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Sink or Swim #1
Sink or Swim: Volume One: The Search for Aveline
Captain Harry Roberts and the crew of The Sappho are an unusual bunch. Bound by defiance, friendship, and a shared code of honor, these pirates took to the seas to escape marriage, cruelty, and prejudice. To find adventure, freedom, and those they've lost. The pirate's life isn't an easy one, but the ladies of The Sappho love to rise to a challenge. Whether it's sailing through treacherous reefs or tangling with treacherous enemies, like Wrath Drew of The Charon ... Navigating the cultural waters of merfolk and sirens, or the wild nightlife of lawless ports ... Pursuing romance or preparing for revenge ... Making impressive scientific discoveries or tending to the sick and injured ... Righting the wrongs of society or rescuing the victims of slavery ... Captain Harry and her wild women are ready for anything. Or so they think ...
434 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2017
About the author
Stephanie Rabig
47 books36 followersI love mythology and fairy tales (those form the basis of about 60% of my current projects), Pacific Rim, Firefly, The Avengers, tea, Welcome to Night Vale, and chocolate. Recently, I've had several short stories (and soon novels!) published by the wonderful Less Than Three Press.
Though I write mostly fantasy and romance, my first and main love will always be horror. A few years ago, my grade-school librarian came up to me at work and said it was nice to see me again. I was surprised she recognized me, considering how many kids she'd interacted with over the years, and she laughed. "True, but not many kindergartners come up to my desk wanting to borrow Dracula, dear."
Basically, I was doomed from the start.
Though I write mostly fantasy and romance, my first and main love will always be horror. A few years ago, my grade-school librarian came up to me at work and said it was nice to see me again. I was surprised she recognized me, considering how many kids she'd interacted with over the years, and she laughed. "True, but not many kindergartners come up to my desk wanting to borrow Dracula, dear."
Basically, I was doomed from the start.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Want to Read
March 17, 2017Because I intend to continue my search for a mer-book that doesn't suck.
*fingers crossed*
*fingers crossed*
March 22, 2017
I was sent this book as an advance copy by the publisher via NetGalley for reviewing purposes, but all opinions are my own.
This book is really hard for me to rate. I’ve settled on the rating I feel represents my feelings the most, but I’m going to try and rate things separately because I feel like it’s necessary:
Enjoyment: 10/10
Characters: 8/10
Plotwhat plot?: 4/10
Technical stuff: 3/10
Writing: 7/10
Romance: 7/10
Diversity: FIVE BILLIONS/10
(Note that not all points have the same weight in my eyes)
As you see, I was able to completely enjoy this book even though I was aware that some things could have been done better.
Let’s get the bad/average stuff out of the way first:
What I called “technical stuff” basically comes down to one major thing: the PoVs in this book were all over the place. The thing is, they’re so many (I’ll talk about this in the characters section of this review), but that’s not the problem at all, at least for me. The problem is that while each chapter focuses on one/two or a handful of characters at most, it’s never really clear whose PoV it is. Very rarely I got a sense that the narrative was third person omniscient, it seemed more of a case of third person limited where the PoVs switch a lot within the chapter, without a clear separation, and, what’s worse, sometimes that even happened within the same sentence.
Look, not everybody will care about this, but the way my brain works, once I learn about these things (I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t even know about this stuff not too long ago) I just can’t unsee them, you know? There’s just something reassuring in knowing that the whole chapter will be from X’s PoV.
Despite this, I managed not to get too distracted by it and I was able to focus on the characters. I say characters because the plot was pretty much non-existent, but if you know me, you’ll know that I usually love character-driven stories, and this was certainly one of those.
The thing is, the characters in this book were so many and sometimes so random that in theory, this book shouldn’t work. But in reality? It works. At least for me. I wasn’t bored once, I was never confused despite the endless amounts of point of views, even when it wasn’t entirely clear at first how some new characters fit into the story. It was also not always plainly clear whether something was a flashback or not, but it was overall understandable given the context.
This is also a rather short book, and because of that I felt like there was no time to make each character more well-rounded and layered, but what was shown on-page was still a decent exploration of each character’s background, experience and feelings.
This bring me to my next and favorite point, and where I personally think this books shines, and another reason why in theory it shouldn’t work but incredibly it does: the diversity was a.m.a.z.i.n.g., and as I was reading I tried to write down a list of diverse rep within it because it was all too much to keep in mind:
Sexuality/gender:
✓Asexuality
✓Aromanticism (?)*
✓Demisexuality
✓Bisexuality
✓Homosexuality (male and female)
✓Heterosexuality (very little tbh)
✓Pansexuality (?)*
✓Polyamory (?)*
✓Gender fluid character
Faith/beliefs:
✓in God (Catholic)
✓in science and evolution
✓no faith (atheism) [and let me just add that the number of times I, as an atheist, have felt represented in a book were very, very few, and I was so happy to see an atheist character here]
✓not sure (agnosticism)
Mental illness:
✓Bipolar disorder (?)*
✓Depression
As well as various types of disability and all kinds of skin color/ethnicity.
(You should keep in mind though, no sexuality label was actually used within the book, since it takes place in the late 1800s -I'm not exactly sure when, and I might have caught at least one historical inaccuracy, but what can you do-. Still, the various sexualities and genders were pretty much understandable and I tried to narrow them down to labels because I think it’s useful if someone reads this review and wants to know whether they’ll feel represented.)
*(The (?) are because I’m not exactly sure about those.)
As you can see, that’s really a lot. If someone had told me that all those things, especially all the different sexualities, would have fit in a short book like this one, I would have thought it couldn’t possibly work. While you won’t find an extensive study on all of those (though I think quite decent explanations were given about asexuality, demisexuality, gender fluidity and depression), it’s still amazing how the authors managed to squeeze all of that in this tiny book. Sure, there wasn’t space for much else, like an actual plot, but it was refreshing to read about such different point of views, and at the same time I never felt like this book was used as a dump to “show off” how diverse you could make it. The different stories and backgrounds fit together quite well and to me this should be the selling point of this book.
All in all, this was pretty much a whole lot of romance (there’s so many pairings I can’t even count them all off the top of my head to be honest), but they all felt different from each other and I was never bored or felt like things got repetitive.
To wrap this up, here’s another brief list of things that I loved:
• predominantly-female pirate crew;
• Healthy! Communication! Between! The characters!
• everybody respected each other’s boundaries;
• the women were such role models;
• the men/males too;
• basically everyone was amazing for different reasons tbh;
• the different fantastical creatures were interesting and fit well within this otherwise-historical world.
All in all I would say that if you usually love character-driven plots there’s a high chance that you’ll be able to love this book as much as I did!
This book is really hard for me to rate. I’ve settled on the rating I feel represents my feelings the most, but I’m going to try and rate things separately because I feel like it’s necessary:
Enjoyment: 10/10
Characters: 8/10
Plot
Technical stuff: 3/10
Writing: 7/10
Romance: 7/10
Diversity: FIVE BILLIONS/10
(Note that not all points have the same weight in my eyes)
As you see, I was able to completely enjoy this book even though I was aware that some things could have been done better.
