A review by starrysteph
Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea by Rita Chang-Eppig

adventurous dark informative reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

A slow-paced, thoughtful portrait that gives a legendary Chinese pirate real dimension & humanity.

After Shek Yeung witnesses the death of her ferocious pirate husband, she steps into his place and fights to maintain her power. But the seas are unforgiving, and the larger world is cracking down on piracy. She has to lead through shaky alliances, a clever nobleman purging pirates on behalf of the Chinese Emperor, and European enemies planning something terrible. 

Shek Yeung is a real person, and in Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea, Rita Chang-Eppig pulls apart legendary feats and hyperbolic statements to show a thoughtful portrait of a leader. She’s clever, and she makes mistakes. She uses her power to alter the world, and she abuses her power in times of fear. She’s intent on forging a different path than the ones before her, but their ghosts haunt her. 

I’m bummed that this book has been mismarketed - for instance, “riveting, roaring adventure novel” from the blurb isn’t quite accurate. There’s some action, and definitely tension, but this is not a fast-paced swashbuckling adventure. It’s a slow and sometimes-dense portrait.

Shek Yeung’s story is quite captivating. She’s ripped from her family and powerless at the beginning, and absorbs different styles of leadership as she grows up and takes control over her life back bit by bit. And when she has opportunities for freedom - she can’t quite give up all the power she has fought so desperately to have.

Chang-Eppig explores suffocating gender roles & societal expectations, love & family, leadership, and so much more. And that underneath legends - there are simply humans.

CW: murder, death, blood, violence, pregnancy, rape, trafficking, sexism, colonization, slavery, addiction, torture, war, grief

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