ivygirl1937's review against another edition
adventurous
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
5.0
thebookwormofnotredame's review
4.0
The Ship of Shadows was a very sweet middle grade novel about pirates and friendship. I was really glad to get on board on this adventure, with all those amazing girls. I'd really recommend it to anyone!
maxines_obsessions's review
5.0
Such a fun read. Full review to come.
Gorgeous settings, plenty of action and kickass characters, The Ship of Shadows is a wonderful, fun, enchanting read. Whether Aleja is at home in her fathers tavern, exploring a magic ship or riding a camel through the desert, Kuzniarѓ??s rich descriptive writing pulls you into the story and brings this world and time to life. I absolutely loved it all.
Every character was superbly put together, each with their own voice. I loved the clothing descriptions, the outfits where beautiful and outlandish and damn it, I want a place on the Ship of Shadows. This book would make a stunning movie.
Iѓ??m an absolute sucker for the found family trope and these girls, each with their own skills, wormed their way into my heart and I was cheering for them the whole way. Malika had me gasping, Frances had me laughing and damn it, make sure you have snacks. This is a MUST have snacks while reading kind of book. Like seriously, you are going to want brownies and hot chocolate.
Also, even though we have a found family, Aleja didnѓ??t have a horrible upbringing or massive tragedy that lead to her getting involved with the girls on The Ship of Shadows. I thought this was great as the whole tragedy idea can get quite old. Aleja becomes apart of this amazing sisterhood and a pirate while she is at it.
I donѓ??t want to say to much about the story and give it away, I just want you to get yourself a copy, set aside a couple of hours and immerse yourself in this well written tale, allow the magic to sweep you away and join Aleja and the crew as they take on all the challenges the sea has to offer.
Gorgeous settings, plenty of action and kickass characters, The Ship of Shadows is a wonderful, fun, enchanting read. Whether Aleja is at home in her fathers tavern, exploring a magic ship or riding a camel through the desert, Kuzniarѓ??s rich descriptive writing pulls you into the story and brings this world and time to life. I absolutely loved it all.
Every character was superbly put together, each with their own voice. I loved the clothing descriptions, the outfits where beautiful and outlandish and damn it, I want a place on the Ship of Shadows. This book would make a stunning movie.
Iѓ??m an absolute sucker for the found family trope and these girls, each with their own skills, wormed their way into my heart and I was cheering for them the whole way. Malika had me gasping, Frances had me laughing and damn it, make sure you have snacks. This is a MUST have snacks while reading kind of book. Like seriously, you are going to want brownies and hot chocolate.
Also, even though we have a found family, Aleja didnѓ??t have a horrible upbringing or massive tragedy that lead to her getting involved with the girls on The Ship of Shadows. I thought this was great as the whole tragedy idea can get quite old. Aleja becomes apart of this amazing sisterhood and a pirate while she is at it.
I donѓ??t want to say to much about the story and give it away, I just want you to get yourself a copy, set aside a couple of hours and immerse yourself in this well written tale, allow the magic to sweep you away and join Aleja and the crew as they take on all the challenges the sea has to offer.
phyrre's review
3.0
You can read my full review on my blog, The Bookwyrm's Den, here.
Many thanks to The Write Reads and Penguin for a copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review and for inclusion on this blog tour.
Pirates = Good.
Female pirates = Great.
A whole magic ship full of female pirates = Must read.
Ship of Shadows is a charming, cozy adventure filled with both heart and danger. It’ll transport the reader to far-away countries, across dangerous seas, and all with the comfort of some charming female bonding and found family.
I think I’m in the minority in that I didn’t love this book. I did enjoy it, though, and the most important part: even though my adult brain struggled with it, I think children would love this. Younger me would have, for sure, and I can think of quite a few kids at my library who would, because it fits neatly into that wish fulfillment niche that is especially unique to middle grade readers.
My Thoughts:
- The world-building in this is immersive, and will take readers to various different countries and introduce them to diverse cultures. In a sneaky way that is sure to catch young readers’ attention, without having them rolling their eyes at having to actually … ugh … learn something. I loved how smoothly different cultures were introduced in the narrative, and I learned several things I hadn’t known, too, and was excited to recognize some more trivial facts that I did happen to know. It’s pretty much a given that pirates are going to travel, and good pirates can blend into their surroundings, so it makes perfect sense that these ladies would have to know at least something about the lands they’re traveling to. I was so excited to see this, because I’ve been looking for books that can introduce kids to other cultures sneakily, by tricking them into having an adventure, and this really delivers on that.