Let’s get the bad/average stuff out of the way first:
What I called “technical stuff” basically comes down to one major thing: the PoVs in this book were all over the place. The thing is, they’re so many (I’ll talk about this in the characters section of this review), but that’s not the problem at all, at least for me. The problem is that while each chapter focuses on one/two or a handful of characters at most, it’s never really clear whose PoV it is. Very rarely I got a sense that the narrative was third person omniscient, it seemed more of a case of third person limited where the PoVs switch a lot within the chapter, without a clear separation, and, what’s worse, sometimes that even happened within the same sentence.
Look, not everybody will care about this, but the way my brain works, once I learn about these things (I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t even know about this stuff not too long ago) I just can’t unsee them, you know? There’s just something reassuring in knowing that the whole chapter will be from X’s PoV.
Despite this, I managed not to get too distracted by it and I was able to focus on the characters. I say characters because the plot was pretty much non-existent, but if you know me, you’ll know that I usually love character-driven stories, and this was certainly one of those.
The thing is, the characters in this book were so many and sometimes so random that in theory, this book shouldn’t work. But in reality? It works. At least for me. I wasn’t bored once, I was never confused despite the endless amounts of point of views, even when it wasn’t entirely clear at first how some new characters fit into the story. It was also not always plainly clear whether something was a flashback or not, but it was overall understandable given the context.
This is also a rather short book, and because of that I felt like there was no time to make each character more well-rounded and layered, but what was shown on-page was still a decent exploration of each character’s background, experience and feelings.
This bring me to my next and favorite point, and where I personally think this books shines, and another reason why in theory it shouldn’t work but incredibly it does: the diversity was a.m.a.z.i.n.g., and as I was reading I tried to write down a list of diverse rep within it because it was all too much to keep in mind:
Sexuality/gender:
✓Asexuality
✓Aromanticism (?)*
✓Demisexuality
✓Bisexuality
✓Homosexuality (male and female)
✓Heterosexuality (very little tbh)
✓Pansexuality (?)*
✓Polyamory (?)*
✓Gender fluid character
Faith/beliefs:
✓in God (Catholic)
✓in science and evolution
✓no faith (atheism) [and let me just add that the number of times I, as an atheist, have felt represented in a book were very, very few, and I was so happy to see an atheist character here]
✓not sure (agnosticism)
Mental illness:
✓Bipolar disorder (?)*
✓Depression
As well as various types of disability and all kinds of skin color/ethnicity.
(You should keep in mind though, no sexuality label was actually used within the book, since it takes place in the late 1800s -I'm not exactly sure when, and I might have caught at least one historical inaccuracy, but what can you do-. Still, the various sexualities and genders were pretty much understandable and I tried to narrow them down to labels because I think it’s useful if someone reads this review and wants to know whether they’ll feel represented.)
*(The (?) are because I’m not exactly sure about those.)
As you can see, that’s really a lot. If someone had told me that all those things, especially all the different sexualities, would have fit in a short book like this one, I would have thought it couldn’t possibly work. While you won’t find an extensive study on all of those (though I think quite decent explanations were given about asexuality, demisexuality, gender fluidity and depression), it’s still amazing how the authors managed to squeeze all of that in this tiny book. Sure, there wasn’t space for much else, like an actual plot, but it was refreshing to read about such different point of views, and at the same time I never felt like this book was used as a dump to “show off” how diverse you could make it. The different stories and backgrounds fit together quite well and to me this should be the selling point of this book.
All in all, this was pretty much a whole lot of romance (there’s so many pairings I can’t even count them all off the top of my head to be honest), but they all felt different from each other and I was never bored or felt like things got repetitive.
To wrap this up, here’s another brief list of things that I loved:
• predominantly-female pirate crew;
• Healthy! Communication! Between! The characters!
• everybody respected each other’s boundaries;
• the women were such role models;
• the men/males too;
• basically everyone was amazing for different reasons tbh;
• the different fantastical creatures were interesting and fit well within this otherwise-historical world.
All in all I would say that if you usually love character-driven plots there’s a high chance that you’ll be able to love this book as much as I did!
Want to Read
March 17, 2017Because....
No matter how many shit mer-people books I read I will continue to fish for the amazing stories of my people ;)
No matter how many shit mer-people books I read I will continue to fish for the amazing stories of my people ;)
Want to Read
March 17, 2017Because mer-people.
December 28, 2016
I enjoyed the fantasy on this book. I wouldn't consider it a romance per sei. It was more adventure in my opinion with the various characters falling in love in the course of the story. Maybe the fact that there were so many couples (mf, ff, mm) diluted the romance too much.
The story was nice and I enjoyed all the characters on the Sappho. Mermaids, mermen, fae and other creatures interact with the humans on this very special pirate ship with a crew of mostly women with the most diverse backgrounds.
The end seems open enough for this book to be the start of a series, which seems to be the case. Besides, there is still the non resolved issue with Capitain Wrath.
The writing style was different, jumping here and there to recount the past story of the characters of the ship.
A good read overall.
The story was nice and I enjoyed all the characters on the Sappho. Mermaids, mermen, fae and other creatures interact with the humans on this very special pirate ship with a crew of mostly women with the most diverse backgrounds.
The end seems open enough for this book to be the start of a series, which seems to be the case. Besides, there is still the non resolved issue with Capitain Wrath.
The writing style was different, jumping here and there to recount the past story of the characters of the ship.
A good read overall.
September 30, 2017
His aura was ocean-blue, bright as the sunlight through water in some places, and in others, melding with the deep blue-black of the inlet where she rested. It was a calming, gentle color, but the ocean could be terrifying, too: how well did she know that now?
* * *
*Yo-ho-hooooooly shit, this is good.*
...That's what I said when I wrote a quick placeholder review, and I stand by it. If you like super diverse casts, mostly ladies (and one super-sweet merman), all with their own backstories and issues and struggles and hopes and dreams, having amazing seafaring adventures and working together and helping one another grow and heal, with some genuinely hilarious moments and devastating heart-punches (but nothing that crosses the line between catharsis and suffer-porn), you want this book.
More a series of interconnected short stories than a straight narrative, The Search for Aveline is centered on the crew and how they all came to be together - and the titular search for their missing friend/sister/lover. The answer is mixed up with poison-aura'd pirate nemeses (as opposed to the generally Chaotic Good crew of the Sappho) and refreshingly chilling sea monsters (seriously, love me some brutal and really alien/inhuman-seeming mer-people, aside from sweetie Kai), and while the crew has other adventures, Aveline's loss and the quest to find her is the thread that ties it all together.
