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Graceling Realm #5
Seasparrow
The fifth novel in the bestselling and award winning Graceling Realm series focuses on Hava, Queen Bitterblue's spy, and her harrowing journey back to Monsea after the events of 2021's Winterkeep.
In the immediate aftermath of the events of Winterkeep, Bitterblue and her entourage begin the journey back to Monsea with the only copies of the formulas for the zilphium weapon. Bitterblue must decide what she will do with her world-shaping power. But before they've even made it halfway home, storms drive their ship off course and then wrecking them in the ice far north of the Royal Continent. The survivors must make a harrowing trek across the ice in order to make it back to Monsea.
Seasparrow is told entirely from the point of view of Hava, Bitterblue's personal spy and secret half-sister. And while Bitterblue grapples with how to carry the responsibility of a weapon of mass destruction, Hava must decide what she will do with herself in the new world Bitterblue will make.
In the immediate aftermath of the events of Winterkeep, Bitterblue and her entourage begin the journey back to Monsea with the only copies of the formulas for the zilphium weapon. Bitterblue must decide what she will do with her world-shaping power. But before they've even made it halfway home, storms drive their ship off course and then wrecking them in the ice far north of the Royal Continent. The survivors must make a harrowing trek across the ice in order to make it back to Monsea.
Seasparrow is told entirely from the point of view of Hava, Bitterblue's personal spy and secret half-sister. And while Bitterblue grapples with how to carry the responsibility of a weapon of mass destruction, Hava must decide what she will do with herself in the new world Bitterblue will make.
624 pages, Paperback
First published October 27, 2022
About the author
Kristin Cashore
21 books16.8k followersKristin Cashore grew up in the northeast Pennsylvania countryside as the second of four daughters. She received a bachelor's degree from Williams College and a master's from the Center for the Study of Children's Literature at Simmons College. She currently lives in the Boston area.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,040 reviews
November 22, 2022
Kristin Cashore has the inexplicable power to make me tear up over little fox babies, root for a heterosexual couple, and read a 600-paged book in a day after 3 weeks of not reading… and I hate her so much for it
actual thoughts: Hava is so unlikeable (and I love it). things in part 1 and part 2 could have and should have been cut out. the writing style of this felt so different from the rest of the books, and I’m not sure I liked that. but damn it these characters are always so compelling and her plots so captivating that I can’t give this anything less than 4 stars!
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only one early 2010s YA series deserves rights and that’s the Graceling series
actual thoughts: Hava is so unlikeable (and I love it). things in part 1 and part 2 could have and should have been cut out. the writing style of this felt so different from the rest of the books, and I’m not sure I liked that. but damn it these characters are always so compelling and her plots so captivating that I can’t give this anything less than 4 stars!
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only one early 2010s YA series deserves rights and that’s the Graceling series
November 6, 2023
It’s just this: Not everyone who hurts us is our father.
In the fifth standalone edition of the Graceling Realm series, Hava sails home from Winterkeep with Bitterblue, Giddon, and their crew. Along the way, she's decoding Linta's work on the zilphium weapon in a tiny bedroom. But when the ship runs aground in the far north of the Royal Continent, they're stuck in a fight for their lives across winter grounds.
I will start with what I did not love about this book: I felt Seasparrow was too long, repeating storytelling and character beats. The first two sections - on the ship, and then across the continent - each drag in places, particularly in the first section, as character personas are established for a crew we hadn't previously known. It's a journey novel, but did not feel as solid for me as the original journey novel of the series, Graceling itself.
In comparison, the incredibly strong final third feels almost too short, providing payoff far faster than the rest of the book has progressed. There are so many fantastic points here - for Hava's character arc, for her realization of trauma, and for the character's relationships with the world as a whole. I found myself yearning for these for the often-bleak first 75% of the novel.
You knew what you were building too. But what am I building? And what am I building it out of? What am I made of? If I can blend into this bench and become a tree, how can I be anything, to anybody? Can a person be made of nothing?
What shines about Seasparrow is in Hava. Oh, Hava. Hava, graced with shapeshifting, has been taught all her life to hide - first from her father, a tyrannical king; then, from anyone who might discover her existence; and then, as spy to her half-sister Bitterblue. To allow herself to be seen crying, or feeling at all, is beyond her by instinct.
