sixphanel's review against another edition
5.0
They had me at "if you liked Pacific Rim--" but... *makes dolphin noises* This book. This. Book. I can't really express how much I've enjoyed it, except by saying that I want to read it again like, now. And I just finished it. But it's SO good. Cas, Swift (ahhh!), Bao, the evolution of the characters... just marvelous.
My only complaint is that I have to wait now for the sequel. And that's kind of okay, too, because in the meantime I'll go looking for fan art :DDDDD
My only complaint is that I have to wait now for the sequel. And that's kind of okay, too, because in the meantime I'll go looking for fan art :DDDDD
oliviahartin's review against another edition
4.0
3.5/4 This was a good read, a very easy read which i sometime nice after a heavy book. Loved the fact that it was gay and quite and original story, defo worth it. The ending was a little lacking but still good :))
bookswrotemystory's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars - this book was full of action and was such an interesting and different premise. I really loved that aspect of it. It was just terribly lacking in world building. Which on the one hand, made the book move really fast. So it had that going for it! But on the other hand, a few things could have used explaining. Instead of just being thrown into a fairly different version of our world that was just supposed to make sense I guess? Still, I greatly enjoyed this book and will be looking forward to the next one!
hobbitsbooksandbeyond's review against another edition
4.0
Review written at 1am after a 6 hour reading binge so it might seem a bit all over the place sorry about that!
I am so torn about this book.
On the one hand it’s so well written, I love cas and her humour and I love the world building. The tension kept me on my toes and I read the whole thing in a single evening. It was a bit more violent than I expected but that wasn’t a big issue, and at first I loved the slow burn between cas and swift.
HOWEVER!! I spent over 200 pages just waiting for cas to get revenge for Durga, who, BY THE WAY, I fell totally in love with and whose death I was devastated by after only 24 pages.
Cas went from being a character who grieved and seethed for the death of her reckoner to being a character who by the end of the novel has killed three other people’s reckoners along with a bunch of people sent to rescue her. I had built my excitement up for cas and bao tearing the minnow apart and then riding off into the sunset with swift (until that revelation right at the end there) and then what does she do she joins the freaking crew! Properly! Of her own free will! She has one of the most powerful creatures in the ocean at her command and she doesn’t use that for revenge and it killed me. In a bad way.
And YET “I don’t just raise monsters. I am one.” I’m not going to lie if the Durga thing hadn’t happened I’d have been mostly fine with cas turning traitor for love etc etc but the way the novel is set up all I wanted was revenge, which is why I’m sort of “hmph” about it at this moment in time. Doesn’t stop me from giving the book a nice solid 4 stars though or from being interested in the sequel. I guess we’ll see where that takes us! For gods sake let there be some revenge!!!
I am so torn about this book.
On the one hand it’s so well written, I love cas and her humour and I love the world building. The tension kept me on my toes and I read the whole thing in a single evening. It was a bit more violent than I expected but that wasn’t a big issue, and at first I loved the slow burn between cas and swift.
HOWEVER!! I spent over 200 pages just waiting for cas to get revenge for Durga, who, BY THE WAY, I fell totally in love with and whose death I was devastated by after only 24 pages.
Cas went from being a character who grieved and seethed for the death of her reckoner to being a character who by the end of the novel has killed three other people’s reckoners along with a bunch of people sent to rescue her. I had built my excitement up for cas and bao tearing the minnow apart and then riding off into the sunset with swift (until that revelation right at the end there) and then what does she do she joins the freaking crew! Properly! Of her own free will! She has one of the most powerful creatures in the ocean at her command and she doesn’t use that for revenge and it killed me. In a bad way.
And YET “I don’t just raise monsters. I am one.” I’m not going to lie if the Durga thing hadn’t happened I’d have been mostly fine with cas turning traitor for love etc etc but the way the novel is set up all I wanted was revenge, which is why I’m sort of “hmph” about it at this moment in time. Doesn’t stop me from giving the book a nice solid 4 stars though or from being interested in the sequel. I guess we’ll see where that takes us! For gods sake let there be some revenge!!!
gracerichards11's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
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
4.0
snowbenton's review against another edition
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 against another edition
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 against another edition
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 against another edition
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 against another edition
5.0
This was fantastic. I read it in less than a day because I couldn't put it down.