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The Cerulean Duology #1
The Cerulean
Sera has always felt as if she didn’t belong among her people, the Cerulean. She is curious about everything and can’t stop questioning her three mothers, her best friend, Leela, and even the High Priestess. Sera has longed for the day when the tether that connects her City Above the Sky to the earthly world below finally severs and sends the Cerulean to a new planet.
But when Sera is chosen as the sacrifice to break the tether, she doesn’t know what to feel. To save her City, Sera must throw herself from its edge and end her own life. But something goes wrong and she survives the fall, landing in a place called Kaolin. She has heard tales about the humans there, and soon learns that the dangers her mothers warned her of are real. If Sera has any hope to return to her City, she’ll have to find the magic within herself to survive.
But when Sera is chosen as the sacrifice to break the tether, she doesn’t know what to feel. To save her City, Sera must throw herself from its edge and end her own life. But something goes wrong and she survives the fall, landing in a place called Kaolin. She has heard tales about the humans there, and soon learns that the dangers her mothers warned her of are real. If Sera has any hope to return to her City, she’ll have to find the magic within herself to survive.
483 pages, Hardcover
First published February 5, 2019
About the author
Amy Ewing
21 books2,295 followersAmy Ewing is the young adult author of The Jewel, the first in a trilogy from HarperTeen, coming out September 2014.
She grew up in a small town outside Boston, where her librarian mother instilled a deep love of reading at a young age. Amy moved to New York City in 2000 to study theater at New York University. Unfortunately, her acting career didn’t quite pan out. She worked in restaurants, as an administrative assistant, a nanny, and a sales representative for a wine distributor before the lack of creativity in her life drove her to begin writing.
Amy received her MFA in Creative Writing for Children from The New School, where she was lucky enough to meet a fabulous community of YA writers who keep her sane on a daily basis. She lives in Harlem, where she spends her days writing, eating cheese, and occasionally binge watching The Vampire Diaries.
She grew up in a small town outside Boston, where her librarian mother instilled a deep love of reading at a young age. Amy moved to New York City in 2000 to study theater at New York University. Unfortunately, her acting career didn’t quite pan out. She worked in restaurants, as an administrative assistant, a nanny, and a sales representative for a wine distributor before the lack of creativity in her life drove her to begin writing.
Amy received her MFA in Creative Writing for Children from The New School, where she was lucky enough to meet a fabulous community of YA writers who keep her sane on a daily basis. She lives in Harlem, where she spends her days writing, eating cheese, and occasionally binge watching The Vampire Diaries.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 589 reviews
February 6, 2019
“You are not like other girls, Agnes McLellan.”
“No,” she said. “I’m not.”
🙄 I really dislike giving 1 star reviews. I usually try to find something good about a book to justify bumping it up to 2. I gave The Cerulean every chance to change my mind and I kept reading right to the end, but I really didn't enjoy this book at all. It's not just one thing, but a combination of many different things that didn't work for me.
I was drawn in by the promise of an all-female sapphic society where each girl has three mothers. This was a big selling point for me, but what the author does with this atypical premise is... strange. She has Sera, one of the protagonists, discover that she is the only straight girl in her society.
This was not magic. This was attraction. She wanted this male, the way she had tried to want Koreen or Treena or any of the other girls her age and failed. The thing she had longed for above all else, the one secret she had kept from those she cared for . . . she had been wrong. This whole time. She was not incapable of love.
She loved males.
Even if this made sense, it seems an odd choice to introduce a "straight twist" to a supposedly sapphic society. However, it does not even make sense. These women who live in the creatively-named "City in the Sky" are a blue-blooded, silver-skinned alien species, they are not human, and males do not exist in their species. It makes absolutely no sense for Sera to be straight.
I would like to point out that this is NOT a reverse oppression story. Sera is not oppressed for being straight because straightness simply doesn't exist among her species. Which, again, is why it doesn't make sense.
This is actually only one small part of the problem, though. So many parts of this fantasy were weak and simplistic. Apparently it is possible to be both convoluted and incredibly vague at the same time. By this I mean that we are treated to lots of long and boring info-dumps, but it all adds up to a universe that felt very vaguely-sketched. I came away with little understanding of what this world looked like and I never fully understood the sacrifice/tether aspect.
The obvious names of everything - "City in the Sky", "Great Sadness", "Choosing Ceremony", "Sleeping Sickness", "orange/green/purple mother" - made it seem like a book suited to a younger audience, and also gave it no unique flavour of it's own. These names could have been from any other YA fantasy.
When Sera is chosen to be sacrificed so her people can break the tether that ties their floating city to the planet below, something goes wrong. Instead of dying, she finds herself wandering among the humans of Kaolin - one of the planet's two countries. Enter biracial twins Agnes and Leo. The former is dark-skinned, queer, and "not like other girls"; the latter is light-skinned, seemingly straight, and greets Sera by kidnapping her for his father's "theater". Hopefully it is addressed with more nuance in the sequels, but the light-skinned Pelagan's are seen to be kinder and more progressive, as opposed to the dark-skinned Kaolin's who are ruthless and oppress women.
There were so many things that didn't work for me. Even without the questionable choices made about the characters' sexualities and skin colours, it was honestly just quite boring. There are four third person perspectives warring with each other, lots of wordy but vague info-dumping, and two stories in one that just don't go together very well (the story of the city aliens and the story of the humans below). It's a real shame. Both the premise and the stunning cover suggested great things.
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January 24, 2019
DNF @ 50%
- One Of the coolest worlds/concepts ive ever read BUT
- NEVER IN MY LIFE HAVE I BEEN QUEER BATED SO HARD
- THE MC IS THE ONLY STRAIGHT GIRL IN HER ENTIRE CULTURE OF POLY LESBIANS
- THERE IS ANOTHER LESBIAN MC BUT SHES “NOT LIKE OTHER GIRLS” THIS IS LITERALLY A LINE IN THE BOOK
-DISHONOR ON U AND UR COW
- THIS CONCEPT DESERVED BETTER. WE DESERVED BETTER
I'm also updating on Dec 7 bc I realized I never mentioned the blatant racism bc i was so wrapped up in the homophobia. But yeah the brown people are oppressive and evil and the literal glowing white people in the sky are pure or whatever.
THANK YOU AND GOODNIGHT
- One Of the coolest worlds/concepts ive ever read BUT
- NEVER IN MY LIFE HAVE I BEEN QUEER BATED SO HARD
- THE MC IS THE ONLY STRAIGHT GIRL IN HER ENTIRE CULTURE OF POLY LESBIANS
- THERE IS ANOTHER LESBIAN MC BUT SHES “NOT LIKE OTHER GIRLS” THIS IS LITERALLY A LINE IN THE BOOK
-DISHONOR ON U AND UR COW
- THIS CONCEPT DESERVED BETTER. WE DESERVED BETTER
I'm also updating on Dec 7 bc I realized I never mentioned the blatant racism bc i was so wrapped up in the homophobia. But yeah the brown people are oppressive and evil and the literal glowing white people in the sky are pure or whatever.
THANK YOU AND GOODNIGHT
January 29, 2019
I strongly believe in not rating DNFs but man, I skimmed enough of this book and I need y'all to pay attention to this mess.
This story is about a STRAIGHT girl, part of a species that doesn't even have males. She grew up in a polyam sapphic society.
Due to circumstances she gets to this other planet and sees males for the first time. AND OF COURSE she's actually been attracted to "males" all this time. IT LITERALLY DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE.
"This was attraction. She wanted this male, the way she had tried to want [..] any of the other girls her age and failed. The thing she had longed for above all else, the one secret she had kept from those she cared for.. she had been wrong" (Quote from the ARC, might be changed in the final copy)
CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS?
I could've gotten behind this if the character had been asexual and/or aromantic but.. straight? It's ridiculous and made me feel really icky.
BUT then, it got even better. We get more POVs later on in the story and guess what? One of the other POVs is a girl living on that other planet and we find out basically immediately that she's exclusively attracted to women. The society she lives in is so heteronormative that literally in her first chapter she talks about the fact that she could get killed for even thinking another woman is attractive. WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS THIS?
It also feels really wrong that these are brown people, whereas the main character's society, that's kinda portrayed as a "perfect society", are light-skinned people. Just saying.
This story has got to be a parody. I can't believe this is getting published. I've rarely ever been this upset about a book. I wanted to finish this and write an essay about it but man, this shit is disgusting. I'm not doing this to myself. LET'S PRACTICE SELF CARE IN 2019 MY FRIENDS!
This story is about a STRAIGHT girl, part of a species that doesn't even have males. She grew up in a polyam sapphic society.
Due to circumstances she gets to this other planet and sees males for the first time. AND OF COURSE she's actually been attracted to "males" all this time. IT LITERALLY DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE.
"This was attraction. She wanted this male, the way she had tried to want [..] any of the other girls her age and failed. The thing she had longed for above all else, the one secret she had kept from those she cared for.. she had been wrong" (Quote from the ARC, might be changed in the final copy)
CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS?
I could've gotten behind this if the character had been asexual and/or aromantic but.. straight? It's ridiculous and made me feel really icky.