And yet then - spoilers! - comes Hope, a kidnapped blue fox found in the hold. When Hava takes her in and takes care of her, it is in part her deep care for the badly hurt fox that allows her to truly begin healing some of her own trauma. Her relationship with this badly injured mother is just like her relationship with her own badly injured mother.
There's an impressive additional set of side characters in the crew - Annet, the captain, who calls Hava after the multicolored Habpva bird; Navi, the second mate and her partner; Linny, a ship's boy with a kindness about him; Jacky, with the opposite; and Ozul, a kindhearted ship's cook. There's also Keran, a character just as complicated as she is easy to dislike. She is a truly fantastically done character which I appreciated a lot.
Is that what love is? Hope for other people?
Overall, while I have my critiques of this, there is a lot about this book that I loved. Hava will stay stuck in my head for a long, long time.
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August 21, 2023
"I want you to know why I'm angry... I want you to know why I'm mean. The anger inside me is too big. If I look at it too close, I feel too much grief to survive."
When I reviewed Winterkeep, I compared it to Bitterblue, but now the true comp titles to one another within the Graceling Realm are Bitterblue and Seasparrow. Seasparrow, much like Bitterblue, is a story of a woman finally beginning her journey to healing her childhood traumas and coming to terms with her own identity amidst political turmoil and strife.
"If you could eavesdrop without anyone knowing— if you could turn yourself into a barrel, or a coil of lines, or a clump of canvas on deck where two people are standing, whispering secrets to one another— are you sure you wouldn't?"
Hava has always been one of my favorite side characters throughout the series, and it was incredible to have her as the sole POV of this installment. She's gritty and sarcastic, blunt and curious, empathetic and angry. Hava is the epitome of my favorite type of protagonist because she's so far from perfect yet that makes her so imperfectly human. Moreover, it was interesting to watch her different interactions with people like Bitterblue, Gideon, Linny, or Annet. Hava changes her attitude within her relationships to fit her emotions, and I think it was very realistic that she had so many issues with Bitterblue because their relationship is so secretive and flawed. Sibling relationships are still to this day one of my favorite parts to books, especially because they're so rarely used, so it was great to have Bitterblue's POV in mind when reading Hava's POV. You can't start to heal those relationships with loved ones until everything is put onto the table, and with the chaos of returning home, Bitterblue and Hava take some time to attend to that. I'm very excited for people to meet Hava's friend Linny in particular because he adds so much to her growth and vulnerability— something I don't think Hava has really ever done before on page or off.
Also one more side note— I’m curious to see how people view Hava and her sexuality. In my opinion, she falls somewhere on the asexual spectrum, whether demisexual or grey-ace, but in my initial reading, I gravitated towards demisexuality. This is the first Graceling book that doesn’t focus on romance really at all as a main side plot. It’s definitely there in undertones throughout the book, but again, this is Hava’s journey towards her identity, so romance is the last of her immediate worries. The romance is like a bud blooming into spring right at the end of the book, so it’s more a promise of what’s to come rather than what’s on the page.
"... languages are like a blanket you can crawl into and be warm. And words are like pebbles you can throw."
Also, because this book was in first person POV, we got a much deeper version of Hava as an individual than Winterkeep, for example, which had multiple POVs. Did I miss Bitterblue's perspective— Adventure's even? Yes! But I think they would have detracted from Hava's story because they're such fan favorites. Readers are forced to give Hava all of their attention, which is something she's lacked her entire life due to her camouflage abilities.
"When someone wraps you in a towel, you can feel your own edges. You can begin to learn who you are."
Arguably, Seasparrow is definitely a character driven story rather than plot, in my opinion. Yes, the zilfium mines and bombs coming to the Seven Kingdoms are imperative to the plot, but Seasparrow is about Hava's journey overall. We always come back to her struggles, her isolation, and her pain. She monologues frequently to the point that I forgot about the zilfium (unless she was ranting about chemistry haha). I was a bit stunned by this throughout the beginning of the book because Bitterblue and Winterkeep were an even mix of character and plot, but ultimately, character fits the story best here. Sadly, I do think the plot dragged at times, and I think 50ish pages could’ve been taken out, which wouldn’t have affected the story at all. I had to push myself to keep going because it felt repetitive then, but once I got through, it was better.
