Troubled Waters (Elemental Blessings, #1)

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Troubled Waters (Elemental Blessings #1)

4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 2,168 ratings · 317 reviews

The author of the Twelve Hours series welcomes readers to a new fantasy world, where the elements rule.

Zoe Ardelay receives astonishing and unwelcome news: she has been chosen to become the king's fifth wife. Forced to go to the royal city, she manages to slip away and hide on the shores of the mighty river.

It's there that Zoe realizes she is a coru prime ruled by the e...more

Hardcover, 391 pages

Published October 5th 2010 by Ace Hardcover (first published September 11th 2010)

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Dec 14, 2011 oliviasbooks rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, unfinished-2011, paranormal-humans, low-expectations, love-story-romance

Although I liked Archangel, I believe Troubled Waters has been the last Sharon Shinn novel for me. At the moment new authors sprout out of the ground like grass - or nettles - so it relieves me a great deal to cross one off my observation list. I know that this decision is probably a harsh one after just one and a half tries, especially since Troubled Waters is not a bad story.

There is nothing blatantly wrong with the writing or the characters or the setting. Really. It is rather the other way...more Although I liked Archangel, I believe Troubled Waters has been the last Sharon Shinn novel for me. At the moment new authors sprout out of the ground like grass - or nettles - so it relieves me a great deal to cross one off my observation list. I know that this decision is probably a harsh one after just one and a half tries, especially since Troubled Waters is not a bad story.

There is nothing blatantly wrong with the writing or the characters or the setting. Really. It is rather the other way around: The heroine is a kind of smooth uebergirl. Zoe calmy mourns her father, she levelly decides on the right things, she does this at the right time (the reader should not try to look into her head - it is a useless endeavor) and does that correctly and smiles benignly. Her actions, like the actions of the other inhabitants of this fantasy world are solely determined by her biologically given character set (she is coru, which means "water and blood", which results in both an affinity - also the means elemental manipulation - to real water and in the walter-like urge to wander, to go with the flow ecetera) and by the three random blessings bestowed on her at birth by three strangers: Beauty, Love and Power. The constant reminder of who was supposed to act so and so because he or she was wood or stone or air or fire left little room for letting characters just be themselves.

Apart from that I had the feeling that during the first 160 pages not much had really happened - although that is objectively seen not true: Zoe's father dies. On the next day she is fetched by a messenger of the king. She is driven across country in a kind a steampunk-camper. She flees the vehicle, she settles among the homeless although she has plenty of gold sewn into her shawl. She quickly acquires lovely friends and a fulfilling job and draws the random blessing of change at a temple ... which certainly changes her life once more in a major kind of way, which - again - felt completely eventless/unimportant to me. The plot did have notable turning points, but no drive, no compelling force.

If I had not encountered some specimen of excellently captivating fantasy fiction recently I would have said high fantasy and I should just go our separate ways for a while. As it is I just kick the book out. Shoo ...

Teccc, do you want to give the paperback a new home?

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Dec 07, 2010 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Shinn Fans

Shelves: fantasy

Zoe Ardelay was born to an affluent family, but her mother died and her father was banished from court for some undefined offense. Just after reaching adulthood, her father dies and Darien Serlast comes from the capitol, to take her to court to be the king's fifth wife. Complications ensue, magic abilities are discovered, and Zoe learns more about her family than she ever thought.

I approached this book with some trepidation. For the most part, I enjoy Shinn's novels, but every once in a while, s...more Zoe Ardelay was born to an affluent family, but her mother died and her father was banished from court for some undefined offense. Just after reaching adulthood, her father dies and Darien Serlast comes from the capitol, to take her to court to be the king's fifth wife. Complications ensue, magic abilities are discovered, and Zoe learns more about her family than she ever thought.

I approached this book with some trepidation. For the most part, I enjoy Shinn's novels, but every once in a while, she slips into a narrative style that I find uncomfortable. This novel was well written and engaging. I was interested in Zoe's development and the intrigues in the court inner circles. The romantic couple was very easily identified, but it was still pleasant to watch the romance unfold.

The greatest focus of the book is the discovery of who Zoe is, her father's history, and her discovery of her potential, and her place in court as the court and nation try to acheive "balance." Oh yeah, and her romance. Some other themes might be a little more "adult:" a homosexual relationship between two minor characters, infidelity, a nation -not Zoe's- disturbingly obsessed with youth (and pedophelia), and some of the machinations that were deemed necessary for the king to produce an heir. These things might make the book ineligible as "youth" fiction, but are addressed without any disturbing, salacious detail.

There was much I enjoyed about the story, but as I reread my review, I wonder why so much of it (and so many other stories) feel the need to make the drama revolve around sex. Is that the easiest? Is that because (no rolling eyes, please) sex sells? Aren't there other themes that can serve as a source of tension?

4/2/13 - On reread, one other element that I had overlooked, that struck a chord this time, is Zoe's ability to identify a person's family and blood line on contact, and the way her own blood sings Mine! when she encounters those related to her by blood. It just reminds me how strong family ties can be, how interest and caring can be strengthened by those ties. People that we might otherwise never seek out or care about can/should become important to us because they are family.(less)

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Jan 05, 2011 Estara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, read-in-2011

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I can see where people don't like the constant calling upon the qualities of the elements when talking about the personalities of the characters, but I accepted that after a short period as "just the way the people in this world think".