BUT then, it got even better. We get more POVs later on in the story and guess what? One of the other POVs is a girl living on that other planet and we find out basically immediately that she's exclusively attracted to women. The society she lives in is so heteronormative that literally in her first chapter she talks about the fact that she could get killed for even thinking another woman is attractive. WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS THIS?
It also feels really wrong that these are brown people, whereas the main character's society, that's kinda portrayed as a "perfect society", are light-skinned people. Just saying.
This story has got to be a parody. I can't believe this is getting published. I've rarely ever been this upset about a book. I wanted to finish this and write an essay about it but man, this shit is disgusting. I'm not doing this to myself. LET'S PRACTICE SELF CARE IN 2019 MY FRIENDS!
December 5, 2018
DNF at p. 391 of 483
The title character is the only straight girl from an all-lesbian alien society. She has a straight coming-out scene. No, really.
Oh, and her all-lesbian society decides she needs to be ritually murdered in order to save their floating city. Which definitely does not play into homophobic fears about queer people being dangerous to children or anything.
I gave this an honest try because I wanted to make sure the MC in question wasn't a bi or ace character being misrepresented in reviews as a straight character, but no. She's straight.
Credit where credit it due: there is another POV character who is gay, but her storyline is about suffering through a homophobic and misogynistic society until she can escape to another continent. It's a painful "pity the gays" narrative that makes straight people feel better about themselves, but it can be triggering to LGBT+ readers, so be aware of that if you decide to pick this one up.
The human culture this gay character and her brother are from is made up of imperialist religious zealots with brown skin whose religious symbol is a crescent moon, so there's that, too.
To the best of my knowledge, Amy Ewing is not part of the LGBT+ community. I would really like to see straight writers and their publishers not do this sort of thing anymore, especially if they're trying to court LGBT+ readers. This is sloppy and offensive -- and avoidable. This book really highlights how badly marginalized people are needed in publishing.
The title character is the only straight girl from an all-lesbian alien society. She has a straight coming-out scene. No, really.
Oh, and her all-lesbian society decides she needs to be ritually murdered in order to save their floating city. Which definitely does not play into homophobic fears about queer people being dangerous to children or anything.
I gave this an honest try because I wanted to make sure the MC in question wasn't a bi or ace character being misrepresented in reviews as a straight character, but no. She's straight.
Credit where credit it due: there is another POV character who is gay, but her storyline is about suffering through a homophobic and misogynistic society until she can escape to another continent. It's a painful "pity the gays" narrative that makes straight people feel better about themselves, but it can be triggering to LGBT+ readers, so be aware of that if you decide to pick this one up.
The human culture this gay character and her brother are from is made up of imperialist religious zealots with brown skin whose religious symbol is a crescent moon, so there's that, too.
To the best of my knowledge, Amy Ewing is not part of the LGBT+ community. I would really like to see straight writers and their publishers not do this sort of thing anymore, especially if they're trying to court LGBT+ readers. This is sloppy and offensive -- and avoidable. This book really highlights how badly marginalized people are needed in publishing.
Shelved as 'zzzzz-coverporn-etc'
January 30, 2019
Want to read
October 14, 2018I'm really interested in this but the plot sounds so unrealistic lmao. The people live in "a Sapphic utopia" and yet the heroine questions it?
Ahahahahah why?
Ahahahahah why?
December 27, 2018
This review and other non-spoilery reviews can be found @The Book Prescription
“Males looked sort of like females, except they had no breasts and were taller and hairier and meaner.”
🌟 Time to confess that I primarily requested this book because of it’s cover and because I thought it was a standalone (We need more Fantasy Standalones). I liked the synopsis initially but after a few weeks of requesting this I started to have second thoughts and started to lose interest in the synopsis!
🌟 That being said, the book had a good start so I thought it was worth giving a chance! I was bored after a few chapters, but then was interested again and tbh I didn’t consider DNFing it so it must have been good.
🌟 The world building was good too and although I had some questions at first and some things that were not convincing for me medical wise, it was explained later which both helped convincing me and adding to my knowledge. Bonus points for that!
🌟 Plot wise, I felt like I have seen the twist and I had expectations after knowing just a few things. It was entertaining but it never blew my mind! That being said, I can’t say that I wanted to know what was going to happen and how will things unfold. I wanted to see if my theories were true. I may give credit to all the books that I have read before for this.
I actually liked the romance way more than I expected to and that may have been the best part! It was kind of typical but the world building gives it a whole new context which makes it interesting if you take the time to think about it!!!! I am sure many readers will miss the point and will criticize it but that’s why it is OK to have different opinions.
🌟 The characters were average YA characters, I am pretty sure that they will be among the characters I forget after a few months. Not that there is anything wrong with that but I like my characters to be more distinct and more unique!
🌟 Summary: I may have been disappointed by the fact that this is a duology because this book is huge and it could have been shorter! I went with lower expectations and it was slow at first but the story picks up as you progress and becomes more captivating. The book didn’t blow my mind but it exceeded my expectations and I may consider continuing this series!
ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
“Males looked sort of like females, except they had no breasts and were taller and hairier and meaner.”
🌟 Time to confess that I primarily requested this book because of it’s cover and because I thought it was a standalone (We need more Fantasy Standalones). I liked the synopsis initially but after a few weeks of requesting this I started to have second thoughts and started to lose interest in the synopsis!
🌟 That being said, the book had a good start so I thought it was worth giving a chance! I was bored after a few chapters, but then was interested again and tbh I didn’t consider DNFing it so it must have been good.
🌟 The world building was good too and although I had some questions at first and some things that were not convincing for me medical wise, it was explained later which both helped convincing me and adding to my knowledge. Bonus points for that!
🌟 Plot wise, I felt like I have seen the twist and I had expectations after knowing just a few things. It was entertaining but it never blew my mind! That being said, I can’t say that I wanted to know what was going to happen and how will things unfold. I wanted to see if my theories were true. I may give credit to all the books that I have read before for this.
I actually liked the romance way more than I expected to and that may have been the best part! It was kind of typical but the world building gives it a whole new context which makes it interesting if you take the time to think about it!!!! I am sure many readers will miss the point and will criticize it but that’s why it is OK to have different opinions.
🌟 The characters were average YA characters, I am pretty sure that they will be among the characters I forget after a few months. Not that there is anything wrong with that but I like my characters to be more distinct and more unique!
🌟 Summary: I may have been disappointed by the fact that this is a duology because this book is huge and it could have been shorter! I went with lower expectations and it was slow at first but the story picks up as you progress and becomes more captivating. The book didn’t blow my mind but it exceeded my expectations and I may consider continuing this series!
ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
April 26, 2021
What I appreciate most about Ewing is her abundance of cool concepts. I loved the society she created in her Lone City trilogy, and the one conceived here was just as interesting (and even more outside the box). Concept was definitely the biggest draw here for me and easily the main reason I kept reading until the end.
Unfortunately, with that cool concept came not a whole lot of substance as far as plot was concerned. Most of the scenes featured extensive explanations about the world (which I didn’t totally mind) and a ton of dialogue. .. but not a whole lot else. There were a few great moments between characters where I felt invested, but for the most part it didn’t give me much to talk about.
One thing I did appreciate – the book is LGBT [edit]: inclusive. And not in that “token” inclusion I’ve seen in YA books historically, but integrated in ways that felt more authentic, but unfortunately it does not represent the community well. Even so, I still appreciated the diversity compared to other YA written at the time that don't even hint that anything other than heterosexual exists. In a book with very few external happenings, it really is all about the characters and how they relate to one another, so these interpersonal connections were key.
Overall, I liked the concept and general character profiles. However I didn’t think there were enough moving parts or overall plot points to warrant such a long book. I personally craved more substance and depth. And maybe a little grit to make me feel something rather than just read about it.
Series status: this is a duology and I’m not sure yet if I’ll pick up the sequel. I have an affection for Ewing’s stories and appreciate her concepts and style of writing, but this book did not give me anything to sink my teeth into.
Recommendations: if you’re looking for a unique YA tale that’s highly character-driven, The Cerulean is a great pick. It was a bit tame for my tastes and needed more external conflicts, but it was still a lovely read that I think will appeal more to readers who prefer YA as their main genre.
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
Other books you might like:
Unfortunately, with that cool concept came not a whole lot of substance as far as plot was concerned. Most of the scenes featured extensive explanations about the world (which I didn’t totally mind) and a ton of dialogue. .. but not a whole lot else. There were a few great moments between characters where I felt invested, but for the most part it didn’t give me much to talk about.
One thing I did appreciate – the book is LGBT [edit]: inclusive. And not in that “token” inclusion I’ve seen in YA books historically, but integrated in ways that felt more authentic, but unfortunately it does not represent the community well. Even so, I still appreciated the diversity compared to other YA written at the time that don't even hint that anything other than heterosexual exists. In a book with very few external happenings, it really is all about the characters and how they relate to one another, so these interpersonal connections were key.
Overall, I liked the concept and general character profiles. However I didn’t think there were enough moving parts or overall plot points to warrant such a long book. I personally craved more substance and depth. And maybe a little grit to make me feel something rather than just read about it.
Series status: this is a duology and I’m not sure yet if I’ll pick up the sequel. I have an affection for Ewing’s stories and appreciate her concepts and style of writing, but this book did not give me anything to sink my teeth into.