"I want to live in a world where the simplest way to be safe from explosive weapons is not to build explosive weapons in the first place."
Something I've been drawn to since Winterkeep is Kristin Cashore's constant attention to environmental harm and atomic weaponry. It's a conversation that I think hardly any YA books, let alone fantasy books, choose to actively bring up. Cashore has always been ahead of the game when it comes to important, current event conversations, but Seasparrow felt so personal, especially because another year has gone by where I learn further and further information about our earth and how it suffers. The stormy seas in this book were just another example of how these bombs are affecting this realm physically, which doesn't even begin to bring up the human emotions these weapons invoke of greed, fear, and impending death. It mirrors our world, and Cashore is simply a genius.
"Because my wish to be a person you can trust is bigger than my fear of your temper."
I don't think I can say anymore without giving away spoilers. I'm hoping Cashore has another book in mind to write because I simply can't get enough of the Graceling Realm! Coming back to these books through Winterkeep and now Seasparrow was a beautiful dream. Seasparrow does not seem like the end, and I'd love to see Hava's journey more after the events at the end.
"Love is hope for other people."
Thank you to Penguin Teen for allowing me to review an eARC of one of my anticipated releases!
TW: Rape (not of the MC but she sees it), attempted rape (not of the MC), child abuse, animal cruelty, animal death, death, death of a loved one (detailed), PTSD, violence/ physical abuse, gore, attempted murder, forced drug use/ drug impairment, hallucinations (mushrooms), amputation, extreme weather conditions (cold), emesis (constant references), drowning (near drowning of MC too), kidnapping, threat of atomic warfare, and postpartum detachment
When I reviewed Winterkeep, I compared it to Bitterblue, but now the true comp titles to one another within the Graceling Realm are Bitterblue and Seasparrow. Seasparrow, much like Bitterblue, is a story of a woman finally beginning her journey to healing her childhood traumas and coming to terms with her own identity amidst political turmoil and strife.
"If you could eavesdrop without anyone knowing— if you could turn yourself into a barrel, or a coil of lines, or a clump of canvas on deck where two people are standing, whispering secrets to one another— are you sure you wouldn't?"
Hava has always been one of my favorite side characters throughout the series, and it was incredible to have her as the sole POV of this installment. She's gritty and sarcastic, blunt and curious, empathetic and angry. Hava is the epitome of my favorite type of protagonist because she's so far from perfect yet that makes her so imperfectly human. Moreover, it was interesting to watch her different interactions with people like Bitterblue, Gideon, Linny, or Annet. Hava changes her attitude within her relationships to fit her emotions, and I think it was very realistic that she had so many issues with Bitterblue because their relationship is so secretive and flawed. Sibling relationships are still to this day one of my favorite parts to books, especially because they're so rarely used, so it was great to have Bitterblue's POV in mind when reading Hava's POV. You can't start to heal those relationships with loved ones until everything is put onto the table, and with the chaos of returning home, Bitterblue and Hava take some time to attend to that. I'm very excited for people to meet Hava's friend Linny in particular because he adds so much to her growth and vulnerability— something I don't think Hava has really ever done before on page or off.
Also one more side note— I’m curious to see how people view Hava and her sexuality. In my opinion, she falls somewhere on the asexual spectrum, whether demisexual or grey-ace, but in my initial reading, I gravitated towards demisexuality. This is the first Graceling book that doesn’t focus on romance really at all as a main side plot. It’s definitely there in undertones throughout the book, but again, this is Hava’s journey towards her identity, so romance is the last of her immediate worries. The romance is like a bud blooming into spring right at the end of the book, so it’s more a promise of what’s to come rather than what’s on the page.
"... languages are like a blanket you can crawl into and be warm. And words are like pebbles you can throw."
Also, because this book was in first person POV, we got a much deeper version of Hava as an individual than Winterkeep, for example, which had multiple POVs. Did I miss Bitterblue's perspective— Adventure's even? Yes! But I think they would have detracted from Hava's story because they're such fan favorites. Readers are forced to give Hava all of their attention, which is something she's lacked her entire life due to her camouflage abilities.