- The magic in this is absolutely charming. As if being pirates isn’t enough of a draw, the ship itself is magical. How neat is that?! I think this was probably my favorite part of the book, and I can imagine kids would love it just as much. What’s better than being a pirate? Being a pirate on a magical ship, of course. The magic aboard the Ship of Shadows is born from legends about it, which means the rooms and things that appear are based on what yarns people are weaving about it, and I loved that. Exploring the ship with Aleja and Frances was one of my favorite parts of the story, because there was so much to love about the ship. I’m more than a little jealous that I can’t set sail in her myself.
- This book is just chock full of adventures and puzzles. I mean, it wouldn’t be much of a pirate book without swashbuckling, now would it? This book skirts the line between cozy piracy and the actual brutalities of piracy really nicely, sparing the reader the real nitty-gritty, but also reminding them that everything comes at a price. I liked that even while it was glamorizing piracy to an extent, there were some harsh realities about the dangers. There is a little bit of a quest going on here, though, which means there are sometimes puzzles or riddles to solve, and I think that’ll definitely appeal to young readers. I thought they were kind of easy/obvious, but I’m also old and jaded, and it feels like a good level for the target audience.
- I can’t end this review without mentioning the all-female crew, which drew me to this book in the first place. Not only were they diverse, but there was something different to love about all of them. I actually really liked that the book delved not only into their ethnic backgrounds (since they’re all from different places, with different cultures), but they all have very different life experiences. I absolutely adore stories with both found family and crews, so combining both into this one book seems pretty efficient to me. I really enjoyed reading the crews’ interactions, not to mention the difference in personalities.
Sticking Points:
- Aleja is too good at … well, basically everything. Magically. Because the plot requires her to be. This goes back to the wish fulfillment thing I mention. Of course kids are going to enjoy this part more than I did, and this book is really for them, but my old, lame adult brain kept shorting out at everything this kid could do. She's clearly "not like other girls," taught herself English just by reading English books (and somehow can pronounce it nearly perfectly when speaking aloud), finds a secret hidden book, and accidentally uncovers a counterfeiting ring in just the first 10% of the book. It was ... a lot. I know wish fulfillment books are huge in MG, and I’m not even against kids doing fantastical feats. I just want a reason in the story to believe that they’re capable of doing these things, which I didn’t feel from this story. Every time Aleja pulled off yet another thing, I kept thinking, but how?! I don’t have to think it has to be realistic or real. I just have to buy it in the context of the story. Again, this is very much a me thing, but it makes me twitchy.
Many thanks to The Write Reads and Penguin for a copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review and for inclusion on this blog tour.
Pirates = Good.
Female pirates = Great.
A whole magic ship full of female pirates = Must read.
Ship of Shadows is a charming, cozy adventure filled with both heart and danger. It’ll transport the reader to far-away countries, across dangerous seas, and all with the comfort of some charming female bonding and found family.
I think I’m in the minority in that I didn’t love this book. I did enjoy it, though, and the most important part: even though my adult brain struggled with it, I think children would love this. Younger me would have, for sure, and I can think of quite a few kids at my library who would, because it fits neatly into that wish fulfillment niche that is especially unique to middle grade readers.
My Thoughts:
- The world-building in this is immersive, and will take readers to various different countries and introduce them to diverse cultures. In a sneaky way that is sure to catch young readers’ attention, without having them rolling their eyes at having to actually … ugh … learn something. I loved how smoothly different cultures were introduced in the narrative, and I learned several things I hadn’t known, too, and was excited to recognize some more trivial facts that I did happen to know. It’s pretty much a given that pirates are going to travel, and good pirates can blend into their surroundings, so it makes perfect sense that these ladies would have to know at least something about the lands they’re traveling to. I was so excited to see this, because I’ve been looking for books that can introduce kids to other cultures sneakily, by tricking them into having an adventure, and this really delivers on that.