I also said that if you liked Chameleon Moon, you'd probably like this, because of its strong sense of found family, a queer ensemble cast, and a story that takes readers from the depths of despair into the calm waters of hope and a swift sunrise (sorry, had to). We see characters with a range of orientations (loved the ace inclusion especially) and abilities, dealing with PTSD, depression and other mental illnesses, and everything actual pirate crews probably handled, but probably a lot more supportively. This is something we need a lot more of: diverse and inclusive casts not only supporting and protecting each other, but having adventures just as exciting and thrilling as any found in blockbuster books and movies.
I would love to see books like this take off and get the recognition they so richly deserve. And I would *really* like to see a sequel - which I know is on the horizon. Hell yes. Can't wait to revisit the Sappho and everyone on board. <3
* * *
*Yo-ho-hooooooly shit, this is good.*
...That's what I said when I wrote a quick placeholder review, and I stand by it. If you like super diverse casts, mostly ladies (and one super-sweet merman), all with their own backstories and issues and struggles and hopes and dreams, having amazing seafaring adventures and working together and helping one another grow and heal, with some genuinely hilarious moments and devastating heart-punches (but nothing that crosses the line between catharsis and suffer-porn), you want this book.
More a series of interconnected short stories than a straight narrative, The Search for Aveline is centered on the crew and how they all came to be together - and the titular search for their missing friend/sister/lover. The answer is mixed up with poison-aura'd pirate nemeses (as opposed to the generally Chaotic Good crew of the Sappho) and refreshingly chilling sea monsters (seriously, love me some brutal and really alien/inhuman-seeming mer-people, aside from sweetie Kai), and while the crew has other adventures, Aveline's loss and the quest to find her is the thread that ties it all together.
I also said that if you liked Chameleon Moon, you'd probably like this, because of its strong sense of found family, a queer ensemble cast, and a story that takes readers from the depths of despair into the calm waters of hope and a swift sunrise (sorry, had to). We see characters with a range of orientations (loved the ace inclusion especially) and abilities, dealing with PTSD, depression and other mental illnesses, and everything actual pirate crews probably handled, but probably a lot more supportively. This is something we need a lot more of: diverse and inclusive casts not only supporting and protecting each other, but having adventures just as exciting and thrilling as any found in blockbuster books and movies.
I would love to see books like this take off and get the recognition they so richly deserve. And I would *really* like to see a sequel - which I know is on the horizon. Hell yes. Can't wait to revisit the Sappho and everyone on board. <3
February 6, 2017
It helps if you think of this not so much as novel but rather as a series of non-linear vignettes with shared characters. The authors of this book treat the idea that every scene should serve a larger plot with some level of derision, and we jump randomly between different scenes at different points in time with no warning. But like I said, if you forget what a novel is supposed to look like, it's really rather fun. The characters are vibrant and come in all shapes, races and sexualities. It's a female heavy cast, which I love, and you can practically smell the salt air wafting from the pages. This is the perfect book for when you need a palette cleanser between gloomy doorstoppers or bloody little grimdark numbers and despite its flaws it was a lot of fun.
November 20, 2017
2.5 stars. Full video review on my YouTube channel!
I actually found this book super enjoyable, if only it didn't feel so all over the place.
This book had lots of diversity and it was enjoyable to read about all the different characters, how they ended up being part of The Sappho's crew and how their every day life on the ship looks. There were bisexual, homosexual and asexual characters in this book. I loved that while the society (as it is very historical) was pretty heteronormative overall, most of the time we find ourselves around people that are accepting and just don't care. We read about people experiencing discrimination because of their sexual preferences in the past but on The Sappho everybody does as they please and it was great to be in that environment for the most time.
While this takes place in a very historical setting, there are a lot of fantastical and mythical creatures that add a fantasy element to the story. While I like a good pirate story that also includes mermaids or sirens, I felt like here it was just all a bit much. There were sirens and mermaids and mermen and shark-like mermaids and even fae! I was just like OKAY I GET IT.
What bothered me most about this story is the structure of it overall. Some of the things just felt a little random and almost info-dumpy. Normally I really don't mind it too much but here it was just info-dumping for so many different things and characters. Often it wasn't clear if we were in the present time or if it was a flashback and sometimes chapters started with “She never had blablabla”. SHE? WHO SHE? THERE'S LIKE A MILLION WOMEN IN THIS BOOK!! TELL ME WHO YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT IN THE FIRST SENTENCE!
There were just too many characters and it felt like they were all fighting to be in the spotlight, almost all of their background stories introduced back to back. I got so confused about all of the different characters, their names, where they came from, which past belonged to whom and it just really took me out of the story. I constantly found myself thinking “wait, who is this character again?” and I felt like that just hurt this story in so many places. I love all of these different characters and found their background stories interesting, I just think they could have been spread out a bit more evenly, maybe some of these stories only even finding place in the sequels to this story. I felt like it took too much away from actually storytelling. Also the distinctions between the different background stories and how exactly they fit into the present time wasn't well done and sometimes didn't make sense.
Really, this was just an introduction to the world and all of the characters and really not much story happening. And while that makes it still enjoyable as a character-driven story, I just wish we gut some more action-adventure in this first book. Now I feel like in the second book we will be meeting back with these characters, just thinking what was this character's story about and I think that could have been avoided by spreading it more evenly and leaving some flashbacks to the sequel.
This book is pretty heavy on the romance. I definitely liked all the pairings and relationships we learned about but I'm a sucker for romance anyway. If you get annoyed by it quickly, this might not be the right book for you. There are a lot of different pairings in this book, I can already think of six at the top of my head. Some of these are based on physical attraction, others have already developed in the past but some just feel a little out of the blue, as there is not much time to actually build up feelings or relationships BECAUSE THERE'S JUST TOO MANY CHARACTERS. It felt a little like this pirate crew was on a dating cruise, for some reason almost everyone got their perfect match throughout the story. People always seemed to be attracted to each other or in love with each other. No unrequited love or something similar. That made all of these different pairings a little bit unrealistic. The weirdest part for me though was when
This book has quite a few explicit scenes although I do have to say for an Adult book (which I suppose this is), they were quite harmless!
Overall I'd say if you are into lady pirates and want lots of diverse relationships, this is the book for you. If you're looking for a fun action-adventure, I'd say this is not the book for you yet. I have a lot of hopes about the sequel giving us more on that front.
I actually found this book super enjoyable, if only it didn't feel so all over the place.
This book had lots of diversity and it was enjoyable to read about all the different characters, how they ended up being part of The Sappho's crew and how their every day life on the ship looks. There were bisexual, homosexual and asexual characters in this book. I loved that while the society (as it is very historical) was pretty heteronormative overall, most of the time we find ourselves around people that are accepting and just don't care. We read about people experiencing discrimination because of their sexual preferences in the past but on The Sappho everybody does as they please and it was great to be in that environment for the most time.
While this takes place in a very historical setting, there are a lot of fantastical and mythical creatures that add a fantasy element to the story. While I like a good pirate story that also includes mermaids or sirens, I felt like here it was just all a bit much. There were sirens and mermaids and mermen and shark-like mermaids and even fae! I was just like OKAY I GET IT.