"When someone wraps you in a towel, you can feel your own edges. You can begin to learn who you are."
Arguably, Seasparrow is definitely a character driven story rather than plot, in my opinion. Yes, the zilfium mines and bombs coming to the Seven Kingdoms are imperative to the plot, but Seasparrow is about Hava's journey overall. We always come back to her struggles, her isolation, and her pain. She monologues frequently to the point that I forgot about the zilfium (unless she was ranting about chemistry haha). I was a bit stunned by this throughout the beginning of the book because Bitterblue and Winterkeep were an even mix of character and plot, but ultimately, character fits the story best here. Sadly, I do think the plot dragged at times, and I think 50ish pages could’ve been taken out, which wouldn’t have affected the story at all. I had to push myself to keep going because it felt repetitive then, but once I got through, it was better.
"I want to live in a world where the simplest way to be safe from explosive weapons is not to build explosive weapons in the first place."
Something I've been drawn to since Winterkeep is Kristin Cashore's constant attention to environmental harm and atomic weaponry. It's a conversation that I think hardly any YA books, let alone fantasy books, choose to actively bring up. Cashore has always been ahead of the game when it comes to important, current event conversations, but Seasparrow felt so personal, especially because another year has gone by where I learn further and further information about our earth and how it suffers. The stormy seas in this book were just another example of how these bombs are affecting this realm physically, which doesn't even begin to bring up the human emotions these weapons invoke of greed, fear, and impending death. It mirrors our world, and Cashore is simply a genius.
"Because my wish to be a person you can trust is bigger than my fear of your temper."
I don't think I can say anymore without giving away spoilers. I'm hoping Cashore has another book in mind to write because I simply can't get enough of the Graceling Realm! Coming back to these books through Winterkeep and now Seasparrow was a beautiful dream. Seasparrow does not seem like the end, and I'd love to see Hava's journey more after the events at the end.
"Love is hope for other people."
Thank you to Penguin Teen for allowing me to review an eARC of one of my anticipated releases!
TW: Rape (not of the MC but she sees it), attempted rape (not of the MC), child abuse, animal cruelty, animal death, death, death of a loved one (detailed), PTSD, violence/ physical abuse, gore, attempted murder, forced drug use/ drug impairment, hallucinations (mushrooms), amputation, extreme weather conditions (cold), emesis (constant references), drowning (near drowning of MC too), kidnapping, threat of atomic warfare, and postpartum detachment
January 8, 2023
Let me begin by saying that nearly 3/4 of this book uses tropes that I actively dislike. And that is very much a me thing, not an objective opinion.
The first part of the book takes place on a ship and I'm a hard sell on ship books unless I'm super invested in the characters and plot. Then it turns into a journey/survival book which I also don't really enjoy unless I'm very invested in the characters and plot. Eventually we did get back to the political stuff that I like best from Cashore, but while there were a few threads that carried me through, a good portion of this book was tedious for me to read. That said, if you like books on ships, journey books, and survival stories, you might love this!
Here is what I did really enjoy about Seasparrow...
I like Hava as a character, though it took awhile for me to really see what Cashore was trying to do with her personal journey here. Ultimately this book is about reckoning with trauma, parental neglect (specifically from a parent who was themselves being abused), and finding a path toward healing and learning how to trust. And while that journey is really difficult for Hava, it's a beautiful one and by the end, Cashore deftly wove plot threads together in a way that made sense. Also the foxes are very cute and I love how Hava caring for Hope and helping her heal mirrors her own healing journey.
Given previous books in the series, I think I was expecting more thematically from Seasparrow. Usually we get multiple interwoven themes, but this is a quieter and much more personal book. And I think it works, but I don't know that I loved it in the same way that I have previous books in the series. Though to be honest, given how much was stacked against this book in terms of tropes, it is a testament to Cashore's ability to write amazing character arcs that I liked Seasparrow as much as I did. And it definitely leaves it open for more books in the series if she wants to write them! I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
The first part of the book takes place on a ship and I'm a hard sell on ship books unless I'm super invested in the characters and plot. Then it turns into a journey/survival book which I also don't really enjoy unless I'm very invested in the characters and plot. Eventually we did get back to the political stuff that I like best from Cashore, but while there were a few threads that carried me through, a good portion of this book was tedious for me to read. That said, if you like books on ships, journey books, and survival stories, you might love this!