- The magic in this is absolutely charming. As if being pirates isn’t enough of a draw, the ship itself is magical. How neat is that?! I think this was probably my favorite part of the book, and I can imagine kids would love it just as much. What’s better than being a pirate? Being a pirate on a magical ship, of course. The magic aboard the Ship of Shadows is born from legends about it, which means the rooms and things that appear are based on what yarns people are weaving about it, and I loved that. Exploring the ship with Aleja and Frances was one of my favorite parts of the story, because there was so much to love about the ship. I’m more than a little jealous that I can’t set sail in her myself.
- This book is just chock full of adventures and puzzles. I mean, it wouldn’t be much of a pirate book without swashbuckling, now would it? This book skirts the line between cozy piracy and the actual brutalities of piracy really nicely, sparing the reader the real nitty-gritty, but also reminding them that everything comes at a price. I liked that even while it was glamorizing piracy to an extent, there were some harsh realities about the dangers. There is a little bit of a quest going on here, though, which means there are sometimes puzzles or riddles to solve, and I think that’ll definitely appeal to young readers. I thought they were kind of easy/obvious, but I’m also old and jaded, and it feels like a good level for the target audience.
- I can’t end this review without mentioning the all-female crew, which drew me to this book in the first place. Not only were they diverse, but there was something different to love about all of them. I actually really liked that the book delved not only into their ethnic backgrounds (since they’re all from different places, with different cultures), but they all have very different life experiences. I absolutely adore stories with both found family and crews, so combining both into this one book seems pretty efficient to me. I really enjoyed reading the crews’ interactions, not to mention the difference in personalities.
Sticking Points:
- Aleja is too good at … well, basically everything. Magically. Because the plot requires her to be. This goes back to the wish fulfillment thing I mention. Of course kids are going to enjoy this part more than I did, and this book is really for them, but my old, lame adult brain kept shorting out at everything this kid could do. She's clearly "not like other girls," taught herself English just by reading English books (and somehow can pronounce it nearly perfectly when speaking aloud), finds a secret hidden book, and accidentally uncovers a counterfeiting ring in just the first 10% of the book. It was ... a lot. I know wish fulfillment books are huge in MG, and I’m not even against kids doing fantastical feats. I just want a reason in the story to believe that they’re capable of doing these things, which I didn’t feel from this story. Every time Aleja pulled off yet another thing, I kept thinking, but how?! I don’t have to think it has to be realistic or real. I just have to buy it in the context of the story. Again, this is very much a me thing, but it makes me twitchy.
makexbelieve's review
5.0
This pirate (and cake!) filled adventure story is gripping from the first page to the last and I was so exited to be asked to take part in the blog tour for it. Here are three reasons I loved this story and think you will too:
1. I loved the magic in this story. The shadows, the unexpected rooms, everything was so wonderful. Young readers will adore this world and be desperate to visit. It's full of surprises and amazement, and felt like a story where anything could happen. There is so much more I want to know about Kuzniar's world and I'm already looking forward to book two.
2. The settings in The Ship of Shadows were rich and full of details. I'm not sure I could pick a favourite location because they were all so fantastic. They come to life with vivid descriptions, sights and smells, and I would have stepped into the pages if I could.
3. I couldn't possibly end this review without mentioning Kuzniar's brilliant band of pirates. They were all unique and exciting, and readers will be desperate to sign up to join Captain Quint's crew. I particularly loved Frances and her fondness for cake. Aleja's desire for adventure is also contagious. She's a brave, clever and resourceful protagonist.
I can't wait to discover what adventures this exciting explorers get up to in book two. The Ship of Shadows is not to be missed.
1. I loved the magic in this story. The shadows, the unexpected rooms, everything was so wonderful. Young readers will adore this world and be desperate to visit. It's full of surprises and amazement, and felt like a story where anything could happen. There is so much more I want to know about Kuzniar's world and I'm already looking forward to book two.
2. The settings in The Ship of Shadows were rich and full of details. I'm not sure I could pick a favourite location because they were all so fantastic. They come to life with vivid descriptions, sights and smells, and I would have stepped into the pages if I could.
3. I couldn't possibly end this review without mentioning Kuzniar's brilliant band of pirates. They were all unique and exciting, and readers will be desperate to sign up to join Captain Quint's crew. I particularly loved Frances and her fondness for cake. Aleja's desire for adventure is also contagious. She's a brave, clever and resourceful protagonist.
