a queer polyamorous retelling of orpheus and eurydice with some other mythology thrown in set to the backdroMagic isn’tfuck around. Magic isfind out.
a queer polyamorous retelling of orpheus and eurydice with some other mythology thrown in set to the backdrop of miami.
unfortunately i'm not very familiar w the source material, so i think it was less impactful for me that way. however, i still enjoyed reading it. the lush, tropical settings and imaginative verse made this a vivid read; i think it could actually be a really cool as a stage adaptation because of the dance, music, and photography elements.
it deals w some heavier topics for teens but i think appropriately so for a YA book. overall i preferred my other read from this author (the ghosts of rose hill) but i'm excited to read more from them.
My name is Andres Santos, and I believe I have more love than darkness to give....more
this is a beautiful story about family, greed, and sacrifice. i NEED more tropical-set fantasy; the descriptions are so lusEvery wish demands a price.
this is a beautiful story about family, greed, and sacrifice. i NEED more tropical-set fantasy; the descriptions are so lush and vivid, with an exciting seafaring islander adventure undertone. hanalei is clever, brave, and compassionate as a protagonist, and her sympathy and understanding for the seadragons is admirable. her budding romance with sam was organic and sweet, childhood friends reunited after years apart (the romance is v much subplot, just fyi!).
i loved the idea of dragon eggs being dragonfruit, and the theme of greed and sacrifice was played out well w the wishes and their costs. how far are people willing to go for glory? for their dreams? one pays for their wish, whether it was made out of selfishness or selflessness alike.
also so cool to see a matriarchal society and how it works.
i definitely teared up multiple times reading this. overall, it was a unique and touching story, i would recommend it for fans of the girl who fell beneath the sea.
as someone who's been pushing for writers to stop needlessly extending their books, this is a rare exception that i'd say i wish this were longer! a follow-up novella to learn more about the seadragons would be fun, too.
tw for some violence/blood/injury/death, animal cruelty/death. it's YA, but some of the violence might be a bit much for the younger end of the YA range.
We are defined by our hardships, and how we face them. We are made stronger or weaker by those we hold closest to us....more
“You are a loud, impulsive, persistent seeker of justice... And that makes people uncomfortable, but it doesn’t make you bad. It makes you very good, “You are a loud, impulsive, persistent seeker of justice... And that makes people uncomfortable, but it doesn’t make you bad. It makes you very good, in fact. Far better than the rest of us who stay quiet because they’re afraid to speak up.”
rating: 4.25
this mexican-inpired hunger games meets legends of the hidden temple adventure has plenty of action and comedy with a super queer cast. teo makes an excellent main character, as we follow his story as a jade (considered lesser than the gold semidioses). there is examination and commentary on class as well as gender identity and the struggles of both.
but while handling some big topics, this story mostly maintains a lighthearted tone, especially thanks to the jokester niya. the pace is overall fast, with different challenges and courses for the trial competitors to complete. the interweaving of the fantastical elements in a tropical yet contemporary setting was really interesting and vivid for me. i'm actually BEGGING authors for more tropical-set fantasies, i very much fucks with the jungles and beaches, please give me more!
overall, i had fun reading this and there were some touching moments. i'm really excited for book 2!
By nature of their short existence, the humans held more compassion and empathy, loved more fiercely, than any god could through an eternity....more
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