Let's put it this way, there's no chance I'm not going to read a book about a middle-aged female pirate who's coerced into heading back out on the high seas. Add to that some fun supernatural elements, a love-hate relationship, interesting commentary on faith and fallibility, and a huge, tentacled creature lurking in the ocean and you get one fun, quirky swashbuckling adventure.

Once a famed pirate who sailed through the Indian Ocean during the Crusades, Amina al-Sirafi now lives a quiet life with her mother and daughter away from the danger and drama. Yet when a wealthy woman comes and beckons/threatens Amina to find her wayward granddaughter, our heroine tracks down her old motley crew, liberates her beloved ship, and heads out on the rescue mission.

Chakraborty's mastery of fantasy fiction is on display here. The world building is terrific—the rescue mission balloons into a fight to save the world and the various characters, settings, and theatric scenes all gel together wonderfully. Amina is a joy. Fierce yet tender, devout yet sinful, wise yet snarky, she's the perfect character to build this story around. I loved how she showed off her prowess as a pirate, while also admitting to realities (a bad knee, the fear of not returning to her daughter, etc.) that held her back.

The supporting characters are great, especially Amina's not-quite-human estranged husband. Their banter has a love-hate spark that pops off the page. As the narrative goes from one scene to another, you can't help but get immersed in the trials of this vibrant leading lady and her crew. My one quibble was the page count—as good as the story is, I'm not sure it needed to be 450 pages, particularly since this is the start of a trilogy.

That said, I really loved this book! It has action, supernatural shenanigans, emotion, fun feminist elements, sword fights, and an engrossing story that will absolutely compel me to buy and read the next two books. If you're a fantasy fan who loves a strong, sassy female lead, you'll enjoy this book!