Seafire (June 2021) Buddy Read Discussion - Bopeep, Elysian, Ilse, Cat, Michelle

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

Welcome to the Seafire Buddy Read Discussion thread! This thread officially opens on June 1st and anyone can join at any time. Please keep in mind that spoilers are allowed in this thread but only up to the group's current reading place. Do not spoil the book if you've read further than the group. Any extra days can be used to catch up!

Each day we will be reading by chapters or page numbers. Page numbers are an approximation based on the hardcover or paperback that is the default on Goodreads. The suggested Buddy Read discussion schedule is as follows:

Week of 06/01
June 1: Chapter 1-4
June 2: Chapter 5-8
June 3: Chapter 9-12
June 4: Chapter 13-16
June 5: Chapter 17-20
June 6: Chapter 21-24

Week of 06/07
June 7: Chapter 25-28
June 8: Chapter 29-32
June 9: Chapter 33-36
June 10: Chapter 36-40
June 11: Chapter 41-43


PARTICIPANTS
~ Bopeep
~ Elysian
~ Ilse
~ Michelle

[Ilse]

I’ve ordered the book, so I can start when I’ve got it, which is hopefully June first!

[Elysian]

My thoughts on Chapter 1-5:

(view spoiler)[Oh. wow. A lot is happening right here. Also a lot of characters to remember right of the bat. I was very weirded out (in a good way I guess) that the story legit starts with a dramatic backflash introducing us to the dark background story. (hide spoiler)]

Speculations on what comes next:

(view spoiler)[In my opinion the author went great lengths to describe how children get treated and trained to be Bullets and how children have matching tattoos so they can find each other if they get taken away. I BET that at one point the MC's find their 'dead' siblings again! (hide spoiler)]

[Michelle]

I want to join in too

[Ilse]

Michelle wrote: "I want to join in too"

Welcome!

[Bopeep]

Ivve read until chapter 2 and it really stresses me :/ I was expecting a more or less happy story, but it seems it's a story about revenge haha
So I'll probably go a bit slower than our schedule, hoping I can catch you on the weekend~

[Michelle]

WOW this one starts fast and hasn't really let up in the 4 chapters. Agreed lots of character names to remember.

Like your prediction Ilse!! Seems likely!!

[Elysian]

@Bopeep Oh it's fine. I kinda thought the same bc I thought it would be a rather wholesome yet action packed adventure and how 'sisterhood is survival' but the story starts so dark! (And how far I have read it also isn't getting better)

[Elysian]

Update Chapter 6-8

(view spoiler)[Well that was a lot happening! Idk but I honestly do not really like the fight scenes? At least this one felt a bit weird. I mean I LOVE the conflict about the Bullet on the ship and honestly he is the most interesting plot point and character so far. I have to say I also did not care a lot about Lace's death. I understand they needed to kill a girl of or have someone wounded to make the fight look more dramatic and challenging, but I do not know Caledonia nor Lace enough to actually mourn that loss. (hide spoiler)]

Speculations:

(view spoiler)[Caledonia will have to tell her secret about why she hates and does not trust Bullets. I can feel that she is slowly crumbling apart, because she is carrying that burden alone. (hide spoiler)]

[Michelle]

Yes, it is the same pace in the book as the 1st 4 chapters all action. Not connecting with any characters yet as there has not been any real deep dive. More of a plot driven book so far. Hoping for some good friend relationship soon and emotions. So far it has all been pretty basic.

[Bopeep]

Chapter 10 read (yes, I'm so slow with this haha)

Well, as Elysian said, the "dead" brothers appeared! Or at lest that's what the Bullet said. I think they will have a lot of trouble.

I can't see why, but I'm not able to engage to this story. Maybe it's the writing, because I don't feel anything about any characters and I just know that bad things will happen. I find annoying that there's a guy on the ship :/ I liked it with all the girls... He appeared too early for my taste.

And as Michelle says... it's so basic. We need some emotions or something! haha

I was thinking about Cala's and Piscis age. At first I thought they were so young (like 16-17 years) but now the Bullet said their brothers were there when about 10 and now they had 16, so maybe the girls have around 20 years? I'm so confused about the age, and I can't picture them as having a really big ship. But don't mind me, it's all fiction and all.
But if they are around 20... They seem so childish :/

[Michelle]

Yes details of how the ship became theirs would have been interesting. I am on Chapter 26 now so way ahead. Still very plot driven. Will keep reading this one, but it doesn't take up much mind space.