What bothered me most about this story is the structure of it overall. Some of the things just felt a little random and almost info-dumpy. Normally I really don't mind it too much but here it was just info-dumping for so many different things and characters. Often it wasn't clear if we were in the present time or if it was a flashback and sometimes chapters started with “She never had blablabla”. SHE? WHO SHE? THERE'S LIKE A MILLION WOMEN IN THIS BOOK!! TELL ME WHO YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT IN THE FIRST SENTENCE!
There were just too many characters and it felt like they were all fighting to be in the spotlight, almost all of their background stories introduced back to back. I got so confused about all of the different characters, their names, where they came from, which past belonged to whom and it just really took me out of the story. I constantly found myself thinking “wait, who is this character again?” and I felt like that just hurt this story in so many places. I love all of these different characters and found their background stories interesting, I just think they could have been spread out a bit more evenly, maybe some of these stories only even finding place in the sequels to this story. I felt like it took too much away from actually storytelling. Also the distinctions between the different background stories and how exactly they fit into the present time wasn't well done and sometimes didn't make sense.
Really, this was just an introduction to the world and all of the characters and really not much story happening. And while that makes it still enjoyable as a character-driven story, I just wish we gut some more action-adventure in this first book. Now I feel like in the second book we will be meeting back with these characters, just thinking what was this character's story about and I think that could have been avoided by spreading it more evenly and leaving some flashbacks to the sequel.
This book is pretty heavy on the romance. I definitely liked all the pairings and relationships we learned about but I'm a sucker for romance anyway. If you get annoyed by it quickly, this might not be the right book for you. There are a lot of different pairings in this book, I can already think of six at the top of my head. Some of these are based on physical attraction, others have already developed in the past but some just feel a little out of the blue, as there is not much time to actually build up feelings or relationships BECAUSE THERE'S JUST TOO MANY CHARACTERS. It felt a little like this pirate crew was on a dating cruise, for some reason almost everyone got their perfect match throughout the story. People always seemed to be attracted to each other or in love with each other. No unrequited love or something similar. That made all of these different pairings a little bit unrealistic. The weirdest part for me though was when
This book has quite a few explicit scenes although I do have to say for an Adult book (which I suppose this is), they were quite harmless!
Overall I'd say if you are into lady pirates and want lots of diverse relationships, this is the book for you. If you're looking for a fun action-adventure, I'd say this is not the book for you yet. I have a lot of hopes about the sequel giving us more on that front.
February 25, 2017
I went into this story with only the description to guide me. I liked it because how often have I read a book with a female pirate, much less one that is the captain of her own ship? What I found was so much more than one strong female lead in the form of Captain Harriet "Harry" Roberts. I found an entire family, brought together by chance or by choice, that embraced who they were better than any fictional representation I've seen thus far.
At first I thought this was a novel, so I was a bit surprised when, after the first "chapter", it turned out that The Search for Aveline was actually a collection of interconnected stories about the characters about the Sappho. They are not told in a strictly linear fashion, but I did not find this to be a problem as the authors wrote in such a way that it was obvious quickly whom the current story was about and when in the grand scope of things it was taking place.
Each story had a purpose. It gave us backstory or motive for everyone we met, from Harry's relationship with the titular Aveline, to the voiceless siren Echo/Silence, and the other members of the crew.
There's also an interesting incorporation of mermaids and sirens that I've yet to read about elsewhere. These are not the sea dwelling creatures you've seen in Disney films, which I loved. They can be kindly, sure, but they can also commit terrible deeds and meddle in the affairs of others.
Beyond Junia's representation, there was great rep for many other relationships along all ranges of the sexuality spectrum, as well as diversity in ethnicity as well. This was a pleasant surprise, as most pirate stories I've heard before have strictly white European crews which seems kind of odd?
Since this is volume one in the Sink or Swim series, I am eagerly anticipating more books about the crew of the Sappho. There might even be two more books if we're really lucky, according to Stephanie Rabig via Twitter!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
At first I thought this was a novel, so I was a bit surprised when, after the first "chapter", it turned out that The Search for Aveline was actually a collection of interconnected stories about the characters about the Sappho. They are not told in a strictly linear fashion, but I did not find this to be a problem as the authors wrote in such a way that it was obvious quickly whom the current story was about and when in the grand scope of things it was taking place.
Each story had a purpose. It gave us backstory or motive for everyone we met, from Harry's relationship with the titular Aveline, to the voiceless siren Echo/Silence, and the other members of the crew.
There's also an interesting incorporation of mermaids and sirens that I've yet to read about elsewhere. These are not the sea dwelling creatures you've seen in Disney films, which I loved. They can be kindly, sure, but they can also commit terrible deeds and meddle in the affairs of others.
Beyond Junia's representation, there was great rep for many other relationships along all ranges of the sexuality spectrum, as well as diversity in ethnicity as well. This was a pleasant surprise, as most pirate stories I've heard before have strictly white European crews which seems kind of odd?
Since this is volume one in the Sink or Swim series, I am eagerly anticipating more books about the crew of the Sappho. There might even be two more books if we're really lucky, according to Stephanie Rabig via Twitter!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
featured
January 22, 2025Junia from The Search for Aveline is acespec!
https://www.tumblr.com/aspeccharacter...
https://www.tumblr.com/aspeccharacter...
December 4, 2017
2017 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: Sink or Swim: The Search for Aveline
1) A fun mix of LGBTQ characters and quasi-historical paranormal pirate adventure, with a few more serious themes given attention, but not angst.
2) Well crafted descriptions. Witty, snappy dialogue. Perfectly timed jokes and double entendres. Evocative and engaging writing style. Swift pace with tight scenes. An intriguing ensemble cast of characters. Was this the best pirate adventure with romance elements I've read? No. But it's pretty damn good. Like I mentioned, there is no one particular main couple, but several pairings form along the way. Lesbian, gay, straight, so be forewarned. Backstories are given, and we learn enough about everyone. Had some trouble keeping up with who was who, and the plot was a tad convoluted at times, but I take all the blame for that. Sometimes the language and people's level of knowledge also seem a bit too modern. But overall, not bad at all.
1) A fun mix of LGBTQ characters and quasi-historical paranormal pirate adventure, with a few more serious themes given attention, but not angst.
2) Well crafted descriptions. Witty, snappy dialogue. Perfectly timed jokes and double entendres. Evocative and engaging writing style. Swift pace with tight scenes. An intriguing ensemble cast of characters. Was this the best pirate adventure with romance elements I've read? No. But it's pretty damn good. Like I mentioned, there is no one particular main couple, but several pairings form along the way. Lesbian, gay, straight, so be forewarned. Backstories are given, and we learn enough about everyone. Had some trouble keeping up with who was who, and the plot was a tad convoluted at times, but I take all the blame for that. Sometimes the language and people's level of knowledge also seem a bit too modern. But overall, not bad at all.
