In a world divided by colonialism and threaded with magic, a desperate orphan turned pirate and a rebellious imperial lady find a connection on the high seas.
The pirate Florian, born Flora, has always done whatever it takes to survive—including sailing under false flag on the Dove as a marauder, thief, and worse. Lady Evelyn Hasegawa, a highborn Imperial daughter, is on board as well—accompanied by her own casket. But Evelyn’s one-way voyage to an arranged marriage in the Floating Islands is interrupted when the captain and crew show their true colors and enslave their wealthy passengers.
Both Florian and Evelyn have lived their lives by the rules, and whims, of others. But when they fall in love, they decide to take fate into their own hands—no matter the cost.
Maggie Tokuda-Hall’s sweeping fantasy debut, full of stolen memories, illicit mermaid’s blood, double agents, and haunting mythical creatures conjures an extraordinary cast of characters and the unforgettable story of a couple striving to stay together in the face of myriad forces wishing to control their identities and destinies.
[The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
CN: mentions of rape, slavery, violence, death
What I liked: • I’m in love with this cover! It’s so beautiful! • Mermaid! Pirates! Witches! Queerness! This is everything I ever wanted in a book! • Seriously, the queer representation was amazing. Sapphic couples, nonbinary pirates, Flora’s gender exploration – there was so much casual queerness, and I loved it. • The writing was really, really beautiful – especially the stories that one of the side characters tells Flora. • The worldbuilding was great! And so diverse! • I really liked that this book was told in multiple POV, because the characters were so interesting! I hope there will be another book about some of the other characters in the future.
What I didn’t like: • The love story was a bit underdeveloped. In my opinion Evelyn and Flora went from „Maybe you’re not that bad…“ to „You’re the love of my life!“ a little to fast. • I wish there were more scenes about the witchy part of the story! I would have loved to learn more about how the magic works.