I can't wait to discover what adventures this exciting explorers get up to in book two. The Ship of Shadows is not to be missed.
makexbelieve's review against another edition
5.0
This pirate filled adventure story is gripping from the first page to the last. Here are three reasons I loved it:
1. I loved the magic in this story. The shadows, the unexpected rooms, everything was so wonderful. Young readers will adore this world and be desperate to visit. It's full of surprises and amazement, and felt like a story where anything could happen. There is so much more I want to know about Kuzniar's world and I'm already looking forward to book two.
2. The settings in The Ship of Shadows were rich and full of details. I'm not sure I could pick a favourite location because they were all so fantastic. They come to life with vivid descriptions, sights and smells, and I would have stepped into the pages if I could.
3. I couldn't possibly end this review without mentioning Kuzniar's brilliant band of pirates. They were all unique and exciting, and readers will be desperate to sign up to join Captain Quint's crew. I particularly loved Frances and her fondness for cake. Aleja's desire for adventure is also contagious. She's a brave, clever and resourceful protagonist.
I can't wait to discover what adventures this exciting explorers get up to in book two. The Ship of Shadows is not to be missed.
1. I loved the magic in this story. The shadows, the unexpected rooms, everything was so wonderful. Young readers will adore this world and be desperate to visit. It's full of surprises and amazement, and felt like a story where anything could happen. There is so much more I want to know about Kuzniar's world and I'm already looking forward to book two.
2. The settings in The Ship of Shadows were rich and full of details. I'm not sure I could pick a favourite location because they were all so fantastic. They come to life with vivid descriptions, sights and smells, and I would have stepped into the pages if I could.
3. I couldn't possibly end this review without mentioning Kuzniar's brilliant band of pirates. They were all unique and exciting, and readers will be desperate to sign up to join Captain Quint's crew. I particularly loved Frances and her fondness for cake. Aleja's desire for adventure is also contagious. She's a brave, clever and resourceful protagonist.
I can't wait to discover what adventures this exciting explorers get up to in book two. The Ship of Shadows is not to be missed.
dinipandareads's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to NetGalley and Puffin Books for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thanks also to Dave @TheWriteReads for asking me to join the blog tour and putting this book on my radar--I'm so glad I didn't miss out on this gem!
This is the book that I wish was written when I was a young middle schooler. A crew of all-female pirates and swash-buckling adventures full of Kraken, pirate hunters and hidden treasure?! Yes, please! I'm so glad that this book was brought to my attention because it was such a joy to read! Although I admit that I did have to suspend my disbelief a few times, I know that I'm not the intended audience for this book, and I have no doubt that this story will bring so much joy to many readers.
First of all, major cover appreciation because it is absolutely stunning! I love the little details and I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy because I could probably start this cover all day. I also love the chapter illustrations, which are honestly, always such a bonus and one of my favourite things about some MG fantasies!
Aleja was a wonderful character. She's smart with a mind that was always curious and eager to consume more knowledge and stories, and she's also full of mischief. I loved that she had such a deep love for her family, although I wish we got to see more of her interactions with them--but she also finds a "new" family with the shipmates aboard the Ship of Shadows. While I loved the magic of the ship (so very cool!), the adventure, and treasure hunting, my favourite aspect of this story was the friendships. Kuzniar wrote strong, female friendships full of love, mutual respect and unconditional support and I was here for it! These types of honest and strong friendships are what I love best about MG fiction! There were very strong found family vibes too and it was just so very heartwarming. All of the ship's crew members were also very likeable and I really appreciated the diversity and inclusiveness of the characters. I think my favourite character might've been Frances with her love for food and magical stories! There's a lot of mystery that follows everyone on board and I hope that we get the chance to learn more about them in the future, which will also mean more Ship of Shadows adventures (YAY)!
Overall, such a wonderfully written, fast-paced adventure story that I happily sped through in one night. I do wish that the ending wasn't so abrupt but it does have me looking forward to future stories even more now! Such a great debut by Kuzniar :)
This is the book that I wish was written when I was a young middle schooler. A crew of all-female pirates and swash-buckling adventures full of Kraken, pirate hunters and hidden treasure?! Yes, please! I'm so glad that this book was brought to my attention because it was such a joy to read! Although I admit that I did have to suspend my disbelief a few times, I know that I'm not the intended audience for this book, and I have no doubt that this story will bring so much joy to many readers.