November 8, 2017
Well crafted descriptions. Witty, snappy dialogue. Perfectly timed jokes and double entendres. Evocative and engaging writing style. Swift pace with tight scenes. An intriguing ensemble cast of characters. Was this the best pirate adventure with romance elements I've read? No. But it's pretty damn good. Like I mentioned, there is no one particular main couple, but several pairings form along the way. Lesbian, gay, straight, so be forewarned. Backstories are given, and we learn enough about everyone. Had some trouble keeping up with who was who, and the plot was a tad convoluted at times, but I take all the blame for that. Sometimes the language and people's level of knowledge also seem a bit too modern. But overall, not bad at all.
December 26, 2017
A little too causally racist for my tastes........ I'm not sure if it's just mere bad writing though.
June 25, 2023
I loved this book, Angie has done an amazing job with all her characters. Highly recommend if you like a spontaneous kind of book
February 4, 2017
Hier kommt das Buch für alle die The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet mit Freude weginhaliert haben, ihre Füße aber auch gerne auf dem Erdball lassen wollen. Sink or Swim – The Search for Aveline mag in der Gliederung und Ausarbeitung nicht ganz so perfekt geschliffen sein, aber ich muss sagen, es hat mir dafür in anderen Bereichen noch besser gefallen als die Weltraum Utopie. Es gibt gewisse Parallelen was die Diversität, Gleichberechtigung und die Beziehungen zwischen Menschen aller Art, aber auch mit anderen Spezies angeht, nur dass wir uns diesmal nicht mit Aliens verbandeln, sondern mit klassischen Mythen- und Sagengestalten.
Wer sich ein bisschen mit den antiken Griechen auskennt, dem wird der Name Sappho ein Glöckchen im Hinterkopf erklingen lassen. Sappho war eine Dichterin, die auf der Insel Lesbos lebte und nun kann man sich schon denken, dass die Besatzung der Sappho nicht gerade den konventionellen Normen folgt. Es wäre allerdings auch falsch anzunehmen, dass sie nur aus lesbischen Frauen bestünde, denn dieses Schiff beherbergt so ziemlich alles, was nicht nur die menschliche Spezies zu bieten hat. Auf der Sappho ist für alle Platz. Für die noch unbetitelten Feministinnen, für die Armen wie die Reichen, für die Heterosexuellen, Homosexuellen, Bisexuellen, Transsexuellen und Asexuellen, für die Dunkelhäutigen, Hellhäutigen, und alle Nuancen dazwischen, für Menschen-Männer, Meermänner und kürzlich noch Mensch Gewesene, für die körperlich Beeinträchtigten … Es ist wirklich alles, ALLES, vertreten, was man im Diversity-Bereich suchen wollen könnte. Manchmal ist das so viel Input, dass man den Überblick verliert, aber wer dran bleibt wird mit einer lebendigen Bande belohnt.
Angesichts der Fülle an Figuren werde ich nun auch gar nicht erst versuchen auf irgendwen näher einzugehen. Die Besatzung ist eben sehr sehr bunt gemischt und aufgeschlossen. Obwohl alle einen piratenmäßig lauten Humor an den Tag legen, verbergen sie ihre kleinen Geheimnisse, Dinge aus der Vergangenheit, Dinge, die sie überhaupt erst auf die Sappho getrieben haben. Ganz ungeplant ist Harrys Schiff zu einer Anlaufstelle für Streuner, Ausgestoßene und die Freiheit-Suchenden geworden, für die Querdenker und Rebellen. Die Hintergründe der Protagonisten, deren Anzahl übrigens stetig wächst, erfährt man nach und nach in Rückblenden. Manche davon sind harmlos, andere herzerweichend, wieder andere grausam und traumatisch. Wie in Angry Planet hat auch The Search for Aveline diese herrliche Utopie des respektvollen Miteinanders zu bieten, die Hintergründe der Figuren sind aber ernster. In vielen Bereichen ist dieses Buch blutiger und herzloser, und der Humor ist nicht ganz so »lieblich«, wie er es in dem Weltraumabenteuer ist. Für mich funktioniert das Buch dadurch besser als der Angry Planet, weil mir die Dinge dort manchmal etwas zu kantenlos waren.
Ansonsten lebt die Geschichte auch in diesem Fall vielmehr durch die Schicksale der Figuren, als durch eine fest definierte Handlung. Die Sappho schippert von einem Erlebnis ins nächste ohne dabei einem großen Handlungsstrang zu folgen. Es wird eine übergeordnete Handlung angedeutet, die wird aber wohl erst im Folgeband Fahrt aufnehmen. Von Nachteil ist das nicht, denn es ist auch so schon unheimlich viel los in The Search for Aveline.
Wer die Aufmerksamkeitsspanne einer Eintagsfliege hat, sollte allerdings einen Bogen um diesen Auftaktroman machen. Ich habe ihn als Vorab-Version genießen dürfen und weiß nicht wie viel vor dem offiziellen Release vielleicht noch ausgebügelt wird. Es handelt sich um einen kleinen Indie-Verlag, da stehen die Chancen auf ein umfangreiches Lektorat meistens schlecht. Sofern das Buch so in den Release gehen sollte, ist also mit ein paar Hürden zu rechnen. Neben der großen Anzahl an Figuren, springt der Text manchmal etwas ungeschickt zwischen verschiedenen Perspektiven und Zeiten. Gegenwarts und Rückblende sind optisch nicht zu unterscheiden, ich fand aber, dass man das trotzdem recht gut mitbekommt. Hirneinsatz ist allerdings dringend gefragt, wenn man nicht den Faden verlieren will. Daneben gibt es ab und an auch Formatierungsfehler, bei denen vergessen wurde eine Headline vom Rest abzutrennen – das kann, wie gesagt, auch noch geändert werden – es waren aber auch nur drei oder vier Stellen.
Empfehlung?
Ganz klar, ja! The Search for Aveline ist sicher nicht perfekt poliert. Es braucht eine Weile um richtig in Fahrt zu kommen und es hätte hier und da ein strengeres Lektorat vertragen. Trotzdem bin ich begeistert und habe mehr bekommen, als ich erwartet hatte. Wer also ein humoriges, erwachsenes Piratenabenteuer vermischt mit einer vielfältigen, sozialen Crew und allerlei Sagengestalten sucht, der ist hier genau richtig. Mir hat es sehr viel Spaß gemacht und den einen Stern Abzug gibt es nur wegen der teils sprunghaften Übergänge und der vergessenen Formatierung.
Eine kleine Warnung noch:
Es geht in diesem Roman sexuell ziemlich explizit zu. Das Buch sollte also möglichst nicht in Kinderhände geraten.
