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carlyoc's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
slow-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
4.0
Not as good as the Shadowshapre series but I love the Sephardic Jewish rep! That's not a culture I see in media often, especially fantasy children's fiction. Older sprinkles Spanish, Ladino (the spanish-sounding language of the Jews of the Iberian peninsula), and Lucumà (an African-derived language used by practitioners of Santeria) throughout the novel, which made my linguist brain happy.
The protagonist Matteo has crippling social anxiety and a sparky but immature inner monologuing that i think would appeal more to middle grade readers than even adults who love YA like myself.
He feels like an outsider in his own community, which is a group living in Brooklyn, New York after being displaced from their magical Atlantic Island San Madrigal when it sunk beneath the waves when Matteo was a baby.
The San Madrigal community is composed of a mix of pirates, Santerios, and Sephardic Jews who all found shelter their fleeing the ills of empire, capitalism, inquisition, and the slave trade.
Now, one of the pirate leaders claims to have found a way to raise the island back from under the sea. But she us hiding dark secrets and has no qualms unleashing monsters and violence on any who stand in the way of her designs.
Matteo and his teenage friends must discover the truth about their own connections to the island to ensure that the truth gets out and island is raised the right way if at all.
The protagonist Matteo has crippling social anxiety and a sparky but immature inner monologuing that i think would appeal more to middle grade readers than even adults who love YA like myself.
He feels like an outsider in his own community, which is a group living in Brooklyn, New York after being displaced from their magical Atlantic Island San Madrigal when it sunk beneath the waves when Matteo was a baby.
The San Madrigal community is composed of a mix of pirates, Santerios, and Sephardic Jews who all found shelter their fleeing the ills of empire, capitalism, inquisition, and the slave trade.
Now, one of the pirate leaders claims to have found a way to raise the island back from under the sea. But she us hiding dark secrets and has no qualms unleashing monsters and violence on any who stand in the way of her designs.
Matteo and his teenage friends must discover the truth about their own connections to the island to ensure that the truth gets out and island is raised the right way if at all.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Injury/Injury detail
eni_iilorak's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Medical content, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Sexual content, Slavery, and Mass/school shootings
scarlettskyes's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail