Reviews

Reading some great fantasy lately!

This was a beautifully written story, gothic and chilling, and I could not put it down.

I recommend reading this while you’re cosy inside with a hot drink and it’s raining outside.

panda_made_me_do_it's review against another edition

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reflective tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

The setting of the story was my favorite part. The supernatural was slid in as if it were part of daily life.

cassiecat's review against another edition

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slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.5

3.5⭐️🎧

I had the audiobook read by Aoife McMahon who is a favourite narrator for me.

Dark fantasy which incorporates Irish mythology and a sprinkle of witchcraft. It has a very historic feel which the language used really compliments.

Miren believed herself to be orphaned as she was raised by her grandparents. Her family prospered due to a historic agreement with the Mer, where they sacrificed their third child to the sea to secure their ongoing good fortune, but the Mer haven’t been paid their due for many years and the family fortunes are dwindling. Before her death Miren’s grandmother secures the family fortunes with an arranged marriage for her. Miren is determined to escape.

It’s a slow burn character driven story. Miren is a morally gray character. In one respect she will help others, but she’s not beyond dishing out her own form of justice. It appears to be anti men, I don’t know if that’s an attempt to make her seem like a strong independent woman.

There’s a fair few odd plot mechanisms incorporated which don’t seem to be related or important to the story. The narrator does a lot of the heavy lifting carrying this story.

It started with a lot of potential but kind of fizzled out for me, so a book of 2 halves.

alilacnebula's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny inspiring mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

cornsyrup's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced

5.0

Has all the things I want from a gothic fantasy: ancient families destroyed by their secrets; mysterious crumbling mansions; evil fairy tales; ghosts and zombies and monsters; creepy mermaids… I like that the writing took its time and let things build, I was tense through the entire last third and didn’t trust anybody. Also had my fave fantasy trope of having a large world we only see snippets of.

Can’t wait to read other works from the author!

spiritismus's review against another edition

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5.0

Ik heb dit boek met veel plezier gelezen, vooral om de sfeer. Er zit een bepaald gevoel in, van duisternis, mist en water. Je proeft nog net niet zout tijdens het lezen - de zee is continue op de achtergrond aanwezig en het roept…
Het verhaal is goed te volgen en leest in die zin makkelijk weg. Ik zou het omschrijven als een soort light-fantasy en daarom een leuke aanrader voor mensen die misschien (nog) niet veel hebben met het genre. Er komen veel mythologische of folklore gerelateerde figuren voorbij, maar het word nergens ingewikkeld. Het mysterieuze en duistere moet je wel aanspreken natuurlijk! Want daar is geen ontkomen aan. Ik ben zelf heel benieuwd wat Slatter ons in de toekomst nog te bieden heeft en zou een nieuw verhaal onmiddellijk kopen.

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