First of all, major cover appreciation because it is absolutely stunning! I love the little details and I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy because I could probably start this cover all day. I also love the chapter illustrations, which are honestly, always such a bonus and one of my favourite things about some MG fantasies!
Aleja was a wonderful character. She's smart with a mind that was always curious and eager to consume more knowledge and stories, and she's also full of mischief. I loved that she had such a deep love for her family, although I wish we got to see more of her interactions with them--but she also finds a "new" family with the shipmates aboard the Ship of Shadows. While I loved the magic of the ship (so very cool!), the adventure, and treasure hunting, my favourite aspect of this story was the friendships. Kuzniar wrote strong, female friendships full of love, mutual respect and unconditional support and I was here for it! These types of honest and strong friendships are what I love best about MG fiction! There were very strong found family vibes too and it was just so very heartwarming. All of the ship's crew members were also very likeable and I really appreciated the diversity and inclusiveness of the characters. I think my favourite character might've been Frances with her love for food and magical stories! There's a lot of mystery that follows everyone on board and I hope that we get the chance to learn more about them in the future, which will also mean more Ship of Shadows adventures (YAY)!
Overall, such a wonderfully written, fast-paced adventure story that I happily sped through in one night. I do wish that the ending wasn't so abrupt but it does have me looking forward to future stories even more now! Such a great debut by Kuzniar :)
heleneintheclouds's review against another edition
2.5
A little bit too fantasy-ish at times (there is cake on board) but a cute pirate adventure.
kerrimcbooknerd's review
5.0
“Sometimes friends became family too. The family you chose to have when your lives cosied up against each other’s as if you’d always been there.”
Thank you to Dave @ The Write Reads, Puffin Books, and the author for sending me a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
We’re all readers here, I assume. You know that feeling when you become so engrossed in a book that everything else ceases to exist except the world of the book? That moment when you forsake basic needs like sleep and food because you don’t want to break your concentration? That’s one of my favorite feelings in the world. So, when I find a book that can make me feel that, I savor it.
The Ship of Shadows is a book to be savored.
We follow a young girl named Aleja, who is growing up in Seville, but dreams of exploring the world. She knows the world is more than just her family’s tavern, where she helps out during the day. She has no way to explore how she wishes to except through the tales she finds in books. And there are no few amount of people telling her that girls can’t be explorers, anyways. Then, one day, a mysterious ship sails into town with an even more mysterious crew. Aleja finds herself whisked away on an adventure she has always dreamed of by a gang of women pirates who need her help in a dangerous task.
Y’all. I’m finding it hard to form the words to tell you how much I loved this book. Because, my goodness, I LOVED THIS BOOK! There are pirates! Badass female pirates! And adventure! And cake! And… and… just… ARGH! *explodes in a cloud of happiness*
*deep breath*
Okay, now that I’ve got that out of my system, perhaps I can talk about The Ship of Shadows more coherently
Thank you to Dave @ The Write Reads, Puffin Books, and the author for sending me a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
We’re all readers here, I assume. You know that feeling when you become so engrossed in a book that everything else ceases to exist except the world of the book? That moment when you forsake basic needs like sleep and food because you don’t want to break your concentration? That’s one of my favorite feelings in the world. So, when I find a book that can make me feel that, I savor it.
The Ship of Shadows is a book to be savored.
We follow a young girl named Aleja, who is growing up in Seville, but dreams of exploring the world. She knows the world is more than just her family’s tavern, where she helps out during the day. She has no way to explore how she wishes to except through the tales she finds in books. And there are no few amount of people telling her that girls can’t be explorers, anyways. Then, one day, a mysterious ship sails into town with an even more mysterious crew. Aleja finds herself whisked away on an adventure she has always dreamed of by a gang of women pirates who need her help in a dangerous task.
Y’all. I’m finding it hard to form the words to tell you how much I loved this book. Because, my goodness, I LOVED THIS BOOK! There are pirates! Badass female pirates! And adventure! And cake! And… and… just… ARGH! *explodes in a cloud of happiness*
*deep breath*
Okay, now that I’ve got that out of my system, perhaps I can talk about The Ship of Shadows more coherently