Wer sich ein bisschen mit den antiken Griechen auskennt, dem wird der Name Sappho ein Glöckchen im Hinterkopf erklingen lassen. Sappho war eine Dichterin, die auf der Insel Lesbos lebte und nun kann man sich schon denken, dass die Besatzung der Sappho nicht gerade den konventionellen Normen folgt. Es wäre allerdings auch falsch anzunehmen, dass sie nur aus lesbischen Frauen bestünde, denn dieses Schiff beherbergt so ziemlich alles, was nicht nur die menschliche Spezies zu bieten hat. Auf der Sappho ist für alle Platz. Für die noch unbetitelten Feministinnen, für die Armen wie die Reichen, für die Heterosexuellen, Homosexuellen, Bisexuellen, Transsexuellen und Asexuellen, für die Dunkelhäutigen, Hellhäutigen, und alle Nuancen dazwischen, für Menschen-Männer, Meermänner und kürzlich noch Mensch Gewesene, für die körperlich Beeinträchtigten … Es ist wirklich alles, ALLES, vertreten, was man im Diversity-Bereich suchen wollen könnte. Manchmal ist das so viel Input, dass man den Überblick verliert, aber wer dran bleibt wird mit einer lebendigen Bande belohnt.
Angesichts der Fülle an Figuren werde ich nun auch gar nicht erst versuchen auf irgendwen näher einzugehen. Die Besatzung ist eben sehr sehr bunt gemischt und aufgeschlossen. Obwohl alle einen piratenmäßig lauten Humor an den Tag legen, verbergen sie ihre kleinen Geheimnisse, Dinge aus der Vergangenheit, Dinge, die sie überhaupt erst auf die Sappho getrieben haben. Ganz ungeplant ist Harrys Schiff zu einer Anlaufstelle für Streuner, Ausgestoßene und die Freiheit-Suchenden geworden, für die Querdenker und Rebellen. Die Hintergründe der Protagonisten, deren Anzahl übrigens stetig wächst, erfährt man nach und nach in Rückblenden. Manche davon sind harmlos, andere herzerweichend, wieder andere grausam und traumatisch. Wie in Angry Planet hat auch The Search for Aveline diese herrliche Utopie des respektvollen Miteinanders zu bieten, die Hintergründe der Figuren sind aber ernster. In vielen Bereichen ist dieses Buch blutiger und herzloser, und der Humor ist nicht ganz so »lieblich«, wie er es in dem Weltraumabenteuer ist. Für mich funktioniert das Buch dadurch besser als der Angry Planet, weil mir die Dinge dort manchmal etwas zu kantenlos waren.
Ansonsten lebt die Geschichte auch in diesem Fall vielmehr durch die Schicksale der Figuren, als durch eine fest definierte Handlung. Die Sappho schippert von einem Erlebnis ins nächste ohne dabei einem großen Handlungsstrang zu folgen. Es wird eine übergeordnete Handlung angedeutet, die wird aber wohl erst im Folgeband Fahrt aufnehmen. Von Nachteil ist das nicht, denn es ist auch so schon unheimlich viel los in The Search for Aveline.
Wer die Aufmerksamkeitsspanne einer Eintagsfliege hat, sollte allerdings einen Bogen um diesen Auftaktroman machen. Ich habe ihn als Vorab-Version genießen dürfen und weiß nicht wie viel vor dem offiziellen Release vielleicht noch ausgebügelt wird. Es handelt sich um einen kleinen Indie-Verlag, da stehen die Chancen auf ein umfangreiches Lektorat meistens schlecht. Sofern das Buch so in den Release gehen sollte, ist also mit ein paar Hürden zu rechnen. Neben der großen Anzahl an Figuren, springt der Text manchmal etwas ungeschickt zwischen verschiedenen Perspektiven und Zeiten. Gegenwarts und Rückblende sind optisch nicht zu unterscheiden, ich fand aber, dass man das trotzdem recht gut mitbekommt. Hirneinsatz ist allerdings dringend gefragt, wenn man nicht den Faden verlieren will. Daneben gibt es ab und an auch Formatierungsfehler, bei denen vergessen wurde eine Headline vom Rest abzutrennen – das kann, wie gesagt, auch noch geändert werden – es waren aber auch nur drei oder vier Stellen.
Empfehlung?
Ganz klar, ja! The Search for Aveline ist sicher nicht perfekt poliert. Es braucht eine Weile um richtig in Fahrt zu kommen und es hätte hier und da ein strengeres Lektorat vertragen. Trotzdem bin ich begeistert und habe mehr bekommen, als ich erwartet hatte. Wer also ein humoriges, erwachsenes Piratenabenteuer vermischt mit einer vielfältigen, sozialen Crew und allerlei Sagengestalten sucht, der ist hier genau richtig. Mir hat es sehr viel Spaß gemacht und den einen Stern Abzug gibt es nur wegen der teils sprunghaften Übergänge und der vergessenen Formatierung.
Eine kleine Warnung noch:
Es geht in diesem Roman sexuell ziemlich explizit zu. Das Buch sollte also möglichst nicht in Kinderhände geraten.
February 5, 2017
This book featured a diverse, interesting set of characters thrown together by circumstance and the soft heart of a pirate captain. Unfortunately, it didn't feature a plot to match.
Look, if you want a series of enjoyable vignettes about a group of mostly queer pirates with hearts of gold, many of them fleeing their past but others just in it for the adventure... well, this book's got that. But a series of vignettes is all you're going to get. This book is episodic to the point where even the 'search for Aveline' aspect of the plot is a passive background goal that rarely actually influences any decisions the characters make -- finding Aveline is a matter of coincidence rather than plot.
Yes, you'll get some sweet relationships. Yes, you'll get diverse characters of all kinds (disabled and mentally ill characters, racial diversity, and characters of all sexual orientations). You'll get sympathetic portrayal of sex workers, among others. You'll get some moments of emotion and some humorous dialogue that had me reaching to highlight it on my Kindle. But there just wasn't enough plot to hold it together, in my mind -- it felt more like a series of short stories or individual scenes that hadn't been entirely strung together in a convincing way.
The worldbuilding could also have used some more work. As the book went on, I managed to establish that it was effectively our world in the 19th century -- references to Dickens and Darwin made that clear enough. But it was also a world in which mermaids, the fae, and intelligent lizard creatures are accepted as fact. And it took me about half the book even to get that much sorted -- for a while, I was convinced I must be reading a sequel, because nothing was ever explained. I double checked, though, and it was definitely the first book in the series. It just lacked explanations and depth, so that the worldbuilding was more confusing than intriguing.
Add to this the fact that the various flashbacks and backstory scenes weren't clearly indicated -- e.g. in chapter headers that might easily have said something like 'five years ago' or whatever didn't, so you just had to guess when something was set -- and it was really hard to get any sort of grip on the book as a linear plotline, mostly because... well, it didn't have enough of a plot.