I'm not sure it needed to be used for a reasoning so often though, because just when you thought - okay a water woman would do this, hey presto - she has a spark of fire in her, too!

Same with the woodenness of the hero - not to mention that I don't have the impre...more I can see where people don't like the constant calling upon the qualities of the elements when talking about the personalities of the characters, but I accepted that after a short period as "just the way the people in this world think".

I'm not sure it needed to be used for a reasoning so often though, because just when you thought - okay a water woman would do this, hey presto - she has a spark of fire in her, too!

Same with the woodenness of the hero - not to mention that I don't have the impression of wood or bone as unbending - rock, on the other hand. Wood and Bone bend naturally or even by applying steam, so putting this on Darien was a bit strange.

As a matter of fact the love story itself didn't work so well, I saw too little of Darien to simply accept the fact that he had fallen in love with a grief-stricken Zoe and goes off to SWEAR he will marry her and no one else (that swearing stall in the place where all the shops for me are wasn't used at all in the whole book, except for this). I will believe that they found each other interesting enough to become firm friends with an eventual probability of growing into love with each other.

So why did I like the book? Especially as I haven't liked the last two YA Sharon Shinn I read? First of all, this doesn't read YA to me although it is a finding-yourself and growing-into-your-powers book. The heroine may be burdened and numbed by grief at the beginning but she moves seamlessly from one situation to the next, according to her whim, without giving the slightest warning. When she chooses her own new relationships she is true and committed.

Still, this is very much a Cinderella book - every challenge strengthens the heroine, even when her power is curbed it is done so with a care to her: considering the huge passivity her father raised her with it is just a delight to see her do whatever she finds sensible (and be able to back it up with power and influence). It's good luck she has been raised moral, otherwise she'd be hard to restrain.

We do get evil villains for villain's sake - so this is far more caricature then I am used from the Twelve House series. I obviously was in the mood for a woman growing out of grief into joy and power and family and friends and defeating foes and picking the man she wants.

I'd say my star number is higher than the actual virtue of the book, though.(less)

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Apr 24, 2013 Olga Godim rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sharon-shinn

I love Sharon Shinn. She has done it again. She created a new world, a new highway to multiple sagas, and a new unforgettable heroine.
Numb with grief, Zoe just lost her father, a former adviser to royalty, banished from court ten years ago. When a young nobleman Darien arrives in Zoe’s village to take her back to the capital, the girl doesn’t resist, even when she learns that she is to become the fifth bride of the king.
At first, she seems passive and docile, an unlikely protagonist. She follo...more I love Sharon Shinn. She has done it again. She created a new world, a new highway to multiple sagas, and a new unforgettable heroine.
Numb with grief, Zoe just lost her father, a former adviser to royalty, banished from court ten years ago. When a young nobleman Darien arrives in Zoe’s village to take her back to the capital, the girl doesn’t resist, even when she learns that she is to become the fifth bride of the king.
At first, she seems passive and docile, an unlikely protagonist. She follows Darien without demur, until a mischance on the road leaves her out of his supervision for a moment and the door of the carriage open. Without any prior thoughts of rebellion, Zoe steps out of the carriage and disappears into the throng of the capital. Suddenly, she realizes that she doesn’t want to become the fifth wife of the old king.
But what does she want? Zoe doesn’t know. She only knows that she is coru, a child of water. In the world where everyone’s personality is affiliated with one element—water, fire, earth, air, or wood—Zoe explores her options as she follows the river: from the poor squatters’ camp on the river shore to her ancestral home by the river’s headwaters, to the king’s palace beside the waterfalls. Her final revelation, that she is coru prime and her mind can command the capricious river, turns her life and the fate of the kingdom upside down.
As she gropes for answers, the story pulls the reader in. Tension escalates, while the author’s new world unfolds in all its magnitude and controversy. Populated by all kinds of people—poor and rich, wicked and kind—it seems a kin to our own world, even to the small and quirky detail that everyone, men and women alike, wear pants.
Some reviewers mentioned that not much is happening in the first half of the book, and that’s true… on the surface. The action transpires much deeper, inside Zoe’s mind and soul. For most of her life, she had existed invisibly, hidden from the world and from herself under her father’s shadow. He was an extraordinary man while he lived, and only now, after his death, Zoe is beginning to discover who she is besides her father’s daughter. The process of her awakening takes time, for Zoe as well as for the readers, and Shinn’s trademark low-key, lyrical narration fits the storyline perfectly.
The novel’s magical system is complex and unique, enclosed and limited, unlike any other magical system in any other writer’s universe. An adept storyteller, Shinn weaves her heroes’ characters with the same mastery as she builds her world. Every detail is important. Every nuance serves a purpose, like a colored thread in a tapestry.
As a result, Zoe comes out three-dimensional and contradictory, like a neighborhood girl. One moment, she is strong and compassionate, ready to risk her life to help a friend. Another moment she is spiteful and naive, destroying the city to save one little princess. All the while she grapples with questions only she herself can answer. Can she use her powers wisely? Can she refrain from abusing it? Can she distinguish where wisdom ends and abuse begins? Can she find her heart in the deep, troubled waters of Sharon Shinn’s imagination?
I look forward to the next book of the series. Hopefully soon.
Highly recommended.
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Mar 07, 2013 Cecelia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Sharon Shinn is a master storyteller. My first introduction to her work was through the sci-fi Samaria series, and Archangel in particular. I adored the meticulous world building, the interplay between characters, and the central romances coming to fruition amidst politics and power. I also recently picked up Shinn’s quiet, emotionally intense paranormal fantasy, The Shape of Desire. It only made sense to keep reading through Shinn’s backlist, so while on vacation this week I stayed up all night...more Sharon Shinn is a master storyteller. My first introduction to her work was through the sci-fi Samaria series, and Archangel in particular. I adored the meticulous world building, the interplay between characters, and the central romances coming to fruition amidst politics and power. I also recently picked up Shinn’s quiet, emotionally intense paranormal fantasy, The Shape of Desire. It only made sense to keep reading through Shinn’s backlist, so while on vacation this week I stayed up all night to read her high fantasy, Troubled Waters (no thanks to the cover art, which is... ugly. there, i said it!).