[Bopeep]

I'm finally on schedule ~ Ivve read chapter 24 right now. And I think the writing lacks something because I don't really mind about this? Ugh, I love pirates and so but not like this. It's always the same pattern: they do something, it goes bad, and then they can get away with little consecuences. Uhm. And now Caledonia is being a bit stupid with her shipmates.

By the way I have a theory! I'm always thinking that probably Piscis will die before she gets to her brother.
Also, do you like any character? I like Amina and Hime, and we'll see what happens next with Hime :3

[Michelle]

I finished the book early. Not because I loved it, but because I wanted to start a new one with action and didn't want to get confused. Will wait to post thoughts.
@bopeep You are so right with the pattern. It became a bit predictable.

[Elysian]

So. I am a little behind the buddy read. Sorry for that! Luckily I had a bit time to read and actually catch up a bit!

Update: Chapter 9-20

(view spoiler)[Well I have multiple points to make.

1. I do not like that the crew is so big. At the beginning I was open minded to the whole situation, but having such a big crew does not make sense, if they are hardly mentioned as people. The large crew is only mentioned by Cal in numbers in term of food/ safety and not really in a sense of true community and sisterhood. Also why have so many girls when we got introduced to the ones we need to know at the beginning instead of having them picked out from the crowd. I feel like the ca. 10 girls that actually have a name are enough for a crew as they before never really fought Alric.

2. I think it is weird Cal worries so much about not having enough food rather than not having enough water. (as they have nets and could fish here and there or collect shellfish every time the go on shore)

3. I start to dislike Cal. I am okay with her being an extremely flawed and hypocritical character (bc I am sure she will grow and be better soon) but damn she is so annoying rn and it IS DIFFICULT to side with her. Also she is the Captain bossing everyone around and Ik she just tries to protect her crew, but damn get a grip girl you do not know everything.

4. Oran is for me the most interesting character rn and that is sad as he was important in like 2 chapters now. (hide spoiler)]

[Ilse]

I'm going to pick up the book Friday (the day we're supposed to finish) and then I'll post my thoughts and read yours. Sorry about that; the book only came in now and I'm unable to pick it up earlier.

[Bopeep]

Elysian totally agree with you with Cal! She tries to be a good leader and all but she's just bossing around. And yeah, I totally agree with the hypocritical side of her... Mostly with Oran. You'll see soon hahah

About the crew, maybe it doesn't have sense to you, but it has to me: there are a lot of abandoned child willing to take Aric's float down... And. Those would be hundreds or thousands. A fighting crew with only 10 members? Not so likely :/

It's super weird about the water as long as she TOOKS A SHOWER and well , they have good tech that maybe it can transform sea water or sth, but...

[aikaterine]

Hi guys, I’m desperately late! I’m still trying to catch up on another book because I had a busy first week of the month, but I’m anxious to get to Seafire and talk about it with all of you!! :D

[Jenner]

Hey guys! I decided to join in on this one too. I have read the first 12 chapters so far. I too was a bit stunned about the beginning. There is so much action and violence. I didn't really expect this to be such a dark book.

I consider the story to be good but the storytelling so far is lacking. The author is sort of shoving all this information at us. There is no art or poetry in it.

I agree with all of you about Lace. I don't really care about her death even though she is the optimist for Cal. Also, Pi being hurt and almost captured.. don't really care. There is so much darkness and turmoil, I don't know if I really will get attached to any of the characters in case they are killed off or have disappointing stories.

[Bopeep]

Hey! Welcome Cat and Jenner to the BR~
Don't worry, I will probably stalk this thread even if I finish the book to know what you think~

@Jenner Yep, the dark background shocked me too haha The author sometimes writes a poetical sentence, but maybe one each 2 chapters. But I agree, it lacks something important.

I've decided I'll try to read it faster than scheduled so I can finish it and read Heartstopper before starting another BR haha :eyes:


Chapter 36
(view spoiler)[Wooow I didn't think about Donally being the captain of the Electra hahaha now Oran just have to say that Donally is also a son of Aric (hide spoiler)]

[Jenner]

@bopeep @Elysian I agree with both of you about Cal. She got so. freaking. annoying. I kept thinking, really? You are going to be this stupid? I feel like she is supposed to be this especially smart character but that isn't how she turned out.

Out of the girls, I finally got invested in Hime. She actually seems smart and I did not understand why Cal wouldn't trust her more. As captain, she should know everyone's strengths and weaknesses and utilize them to the advantage of all.

Cal also knew Nettle was good at the helm but nooooo she decided to risk her home and family to prove some stupid point.