Recommendations: if you’re looking for a unique YA tale that’s highly character-driven, The Cerulean is a great pick. It was a bit tame for my tastes and needed more external conflicts, but it was still a lovely read that I think will appeal more to readers who prefer YA as their main genre.
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
Other books you might like:
Shelved as 'other'
May 23, 2020Edit(6): it took a year or two but we've got a series title
Edit (5): that does it, i'm gonna email the editor
Edit (4): I got to meet Amy last week. She's super funny and nice. buttttttt.... THIS IS STILL AN UN-F*CKING-TITLED DUOLOGY!!!!!!!!!!! HARPERCOLLINS ARE YOU OKAY?
Edit (3): Stillll untitled duology.
Edit (2): It's officially published and STILL UNTITLED DUOLOGY.
Edit: It's still untitled. COME ON HARPERCOLLINS SHAKE A LEG
This book comes out in a month and it's still an untitled duology.
GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER PEOPLE
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Edit (5): that does it, i'm gonna email the editor
Edit (4): I got to meet Amy last week. She's super funny and nice. buttttttt.... THIS IS STILL AN UN-F*CKING-TITLED DUOLOGY!!!!!!!!!!! HARPERCOLLINS ARE YOU OKAY?
Edit (3): Stillll untitled duology.
Edit (2): It's officially published and STILL UNTITLED DUOLOGY.
Edit: It's still untitled. COME ON HARPERCOLLINS SHAKE A LEG
This book comes out in a month and it's still an untitled duology.
GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER PEOPLE
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February 5, 2019
why do straight ppl wanna be oppressed so bad ??? get a hobby
Want to read
October 15, 2016"The Cerulean tells the story of Sera, who lives in a Sapphic utopia where all women have three mothers and a young woman is chosen every 100 years to be abandoned on the planet below as a sacrifice."
Oookaaaaay.
Why not?
Oookaaaaay.
Why not?
March 13, 2019
Books are part of society. Writers don't get to step out of our norms, and they need to conscientious about the inadvertent racism and homophobia their stories suggest. This is not a world where your book can just be. There is no world like that. When you share racism and homophobia, you are complicit. This book is definitely not for any queer POC reader (or really for any conscientious citizen of the world.)
Seema Rao Write : Instagram| Blog| Twitter|
Seema Rao Write : Instagram| Blog| Twitter|
Shelved as 'wishlist'
June 20, 2018God, THE JEWEL was such an outrageous clusterfuck that I feel obligated to read this and report back after chronicling that first saga of um-wtf-is-going-on-here.
I see that this is promoting itself as a Sapphic society but I'm having visions of GATE TO WOMEN'S COUNTRY meets ROMEO AND JULIET, so let's not hold our collective breaths just yet
I see that this is promoting itself as a Sapphic society but I'm having visions of GATE TO WOMEN'S COUNTRY meets ROMEO AND JULIET, so let's not hold our collective breaths just yet
February 5, 2019
Boring at best; homophobic and racist at worst. It's such a shame. The cover is so pretty. "Don't judge a book by its cover" never gets old.
February 2, 2019
This is officially the biggest disappointment of 2019, and it's only a month in.
Can someone explain to me why this book has been hyped as a sapphic utopia for so long so, and now the official blurb has nothing about this sapphic world, and what we're actually getting is a boring fantasy about a straight girl???
Oh I know, it's so this book gets all the credit of being diverse and giving us a glimpse of this poly sapphic society of all magical woman in the beginning of the book, but then gives us a different story and doesn't do any of the work to make a quality diverse story. The queer character this book does give us, instead, is stuck in a ridiculously homophobic and misogynist community, and she's "not like other girls." An actual line from the book.
I DNFd this one @ 40%. I kept reading on after realizing it was actually a story about a straight girl, but the story I was getting was ultimately boring and not capturing my attention either. This book is too long to continue reading to just be mad at what this book isn't and what it could've been.
ARC provided by the publisher for an honest review
Review can also be found on my blog!
Can someone explain to me why this book has been hyped as a sapphic utopia for so long so, and now the official blurb has nothing about this sapphic world, and what we're actually getting is a boring fantasy about a straight girl???
Oh I know, it's so this book gets all the credit of being diverse and giving us a glimpse of this poly sapphic society of all magical woman in the beginning of the book, but then gives us a different story and doesn't do any of the work to make a quality diverse story. The queer character this book does give us, instead, is stuck in a ridiculously homophobic and misogynist community, and she's "not like other girls." An actual line from the book.
I DNFd this one @ 40%. I kept reading on after realizing it was actually a story about a straight girl, but the story I was getting was ultimately boring and not capturing my attention either. This book is too long to continue reading to just be mad at what this book isn't and what it could've been.
ARC provided by the publisher for an honest review
Review can also be found on my blog!
February 25, 2019
Thank you to Edelweiss and Harper for the E-ARC.
Okay. *deep, ragged breaths* What in the world did I just read?
There may be some spoilers so read at your own risk.
First off, we have one of those apparent protagonists. She doesn't quite fit in. She wonders about things she shouldn't be wondering about. She doesn't like girls they way others do-
I'll back up.
Sera lives in a floating city in space. I have dubbed this place, Floaty City. That is the jist of it. Her society is made up entirely of females that reproduce all parthenogenesis style. Cliff notes version: They don't need males to produce offspring. They don't even know what boys are. Their city is held on to planets below by tethers. When they feel it's time to move on, a sacrifice is made to cut the tether and release the city to find a new planet to latch onto. Floaty City is basically a parasite. Oh, and their blood can heal, and it's magic and stuff.
Are you still with me?
Now, it's obvious who the sacrifice is going to be. But Sera doesn't die like she's supposed to. She lands miserably on the planet below. Sera. You fail.
Let's welcome twins Agnes and Leo. They live in a Victorian-ish society. I think. I can't quite pinpoint it, but I was horrible at history and worse at geography so...I don't know. It's not Earth. They have weird animals and stuff, but also fancy dresses and cars. Leo is kind of an ass-hat, and I really hated reading his POV. Agnes was better. She at least was interesting. She is in the same boat as Sera, but for her society, liking girls are taboo. But we have some queer story-telling, and I'm down for that.
By the first half of the book, I was a tad jarred. I was in one world and then another, and I was like, whhhhaaat is haaaappening? Then, as I felt all comfy on the planet, we are sent back up to Floaty City into the POV of Sera's best friend. This part of the book was super exciting, and I kind of wished it stayed there. I didn't want to go back to Sera's POV. hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaa
Ok, I'll continue.
So, basically, Leo brings Sera to his crazy father who is prepping to run some sort of freak show. Leo becomes less annoying as the story progresses. Much to my surprise, there is next to no romance as I thought there would be. I was all like, I bet Sera is going to fall in love with Leo. I bet you 256,899 dollars.
By the time I finished this book, I kind of had to sit down and eat some Fritos and drink some iced-tea and wonder what goes through Amy Ewings mind when she thinks up book ideas. Did she say, hey, I have this idea about a floaty city and all women society and trees with faces and it's going to be EPIC. EPIC I TELL YOU.
The story was different. REALLy different. And the cover is spectacular so kudos to that designer. The book is open ended so gear up for a second. I mean, this book was so weird and all over the place that I couldn't put it down. I had to know what was going to happen. This book has four POVs. That's a lot of POVs. But it worked out and got me away from annoying Leo.
I guess I liked the book? I'm having one of those moments where you eat something different, and you can't quite make out what makes you want to eat more of it because it looks funny and has a weird texture. But somehow you're still eating it. That's this book.
Okay. *deep, ragged breaths* What in the world did I just read?
There may be some spoilers so read at your own risk.
First off, we have one of those apparent protagonists. She doesn't quite fit in. She wonders about things she shouldn't be wondering about. She doesn't like girls they way others do-
I'll back up.
Sera lives in a floating city in space. I have dubbed this place, Floaty City. That is the jist of it. Her society is made up entirely of females that reproduce all parthenogenesis style. Cliff notes version: They don't need males to produce offspring. They don't even know what boys are. Their city is held on to planets below by tethers. When they feel it's time to move on, a sacrifice is made to cut the tether and release the city to find a new planet to latch onto. Floaty City is basically a parasite. Oh, and their blood can heal, and it's magic and stuff.
Are you still with me?
Now, it's obvious who the sacrifice is going to be. But Sera doesn't die like she's supposed to. She lands miserably on the planet below. Sera. You fail.
Let's welcome twins Agnes and Leo. They live in a Victorian-ish society. I think. I can't quite pinpoint it, but I was horrible at history and worse at geography so...I don't know. It's not Earth. They have weird animals and stuff, but also fancy dresses and cars. Leo is kind of an ass-hat, and I really hated reading his POV. Agnes was better. She at least was interesting. She is in the same boat as Sera, but for her society, liking girls are taboo. But we have some queer story-telling, and I'm down for that.
By the first half of the book, I was a tad jarred. I was in one world and then another, and I was like, whhhhaaat is haaaappening? Then, as I felt all comfy on the planet, we are sent back up to Floaty City into the POV of Sera's best friend. This part of the book was super exciting, and I kind of wished it stayed there. I didn't want to go back to Sera's POV. hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaa
Ok, I'll continue.
