creating a voice for Ananna - our first person narrator. The dialect takes a little getting used to, but once you do, you're immersed fully into Ananna's spunky, stubborn, and often humorous character.
2. The world in this book is fantastic. The world-building is so wonderful. There are so many settings, yet Clarke delivers them so well that not once did I feel left in the dark while imagining where the characters were. And these settings were diverse, and sometimes magical. The reader travels through desert and ocean, cities and night markets, and magical islands. That's a lot to get through, and a lot to show a reader, but Clarke executes it perfectly.
3. It is completely unique - not once did I think "Been there, read that." while reading this .
Over all this was a great fantasy book that sets up a second book that I have already begun on my e-reader. Big thanks to Rachel for recommending this to me!
ginnikin's review against another edition
3.0
Well that ending is vile. Naji needs so much shaking. No words. I'm super fond of Ananna, but that should surprise no one. I need the next book!
kelliaujulii's review against another edition
4.0
Fun, quick read. Loved Annana and her narration, she has a unique voice which works perfectly with the pace of the story. Things started fast but I felt everything was explained clearly as the world expanded.
criticalreader's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
Felt the world building was a little sketchy and some characters were 2D but interesting plot. Excited to see where it goes.
Felt the world building was a little sketchy and some characters were 2D but interesting plot. Excited to see where it goes.