Zoe Ardelay is a young woman living in a fog of grief. She has just nursed her father through his final illness, and now that he is gone, there’s a void where her future should be. She doesn’t know (or particularly care) what will happen next. When the king’s advisor arrives bearing the unbelievable news that she will become the king’s fifth wife, she leaves quietly – but Zoe has decisions to make, a fate to face, and a life to live. For what becomes of Zoe Ardelay is of mighty importance to her kingdom, her long-estranged family, and (she finds to her surprise) herself.

While that summary may give you an idea of the situation at the beginning of Troubled Waters, it doesn’t speak to the world-building or magical system, which was (in my opinion) the best part of the book. Human beings in this world are governed by one of the five elements, along with the random blessings that they can draw in any temple. There is also an interesting juxtaposition between the strong (somewhat superstitious/fate-obsessed) belief system and technological developments and advancement. All of this mixed in with complex royal politics, trade, familial and personal alliances makes for a layered and nuanced background for a story about one woman finding her destiny.

Shinn has written convincingly before of secret-keeping, loyalty and discovering what you want for yourself and your future. Troubled Waters is no exception. Zoe must rediscover her past, compare it to her memories and make a way (blundering at times) for herself. In doing so, she makes friends, negotiates class divides, finds unexpected power and unlocks dangerous knowledge that may bring change to the entire country. Zoe’s journey encompasses not only her own destiny, but also that of her wider world, and this signature ‘broad view’ is a specialty of Shinn’s stories.

It sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? It should, if you like epic fantasy (and I do!). I found my reading enjoyment tempered by one thing: Darien Serlast. He is the king’s advisor, and a major player in Zoe’s life. However, I perceived him as a weakness in an otherwise wholly compelling story. He was meant to be mysterious early on, but because of that came across as an unknown for too much of the book, making it hard to connect with his character when he did begin to appear more often and reveal more of himself. That said, I found the book unputdownable, and my love of Shinn’s writing and world-building continues unabated. I’ll be waiting (not so) patiently for the next book set in this world of elemental power.

Recommended for: fans of Kristin Cashore and Anne Bishop, those who enjoy high fantasy with unique magical systems, and readers who prefer their science fiction and fantasy with a thread of romance.(less)

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Mar 24, 2013 Alexandra Jennelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

I think a lot of what other reviewers say about this book is true. Sharon Shinn has created a lovely world that I thoroughly enjoyed visiting and learning about in this story. The book was probably longer than it needed to be (I wished she had chosen to focus on the details I loved, like the temples and blessings system, instead of the slow plot), but I didn't find it difficult or unpleasant to get through the book at all-- in fact, I stayed up late to read it all in an evening.

I appreciated be...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Lori rated it 3 of 5 stars

I absolutely adore Shinn's Archangel series but I haven't been able to get into any of her other books, though I haven't tried them all. I picked this one up for some light, romantic reading where the romance is not the entire story. This book certainly fulfilled that aspect. I always enjoy Shinn's approach to romance-it is not heavy handed and full of sex like so many books these days. You know who the romantic interest is and you get to watch them approach each other, slowly become friends and...more I absolutely adore Shinn's Archangel series but I haven't been able to get into any of her other books, though I haven't tried them all. I picked this one up for some light, romantic reading where the romance is not the entire story. This book certainly fulfilled that aspect. I always enjoy Shinn's approach to romance-it is not heavy handed and full of sex like so many books these days. You know who the romantic interest is and you get to watch them approach each other, slowly become friends and then the blossoming of something more. In between, there are disagreements, arguments, laughter, and exploration.
The world building is good, but not quite as in depth as I like. The most interesting part in the world is the "magical" system, for lack of a better term. It is based on five elements of water/blood, air/soul, wood/bone, fire/mind, and earth/flesh. Which reminded me strongly of the tarot suits. There are five ruling families for each element and every person in the kingdom is associated with at least one element. Usually one major element and one minor. There are five seasons, based on the elements. The use of the five elements pops up in many places. If you are familiar with the tarot, you will see the similarities with the suits and with the court cards. The court cards definitely match up with many of the characters. The main character, Zoe, is water. And it turns out she is the strongest water person in the kingdom, which gives her control over all of the water in the kingdom and even more interestingly, the blood in everyone's bodies. I wished this had been explored more. And each ruling family also has a "Prime" who is the strongest in that element. This should have been explored more as well. At one point, the five Primes come together and hold hands. They experience an extraordinary balance. This is a fantastic idea that seemed wasted. Maybe it will be explored in more books? There was a lot of talk about the kingdom being in balance with the elements but this wasn't really explored much.

The book follows Zoe's journey as she discovers her powers, meets her love, and figures out what the heck she is going to do with her life after the death of her father. We learn about her father's past as part of the royal court and how it influences her life. There is a decent back story here. Once she accepts her powers and her place at the head of her family, we follow Zoe at the royal court. Shinn tries to work some royal politics into the plot but this is not Game of Thrones. This is light politics. There are no real villains here, no great back stabbing political story. There are stereotypical bad guys that lead us to confrontations. The final confrontation seems half hearted by Shinn yet Zoe's response to it seems to come out of nowhere and is very extreme, to me.

On the whole, I enjoyed the book. If a sequel is written, I would read it. Mostly in the hopes that it reached the depths that this book could have reached. There is a lot of potential in this world, in these characters, and especially in the magic system. It felt like she just skimmed the surface of it. For certain this book is a quick, light-hearted read that gives you the warm romantic fuzzies without being filled with sex. The characters are strong and appealing-especially a lot of the secondary ones. This is not a hard core fantasy book and it is not a hard core romance book, it is a watered down version of both. It would be great on a snowed-in weekend, in front of a fire. Or as beach reading. The sound of the ocean would be great accompaniment to a book that has a lot to do with water! (less)

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Aug 20, 2012 Celise Winters rated it 5 of 5 stars

Please click here to read my full review!

This was the perfect book! Lately, most of the books I've been reading have a bad case of insta-love. Basically where it's love at first sight. So, awhile ago I went book hunting through the web, and found Troubled Waters, a book that claimed to be not insta-love. But, it was so much more than that.

I've always loved books where the heroines are able to control a certain element. I don't know why. Maybe it's because when I was little, I was obsessed with S...more Please click here to read my full review!

This was the perfect book! Lately, most of the books I've been reading have a bad case of insta-love. Basically where it's love at first sight. So, awhile ago I went book hunting through the web, and found Troubled Waters, a book that claimed to be not insta-love. But, it was so much more than that.

I've always loved books where the heroines are able to control a certain element. I don't know why. Maybe it's because when I was little, I was obsessed with Sailor Moon. That obsession probably unconsciously carried on into my love of literature. So, you can imagine my joy when I found out about this book. I mean, Zoe, the main character, is coru, and controls water. How cool is that?!

In kingdom of Troubled Waters, you element is basically like your race/ethnicity. You're usually asked what you are. If I lived here, I would definitely be coru(water & blood).

I just simply loved this book! I could go on and on, but then it would be a 2 page review. So, I'm just going to say a little about my favorite characters. First, definitely Zoe! She was a kick-butt heroine. She didn't care what people thought of here, she was who she was(this was partly due to her being exiled most of her life). I couldn't help but admire her. Plus, she's not just a kick-butt heroine, but she has powers! Now, my other favorite character was Darien. He was so cute! I couldn't help but like him. And Zoe and him made the perfect couple. I'm even going to share my favorite quote by him(it gave me goosebumps).
"If you did leave," he said. If you simply walk out the doors and stroll down the mountain, leaving behind no word of where you were going or why, I would come looking for you. I would never stop looking for you. I would find you, too."
Isn't that just the best? I found him a definite reprieve from the YA boys of late. Sure, he was overprotective, but he was also kind and caring. And trust me, Zoe could hold her own against Darien. She was not weak. And best of all, there was a build up before they actually got together.

You should just go and get your hands on a copy of Troubled Waters! I assure you, you won't regret reading this book.(less)

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Jun 28, 2012 My Sister's Bookshelf rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

For my full review, please check out my blog! http://mysistersbookshelf.com/marys-b...

Review: I generally really enjoy Sharon Shinn, but I obviously still enjoy some more than others. This one was a definite like. And it’s hard to pinpoint why! Usually I would point to the obvious culprit: I’m a sucker for a good romantic sub-plot. But there are other Shinn romances that I like more (Tayse and Senneth from Mystic and Rider for one).

I think Shinn is just a great storyteller and that was what I mo...more

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May 22, 2012 Meagan rated it 3 of 5 stars

I love Sharon Shinn's writing – in particular, I love her style of prose, and her style of world-building. “Troubled Waters” was no different – the prose is gorgeous, and the world is beautifully crafted. Although it's not one of my favourite books by Shinn [1], I definitely enjoyed reading it.