So, basically, Leo brings Sera to his crazy father who is prepping to run some sort of freak show. Leo becomes less annoying as the story progresses. Much to my surprise, there is next to no romance as I thought there would be. I was all like, I bet Sera is going to fall in love with Leo. I bet you 256,899 dollars.
By the time I finished this book, I kind of had to sit down and eat some Fritos and drink some iced-tea and wonder what goes through Amy Ewings mind when she thinks up book ideas. Did she say, hey, I have this idea about a floaty city and all women society and trees with faces and it's going to be EPIC. EPIC I TELL YOU.
The story was different. REALLy different. And the cover is spectacular so kudos to that designer. The book is open ended so gear up for a second. I mean, this book was so weird and all over the place that I couldn't put it down. I had to know what was going to happen. This book has four POVs. That's a lot of POVs. But it worked out and got me away from annoying Leo.
I guess I liked the book? I'm having one of those moments where you eat something different, and you can't quite make out what makes you want to eat more of it because it looks funny and has a weird texture. But somehow you're still eating it. That's this book.
Shelved as 'nein-nein-nein'
February 4, 2019
January 26, 2019
Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
Sera has always felt as if she didn’t belong among her people, the Cerulean. She is curious about everything and can’t stop questioning her three mothers, her best friend, Leela, and even the High Priestess. Sera has longed for the day when the tether that connects her City Above the Sky to the earthly world below finally severs and sends the Cerulean to a new planet. But when Sera is chosen as the sacrifice to break the tether, she doesn’t know what to feel. To save her City, Sera must throw herself from its edge and end her own life...
The short review...
This was a really intriguing read for me... first of all it had four points of view! Yes, I said four and I enjoyed each of them for different reasons that I'll explain below. Needless to say that the POVs really made the story more dynamic than it would have been in one or two POVs. The other thing that really stood out about The Cerulean is the intriguing diversity. Sure there is a f/f relationship with one of the main characters that was fun and showcased sexual attraction. Then there are the Cerulean, the female only race, really a religious sect that floats above the planet, not on a ship, but on a large disc. The details as combined really worked well even if it was quite odd and not something you'd read about everyday.
At first I was just curious where all this lesbian love and veggie only eating was going... Many of the things hinted at in the beginning were quite obvious to me and developed about as I expected. Then the other POVs came in... Once we left Sera and got to Leo and Anges I found the story finally here. I really fell in love with the creatures that are in this part of the story... And then Leela came onto the scene. In the beginning you assume she is just the BFF left behind to show Sera is normal if a little wild... but she gets her own part of the story and its super intriguing!
I really enjoyed the contrast of the two societies (the Cerulean and the Kaolins) even if you aren't really certain where this all is going. The world building is such that even though the plot is rather formless its a journey that you willingly explore.
Cover & Title grade -> A-
I really love the cover of The Cerulean! I love the cool dual nature of it showing both the heavens and the trees. I love the city that is peaking above or is it jutting below?! And the small girl falling... GAHHHHH so gorgeous. It really draws you in and hints at the secrets that the Cerulean holds. However its a tiny bit static and does reflect the multiple POV nature to the narrative. Still I think its quite good and does its job well.
Why did the four multiple POVS make the story in The Cerulean really enjoyable?
-Sera
She acts as the catalyst to everyone else, bringing change and forcing them to choose sides. I really loved how her bold nature worked well in this role and how she learned to embrace her magic. She's not to most captivating but she certainly knows how to enter a scene!
-Leo
He is a bit of a spoiled brat that idolizes his father... I love that he experiences that time where you realize your parent is human and you may have to choose a path different from what they want for you. He steps out into space for the first time gives us an incredible character arc!
-Agnes
She secretly pursues her hearts greatest desires and even though she has faith in people she doesn't really know will be there for her. She is caught between the quite decent but totally platonic Ebenezer and the terribly saucy pirate chick Vada, leading them all into hot water...
-Leela
Sera's BFF who just wants her friend back... or if not that to uncover what is going on in their utopia... the most intriguing of the POVs with a mystery that by the end I was dying to learn with her. She is who I need to catch up with in the sequel!!
As a Writer...
Because there are so many POVs the actionable plot is quite shallow and mostly developed through later characters, Agnes and Leo, and not Sera, the protagonist (though Leela has a really great part all her own.) Sera acts as an instigator for all the drama that the other three go through due to her being in their lives. It's quite a fascinating way to develop the central character. Sure, when provided a way Sera gets all bold and does her part, but otherwise she just goes along with whatever the other characters tell her to do... From the high priestess to Agnes and eventually to Leo and the others who help her.
This isn't really how a protagonist should react, but it works because the other POVs are autonomous and act for themselves.
The Cerulean is an intriguing look at multiple POVs and why/how they can enliven a story and give dimension to an otherwise basic plot. The world building will keep you reading ahead as you wonder what's going to happen when the Cerulean and Kaolins meet the ?!
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Writing Style
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ Plot & Pacing
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ World Building
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. It has not influenced my opinions.
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You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my special perspective at the bottom of my reviews under the typewriter...
Please like this review if you enjoyed it! *bow* *bow* It helps me out a ton!!
May 10, 2020
This was a 4.5 for me. Review to come.
Okay so this is my first time writing a non spoiler review. Not sure if it will still contain spoilers so I'll caution any readers now.
Sera was an amazing MC. I absolutely loved her. I loved her so much I couldn't see any flaws in her but she was also not a Mary Sue character. Take from that what you will.
There were a lot of POV's in this book and that is one of the main reasons it got knocked down from a 5 to a 4 1/2. While I do deem it essential I don't like multiple POV's. Hence the 1/2 star mark down.
Now on to the other POV's. Oh and before I forget this story also has multiple parts. Mostly involving a POV change. Anyway. No wait. It might be spoilery. Shoot. NM.
The world building was wonderful. It left me with a lot of questions as I was reading but it was always answered. So it left me hanging by my fingertips often. Oh and fair warning the ending will make you desperate for the next book. lol.
Also I could do a 5 paragraph gush about the cover! OMG. It is an absolutely amazing cover. Whoever designed it I give you 5 thumbs up. It's what really drew me to this book in the first place. That and then the author and then the plot.
Edit: March 2020
This book was just as good as the first time. I had a lot more introspective this time and some things changed for me.
I'll start again with the cover. It is sooooooooooooo beautiful! I wish I had the hardback instead of the kindle as the picture is so beautiful!
Next the world. I love that Sera has three mothers. That will mean a lot to people on the LGBT spectrum as well as people who are polyamorous. Sera's world is very utopian and you only begin to see the flaws at the end. I felt sad that in a utopian world Sera still felt she had to hide the 'shameful/misunderstood' part of herself. I'm glad she finally figured out she was straight. It's weird to say that lol. It's usually the other way around.
As for Leo's and Agne's world. Well for most it would be very dystopian. Especially for the women. Leo doesn't exactly have a rosy life but he has a lot more freedoms and maybe more pressure?
The plot. I liked the plot. Obviously it was enough to retain it's 4.5 stars. I think I disliked it a bit more this time and also more. I found out new things and I both liked and disliked that.
The ending was such a cliffhanger. Off to buy the next books!
Okay so this is my first time writing a non spoiler review. Not sure if it will still contain spoilers so I'll caution any readers now.
Sera was an amazing MC. I absolutely loved her. I loved her so much I couldn't see any flaws in her but she was also not a Mary Sue character. Take from that what you will.
There were a lot of POV's in this book and that is one of the main reasons it got knocked down from a 5 to a 4 1/2. While I do deem it essential I don't like multiple POV's. Hence the 1/2 star mark down.
Now on to the other POV's. Oh and before I forget this story also has multiple parts. Mostly involving a POV change. Anyway. No wait. It might be spoilery. Shoot. NM.
The world building was wonderful. It left me with a lot of questions as I was reading but it was always answered. So it left me hanging by my fingertips often. Oh and fair warning the ending will make you desperate for the next book. lol.
Also I could do a 5 paragraph gush about the cover! OMG. It is an absolutely amazing cover. Whoever designed it I give you 5 thumbs up. It's what really drew me to this book in the first place. That and then the author and then the plot.
Edit: March 2020
This book was just as good as the first time. I had a lot more introspective this time and some things changed for me.
I'll start again with the cover. It is sooooooooooooo beautiful! I wish I had the hardback instead of the kindle as the picture is so beautiful!
Next the world. I love that Sera has three mothers. That will mean a lot to people on the LGBT spectrum as well as people who are polyamorous. Sera's world is very utopian and you only begin to see the flaws at the end. I felt sad that in a utopian world Sera still felt she had to hide the 'shameful/misunderstood' part of herself. I'm glad she finally figured out she was straight. It's weird to say that lol. It's usually the other way around.
As for Leo's and Agne's world. Well for most it would be very dystopian. Especially for the women. Leo doesn't exactly have a rosy life but he has a lot more freedoms and maybe more pressure?
The plot. I liked the plot. Obviously it was enough to retain it's 4.5 stars. I think I disliked it a bit more this time and also more. I found out new things and I both liked and disliked that.
The ending was such a cliffhanger. Off to buy the next books!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Shelved as 'dnf'
November 7, 2019DNF at page 100.
