Beautifully tragic writing of an extremely difficult story. An essential read in understanding the agonising history of ‘the darker brother*’ in the USA. 

 

*from I, too, sing America. by Langston Hughes

Brilliant unfolding situational satire that puts the patricians in the pup-house… 

I felt a bit lost for a good part of this as I’d lost the plot of the larger tale and several of the characters and details were a mere foggy presence in my shite memory. But the grey cells connected and I woke up to the story with a bunch of ‘oh rights’ and ‘ahas’ halfway through. Then all the pieces started falling in place… I recommend refreshing yourself with the first two books if it’s been a while since you put them down. 

 

This had all the other-world feels, with glimpses of the naive and smirking personalities from the first two novels, but it felt repetitive at bits in the middle third. The adventure was full of footnotes, always academic, and thrumming with charm. There's not a moment spared for respite as the discoveries sprout and impossible challenges arise, and Emily is faced with an ultimatum that will require a costly sacrifice. 

 

It’s a world I love to live in, a writing style unlike any of its contemporaries, and I plan on one day reading these again… with such alluring covers, they are a beautiful fairy tale addition to my library. 

Fast paced and intellectual.

Not much in the way of relationship development, but it’s not the focus; the international espionage and science and race to space are the focus here, and for all that, Hadfield writes a good story.

Loved this. 

The desperate reality of the lives of women in an age past, the strength of their endurance, and their determination to live all make for an inspiring tale over a century through multiple perspectives.

Nonstop riveting adventure with pirates, ships, a kingdom oppressed by magical oppressors and misled leaders. Oodles of potential for social allegories. 

 

My favourite bit was the step back into the minds of the gods from the past—a unique perspective that created depth for the story and gave Amora added character, too. 

 

The mermaid is a sharp Caribbean force in the audio narration of this book; she’s all bite and character—loved it. Overall, I think the audiobook brings this to life in a way that perhaps the text might not do… I highly recommend listening to this as the audiobook narrator for this one is brilliant. 

A captivating premise that lacks something in the execution. It’s not quite what you want it to be or what it promises in the unfolding. And while the story is interesting, it’s not believable or convincing enough to purchase, reread, or highly recommend. 

A middling three.

Not quite the fury one is expecting. 

 

Relies too much on tropes and stereotypes to build a convincing plot. 

 

Hmm. Interesting twist, but who didn’t see that coming 🙄 ...? 

 

‘Unreliable narrator’ is putting it lightly and you want to feel some affinity with the storyteller at some point—this one is a self-centred, untrustworthy liar—and you sense that very well from the start; where we’re asked to pity him, we feel disgust; where we’re asked to relate, we feel nauseated. 

 

By the end of this fiasco, though the twists were 'hmm. interesting', you’re sure glad this one is over. 

so charming and unique 

nostalgic, melancholic, dramatic and hopeful all at once 

a series of entwined montages that really work brilliantly to tie this heart-warming piece together as one seamless story