Chapter 36-43
(view spoiler)[
Did anyone else think it was messed up Cal only carried Red off of the other ship? She says she cares about all 53 girls and yet she doesn't honor them the same especially when they died for her and Pi. This really bothered me.

She is going to leave behind everything she loves to get revenge? Dumb.

Obviously there is a traitor on board which is probably what will motivate Cal to go back to the ship. Should the crew accept her back? Probably not but I am sure they will. I really hope the traitor isn't Oran because that will be far too obvious of a choice.
(hide spoiler)]

Overall, I enjoyed the action and the ending made me want to read the next book.

[aikaterine]

Sooo, I've made my way to Chapter 10 and honestly I agree with everything you've said up to this point (although I haven't opened the spoilers of the next chapters, haha).

I expected something entirely different from this book, and so far, there's too much action which I mostly skim through, and so many characters.

To be honest, I think I would have made much more progress, but couldn't find the motivation to read this the other night and opted instead for watching YT videos until late xD

I'll try to finish it, though, hopefully soon...

[Bopeep]

@Jenner
(view spoiler)["She is going to leave behind everything she loves to get revenge? Dumb. "

I sighed so hard (?) that my girlfriend asked what happened on the book hahaha

In my imagination I thought that the Mors Navis crew would go against Cala at the end of the book... But unfortunately I think they will accept her back. If she doesn't get stuck somewhere lol.
(hide spoiler)]

@Cat
I totally understand you haha I decided to read it faster because it started to get annoying at some point ^^'

[Elysian]

Honestly, I am so annoyed with Seafire at this point, but dedicated to finish it (because of the points) so I started a bunch of new books and read one chapter of a good book and one chapter of Seafire. ;-;

[aikaterine]

@Bopeep @Elysian
I'm so glad I wasn't alone at not really connecting with this story xD

The BR points are the real motivation for me, too, but, still, I'm only able to read for awhile before I'm distracted by literally anything else, ahaha!

Will probably keep skimming the bits I'm not interested in...

[Elysian]

I FINALLY FINISHED IT GUYS! I DID IT!

Thoughts on the last few chapters

(view spoiler)[Honestly, now that I am done with the book I felt like the book DRAGGED a lot. The scheme of: Something bad happens bc of Cal - and bc of a coincidence the issues are resolved. I get it is partly important for her character arc and I really like her towards the ending where she learns to trust more etc BUT SHE THROWS IT ALL AWAY IN THE END WTF CAL! YOU HEARD PI- WE FIGHT TOGETHER OR NOT AT ALL!

I could not really care about any characters besides Pisces and Oran and it feels like a shame as their are so many possibly great characters. Red and Lace dying I just did not care about. I wish the story would have been more about introducing and building the characters and not constantly being about being were, something bad happens and then leaving. I feel like this book would have profited from having multiple POVs too.


I cannot say HOW MUCH I hate Caledonia x Oran as a couple. They know each other for maybe 4 weeks, tried to kill him twice and absolutley hated him. Idk, it also felt so out of character she blindly trusted him during the fight on Electra and was not like:" This is the final test to see if you are friend or traitor" and making him a full member of the crew after the fight. Honestly, I expected Pisces x Oran or Pisces x Caledonia (they are such a great match I won't take any criticism) but not Oran x Caledonia. It felt forced and out of nowhere - I liked the slow turn of Caledonia tolerating Oran and not wanting to kill him amd slowly accepting him as a human being with actual feelings, but yeah no. The romance is WAY too fast. (hide spoiler)]

Thoughts on the ending

(view spoiler)[Did I like this book? - No. Will I read the sequel, because it ended on a cliffhanger and I liked the last few chapters?- Yes. (If anyone wants to buddy- read the sequel in July I am down! (hide spoiler)]

[Jenner]

@Elysian I would be down for a buddy read in July!

[Elysian]

Jenner wrote: "@Elysian I would be down for a buddy read in July!"

Nice! I already have the book and no buddy reads in July.

[Jenner]

Elysian wrote: "Jenner wrote: "@Elysian I would be down for a buddy read in July!"

Nice! I already have the book and no buddy reads in July."

I don't have anything planned either. I went ahead and nominated it for July!

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

Jenner wrote: "Elysian wrote: "Jenner wrote: "@Elysian I would be down for a buddy read in July!"

Nice! I already have the book and no buddy reads in July."

I don't have anything planned either. I went ahead an..."

you nominated it as a group read.. I'm letting you know in case you wanted for it to be a buddy read nomination.