March 11, 2019
So, I didn't even know this was a thing until everyone was dogging it on twitter. When I saw that it was triggering people, I just had to read it and oh boy, do I have my opinion to share. Because I read the book, I didn't just go off what someone else said because I'm a thinking human with my very own brain! Shocking in today's world when some take another's review as their own opinion without even reading the damn book themselves.
Anyway, rant over. Let's talk about the book.
This book follows four different characters, Sera, Leela, Leo, and Agnes. Sera and Leela are best friends that live in the City in the Sky until the day that Sera is chosen to break the tether that keeps her world connected to Kaolin and Pelago. Which means, she's going to die. Only she doesn't die. She's taken by Leo and Agnes and used by their father for his greed. While Leela is left to unravel the secrets of the City in the Sky.
This wasn't a bad book at all. The characters are well fleshed out and the world was great, more so the City in the Sky, while Kaolin seemed more like a land that we would live in and that's fine just not nearly as cool as Sera and Leela's world. I loved reading when we were in the City in the Sky, the world was rich and vivid and sounds so freaking pretty!
Leo is an ass through most of the book and even in the end.... I still didn't really care for him. Agnes is fine... just a little... dull? I mean for the most part, she lets everyone treat her like crap and then when she should be helping Sera, she wants her hair instead or she just lets Sera get hurt. So I didn't really like either of them as characters and their POVs were painful to get through.
I did love Sera and Leela and their parts of the book were great! Though honestly, I think the main problem with this book is how long it is. A third could be cut out and it would flow better, maybe even half of this book could be cut and it would work much better. There are parts that I really feel was there for filler. The parts that were good really had me hooked, like the end with Leela. I wanted more of her POV. I think I would've loved this book more if we'd just stayed in the City in the Sky. The world was so different and cool. Three mothers? No fathers? Clothes made out of clouds?! I mean, that's cool, that's what I wanted. Not dropping down into a world like ours that is rather dull and boring.
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This one sounds really weird and awesome. Can't wait to read it!
Anyway, rant over. Let's talk about the book.
This book follows four different characters, Sera, Leela, Leo, and Agnes. Sera and Leela are best friends that live in the City in the Sky until the day that Sera is chosen to break the tether that keeps her world connected to Kaolin and Pelago. Which means, she's going to die. Only she doesn't die. She's taken by Leo and Agnes and used by their father for his greed. While Leela is left to unravel the secrets of the City in the Sky.
This wasn't a bad book at all. The characters are well fleshed out and the world was great, more so the City in the Sky, while Kaolin seemed more like a land that we would live in and that's fine just not nearly as cool as Sera and Leela's world. I loved reading when we were in the City in the Sky, the world was rich and vivid and sounds so freaking pretty!
Leo is an ass through most of the book and even in the end.... I still didn't really care for him. Agnes is fine... just a little... dull? I mean for the most part, she lets everyone treat her like crap and then when she should be helping Sera, she wants her hair instead or she just lets Sera get hurt. So I didn't really like either of them as characters and their POVs were painful to get through.
I did love Sera and Leela and their parts of the book were great! Though honestly, I think the main problem with this book is how long it is. A third could be cut out and it would flow better, maybe even half of this book could be cut and it would work much better. There are parts that I really feel was there for filler. The parts that were good really had me hooked, like the end with Leela. I wanted more of her POV. I think I would've loved this book more if we'd just stayed in the City in the Sky. The world was so different and cool. Three mothers? No fathers? Clothes made out of clouds?! I mean, that's cool, that's what I wanted. Not dropping down into a world like ours that is rather dull and boring.
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This one sounds really weird and awesome. Can't wait to read it!
July 21, 2019
read this book for kicks this past week and it's just as bad as everyone says and I can't say anything that hasn't been said already, but this book was so terrible and tone-deaf that I thought I was hallucinating or some shit.
Legitimately I would not have been surprised if I got to the end and the last paragraph said "wouldn't it be fucked up if this was real? I'm rod sterling and you're watching the twilight zone"
Would not recommend this book to anyone unless you're a cishet author trying to write good LGBT rep and want an example of everything you shouldn't do, or idk if you're gay and want to feel like what your brain feels like when you eat an edible and watch the cats (2019) trailer but without the weed and the terrifying cgi cats.
Legitimately I would not have been surprised if I got to the end and the last paragraph said "wouldn't it be fucked up if this was real? I'm rod sterling and you're watching the twilight zone"
Would not recommend this book to anyone unless you're a cishet author trying to write good LGBT rep and want an example of everything you shouldn't do, or idk if you're gay and want to feel like what your brain feels like when you eat an edible and watch the cats (2019) trailer but without the weed and the terrifying cgi cats.
February 6, 2019
Man, are you kidding me? Only a white straight person could have come up with this. I’ve never been so queer-baited or confronted with such flagrant racism in my life.
September 5, 2020
Sera lebt über den Wolken, nur ein unsichtbares Band verbindet ihre Heimat mit dem Planeten weit unter ihnen. Doch als es Zeit wird, zum nächsten Planeten zu reisen, wird Sera dazu auserwählt, sich zu opfern und das Band zu durchtrennen. Als das aber schiefgeht, landet sie auf dem Planeten, dessen Bevölkerung es nicht gut mit ihr meint. Sie glaubt aber an ihre Aufgabe und findet sogar neue Freunde und damit neue Hoffnung, dass alles wieder gut wird.
Auf dem Planeten leben die Zwillinge Agnes und Leo, Kinder eines machthungrigen Geschäftsmanns, für den sie nie gut genug sind. Die wissbegierige, wilde Agnes ist kein Junge und daher schon aus Prinzip niemals gut genug, aber sie will sich auch gar nicht den steifen Regeln beugen, sondern ihre Träume verwirklichen und ihren ausländischen Wurzeln folgen. Ihr Bruder Leo hingegen bemüht sich sehr, seinem Vater zu gefallen und ihn stolz zu machen, daher versucht er ganz wie sein Vater zu sein, was ihn meistens nur fies und arrogant erscheinen lässt. Wegen ihrer unterschiedlichen Ansichten geraten die Geschwister oft aneinander, was ich auch schade fand, denn eigentlich haben beide ihr Herz am rechten Fleck.
Das Buch hat mir teilweise schon etwas besser gefallen als erwartet, gerade was die Entwicklung mancher Charaktere betrifft, aber ich fand bei der Handlung schon einiges zu vorhersehbar und ahnte oft schon lange, dass mehr hinter dahinter steckt, als zunächst scheint. Daher konnte es mich nicht besonders oft überraschen und allzu spannend fand ich es auch nicht. Ich glaube auch schon zu ahnen, was im nächsten Buch dann wohl enthüllt wird, aber ich hoffe, dass es noch anders kommt. Trotzdem fand ich sowohl die Cerulean als auch die Völker auf dem Planeten sehr interessant und ich freue mich schon darauf, mehr über sie zu erfahren!
Fazit
Zwar hat mir "Kristallblau - Magisches Blut" in Hinsicht auf die Charaktere sehr gut gefallen und auch die verschiedenen Völker und Bräuche fand ich interessant, aber die Handlung fand ich etwas vorhersehbar und daher auch nicht so spannend.
Auf dem Planeten leben die Zwillinge Agnes und Leo, Kinder eines machthungrigen Geschäftsmanns, für den sie nie gut genug sind. Die wissbegierige, wilde Agnes ist kein Junge und daher schon aus Prinzip niemals gut genug, aber sie will sich auch gar nicht den steifen Regeln beugen, sondern ihre Träume verwirklichen und ihren ausländischen Wurzeln folgen. Ihr Bruder Leo hingegen bemüht sich sehr, seinem Vater zu gefallen und ihn stolz zu machen, daher versucht er ganz wie sein Vater zu sein, was ihn meistens nur fies und arrogant erscheinen lässt. Wegen ihrer unterschiedlichen Ansichten geraten die Geschwister oft aneinander, was ich auch schade fand, denn eigentlich haben beide ihr Herz am rechten Fleck.
Das Buch hat mir teilweise schon etwas besser gefallen als erwartet, gerade was die Entwicklung mancher Charaktere betrifft, aber ich fand bei der Handlung schon einiges zu vorhersehbar und ahnte oft schon lange, dass mehr hinter dahinter steckt, als zunächst scheint. Daher konnte es mich nicht besonders oft überraschen und allzu spannend fand ich es auch nicht. Ich glaube auch schon zu ahnen, was im nächsten Buch dann wohl enthüllt wird, aber ich hoffe, dass es noch anders kommt. Trotzdem fand ich sowohl die Cerulean als auch die Völker auf dem Planeten sehr interessant und ich freue mich schon darauf, mehr über sie zu erfahren!
Fazit
Zwar hat mir "Kristallblau - Magisches Blut" in Hinsicht auf die Charaktere sehr gut gefallen und auch die verschiedenen Völker und Bräuche fand ich interessant, aber die Handlung fand ich etwas vorhersehbar und daher auch nicht so spannend.
April 6, 2019
I was fortunate to have an early copy of this book from HarperCollins Canada. Thank you for this!! I was psyched when I received it, because the synopsis was so promising, and I really liked the book!