For the past ten years, Zoe Ardelay has lived in exile with her father, Navarr Ardelay, a brilliant and passionate sweela man who was formerly a favourite advisor of the King. “Troubled Waters” opens with...more

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May 04, 2012 David rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was a finalist for the 2011 Mythopoeic Awards, which is why I picked it up in the first place. I had never heard of Sharon Shinn, much less read any of her works. When the novel started out set in a rural village of the kind that might appear in countless generic pseudo-medieval fantasy stories, I started to prepare myself for disappointment. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The world Shinn has built for this novel is distinctive. Even though certain elements can be seen to have ob...more This book was a finalist for the 2011 Mythopoeic Awards, which is why I picked it up in the first place. I had never heard of Sharon Shinn, much less read any of her works. When the novel started out set in a rural village of the kind that might appear in countless generic pseudo-medieval fantasy stories, I started to prepare myself for disappointment. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The world Shinn has built for this novel is distinctive. Even though certain elements can be seen to have obvious influences and predecessors, the way she has combined them is fresh enough to warrant the reader's attention.

For one thing, the historical period in which the story is set seems to be closer to our Victorian age than to any pre-industrial era; although descriptions of any industry are slight and implicit, there are some machines, notably a kind of motorcar run by compressed gasses rather than by internal combustion. Thus, Shinn avoids the fairy-tale/epic fantasy stereotype while stopping just short of steampunk. For another, this is not really a world where magic per se exists; rather, the fantasy of this world is that it seems to be governed by five "elements" – earth, air, fire, water, wood. People are born with personalities associated with one element or another; events of people's lives are described in terms of the elements; even the calendar year is divided into five seasons, each of which correlates to one of the elements. And society is dominated by five aristocratic families, each of which is even more tightly bound to one of the elements, so much so that the head of each family has a mastery of communication with and control over that element (e.g., the head of the air-related family can summon winds).

The plot centers around Zoe Ardelay, a 23-year-old woman recently bereft of her father, the only family she has known since fleeing with him into exile when she was a girl. Her life in the bucolic village is upended by the arrival of a motorized vehicle from the capital city, bearing a stern emissary who has come to take her to the palace of the king. Going from a rural peasant environment to a bustling city and the upper ranks of society is just one major life change in store for Zoe. But Shinn takes her there gradually, allowing Zoe to live a simple life in the city for a while before getting caught up in palace intrigue and political maneuverings among the movers and shakers of the country. This also allows the reader to get to know Zoe in more-or-less familiar surroundings, and to learn more of this land and its society so that we are prepared for the full impact of later events.

Sharon Shinn has an easy prose style, nicely balanced between description, action, exposition, dialogue, and inner thoughts, all suffused with a distinct warmth. Her plot has plenty of twists and turns, without seeming too contrived or convoluted. One of the strengths of her writing is that when the extraordinary gifts of element-based powers are being used, she describes what it feels like to the character using them, giving such scenes much more immediacy than simple wand-waving and spell-uttering. Another strength is her ability to create likeable characters; Zoe herself, of course, plus her friends and many of the people she meets. Even the schemers in the palace have their good points as well as bad. In fact, if I could point out a flaw in the book, it would be that perhaps too many characters are decent and good-hearted, especially in a big city and in the corridors of power. The only real villains are a few rarely-seen characters from a different country, whose ways seem decadent and immoral to the citizens of Welce.

Shinn has managed to weave together many different kinds of story into this one book. There is mystery, political drama, romance, coming-of-age, class-conscious social commentary, and a bit of magic. The world she has built is engaging enough for me to want to return to it. Although she has written several series (the Samaria series, the "Twelve Houses" series, etc.), Troubled Waters is, at least so far, a stand-alone novel. I wish she would write more in this fascinating setting.
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Apr 14, 2012 Keri rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is the first time I've read anything by this author and it will probably be the last time as well. It's not that the writing is bad because it's not, and it's not that the story idea is bad because it's not, the problem is that the book moves so slow and nothing really happens - nothing exciting anyway.

This book goes through too much slow moving side stories to be interesting. There is a whole section where Zoe is approached by a stranger who just had twins and needs people to give them bl...more

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Apr 08, 2012 Nora rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction-fantasy

Great traditional fantasy novel, with a pretty likable heroine. Not the most original plot, but Shinn is very talented in her world building. She knows how to really make you feel immersed in the cultural norms and values of each society, and how that dictates the characters behaviors. Zoe is a decently likable girl, while nicely enough Shinn strays away from the black and white, good vs. evil characters, as everyone justifies their behavior in terms of what they believe is good. People are comp...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, intrigue, magic, romance, teen

Zoe’s father was an advisor to the king, but he fell out of favor and was exiled from court. Zoe has lived with him in a small village for years. After a long illness, her father passes away. A few days later a man from the capital arrives. He says the king has chosen Zoe to be his fifth wife. Lost in grief, Zoe goes with the man. Once they arrive in the capital, Zoe runs away. She starts living along the river’s edge where a community of squatters camp. Slowly she begins to recover from her gri...more

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Nov 20, 2011 Carol rated it 2 of 5 stars

I really liked Shinn's angels series, and this appears to be a good follow up. It's a fairly traditional fantasy with some elements of romance fiction. The heroine is interesting and likable, and the story is enjoyable. Recommended for a fast, entertaining read that isn't too demanding.

Now that I've finished it (like I said, fast read) I have to say that I am a little disappointed with the ending, and with the last third or so of the book. The ending isn't really an ending at all. I have no ide...more

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Nov 18, 2011 Jacqie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is top-tier Sharon Shinn. She always has romance in her books, but this one has a lot more going on than that. We've got an interesting magic system which infuses the entire culture. Zoe is a relatable heroine, and she forms many different relationships with friends and family. Some of the villains may be a bit over-telegraphed, but most of the characters are somewhat nuanced and realistic.

