I love futuristic dystopian sci-fi, and when you throw in pirates, mercenaries, and sapphics on an Earth where the continents are underwater and the oceans virtually unlivable, that’s even better. This is a first-person single POV from the perspective of the eponymous Compass Rose. She was born facing due north, and she has an unerring sense of direction along with the ability to sense the water and movement within it. This ability sees her tasked with a secret mission by the Archipelago Admiral she serves under to join a mercenary crew as their navigator.

The characters were strong and complex, particularly Rose but also Miranda and Orca, and the plot was great. The start was a little slow as Burke built the world and set the scene, but once Rose joins up with the mercenaries the pace picks up. There’s a huge amount of character growth for Rose, who goes from a bullied loner to a strong and capable survivor, and I enjoyed all the twists and turns the story took.

I’ve read a few of Anna Burke’s books, and so far Compass Rose is my favorite. You’d never know it was a debut novel, and I’ll definitely be checking out the sequel, Sea Wolf, when it comes up in my library holds.