The story is told from four different characters point of view, enabling us to know the thoughts of Agnes, Leo, Sera and Leena. It touches different kinds of love, as well as different kinds of magic. Everything is unfolding very fast in the second part of the book, so much that I was constantly looking at the pages left and panicking: I wouldn't know all I want to know in such a few pages! Well, I didn't! I can't wait for book 2!
The story is told from four different characters point of view, enabling us to know the thoughts of Agnes, Leo, Sera and Leena. It touches different kinds of love, as well as different kinds of magic. Everything is unfolding very fast in the second part of the book, so much that I was constantly looking at the pages left and panicking: I wouldn't know all I want to know in such a few pages! Well, I didn't! I can't wait for book 2!
January 26, 2019
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
One thing I must say about this book, before we get into its entirety, is that the first say, 15% had me crying, smiling, in awe... and then lots more crying but look, emotions are good! I was in freaking love with this magical world in the sky. In. Love. And okay, I don't read synopses before starting a book, but some of the stuff is easy to predict regardless. That was okay, it didn't really have any impact on my reading experience. Plus, twists happened later anyway, yay!
Anyway, around 15-20% is where the location change happens. And I still really, really liked the book, but it did lose a bit of its magic for me at this point. Also, I need a map. Like desperately, and I hope there is one in the finished copy, because this world was a lot. And not in a bad way! Really, the author did a phenomenal job of creating such intricacies in several different cultures within the book, it's quite impressive. But maps help.
There are four POVs, and this did not bother me at all- I daresay they were necessary. Sera, who is the character we first meet in Sky Places (and I adored from minute one) stays with us throughout. Ground-dwelling siblings Agnes and Leo each have a POV, with quite differing views of the world around them. Leo is kind of a typical-seeming dudebro at first but you can tell he's really not underneath the machismo. Agnes is fabulous from the start ha. Sera's best friend Leela rounds them out, and she's lovely and I really enjoyed what she added to the mix.
Speaking of characters, their interactions with each other are really the crowning jewel of this story. The lengths they'd go to for each other in some cases; the tension in others. The family dynamics between Sera and her mothers is one of the loveliest I have read about in a long, long time. And the friendship Sera and Leela have is so strong and inspiring!
I don't want to say too much about the plot, but Sera wants to know what has happened to her people, and will do just about anything to save them, as she thinks she's failed her mission. Agnes and Leo are dealing with a dad who is basically the grossest of all time and has a sentient zoo I guess and honestly he is the worst. They need to figure out what they truly want out of life. Leela just wants her bestie back, and to uncover some truths about her people that will send her (and everyone else) reeling. But it kept me completely invested and I definitely need more!
Bottom Line: Such lovely and unique world-building, and characters that I am fully invested in coupled with some really heavy emotions make me certain to return for the sequel!
One thing I must say about this book, before we get into its entirety, is that the first say, 15% had me crying, smiling, in awe... and then lots more crying but look, emotions are good! I was in freaking love with this magical world in the sky. In. Love. And okay, I don't read synopses before starting a book, but some of the stuff is easy to predict regardless. That was okay, it didn't really have any impact on my reading experience. Plus, twists happened later anyway, yay!
Anyway, around 15-20% is where the location change happens. And I still really, really liked the book, but it did lose a bit of its magic for me at this point. Also, I need a map. Like desperately, and I hope there is one in the finished copy, because this world was a lot. And not in a bad way! Really, the author did a phenomenal job of creating such intricacies in several different cultures within the book, it's quite impressive. But maps help.
There are four POVs, and this did not bother me at all- I daresay they were necessary. Sera, who is the character we first meet in Sky Places (and I adored from minute one) stays with us throughout. Ground-dwelling siblings Agnes and Leo each have a POV, with quite differing views of the world around them. Leo is kind of a typical-seeming dudebro at first but you can tell he's really not underneath the machismo. Agnes is fabulous from the start ha. Sera's best friend Leela rounds them out, and she's lovely and I really enjoyed what she added to the mix.
Speaking of characters, their interactions with each other are really the crowning jewel of this story. The lengths they'd go to for each other in some cases; the tension in others. The family dynamics between Sera and her mothers is one of the loveliest I have read about in a long, long time. And the friendship Sera and Leela have is so strong and inspiring!
I don't want to say too much about the plot, but Sera wants to know what has happened to her people, and will do just about anything to save them, as she thinks she's failed her mission. Agnes and Leo are dealing with a dad who is basically the grossest of all time and has a sentient zoo I guess and honestly he is the worst. They need to figure out what they truly want out of life. Leela just wants her bestie back, and to uncover some truths about her people that will send her (and everyone else) reeling. But it kept me completely invested and I definitely need more!
Bottom Line: Such lovely and unique world-building, and characters that I am fully invested in coupled with some really heavy emotions make me certain to return for the sequel!
January 26, 2019
You can also read my review here: https://devouringbooks2017.wordpress....
The Cerulean is a fantasy that I tried really hard to get an advanced review copy of because I loved Amy Ewing’s previous series. I was so thrilled when I got a copy from Edelweiss. The cover s absolutely stunning and I really liked Amy Ewing’s first two books in The Lone City series, so I went in with super high expectations. I am pleased to say that it was not a disappointing read.
I loved the characters. Sera was intriguing as she really stood out among people from her city. She was bold and outspoken, but also curious and brave. I loved the relationship that she had with her three mothers and also how loyal and dedicated she was to her best friend Leela. The two main characters from the planet, Agnes and Leo, were interesting as well. I immediately liked Agnes, who was kind of an oppressed woman, but fought for a better life for herself. She was also clearly a morally good character. Leo, on the other hand, took a while to grow on me. In the beginning I hated him because of his actions, but as his character changed throughout the story I really started to like him more.
The world building was absolutely amazing. There was a floating city, which Sera was from, above the planet and it was attached to the planet by a magical tether. The floating city was fascinating. It was filled with only women, who were blue. Sera had three mothers and there were no men in the city so all of the citizens married other women in groups of three. Ironically Agatha, who was from the planet, was a lesbian and Sera, who was from the city filled with only women, was straight. The descriptions of the world were so vivid and fantastical. I am so glad that this is going to be a series because I would love to return to this world with these characters.
While the characters and the world building made this book shine, the plot brought my rating down from 5 stars. The beginning was kind of slow, but once it picked up it was a really good read, but not because of the plot. I wanted there to be more interesting stuff happening once Sera was on the planet. I felt like the climax of the story was kind of lame, it wasn’t built up enough and I felt like it could have been executed way better than it was. The ending also felt a bit abrupt. I understand that it was setting up for the second book, but it just didn’t feel completely finished to me.
Overall I would say that this was a great fantasy. I loved the characters and the wold building. The plot could have been better, but with such great characters it was still a wonderful book. It was a bit slow paced, but if you are looking for a vivid fantasy world to dive into, this would be a perfect choice. After reading I would really love to continue the series and also revisit Amy Ewing’s last series.
The Cerulean is a fantasy that I tried really hard to get an advanced review copy of because I loved Amy Ewing’s previous series. I was so thrilled when I got a copy from Edelweiss. The cover s absolutely stunning and I really liked Amy Ewing’s first two books in The Lone City series, so I went in with super high expectations. I am pleased to say that it was not a disappointing read.
I loved the characters. Sera was intriguing as she really stood out among people from her city. She was bold and outspoken, but also curious and brave. I loved the relationship that she had with her three mothers and also how loyal and dedicated she was to her best friend Leela. The two main characters from the planet, Agnes and Leo, were interesting as well. I immediately liked Agnes, who was kind of an oppressed woman, but fought for a better life for herself. She was also clearly a morally good character. Leo, on the other hand, took a while to grow on me. In the beginning I hated him because of his actions, but as his character changed throughout the story I really started to like him more.
The world building was absolutely amazing. There was a floating city, which Sera was from, above the planet and it was attached to the planet by a magical tether. The floating city was fascinating. It was filled with only women, who were blue. Sera had three mothers and there were no men in the city so all of the citizens married other women in groups of three. Ironically Agatha, who was from the planet, was a lesbian and Sera, who was from the city filled with only women, was straight. The descriptions of the world were so vivid and fantastical. I am so glad that this is going to be a series because I would love to return to this world with these characters.
While the characters and the world building made this book shine, the plot brought my rating down from 5 stars. The beginning was kind of slow, but once it picked up it was a really good read, but not because of the plot. I wanted there to be more interesting stuff happening once Sera was on the planet. I felt like the climax of the story was kind of lame, it wasn’t built up enough and I felt like it could have been executed way better than it was. The ending also felt a bit abrupt. I understand that it was setting up for the second book, but it just didn’t feel completely finished to me.
Overall I would say that this was a great fantasy. I loved the characters and the wold building. The plot could have been better, but with such great characters it was still a wonderful book. It was a bit slow paced, but if you are looking for a vivid fantasy world to dive into, this would be a perfect choice. After reading I would really love to continue the series and also revisit Amy Ewing’s last series.
May 18, 2019
Persönliche Meinung
Ich hab das Buch auf Englisch gelesen (The Cerulean).
«“That is Tree,“ Errol said. „Tree likest o hum somethimes.“
„They call him Boris,“ she said.