I liked the world she created, and would like to visit it again. World-building is often one of this a...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Kelsey Hendon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Five golden stars to Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn!! I could not put this book down, it has to be one of my favorites...correction: it IS my favorite.
After Zoe's fathers death it seemed to her that her life had no real direction, the world seemed bleak and eternally dark. With this she had no real problem with Darien Serlast showing up and announcing she is to become the Kings fifth wife. You would think this is where she would end up but she unexpectedly slips into the sea of faces and disap...more

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Oct 24, 2011 Rachel Neumeier rated it 5 of 5 stars

My top three Sharon Shinn books? At the moment, that would be THE SHAPECHANGER'S WIFE, THE TRUTH TELLER'S TALE, and now TROUBLED WATERS.

If you love Patricia McKillip, then you should definitely read THE SHAPECHANGER'S WIFE. If you love YA fantasy, you should definitely read THE TRUTH-TELLER'S TALE. And if you love peaceful, flowing, beautifully written fantasy that doesn't rush you along too fast and lets you enjoy your stay in a charming non-gritty world? Well, then, hey, TROUBLED WATERS.

I was...more My top three Sharon Shinn books? At the moment, that would be THE SHAPECHANGER'S WIFE, THE TRUTH TELLER'S TALE, and now TROUBLED WATERS.

If you love Patricia McKillip, then you should definitely read THE SHAPECHANGER'S WIFE. If you love YA fantasy, you should definitely read THE TRUTH-TELLER'S TALE. And if you love peaceful, flowing, beautifully written fantasy that doesn't rush you along too fast and lets you enjoy your stay in a charming non-gritty world? Well, then, hey, TROUBLED WATERS.

I was so going to use a river metaphor for talking about this book, it's hard not to, in fact, only another Laura, beat me to it:

"Reading this book is like taking a relaxing boat ride down a smooth, wide river, where the current is just fast enough to continuously present new scenes of wonder and delight yet slow enough to allow you to take in all the details of each vista. Any unpleasantness in the story is like a small rock in that river, rising just high enough to cause a small ripple without creating any dangerous rapids or exposing any sharp surfaces which might damage the boat. (And I have officially run this metaphor to ground."

And what can I say? I hope I would have put that as well, because that's exactly how I felt.

The "blessings" were a charming idea and I loved how Sharon Shinn used them in the story, and I loved the way they are all, like, BLESSINGS, and not EVER in an awful monkey's paw kind of way, either, but actually positive. I loved the understated divination thing Shinn did with them. And the elemental associations and powers? Very cool.

And of course the characters are well-drawn. I mean, Sharon Shinn, right? Of course the romance is obvious from the start, but it's obviously not supposed to come as a surprise and it's fun to see how it works out. The twist at the end, you can really see why he might not be sure how she'd take that, right? So he really would be tense about that.

TROUBLED WATERS was exactly what I was in the mood for. I know Sharon wrote this as a stand-along because I asked her, but I hope she eventually finds time to write a sequel or two for it, because there's obviously more she could do with this world. I'd especially like to know a little more about those odd non-elemental blessings . . . lots of room for cool stuff with those.
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Oct 19, 2011 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I generally like reading the kind of escapist fairy tale type setting books that Sharon Shinn writes, wheres she creates whole new worlds and belief systems. I was quite intrigued at the beginning of the book, with Zoe's solitary existence coming to an end and the possibility of her being thrust into an exciting new world. I also liked the world building of the novel with the concept of each person belonging to one of the elements, and the traits associated with each.

However the novel lags too m...more

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Aug 19, 2011 Carrie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Started a little slow but I stayed up all night to finish it. Of course I am in a reading frenzy right now, devouring stuff I like.

Magic seems minor to me in this, and the spicy (not saucy) love story (no sex scenes!) is as much a plot as what's happening in the King's palace, though it doesn't begin to build till the second half. Zoe becomes a great heroine.
Constant crazy names usually bug me in Fantasy - there's not too much in this; just for $ or the holidays/seasons and the "blessings" whic...more Started a little slow but I stayed up all night to finish it. Of course I am in a reading frenzy right now, devouring stuff I like.

Magic seems minor to me in this, and the spicy (not saucy) love story (no sex scenes!) is as much a plot as what's happening in the King's palace, though it doesn't begin to build till the second half. Zoe becomes a great heroine.
Constant crazy names usually bug me in Fantasy - there's not too much in this; just for $ or the holidays/seasons and the "blessings" which I didn't really get or care about in the beginning, but are a big part of the book, describing the characters character. Don't let that hold you back, if you do read it, take a minute to glance at the end page for reference. Am going to look for more from this author; wishing there was more "Troubled Waters".

P.S. OK; I looked. And a lot of the descriptions of her many novels don't appeal. And maybe I liked this one so much out of pure escapism; but I also think it's an interesting concept of determining your strengths (as we've done in many areas and over the past man years - Are you a Fall, or a Spring? Left Brained? Etc).

Here's the description from the author's website:

Troubled Waters
Zoe Ardelay is living in an obscure village, mourning her father’s death, when a powerful man named Darien Serlast arrives and informs her she must travel to the royal city and become the king’s fifth bride. Numb with grief, she accompanies him to the city of Chialto, but she is able to slip away from him and hide among the city’s vagrants. She doesn’t want to marry the king, but she doesn’t know what her destiny holds.

