Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to another pirate clan. But that only prompts the scorned clan to send an assassin after her. When Ananna faces him down one night, armed with magic she doesn't really know how to use, she accidentally activates a curse binding them together.
To break the spell, Ananna and the assassin must complete three impossible tasks--all while grappling with evil wizards, floating islands, haughty manticores, runaway nobility, strange magic...and the growing romantic tension between them.
To break the spell, Ananna and the assassin must complete three impossible tasks--all while grappling with evil wizards, floating islands, haughty manticores, runaway nobility, strange magic...and the growing romantic tension between them.
I feel disappointed by this book. Oddly so. I was promised this fascinating story. An impossible curse. Three impossible tasks.
What do I get? I get that at the end of the book. Within the last fifty pages. Wow. Thanks... (Sarcasm alert.)
I love Ananna's spirit. She's feisty. Brave. Determined. I love that. She doesn't like anyone pull her down. She's not perfect. She can be impulsive. I like that, though. Her impulses force her fighting instinct to come out. And it also helps the plot by giving it fight/action scenes. And her attitude makes some great replies. She is sassy without trying. But she's not annoying because of it. It makes her a great character. A brave character. Recklessly so.
Naji is mysterious but oddly dull. He has the air of mystery around him. I like that. But then he starts speaking...and I want to punch him in the face. He is dull. Boring. The mystery is annoying really. And then the relationship with Leila made me want to groan and turn away. Naji could be great. He has the power. He has the prowess. But then he opens his mouth. He has no personality. Not one I could see. He's empty. And it's not the kind that makes you want to lean in and say 'I'm intrigued'.
The plot is slow. There isn't much happening. What we're promised doesn't come in until the ending, the last few chapters. That annoyed me to no end. You don't understand my irritation. The story drags out the travel to Leila. And it drags out the story when they're on the ship. I kept suffering through it. It was slow. Unbelievably so. I can't stand it. I complained about it to my friends. They heard my complaints loud and clear. The plot wasn't enough for me. I wanted so much more.
The action isn't bad. Ananna is a good fighter. Naji is good fighter. They're both good at fighting. And the scenes show it. The scenes are fast-paced. Exhilarating. Exciting. I like them. A lot. They made me sit up straighter. They made me look. The action scenes caught my attention. They were the only plot points that did.
Hold on. What? Where did the romance come from? Where is that from? I don't see it. There is no chemistry. Naji is so closed off. You can't even think about having a crush on him. There was no reason for romance. Not even for one of the impossible tasks. There is nothing there. And Naji probably hates Ananna. And Ananna doesn't need Naji. As a boyfriend. Or a hubby. Or a bae. She needs no one. She's tough as nails. There is no reason for the romance. And where do these feelings come from? Seriously. Where?
And the ending. I just can't help but groan here.
The ending...such a cliffhanger. Wow. Will they succeed? Will they fail? WILL THEY KISS? (Kidding kidding. I hated the romance.) There are so many questions. And the plot is really just beginning.
What's the worst thing, though? The ending is what we were expecting throughout the entire book. We didn't get the plot until the end. The majority of the book could be compressed into five chapters. It was drawn out. The major plot thing wasn't introduced until it was too late.
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2.5/5
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