The corner of Errol’s mouth turned down. „Tree is female.“
„Oh.“ Sers glanced at the silvery trunk. „How do you know?“
He shrugged. „It is obvious.“»
Als ich gesehen habe, dass Amy Ewing ein neues Buch herausbringt, ist es direkt in den Warenkorb gewandert. Das Juwel von ihr fand ich zwar mit jedem Band schwächer, aber hei, eine zweite Chance hat jeder verdient. Ausserdem klang der Klappentext cool und das Cover ist schön. So, also why not?
Als ich es dann hatte, kamen auf einmal miese Reviews dazu heraus. Ähnlich wie damals bei Rat der Neun von Veronica Roth, wurde nun auch Amy Ewing vorgeworfen rassistisch und LGBT feindlich zu sein. Das hat mir tatsächlich ein bisschen die Lust an dem Buch genommen, aber ich wollte mir auch gerne selber davon ein Bild machen. Weil bei Rat der Neun fand ich die Anschuldigungen echt an den Haaren herbeigezogen.
Als ich nun also mit Kristallblau anfing, erkannte ich recht schnell: oh ja, die Hauptperson die in einer Welt lebt, in der es nur weibliche Wesen gibt, die fühlt sich nicht zu denen hingezogen. Okay, das stimmt schonmal und ja, das kann man jetzt bereits als Angriff nehmen, aber man kann auch einfach denken: okay sie hat vlt einfach gar keine Interessen an Liebe und körperlicher Nähe. Später, nachdem sie dann das erste männliche Wesen überhaupt sieht, merkt sie in null Komma nichts, dass sie einfach auf männliche Wesen steht. Okay... da hab ich schon gedacht: das war jetzt vielleicht nicht die klügste Idee der Autorin. Aber dann wiederum muss ich sagen, wäre es jetzt umgekehrt und die Protagonistin hätte plötzlich gemerkt, sie steht nur auf Frauen... dann wäre es ja okay gewesen? Es war halt tatsächlich etwas schlecht dargestellt. Sera kommt aus einer „Rasse“ die gar keine „Männchen“ kennt und hat und dann sieht sie zum ersten Mal so einen männlichen Menschen (für sie eigentlich ja ein Alien) und merkt gleich: ui darauf steh ich…. schwierig! Punkt zwei war ja dann ihr Gegenstück Agnes, welche auf der Erde(?) lebt in einer Gesellschaft in der Gleichgeschlechtliche Liebe nicht erlaubt ist und na klar, steht sie auf Frauen…. Ich glaube aber nicht, dass dies auch ein Angriff sein sollte, sondern eher, dass die Autorin, somit zwei Figuren zeigen wollten, die eine sexuelle Orientierung haben, die in ihrem jeweiligen Volk nicht anerkannt wird. Denn beides ist ja gut und richtig und in Ordnung, aber nicht da wo beide leben.
Je weiter ich las, desto weniger „schlimm“ fand ich das Ganze und habe mal wieder gemerkt, dass hier wieder einmal aus einer Mücke ein Elefant gemacht worden ist. Klar, man hätte es sensibler angehen müssen und vielleicht anders aufbauen und aufziehen, aber im Grunde genommen ist dies einfach ein Buch mit zwei weiblichen Protagonistinnen, die ihre Liebe nicht ausleben können, weil sie von ihrem Gesetzt, Glauben und der in Seras Fall, fehlenden Männchen, her nicht dürfen und können.
So, das war jetzt mega viel, was ich zu diesem Thema gesagt habe und nein, ich finde es auch nicht okay, wie es zuerst dargestellt wurde, aber schlussendlich war es gar nicht so schlimm (in meinen Augen) und ich glaube, dass im zweiten Band, dann alles aufgeklärt wird. Ich bin sicher, sowohl Sera als auch Agnes werden ihrer Liebe folgen und Happy werden und am Ende siegt die Liebe und ist das nicht das, was wir alle wollen?
SO!
Nun aber zur eigentlichen Geschichte!
«We are the Cerulean. Our blood is magic.»
Die war leider nur so... meh! Angefangen mit Sera und den Ceruleans auf ihrer fliegenden Insel im All… fand ich das ein sehr cooler Einstieg! Dann kam Part zwei mit Leo und Agnes und da habe ich mich einfach nicht so dafür begeistern können. Obwohl es ein wenig mittelalterlich und steampunkig daherkam, konnte ich mich einfach nicht mit ihnen anfreunden. Erst als dann Leelas Part kam, war ich wieder dabei, aber sobald es auf die Erde wechselte, schwand auch meine Interessen an der Geschichte. Die Idee find ich eigentlich richtig cool, aber es hat mir beim lesen nicht wirklich Spass gemacht. Ich war nicht gefangen oder wurde gepackt. Es war nicht intensiv, sondern einfach so ein dahinplätschern. Die Charaktere waren mir zu Stereotypisch... Einzig die Welt (die „Erde“ und die „Insel“) fand ich richtig cool und würde gerne mehr darüber erfahren. Das bringt mich zu der Frage: will ich Band zwei lesen? Eigentlich will ich schon sehr gerne wissen wie es ausgeht und mehr von dieser Hohepriesterin erfahren, aber andererseits war dieses Buch für mich nur 2 Sterne gut… Seufz, mein ewiges Dilemma!
Fazit: Die Grundidee ist irgendwie cool... aber das wars auch schon
Ich hab das Buch auf Englisch gelesen (The Cerulean).
«“That is Tree,“ Errol said. „Tree likest o hum somethimes.“
„They call him Boris,“ she said.
The corner of Errol’s mouth turned down. „Tree is female.“
„Oh.“ Sers glanced at the silvery trunk. „How do you know?“
He shrugged. „It is obvious.“»
Als ich gesehen habe, dass Amy Ewing ein neues Buch herausbringt, ist es direkt in den Warenkorb gewandert. Das Juwel von ihr fand ich zwar mit jedem Band schwächer, aber hei, eine zweite Chance hat jeder verdient. Ausserdem klang der Klappentext cool und das Cover ist schön. So, also why not?
Als ich es dann hatte, kamen auf einmal miese Reviews dazu heraus. Ähnlich wie damals bei Rat der Neun von Veronica Roth, wurde nun auch Amy Ewing vorgeworfen rassistisch und LGBT feindlich zu sein. Das hat mir tatsächlich ein bisschen die Lust an dem Buch genommen, aber ich wollte mir auch gerne selber davon ein Bild machen. Weil bei Rat der Neun fand ich die Anschuldigungen echt an den Haaren herbeigezogen.
Als ich nun also mit Kristallblau anfing, erkannte ich recht schnell: oh ja, die Hauptperson die in einer Welt lebt, in der es nur weibliche Wesen gibt, die fühlt sich nicht zu denen hingezogen. Okay, das stimmt schonmal und ja, das kann man jetzt bereits als Angriff nehmen, aber man kann auch einfach denken: okay sie hat vlt einfach gar keine Interessen an Liebe und körperlicher Nähe. Später, nachdem sie dann das erste männliche Wesen überhaupt sieht, merkt sie in null Komma nichts, dass sie einfach auf männliche Wesen steht. Okay... da hab ich schon gedacht: das war jetzt vielleicht nicht die klügste Idee der Autorin. Aber dann wiederum muss ich sagen, wäre es jetzt umgekehrt und die Protagonistin hätte plötzlich gemerkt, sie steht nur auf Frauen... dann wäre es ja okay gewesen? Es war halt tatsächlich etwas schlecht dargestellt. Sera kommt aus einer „Rasse“ die gar keine „Männchen“ kennt und hat und dann sieht sie zum ersten Mal so einen männlichen Menschen (für sie eigentlich ja ein Alien) und merkt gleich: ui darauf steh ich…. schwierig! Punkt zwei war ja dann ihr Gegenstück Agnes, welche auf der Erde(?) lebt in einer Gesellschaft in der Gleichgeschlechtliche Liebe nicht erlaubt ist und na klar, steht sie auf Frauen…. Ich glaube aber nicht, dass dies auch ein Angriff sein sollte, sondern eher, dass die Autorin, somit zwei Figuren zeigen wollten, die eine sexuelle Orientierung haben, die in ihrem jeweiligen Volk nicht anerkannt wird. Denn beides ist ja gut und richtig und in Ordnung, aber nicht da wo beide leben.
Je weiter ich las, desto weniger „schlimm“ fand ich das Ganze und habe mal wieder gemerkt, dass hier wieder einmal aus einer Mücke ein Elefant gemacht worden ist. Klar, man hätte es sensibler angehen müssen und vielleicht anders aufbauen und aufziehen, aber im Grunde genommen ist dies einfach ein Buch mit zwei weiblichen Protagonistinnen, die ihre Liebe nicht ausleben können, weil sie von ihrem Gesetzt, Glauben und der in Seras Fall, fehlenden Männchen, her nicht dürfen und können.
So, das war jetzt mega viel, was ich zu diesem Thema gesagt habe und nein, ich finde es auch nicht okay, wie es zuerst dargestellt wurde, aber schlussendlich war es gar nicht so schlimm (in meinen Augen) und ich glaube, dass im zweiten Band, dann alles aufgeklärt wird. Ich bin sicher, sowohl Sera als auch Agnes werden ihrer Liebe folgen und Happy werden und am Ende siegt die Liebe und ist das nicht das, was wir alle wollen?
SO!
Nun aber zur eigentlichen Geschichte!