Like everyone else in Chialto, Zoe frequently seeks guidance at the temples, pulling “random blessings” from great barrels of stamped coins; each blessing is related to one of the five elemental influences of air, water, fire, wood, and earth. Zoe is coru, a woman of water, and so was her mother and all her mother’s family; her father was sweela, a man of fire. Her brilliant father was exiled by the king at the urging of Zoe’s coru grandmother, and now Zoe wants to know why. But if she uncovers the momentous secrets of her family’s past, will her whole life change? Do her father’s secrets put the king at risk? And could Darien Serlast help her put the puzzle pieces together—if he would?

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Jul 26, 2011 Colleen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Books: Troubled Waters
Troubled Waters, by Sharon Shinn, is a stand-alone novel by a veteran author. It was just what I wanted: a tightly focused book that built around a clash of ideas and ideals. The plot is relatively simple: The main character, Zoe Ardelay, begins the book in a grief-stricken haze due to her father's death. She then expands to fill the book as the story sweeps forward and outward from her. As we learn at the very beginning of the book, Zoe's father Nevarr took her into exile...more Books: Troubled Waters
Troubled Waters, by Sharon Shinn, is a stand-alone novel by a veteran author. It was just what I wanted: a tightly focused book that built around a clash of ideas and ideals. The plot is relatively simple: The main character, Zoe Ardelay, begins the book in a grief-stricken haze due to her father's death. She then expands to fill the book as the story sweeps forward and outward from her. As we learn at the very beginning of the book, Zoe's father Nevarr took her into exile and then, after raising her alone and apart from all kin, he died. The king's adviser arrived to bring Zoe back to the capital - ostensibly to become the king's fifth wife and "restore balance" - and Zoe instead walks away and into the world. As Zoe regains knowledge of politics and kinship, she learns that much of what she didn't know could hurt her, and that she, in turn, has the power to hurt or to help others, if she so cares to do it.

Shinn's world-building is rich and colorful, and even the cameo characters are lovingly described. The five elements drive everything, from fate to fortune to the seasons, and are a natural part of everyday conversation. The cheer and charity that Shinn spreads across her works make kindness into a cultural strength rather than a rare treasure. And Shinn's strength of focus in the writing kept what could have been an unwieldy and lumpy plot from getting out of control and losing me as a reader.

Shinn's turns of phrase were intellectually tasty, too. There were points in the book where I would go back and re-read a comment or a description because of the poetry and word-craft involved in that construction. While I can't rank Shinn up with Bujold on the strength of one book, I can certainly say that she soothes the same need. Her romance was understated, and full of strength. There was little swooning, and little agony of doubt. There was self-understanding, admiration, and clash of wills to match the clash of ideals.

In short, this was an excellent book that caught me in just the correct mood for it. I appreciated the lack of Big Bad Evil, or even really scary bad guys. Most of the book was taken up by Zoe's learning and growing processes, and figuring out how the world works. And once she has figured it out, she certainly uses that knowledge. I almost see her as the Thelani Water character out of the Cast in Chaos series - nearly unfeeling, almost amoral - until, suddenly, she's not.

Despite the incorrect use of the subjunctive, I think this is my favorite exchange right now:

"If he was alive, I might have abandoned him at this point, tired of one too many betrayals," she said. "But I do not have that luxury now. I must understand him and accept him, or lose even my memories of him. And I am not prepared to do that - not now. Not yet. Perhaps not ever."

"I do not think," Darien said, "you should consider it a weakness if you still love him."(less)

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Apr 02, 2011 Adrian rated it 5 of 5 stars

Um, I started to re-read this book right after I finished it the first time. How often does that happen? I enjoyed it so much that I wanted back in to experience it again. There were several things that I really liked about it. The book starts at the funeral of the heroine's father. They were extremely close, and I found the portrayal of the temporary insanity and dislocation that a loss like that brings on in the one left behind grieving to be more real than most other fiction I've read. I also...more

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Mar 29, 2011 Jo (Mixed Book Bag) rated it 4 of 5 stars

In writing Troubled Waters Sharon Shinn has again created a unique and fascinating world, the world of Welce. In this world five elements rule all thing and each element has a prime, a person who can control and use that element in ways others cannot. Each element contains blessings and at birth each child is given three blessing. A different stranger chooses each blessing. Using the combination of blessing and elements Sharon has woven a complex story of love and power.

Zoe Ardeley’s father wa...more

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Feb 05, 2011 cecilia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: green-covers, dresses-covers

Sharon Shinn has again delivered another fantastic read, similar to her Twelve House series and yet so very different and unique. In Twelve Houses, any random person can be born with magic powers which range from shape-shifting to fire-controlling to mind-reading. The magic in Troubled Waters only involves the elementals (elay - air/soul; hunti - wood/bone; sweela - fire/mind; coru - water/blood; torz - earth/flesh). Yet while a commoner can exhibit elemental personalities, the heads of the Five...more

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Jan 15, 2011 Sally rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, chick-lit, coming-of-age, fantasy, mythological, romance, teen, young-adult

I love Sharon Shinn's ability to make completely new worlds with their own histories, mythologies, religions, calendars, money systems, etc. She has world-building down quite nicely - you feel like you're being drawn in to this alternate world's history, not like you're being slammed with every detail the way some sci-fi/fantasy authors write. The history building keeps pace with the character building.

You can get the rundown of what this story is about in its description - an exiled member of...more

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Jan 09, 2011 Esther Shaindel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Full review on Reader's Dialogue: http://readersdialogue.blogspot.com

Wow. All I felt for a while after I finished Troubled Waters was - wow. Sharon Shinn knows how to take you on a journey and immerse you completely in the world she creates through a skilled weaving of language, suspense, and emotion. Every time I had to put down the book, I wanted to get back to it as soon as possible, and every time I did, I was immediately engulfed in the world ruled by the five elements.

Zoe is a great charac...more

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Dec 11, 2010 Jeanna rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Navarr Ardelay. Sweela. Coru. Lalindar. I just love the words and names that Shinn comes up with (hence, partially, my daughter Coriel). They roll off the tongue so beautifully.

I thought this book was less interesting than many of Shinn's books, but I did think the setting was interesting. What would it be like to live in a world where so much is centrally focused around which of the five elements most strongly make up your personality? It would be like everyone examining your character based o...more

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Nov 18, 2010 Felicia rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I just wrote a great review of this and Goodreads ate it. GODDAMNIT!

Ok, let me try to duplicate. SOo, I really like this author's other books, but this one I kinda enjoyed but also didn't, especially as it progressed to the end.

First, let me say, I have a weird attraction to books with worldbuilding that brands people at birth with personality attributes. I know it goes against my whole independent philosophy, but if I can identify myself as a "Hufflepuff" or a "Green Ajah" or, like here, a Fire...more

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Oct 17, 2010 Maurynne rated it 5 of 5 stars

I just finished Troubled Waters, and I think it's her best yet. As I neared the end, I was simultaneously wishing to finish and to stretch it out, and I can honestly say it's the first time I ever read a book and hoped it would be a series! I would rather read a thousand or so pages at one time, usually. The "blessings" concept is so charming and true, the people are enjoyable to be around, and the "great evil" is birthed by human greed and pettiness--also true, in the world we live in.
There's...more

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Jan 06, 2011 Beth rated it 3 of 5 stars

It is an interesting world that Sharon Shinn builds here, where everything is centered around the five elements and personalities are based on which of the elements are most strongly represented in a person. It also made for some confusion though trying to keep track of which elements have which personality traits.
It took some time to get into the story, but once Zoe gets to the palace things get more interesting and found I enjoyed it. The main character, Zoe, was at times likeable but some of...more

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About Sharon Shinn

I’ve been writing stories and poems since I was eight years old. My first poem was about Halloween: "What is tonight? What is tonight?/Try to guess and you’ll guess right." Perhaps this inauspicious beginning explains why it took me till I was in my thirties to sell a novel. It occurred to me early on that it might take some time and a lot of tries before I was able to publish any of my creative w...more I’ve been writing stories and poems since I was eight years old. My first poem was about Halloween: "What is tonight? What is tonight?/Try to guess and you’ll guess right." Perhaps this inauspicious beginning explains why it took me till I was in my thirties to sell a novel. It occurred to me early on that it might take some time and a lot of tries before I was able to publish any of my creative writing, so I pursued a degree in journalism at Northwestern University so I’d be able to support myself while I figured out how to write fiction.

I’ve spent most of my journalism career at three trade and association magazines—The Professional Photographer (which, as you might guess, went to studio and industrial photographers), DECOR (which went to frame shop and art gallery owners), and BizEd (which is directed at deans and professors at business schools). My longest stint, seventeen years, was at DECOR. Many people don’t know this, but I’m a CPF (Certified Picture Framer), having passed a very long, technical test to prove I understood the tenets of conservation framing. Now I write about management education and interview some really cool, really smart people from all over the world.

I mostly write my fiction in the evenings and on weekends. It requires a pretty obsessive-compulsive personality to be as prolific as I’ve been in the past ten years and hold down a full-time job. But I do manage to tear myself away from the computer now and then to do something fun. I read as often as I can, across all genres, though I’m most often holding a book that’s fantasy or romance, with the occasional western thrown in. I’m a fan of Cardinals baseball and try to be at the ballpark on opening day. If I had the time, I’d see a movie every day of my life. I love certain TV shows so much that knowing a new episode is going to air that night will make me happy all day. (I’m a huge Joss Whedon fan, but in the past I’ve given my heart to shows all over the map in terms of quality: "Knight Rider," "Remington Steele," "Blake’s 7," "Moonlighting," "The Young Riders," "Cheers," "Hill Street Blues," "X-Files," "Lost," "Battlestar Galactica"...you can probably fill in the gaps. And let’s not forget my very first loves, "The Partridge Family," "Here Come the Brides" and "Alias Smith & Jones.")

I don’t have kids, I don’t want pets, and all my plants die, so I’m really only forced to provide ongoing care for my menagerie of stuffed animals. All my friends are animal lovers, though, and someone once theorized that I keep friends as pets. I’m still trying to decide if that’s true.

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Troubled Waters (Elemental Blessings #1)

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