Here is what I did really enjoy about Seasparrow...
I like Hava as a character, though it took awhile for me to really see what Cashore was trying to do with her personal journey here. Ultimately this book is about reckoning with trauma, parental neglect (specifically from a parent who was themselves being abused), and finding a path toward healing and learning how to trust. And while that journey is really difficult for Hava, it's a beautiful one and by the end, Cashore deftly wove plot threads together in a way that made sense. Also the foxes are very cute and I love how Hava caring for Hope and helping her heal mirrors her own healing journey.
Given previous books in the series, I think I was expecting more thematically from Seasparrow. Usually we get multiple interwoven themes, but this is a quieter and much more personal book. And I think it works, but I don't know that I loved it in the same way that I have previous books in the series. Though to be honest, given how much was stacked against this book in terms of tropes, it is a testament to Cashore's ability to write amazing character arcs that I liked Seasparrow as much as I did. And it definitely leaves it open for more books in the series if she wants to write them! I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
November 30, 2022
it IS better than winterkeep in a lot of ways, but something in cashore's writing has softened over time. or dulled? this has always been a YA series but there's something in this book and the previous one that feels juvenile in a way the first three weren't. it's a language issue certainly but it's also the characters and romances. the endless ship facts in part 1 felt almost middle grade and look the thing about middle grade books is that they're short. this book is very, very long, so there's that. but i did like the foxes.
it's got a lot of Bitterblue's DNA, which is the thing that keeps it readable. the way that hava's trauma manifests is sensitively done, it makes her frustrating in a believable way. she's a fun character, mean, and it's nice also that she finds giddon and bitterblue's relationship absolutely nauseating lol. but the book is so slow paced that it draws her emotional beats out to a repetitive degree.
the romance was...whatever. cashore doesn't care much anymore about writing interesting romances with two well defined characters. the men exist to, i guess, model healthy communication and support and sensitivity as a part of the heroine's healing. and that's boring. hava had a far more interesting dynamic with the woman who tried to kill her. i'm also sick of the background gay romances, i've been over this. but hey bitterblue legalized gay marriage so maybe eventually it'll be legal for main characters to be gay
it's got a lot of Bitterblue's DNA, which is the thing that keeps it readable. the way that hava's trauma manifests is sensitively done, it makes her frustrating in a believable way. she's a fun character, mean, and it's nice also that she finds giddon and bitterblue's relationship absolutely nauseating lol. but the book is so slow paced that it draws her emotional beats out to a repetitive degree.
the romance was...whatever. cashore doesn't care much anymore about writing interesting romances with two well defined characters. the men exist to, i guess, model healthy communication and support and sensitivity as a part of the heroine's healing. and that's boring. hava had a far more interesting dynamic with the woman who tried to kill her. i'm also sick of the background gay romances, i've been over this. but hey bitterblue legalized gay marriage so maybe eventually it'll be legal for main characters to be gay
August 29, 2022
I need at least 2 business days to collect my thoughts because I will never be the same
ok i took exactly 2 business days and HERE YOU GO
Wow. I really don't know where to begin with this. I could have read this book for a thousand hours straight and not lost interest once.
I am a long time fan of the Graceling series, I read them for the first time in probably 2010 and was thrilled when Winterkeep came out last year. I actually think they're even BETTER as an adult - they read almost like adult fantasy, in the most accessible way.
I think this is my new favourite installment in the series, and I likely won't be able to remember everything I want to write down: when I read the book next time, I will be heavily annotating through my tears
Some quick notes - this book is SAD and HARD. If you, like me, were deeply and permanently affected by the pervasive sense of cold in the mountain scenes in Graceling, the far north scenes of this book will grab you by the throat.
There are themes of disability and motherhood woven into this story in the most surprising ways, and there is a light romance plot that is so delicate and sweet.
But the main thing that made this book so incredible for me was HAVA. She's been a side character before, but this is entirely from her POV, which is a different style from the other books too. It really gets you into her head, and her head is not a happy place. She is angry and mean and sharp, but her thoughts and feelings were so deeply relatable and I would die for her
if you have not read Graceling yet.....WHAT ARE YOU DOING
ok i took exactly 2 business days and HERE YOU GO
Wow. I really don't know where to begin with this. I could have read this book for a thousand hours straight and not lost interest once.