I loved a lot of the characters. I really wanted to like the book. Queer pirates are my deal, especially when we also get to see disabled, mentally ill characters, and racially diverse characters along with them. And a ship called the Sappho? I mean, awesome. This had so much potential, but it wasn't a novel. It felt like the initial ideas someone might sketch out, the scenes you'd exchange to give glimpses at the characters you were coming up with that you hadn't yet figured out how to fit into a book. Some of the prose felt more polished than the rest, and I had to admit the development of relationships felt just as choppy and disjointed as the storyline, so that I wasn't really convinced by any of the romantic pairings, but the characters had a TON of potential.
My reading of it probably wasn't helped by the fact I had to read it in several short sessions over the course of about a week, which isn't how I usually read books: it definitely contributed to the episodic feel. On the whole, though, this was a disappointment. It came so close to being something I could love, and then missed entirely. If the authors figure out a way to do these characters justice and give them an actual solid plot, I'll be more than happy to read it. Sadly, this one didn't do it for me.
Look, if you want a series of enjoyable vignettes about a group of mostly queer pirates with hearts of gold, many of them fleeing their past but others just in it for the adventure... well, this book's got that. But a series of vignettes is all you're going to get. This book is episodic to the point where even the 'search for Aveline' aspect of the plot is a passive background goal that rarely actually influences any decisions the characters make -- finding Aveline is a matter of coincidence rather than plot.
Yes, you'll get some sweet relationships. Yes, you'll get diverse characters of all kinds (disabled and mentally ill characters, racial diversity, and characters of all sexual orientations). You'll get sympathetic portrayal of sex workers, among others. You'll get some moments of emotion and some humorous dialogue that had me reaching to highlight it on my Kindle. But there just wasn't enough plot to hold it together, in my mind -- it felt more like a series of short stories or individual scenes that hadn't been entirely strung together in a convincing way.
The worldbuilding could also have used some more work. As the book went on, I managed to establish that it was effectively our world in the 19th century -- references to Dickens and Darwin made that clear enough. But it was also a world in which mermaids, the fae, and intelligent lizard creatures are accepted as fact. And it took me about half the book even to get that much sorted -- for a while, I was convinced I must be reading a sequel, because nothing was ever explained. I double checked, though, and it was definitely the first book in the series. It just lacked explanations and depth, so that the worldbuilding was more confusing than intriguing.
Add to this the fact that the various flashbacks and backstory scenes weren't clearly indicated -- e.g. in chapter headers that might easily have said something like 'five years ago' or whatever didn't, so you just had to guess when something was set -- and it was really hard to get any sort of grip on the book as a linear plotline, mostly because... well, it didn't have enough of a plot.
I loved a lot of the characters. I really wanted to like the book. Queer pirates are my deal, especially when we also get to see disabled, mentally ill characters, and racially diverse characters along with them. And a ship called the Sappho? I mean, awesome. This had so much potential, but it wasn't a novel. It felt like the initial ideas someone might sketch out, the scenes you'd exchange to give glimpses at the characters you were coming up with that you hadn't yet figured out how to fit into a book. Some of the prose felt more polished than the rest, and I had to admit the development of relationships felt just as choppy and disjointed as the storyline, so that I wasn't really convinced by any of the romantic pairings, but the characters had a TON of potential.
My reading of it probably wasn't helped by the fact I had to read it in several short sessions over the course of about a week, which isn't how I usually read books: it definitely contributed to the episodic feel. On the whole, though, this was a disappointment. It came so close to being something I could love, and then missed entirely. If the authors figure out a way to do these characters justice and give them an actual solid plot, I'll be more than happy to read it. Sadly, this one didn't do it for me.
February 27, 2017
I received a free advanced copy of this book through NetGalley
I actually spent like half an hour trying to find this book on goodreads because the cover made me think the title was Sink or Swim. Whoops. Other than that bit of confusion, I really enjoyed The Search for Aveline. While the plot wasn't immediately apparent and having such a large cast of characters introduce all at once was a little confusing, once I got into the rhythm of the book and figured out that there were some time and space jumps it was really enjoyable. The cast is extremely diverse and I loved how magic and mythology was implemented throughout the story. Everyone is different in this and I liked the character interactions. It was a little predictable once I understood the backstory but still a fun read and I can't find too much to complain about. 3.75/5 stars
February 6, 2017
ARC received via Netgalley for an honest review
I don’t know where to start because I’m a little bit confused. I liked this book, I really did, but it felt like a “get to know the characters” because the plot was often forgotten. There aren’t twists or unnecessary drama, the characters are introduced through flashbacks and sometimes there are time jumps. It takes only a moment at the beginning of the chapter to understand where and when you are so that you can appreciate the story that’s being told.
The book is called The Search for Aveline but the search is not at the center of the story. Who is Aveline and why is the captain of The Sappho looking for her? The explanation is not immediate but, again, this part of the plot, the part I thought was the main one, was left on the side. The summary made me thought there were going to be fights with their enemies and, besides a few encounters, there wasn’t really much action.
Captain Harriet “Harry” Roberts of The Sappho is a pirate. Her crew is mostly women saved from ugly situations or just people who wanted to get away. Being a large group of characters they are diverse, have different sexual orientations and they have different beliefs. These characters are introduced little by little through flashbacks. There are really a lot of people you need to know and each one of them is special in their own way.
Sometimes my favorite was Harry, then they stayed someplace for a couple nights and my favorite became Katherine, then they came back to the island where they have their base and my favorite was Kaimana the merman. They are all so loveable that it’s really hard to have a favorite. I don’t have it! The nice thing about this world is that, not only there are mermaids and mermen, but there are also Fae people, sharkmaids, sirens and intelligent lizards.
The building of the world is really nice. Forgetting a little bit about the main plot, you become part of The Sappho’s crew; you sail the oceans with them, get to know each character, you witness lots of steamy encounters (STEAMY!!) and one page at a time you become one of them. I liked that about the book and I feel that the story was like an introduction of all the characters we are going to see in the next book/s of the series. Maybe we are finally going to see some action. Not deaths, please, don’t let them die!!
I don’t know where to start because I’m a little bit confused. I liked this book, I really did, but it felt like a “get to know the characters” because the plot was often forgotten. There aren’t twists or unnecessary drama, the characters are introduced through flashbacks and sometimes there are time jumps. It takes only a moment at the beginning of the chapter to understand where and when you are so that you can appreciate the story that’s being told.
The book is called The Search for Aveline but the search is not at the center of the story. Who is Aveline and why is the captain of The Sappho looking for her? The explanation is not immediate but, again, this part of the plot, the part I thought was the main one, was left on the side. The summary made me thought there were going to be fights with their enemies and, besides a few encounters, there wasn’t really much action.
Captain Harriet “Harry” Roberts of The Sappho is a pirate. Her crew is mostly women saved from ugly situations or just people who wanted to get away. Being a large group of characters they are diverse, have different sexual orientations and they have different beliefs. These characters are introduced little by little through flashbacks. There are really a lot of people you need to know and each one of them is special in their own way.
