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

adventurous reflective medium-paced

3.25

I didn’t find this novel particularly memorable, but I didn’t think it was a mediocre read either. Looking into the life of one of the most well-known female pirates in history, Shek Yeung (which I discovered was a name variant of Ching Shih), Chang-Eppig delivers a somewhat tepid story that lacked a lot of excitement a reader might expect from a novel about pirates. It wasn’t to say that the novel was completely devoid of action, but I found that it didn’t meet my expectations for something especially adventurous, as the blurb led me on to believe. I did find it interesting that Chang-Eppig had Shek Yeung contend with the struggles and wonders of womanhood and femininity, especially how she gestured toward the heavy influences of Confucianism in shaping the pirate’s understanding of her unique position. However, I think Chang-Eppig’s desire to draw out these ideas in detail affected the overall plot and pacing.

I think there’s something in this novel that will appeal to some readers, but it didn’t quite do enough for me.
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