I am a long time fan of the Graceling series, I read them for the first time in probably 2010 and was thrilled when Winterkeep came out last year. I actually think they're even BETTER as an adult - they read almost like adult fantasy, in the most accessible way.
I think this is my new favourite installment in the series, and I likely won't be able to remember everything I want to write down: when I read the book next time, I will be heavily annotating through my tears
Some quick notes - this book is SAD and HARD. If you, like me, were deeply and permanently affected by the pervasive sense of cold in the mountain scenes in Graceling, the far north scenes of this book will grab you by the throat.
There are themes of disability and motherhood woven into this story in the most surprising ways, and there is a light romance plot that is so delicate and sweet.
But the main thing that made this book so incredible for me was HAVA. She's been a side character before, but this is entirely from her POV, which is a different style from the other books too. It really gets you into her head, and her head is not a happy place. She is angry and mean and sharp, but her thoughts and feelings were so deeply relatable and I would die for her
if you have not read Graceling yet.....WHAT ARE YOU DOING
March 11, 2023
The fifth book in Ms Cashore's Graceling Realm series. A bit different than previous books in the series as most of it takes place on a sailing ship in the far cold North, the first 60% before the group touches land even. This was far too long and drawn out for my taste, 600 pages could have easily been half that without losing the story's thread.
Hava, Bitterblue's half sister is the narrator here, and she is a spy who can blend in to be mostly invisible and change her shape. And the foxes, whom we have previously gotten to know, are very present and a very important part of the story.
I'll leave it at that. Good story, good characters, good tension, just far too long and drawn out. 4 stars.
Hava, Bitterblue's half sister is the narrator here, and she is a spy who can blend in to be mostly invisible and change her shape. And the foxes, whom we have previously gotten to know, are very present and a very important part of the story.
I'll leave it at that. Good story, good characters, good tension, just far too long and drawn out. 4 stars.
Want to read
February 7, 2022Update I have finished the series and cried over every book
Cover !!! Now !!!!
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I may have only read one book of this series so far but I would die for it
Cover !!! Now !!!!
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I may have only read one book of this series so far but I would die for it
November 17, 2022
I really struggled to get into this, and somehow the narrative just felt so drawn out - honestly, I feel like this series should have stopped after the original trilogy.
The pacing of this was painstakingly slow, and I didn't honestly find myself being that invested in any of the characters anymore.
The pacing of this was painstakingly slow, and I didn't honestly find myself being that invested in any of the characters anymore.
January 15, 2023
2 stars
Once upon a time I was a big Kristin Cashore fan, but then she wrote a couple of weaker books (Jane Unlimited was particularly bad). Last year’s Winterkeep had me hoping that Cashore was returning to form, this book tanked those hopes.
Seasparrow begins board ship, where Hava, queen Bitterblue’s secret half-sister and spy, is traveling home to Monsea along with her sister and Bitterblue’s lover, Giddon. Hava is enjoying learning about sailing but realizes that Kera, the first mate is sneaking into the hold at night and decides to find out what Kera is up to. Kera, it turns out, has been caging one of Winterkeep’s telepathic blue foxes. Hava rescues her and Kera tries to murder Hava to get her hands back on the fox, but is caught and stopped. Soon Hava discovers that the fox, whom she eventually names Hope, is pregnant.
The ship hits an iceberg and sinks, and that’s when Seasparrow turns into a survival-in-the-arctic type story. This novel had already had a slow start but this is where it started losing me in earnest. The ship’s captain is the leader of the journey home that the ragtag survivors begin, and she makes one ridiculously bad decision after another. In an obvious contrivance, no one questions whether she should continue to be their leader. Given that the queen was also on this trip, that made absolutely no sense. At one point, it becomes evident that the group turned in the wrong direction, but no one, not the captain, not the queen, and not Hava, suggests turning back.
There is a sweet romance between Hava and a gentle sailor her age, Linny, who clearly had an abusive past. Though he doesn’t know it, he and Hava have that in common. Hava was neglected as a child and witnessed some horrifying things; now she’s distrustful and occasionally angry. Over the course of the book that changes, but it takes far too long. In general the pacing of the book was very slow; it dragged for a long time.
