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abby_can_read's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
4.0
📱
I had a great time reading this book. I loved the worldbuilding and the magic system. The storm magic was awesome. I liked the fighting and action scenes, both on the ships/in the ocean and on land. The characters were great. I liked how Mary developed.
I had a great time reading this book. I loved the worldbuilding and the magic system. The storm magic was awesome. I liked the fighting and action scenes, both on the ships/in the ocean and on land. The characters were great. I liked how Mary developed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Gun violence, Slavery, and Kidnapping
Minor: Sexual assault, Vomit, and War
meganemarshall's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Everything about this book is good. The setting is amazing. You are basically on ships in the middle of a winter sea for the entire book. The world building is amazing. The mythos of this world is really interesting. The magic system was really cool. The idea of ghistings was fantastic.
But for some reason, I could not connect this book. This book dragged for me until I found it on audio book. I was suffering through this. I don't know if I didn't connect to the characters. Or is the pacing at the beginning of the book dragged for me? I just didn't want to pick this book back up. However, I know it was an amazing book, and people should give it a chance. And I'm going to read the second one.
But for some reason, I could not connect this book. This book dragged for me until I found it on audio book. I was suffering through this. I don't know if I didn't connect to the characters. Or is the pacing at the beginning of the book dragged for me? I just didn't want to pick this book back up. However, I know it was an amazing book, and people should give it a chance. And I'm going to read the second one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Gore
lizziaha's review
- Strong character development? It's complicated
3.75
Ultimately, I just disliked Samuel, one of the main POVs of this book. Because it’s the first book in a series, I’ll give Long the benefit of the doubt. This could be laying the foundations for an incredible villain arc. But it just didn’t hit in this book. I felt like the relationships between the characters were underdeveloped, and it was just missing some of the pirate charm that I expected.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, and Murder
ijustreallyliketrees's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Slavery and Kidnapping
Minor: Sexual assault
jenpen's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I loved this book, even though I really did it a disservice by taking so long to finish it. Her writing is very descriptive, making it a slow read, but with such beautiful prose I am not complaining. I especially enjoyed all the foreshadowing and hinting at things to the reader without directly saying it, as this book is absolutely full of mysteries that gradually become unraveled. Even brief lines from the first few chapters hint at plot twists at the very end, making for such a satisfying read.
Funny thing is, there really isn’t much of a plot - I struggled to figure out any character’s motivation for what they were doing. It was the weakest part of the book overall, but by far the strongest would be the world building. The magic and history of the world were extremely well thought out, and the snippets of lore between chapters help immerse you and explain details that would have been unnatural to fit into the main story itself.
The characters were loveable (and I especially loved all the funny lines), but again, not much development going on there since not much happens plot-wise. I hated how Mary seemed to fall in love with every single male character she met, and even the main romance didn’t make sense. As such a heavily character-driven story, this actually makes me more excited to read the sequel to see what happens with the characters from here on, even though this reads as a satisfying standalone. Overall, I found the book immersive, creative, and very fun. Who doesn’t love a good pirate story!
Funny thing is, there really isn’t much of a plot - I struggled to figure out any character’s motivation for what they were doing. It was the weakest part of the book overall, but by far the strongest would be the world building. The magic and history of the world were extremely well thought out, and the snippets of lore between chapters help immerse you and explain details that would have been unnatural to fit into the main story itself.
The characters were loveable (and I especially loved all the funny lines), but again, not much development going on there since not much happens plot-wise. I hated how Mary seemed to fall in love with every single male character she met, and even the main romance didn’t make sense. As such a heavily character-driven story, this actually makes me more excited to read the sequel to see what happens with the characters from here on, even though this reads as a satisfying standalone. Overall, I found the book immersive, creative, and very fun. Who doesn’t love a good pirate story!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Addiction
katievallin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Moderate: Child abuse, Vomit, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Suicide, Torture, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
miraileah's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-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? It's complicated
4.75
4.75. Absolutely loved this. The vibes were immaculate, the prose was great, the characters were fun, I really enjoyed it. It honestly reminded me of Naomi Novik’s writing style in Uprooted and Spinning Silver, which I obviously love. HM Long definitely has a way with words, and I’m looking forward to checking out more of their works.