Sometimes my favorite was Harry, then they stayed someplace for a couple nights and my favorite became Katherine, then they came back to the island where they have their base and my favorite was Kaimana the merman. They are all so loveable that it’s really hard to have a favorite. I don’t have it! The nice thing about this world is that, not only there are mermaids and mermen, but there are also Fae people, sharkmaids, sirens and intelligent lizards.
The building of the world is really nice. Forgetting a little bit about the main plot, you become part of The Sappho’s crew; you sail the oceans with them, get to know each character, you witness lots of steamy encounters (STEAMY!!) and one page at a time you become one of them. I liked that about the book and I feel that the story was like an introduction of all the characters we are going to see in the next book/s of the series. Maybe we are finally going to see some action. Not deaths, please, don’t let them die!!
February 7, 2017
The Search for Aveline by Stephanie Rabig and Angie Bee
Star rating: ★★★★ ☆ 4/5 stars
Format: ebook galley
Summary: A series of vignettes about the crew of The Sappho, captained by Captain Harriet "Harry" Roberts, the ship searches for her lost sister Aveline.
Review: I received an advanced galley copy of this book for review via NetGalley.
This book is epically diverse. There are so many different characters with different races, religions, sexualities, disabilities, etc. The name of the ship made me excited from the beginning, The Sappho?, I knew we were in store for some good shit.
The story is told through a series of non-linear vignettes. I'm torn on how I feel about this style. On one hand, it was different and really well written but on the other it sometimes made it difficult to follow. We would see characters together and then the story of when they started giving into their feelings would come after which was not satisfying. Still, I do like the characters and the stories was something fresh from what I've read before.
I would be interested to read more of this world, there was a lot of great stuff. Mermaids, sirens, fae, and more. I was confused about what time period this was supposed to be because one character makes reference to Darwin but that's long after the golden age of piracy. I mean, obviously this is fantasy but it was so strange.
It's super fun to read, there are a lot of great moments in here. The only reason I took away one star is because the short stories style is strange enough I think it kept me from fully getting immersed into the world of the book.
Recommendation: This is a fun book that I think fans of pirates and fantasy would enjoy. It's a female heavy in characters which is amazing.
Star rating: ★★★★ ☆ 4/5 stars
Format: ebook galley
Summary: A series of vignettes about the crew of The Sappho, captained by Captain Harriet "Harry" Roberts, the ship searches for her lost sister Aveline.
Review: I received an advanced galley copy of this book for review via NetGalley.
This book is epically diverse. There are so many different characters with different races, religions, sexualities, disabilities, etc. The name of the ship made me excited from the beginning, The Sappho?, I knew we were in store for some good shit.
The story is told through a series of non-linear vignettes. I'm torn on how I feel about this style. On one hand, it was different and really well written but on the other it sometimes made it difficult to follow. We would see characters together and then the story of when they started giving into their feelings would come after which was not satisfying. Still, I do like the characters and the stories was something fresh from what I've read before.
I would be interested to read more of this world, there was a lot of great stuff. Mermaids, sirens, fae, and more. I was confused about what time period this was supposed to be because one character makes reference to Darwin but that's long after the golden age of piracy. I mean, obviously this is fantasy but it was so strange.
It's super fun to read, there are a lot of great moments in here. The only reason I took away one star is because the short stories style is strange enough I think it kept me from fully getting immersed into the world of the book.
Recommendation: This is a fun book that I think fans of pirates and fantasy would enjoy. It's a female heavy in characters which is amazing.
October 16, 2017
I really loved the characters and the little snippets and scenes. It made it very easy to pick up and put down or go back and read just my favorite characters without feeling like I was missing anything or jumping into the middle of some big plot. A general feel-good kind of read that I really appreciate and know I’ll go back to. My only complaint is that I wish that the scenes were dated. The out-of-order wouldn’t be as confusing sometimes if there were clear dates so I would know if it was before or after different people came along, or how long they’d been there, etc. Its hard to tell if these stories span a couple of months or years and how time has been (or hasn’t been) a factor in their relationships. A couple finally getting together in one scene when they were just flirting in a previous one would feel different if it had been a month versus six. ^^
June 24, 2017
A historical fiction fantasy book, as a series of vignettes about a group of characters. It is part of a recent trend to reimagine genres with people who wouldn't usually be represented in such settings. Unfortunately, while the characters are relatively engaging, and the representations themselves are relatively 3D, it fails to read like an age-of-sail novel. It's partially a lack of idiomatic nautical writing, and it's partly that its cultural context swerves from 17th to the 19th centuries. To be honest, it could just as easily have been set in space. It certainly doesn't compare with other media which provide unusual representations, such as the TV show Black Sails.
Also, the ending was distinctly anti-climactic.
Also, the ending was distinctly anti-climactic.
April 13, 2017
In a word... Fantastic!
There has not recently been a book that I was more loathe to put down than this one. I loved the characters and the way the story was laid out. I liked that is wasn't a lateral story and jumped back and forth. The story is engaging and nicely paced and the characters come alive. I want to read more and am so mad that it ended like that. Fantastic book! I loved every minute of reading it. I would recommend this book to any fantasy or adventure reader.
There has not recently been a book that I was more loathe to put down than this one. I loved the characters and the way the story was laid out. I liked that is wasn't a lateral story and jumped back and forth. The story is engaging and nicely paced and the characters come alive. I want to read more and am so mad that it ended like that. Fantastic book! I loved every minute of reading it. I would recommend this book to any fantasy or adventure reader.
February 3, 2017
Delightful
This book doesn't hold back when it comes to having fun, and when your story is about pirates and mermaids, there's a lot of fun to be had. The characters pull you in quickly, and the snappy pace and undeniable style of the stories make this nearly impossible to put down. Wonderful work!
This book doesn't hold back when it comes to having fun, and when your story is about pirates and mermaids, there's a lot of fun to be had. The characters pull you in quickly, and the snappy pace and undeniable style of the stories make this nearly impossible to put down. Wonderful work!
Did Not Finish
January 17, 2017I'm sad to say this but I couldn't finish this one. Loved the idea and the start but it soon turned into a mess. Too many characters and random flash backs telling their stories. If this was condensed down and focused on fewer characters then I know this would be a 4/5 star book for me.
out-of-print-and-or-mega-expensive
June 20, 2017the ship is called Sappho so not having many gay/bi/etc. characters would be an actual Crime do not let me down plz
August 30, 2017
There were so many characters and I adored each one! Very sweet
March 27, 2017
The writing was very smooth which made this read-able. What really through it off was that there are legit, prolly over 40 named characters in this story. With that many, very very few are fleshed out to where I could care about them. There's fantastical creatures like mermen and fae and sirens but there really isn't a plot. It's every 40 character's origin stories loosely linked together. All the LGBT variances and characters were great to read about, and I have zero complaints about any of that representation. It came down to too many irrelevant characters and not enough plot. Even though the writing was nice, it's unlikely I will continue with any sequels tbh.
*I received a copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
*I received a copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
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