Normally, I love a book where character interiority is a large feature and that character’s depths are plumbed. When Cashore does it well, she does it better than many other authors. She’s such a smart writer. However, here, (and in Winterkeep also) this went too far for too long. There’s a limit to how long I want to see a character’s psyche excavated no matter how good the writing is or how insightful the psychological acuity. Much of the characterization was good, but there was just so much of it. By the end of the book, I just wanted it to be over. Had Cashore not written a couple of terrific books in the past I would have quit.
To the book’s credit, at least the mystery of Kera and her theft of the fox was better paced. So was the stuff about Hope’s kits. It was lovely to see some of the characters bond with them—the little foxes sustained them at a time when hope and morale were in short supply.
I don’t know what to give this book because for much of it the characterization was good and I like Cashore’s prose, but at the same time, the book so long (624 pages) and the journey through the arctic so interminable that it tired me. 2 stars, because I was glad the book was over when I finished reading. I think I’m done with feeling excited whenever a new Kristin Cashore book is announced.
Once upon a time I was a big Kristin Cashore fan, but then she wrote a couple of weaker books (Jane Unlimited was particularly bad). Last year’s Winterkeep had me hoping that Cashore was returning to form, this book tanked those hopes.
Seasparrow begins board ship, where Hava, queen Bitterblue’s secret half-sister and spy, is traveling home to Monsea along with her sister and Bitterblue’s lover, Giddon. Hava is enjoying learning about sailing but realizes that Kera, the first mate is sneaking into the hold at night and decides to find out what Kera is up to. Kera, it turns out, has been caging one of Winterkeep’s telepathic blue foxes. Hava rescues her and Kera tries to murder Hava to get her hands back on the fox, but is caught and stopped. Soon Hava discovers that the fox, whom she eventually names Hope, is pregnant.
The ship hits an iceberg and sinks, and that’s when Seasparrow turns into a survival-in-the-arctic type story. This novel had already had a slow start but this is where it started losing me in earnest. The ship’s captain is the leader of the journey home that the ragtag survivors begin, and she makes one ridiculously bad decision after another. In an obvious contrivance, no one questions whether she should continue to be their leader. Given that the queen was also on this trip, that made absolutely no sense. At one point, it becomes evident that the group turned in the wrong direction, but no one, not the captain, not the queen, and not Hava, suggests turning back.
There is a sweet romance between Hava and a gentle sailor her age, Linny, who clearly had an abusive past. Though he doesn’t know it, he and Hava have that in common. Hava was neglected as a child and witnessed some horrifying things; now she’s distrustful and occasionally angry. Over the course of the book that changes, but it takes far too long. In general the pacing of the book was very slow; it dragged for a long time.
Normally, I love a book where character interiority is a large feature and that character’s depths are plumbed. When Cashore does it well, she does it better than many other authors. She’s such a smart writer. However, here, (and in Winterkeep also) this went too far for too long. There’s a limit to how long I want to see a character’s psyche excavated no matter how good the writing is or how insightful the psychological acuity. Much of the characterization was good, but there was just so much of it. By the end of the book, I just wanted it to be over. Had Cashore not written a couple of terrific books in the past I would have quit.
To the book’s credit, at least the mystery of Kera and her theft of the fox was better paced. So was the stuff about Hope’s kits. It was lovely to see some of the characters bond with them—the little foxes sustained them at a time when hope and morale were in short supply.
I don’t know what to give this book because for much of it the characterization was good and I like Cashore’s prose, but at the same time, the book so long (624 pages) and the journey through the arctic so interminable that it tired me. 2 stars, because I was glad the book was over when I finished reading. I think I’m done with feeling excited whenever a new Kristin Cashore book is announced.
July 8, 2022
I did not think it was possible to change my mind that Fire is the best book in the series, but holy shit. Seasparrow is nothing short of a mind-blowing work of art. Hava is the best of the narrators.
January 9, 2023
Wow. Like, this book is genius. Not necessarily for me, but achingly beautiful and utterly successful at what it sets out to do.