The magic system in this book was very unclear to me for most of the story (and much of it still is), but I imagine it’ll be clarified in book two, and it was likely an intentional choice. Not sure if this is something I’ll read and reread over and over, but I really enjoyed it and I will definitely be continuing with the series.
The magic system in this book was very unclear to me for most of the story (and much of it still is), but I imagine it’ll be clarified in book two, and it was likely an intentional choice. Not sure if this is something I’ll read and reread over and over, but I really enjoyed it and I will definitely be continuing with the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Gore, Forced institutionalization, and Abandonment
takarakei's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Positives: world-building is super interesting, immersive, unique and well described. Wanting to learn more about this world is what kept me reading.
Negatives: pretty much everything else unfortunately. The characters were lacking in complexity and interest. Mary is just kind of along for the ride, rather than driving the story which is boring as a main character. The relationship between Mary and Samuel, which I've heard has been described as slow burn, is nonexistent until the end and as they spent most of the book apart, really what is this romance based on?
Negatives: pretty much everything else unfortunately. The characters were lacking in complexity and interest. Mary is just kind of along for the ride, rather than driving the story which is boring as a main character. The relationship between Mary and Samuel, which I've heard has been described as slow burn, is nonexistent until the end and as they spent most of the book apart, really what is this romance based on?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Gun violence, Slavery, and Kidnapping
natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
A swashbuckling and vividly immersive, piratical fantasy that weaves an intricate tale of treachery, redemption and family in this Jacobean-set, high seas adventure that fans of Pirates of The Caribbean will absolutely devour.
It follows stormsinger Mary (whose weather controlling ability can still a hurricane or wreck an entire fleet with a single song) who decides to team up with pirate Captain Demery and then pirate hunter (and disgraced naval officer), Samuel to take down pirate Lord Silvanus Lirr in exchange for protection and to saving her mother. But the journey won’t be easy and their loyalties will be tested. For they find themselves battling creatures and magic far older (and deadlier) than just the pirates who to seek to harm them.
I loved every second of this! The world building was intricately crafted and the descriptions detailed and atmospherically immersive. The lore surrounding magic (stormsingers, sooths, magni) and Ghisting was soo cleverly woven into the plot (via text book style excerpts) that I was able to fully immerse myself without it becoming too info dumpy. Though, I did read over a fairly rainy week which definitely helped with the ambience of the books’ setting.
Even the tension (when we first meet Mary, staring down the gallows) is soo nerve-wrackingly high—that it’s next to impossible not to be on the edge of your seat. It’s honestly the one most shocking openings I’ve read to date and it definitely got my attention. The action is also pretty much non-stop too as Mary attempts to escape her fate and find her mother.
I really enjoyed the alternating, dual POVs of Mary and Samuel which definitely helped to keep track of both characters and their journey across the high seas.
Mary, our resident stormsinger and protagonist starts as a rather timid character, trying to survive in world where her powers a make her a valuable commodity—one that a lot of people would kill or commit treachery for. But as the story progresses, and her confidence grows (along with her abilities and forgotten memories) we see the beginnings of a woman who will risk anything to protect the ones she loves most.
However, Mary’s character didn’t feel as in depth and fleshed out as some of the other characters (specifically Samuel) and though I enjoyed watching her emotional journey searching for her mother, I would’ve liked to have seen a little more of her beyond her single minded focus. Though I did enjoy the flashback scenes we get in the later chapters of the book.
Samuel, In contrast was incredibly well developed with a nuanced and compelling backstory that made him quite endearing. I really loved delving into how someone as devoted and faithful as Samuel could end up in disgrace (as a privateer no less), and found his complicated relationship with twin brother Benedict both intriguing and rather heartbreaking (for Samuel, I absolutely despised Ben.)
The supporting characters were also incredibly fascinating in a complex, morally grey kind of way—even if I wasn’t a fan of all of them (*cough* Benedict and Lirr *cough* .) But I really liked Captain Demerys, our morally ambiguous pirate captain who helps Mary at a time when she needs it the most.
I can’t say much else without spoiling the plot but, if you’re a fan of heart poundingly high stakes action, and pirate based, high seas fantasy then you definitely need to check this out!
Also a massive thank you to Also Kabriya and Titan Books for the finished copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Sexual assault, and Violence
Moderate: Gun violence, Slavery, and Kidnapping
pale_faced_fear's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail