Heart of the Sea

The best part of this book was the dynamic between the protagonists. Nerissa starts the story as a brash, proud, desperate young woman who will stop at nothing to find her sister, and Cyrus is somewhat sneaky and secretive of his past. As their (totally absolutely 100% professional nothing to see here) relationship grows, it’s fun to watch them grow to support each other as individuals and start working as a team. I felt the romance was a little forced at the beginning since it begins out of physical attraction they both do their best to ignore, but it grows into a respectful dance of two peers trying to reconcile their different motivations and external demands with what they really want.

The plot is fairly straightforward – they both need to get to Brevlyra, and the only way to do that is with a map they can only use together, given to Nerissa by a witch. As the story progresses, we’re treated to flashbacks showing Nerissa’s old home life, weighty one liners dropped by side characters that allude to the truth, and twisting betrayals and alliances that strain and strengthen the crew. I found it easy to follow and very engaging. Even the side quest adventures they take as the map guides them to their final destination are still exciting and have high stakes.

The political world building in this setting is great. The map at the front of the book helps to explain who’s who and where they’re centralized, and you’re introduced to the major players through their relationships with the protagonists, which keeps it relevant and interesting. I wish the magic system had been explained more regarding how the main characters got their powers, who can do magic, what’s the limits of those powers, etc. Especially with Nerissa and her sister and their mother’s treatment, this would have helped to contextualize how the world works and the significance of those moments in the past. As it is, Nerissa and Cyrus are the chosen ones of a prophecy, destined to return the kingdom to the Light, and it works well enough for the plot that I didn’t really question it that much as I was reading. The prose in the scenes that feature magic is immersive and visceral and leaves you hanging on every word.

As a whole, it makes for a super fun sword and sorcery pirate adventure. The pacing is quick, I read the whole book in two days, and the ending made me cry. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants an exciting swashbuckling book to read.