«We are the Cerulean. Our blood is magic.»
Die war leider nur so... meh! Angefangen mit Sera und den Ceruleans auf ihrer fliegenden Insel im All… fand ich das ein sehr cooler Einstieg! Dann kam Part zwei mit Leo und Agnes und da habe ich mich einfach nicht so dafür begeistern können. Obwohl es ein wenig mittelalterlich und steampunkig daherkam, konnte ich mich einfach nicht mit ihnen anfreunden. Erst als dann Leelas Part kam, war ich wieder dabei, aber sobald es auf die Erde wechselte, schwand auch meine Interessen an der Geschichte. Die Idee find ich eigentlich richtig cool, aber es hat mir beim lesen nicht wirklich Spass gemacht. Ich war nicht gefangen oder wurde gepackt. Es war nicht intensiv, sondern einfach so ein dahinplätschern. Die Charaktere waren mir zu Stereotypisch... Einzig die Welt (die „Erde“ und die „Insel“) fand ich richtig cool und würde gerne mehr darüber erfahren. Das bringt mich zu der Frage: will ich Band zwei lesen? Eigentlich will ich schon sehr gerne wissen wie es ausgeht und mehr von dieser Hohepriesterin erfahren, aber andererseits war dieses Buch für mich nur 2 Sterne gut… Seufz, mein ewiges Dilemma!
Fazit: Die Grundidee ist irgendwie cool... aber das wars auch schon
May 4, 2020
The fact that this book has so many DNFs and low ratings on Goodreads truly baffles me. I really enjoyed The Cerulean, despite having come into it with very low expectations.
I picked up this book is because I had received it in a bookish subscription box some time ago, and I didn’t want my money to go to waste by not reading it. After seeing its average rating of 3.51 stars on Goodreads, I was quite apprehensive… I tend to gravitate towards books that have an average of at least 4 stars (then again, who doesn’t?). But I’m really glad that I gave this one a shot because it was a wonderful read!
The concept behind The Cerulean is fantastically unique and like nothing I’ve ever read before. The world is vivid and imaginative, full of breathtaking imagery and lyrical descriptions. This book is marketed as a fantasy, but it almost reads off as science fiction due to all of the incredibly well thought out details put into the setting. It’s amazing how this book manages to be lush and descriptive with its beautiful world-building, but also fast-paced and gripping at the same time. With fantasy, I usually find it’s one or the other, but The Cerulean is a perfect balance of both!
Additionally, the writing itself is beyond beautiful. Amy Ewing’s writing style is absorbing and poetic. I was completely entranced by every sentence she wove together, resulting in me being unable to put the book down! Ewing’s writing is utterly exquisite, and I couldn’t get enough of it.
Another aspect of the book I couldn’t get enough of: the characters! All of the main characters stood out as interesting and unique, but it never seemed like they were “trying too hard” if you know what I mean. For example, Agnes, one of the protagonists, was a strong female heroine, but her toughness wasn’t shoved in my face. You know those female MCs where it’s stated over and over how strong they are? Not here. It wasn’t even Agnes’s sassiness or snarkiness that made her a badass female lead. It was her devotion to others and determination to do the right thing that really made me fall in love with her character. The same thing can be said about our other female lead, Sera. In the book, she was forced into horrific circumstances, but nothing stopped her from remaining strong, spirited, and determined.
I find it incredibly note worthy that every supporting character in the book was just as fleshed out as the main characters. For instance, Kandra, Sera’s mother, was, in my opinion, one of the most well developed characters in the story. Seeing her grief and devastation after the loss of her daughter was both heartbreaking and impactful. Even though she played a somewhat small part in the story, her character arc was one of my favorites to read. I’m hoping to see more of Kandra in the next book in the series!
Overall, The Cerulean deserves so much more love! It’s a beautifully written book with magnificent world-building and memorable characters. In a genre that likes to repeat itself, it’s nice to have something fresh and new, like The Cerulean. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel!
I picked up this book is because I had received it in a bookish subscription box some time ago, and I didn’t want my money to go to waste by not reading it. After seeing its average rating of 3.51 stars on Goodreads, I was quite apprehensive… I tend to gravitate towards books that have an average of at least 4 stars (then again, who doesn’t?). But I’m really glad that I gave this one a shot because it was a wonderful read!
The concept behind The Cerulean is fantastically unique and like nothing I’ve ever read before. The world is vivid and imaginative, full of breathtaking imagery and lyrical descriptions. This book is marketed as a fantasy, but it almost reads off as science fiction due to all of the incredibly well thought out details put into the setting. It’s amazing how this book manages to be lush and descriptive with its beautiful world-building, but also fast-paced and gripping at the same time. With fantasy, I usually find it’s one or the other, but The Cerulean is a perfect balance of both!
Additionally, the writing itself is beyond beautiful. Amy Ewing’s writing style is absorbing and poetic. I was completely entranced by every sentence she wove together, resulting in me being unable to put the book down! Ewing’s writing is utterly exquisite, and I couldn’t get enough of it.
Another aspect of the book I couldn’t get enough of: the characters! All of the main characters stood out as interesting and unique, but it never seemed like they were “trying too hard” if you know what I mean. For example, Agnes, one of the protagonists, was a strong female heroine, but her toughness wasn’t shoved in my face. You know those female MCs where it’s stated over and over how strong they are? Not here. It wasn’t even Agnes’s sassiness or snarkiness that made her a badass female lead. It was her devotion to others and determination to do the right thing that really made me fall in love with her character. The same thing can be said about our other female lead, Sera. In the book, she was forced into horrific circumstances, but nothing stopped her from remaining strong, spirited, and determined.
I find it incredibly note worthy that every supporting character in the book was just as fleshed out as the main characters. For instance, Kandra, Sera’s mother, was, in my opinion, one of the most well developed characters in the story. Seeing her grief and devastation after the loss of her daughter was both heartbreaking and impactful. Even though she played a somewhat small part in the story, her character arc was one of my favorites to read. I’m hoping to see more of Kandra in the next book in the series!
Overall, The Cerulean deserves so much more love! It’s a beautifully written book with magnificent world-building and memorable characters. In a genre that likes to repeat itself, it’s nice to have something fresh and new, like The Cerulean. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel!
February 5, 2019
The Cerulean was unlike anything I ever expected or had read before. It really knocked me on the head with how vivid and surreal the landscape was in The City Above the Sky. It took some time for me to paint the picture as Sera explored but I loved all the small treasures like the strange and familiar animals and plants mixed in. The idea that where-ever they tether, The City Above the Sky absorbs a part of their planet in the form of minerals, flora and fauna was so cool. I did worry though if it would end up being a darker sort of reason (like they leave the planets when they suck them dry leaving the world empty and dying butttt that’s a secret.) The family structure Sera grew up in was also very unique! Everyone is female and they form groups of three woman where each one takes on specific duties based on their “color.” There is an orange mother who is more of the devout religious person, the purple mother who births the children but also takes care of the emotional needs of the family, and finally the green mother who tends to do the more domesticated roles like teach the child, cook and clean as well as create clothes. (I really hope I’m explaining this correctly and in a way that’s not confusing. It all fits together very seamlessly and I loved seeing each families dynamic.)
The first 10% definitely had me crying even when you think normally you wouldn’t be attached to the characters so quickly. The emotions were just so well written that it got me right in the feels over and over again. After Sera leaves the City Above the Sky we get introduced to more characters from the actual “ground world” and !!! it’s so fun and exciting to see the difference between them and how they all interact. She’s essentially coming from a LGBT world where woman marry woman and there are no men to the ground world where everyone is only heterosexual or keep their non hetero feelings secret.
We meet two new characters that get their own POV as well as Sera and Leela from the City Above the Sky getting their own. This is definitely a lesson in great character dynamic because as Sera journeys to find out what has happened to her people we gain valuable knowledge from the other characters as well. (And poor Leela, I’m so sad just thinking of her amazing friendship with Sera and them being torn apart!) Anyway I’m being very vague because this books holds a lot of secrets as well as twists that both make me scream and want to punch something. (In a good way I promise, I just want to protect all my sweet cinnamon rolls from danger.) I’m dying for the second book and highly recommend The Cerulean to anyone who is looking for a fantastical adventure
The first 10% definitely had me crying even when you think normally you wouldn’t be attached to the characters so quickly. The emotions were just so well written that it got me right in the feels over and over again. After Sera leaves the City Above the Sky we get introduced to more characters from the actual “ground world” and !!! it’s so fun and exciting to see the difference between them and how they all interact. She’s essentially coming from a LGBT world where woman marry woman and there are no men to the ground world where everyone is only heterosexual or keep their non hetero feelings secret.
We meet two new characters that get their own POV as well as Sera and Leela from the City Above the Sky getting their own. This is definitely a lesson in great character dynamic because as Sera journeys to find out what has happened to her people we gain valuable knowledge from the other characters as well. (And poor Leela, I’m so sad just thinking of her amazing friendship with Sera and them being torn apart!) Anyway I’m being very vague because this books holds a lot of secrets as well as twists that both make me scream and want to punch something. (In a good way I promise, I just want to protect all my sweet cinnamon rolls from danger.) I’m dying for the second book and highly recommend The Cerulean to anyone who is looking for a fantastical adventure
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