This is a slow, melancholic character study. It's about Hava, who was severely neglected as a child, coming to terms with her trauma and finding ways to make friends. In the background, there's also a shipwreck and a cute telepathic fox.
This is a slow, melancholic character study. It's about Hava, who was severely neglected as a child, coming to terms with her trauma and finding ways to make friends. In the background, there's also a shipwreck and a cute telepathic fox.
August 25, 2022
I think the biggest and most reigning emotion I felt while reading this book was... relief. And now, because I don't want to spoil it for any of my friends, I will hide everything else.
November 24, 2022
Not as good as Winterkeep. However, it is the first book I’ve been able to complete since my dog passed away early this year. KC is always a comfort read for me, and I’m grateful for the tonic. She really has a gift for understanding and translating PTSD to the page in a way that isn’t re-traumatizing. It’s reaffirming and healing.
Want to read
March 31, 2021Is this a real thing that is really going to exist in the world? I want it very much.
April 30, 2023
Seasparrow might more aptly be called the care and feeding of foxes since a lot of the book is spent on that. This book focuses on Hava, Bitterblue’s half sister that the was hidden away most of her life to protect her from the evil king. She isn’t as easy to read a PoV from since she still has a lot of residual anger and hurt from that time in her life that seems to seep out at strange times.
Hava is Bitterblue’s spy most of the time. Her grace is to be able to look like something else in the room. A barrel, curtain or a statue and then she can evesdrop and learn secrets for the good of the kingdom. She likes having a purpose and she loves Bitterblue but she is also full of angst and anger and since the book is from her PoV it is a bit difficult to relate to sometimes.
If you like character driven stories then this is probably going to work for you in a lot of ways. For me, I got bored through the long sections of first sailing and then trekking across a frozen expanse after being shipwrecked. There were some small intrigues on the ship that were interesting especially with the finding of another blue fox but other than that a lot of it is just talking and being inside Hava’s head.
I did better once they were back in the Kingdom and working some political intrigues instead of just trying to survive. Hava is so broken in so many ways and lashes out at so many around her that care about her. Caring for the baby foxes helps her for sure to learn how to love and care for something and heal a little but overall, she is just prickly.
I liked the conclusion to the book, however I don’t think we needed so many pages to get there, that was the struggle for me. It seemed like a good third of the book is about the foxes and fox babies while cute not really plot driving.
"I want you to know why I'm angry... I want you to know why I'm mean. The anger inside me is too big. If I look at it too close, I feel too much grief to survive."
Hava is Bitterblue’s spy most of the time. Her grace is to be able to look like something else in the room. A barrel, curtain or a statue and then she can evesdrop and learn secrets for the good of the kingdom. She likes having a purpose and she loves Bitterblue but she is also full of angst and anger and since the book is from her PoV it is a bit difficult to relate to sometimes.
If you like character driven stories then this is probably going to work for you in a lot of ways. For me, I got bored through the long sections of first sailing and then trekking across a frozen expanse after being shipwrecked. There were some small intrigues on the ship that were interesting especially with the finding of another blue fox but other than that a lot of it is just talking and being inside Hava’s head.
I did better once they were back in the Kingdom and working some political intrigues instead of just trying to survive. Hava is so broken in so many ways and lashes out at so many around her that care about her. Caring for the baby foxes helps her for sure to learn how to love and care for something and heal a little but overall, she is just prickly.
I liked the conclusion to the book, however I don’t think we needed so many pages to get there, that was the struggle for me. It seemed like a good third of the book is about the foxes and fox babies while cute not really plot driving.
January 10, 2023
I finished this almost a week ago at the point of writing this review, and I keep thinking about how much I appreciated the perspective and character of Hava in this book. I was always intrigued by her character, and I was excited to learn this book would be her story. I wasn't disappointed. I loved the style this was written in - first person, with short chapters that kept me flying through. I really felt like I was in Hava's mind and experiencing her adventures with her. She is such a complex character. She's often not very likeable - she is very hot-headed and irrational, and sometimes she acts in ways that you wouldn't in those situations. She surprises us with how she behaves and responds. But she can also be very loving and dedicated. This showed best in her relationship with the foxes, which was absolutely the best part of the story, giving it a big emotional punch whenever anything would happen to the foxes, and seeing their characters develop their own voices was so lovely and charming. I'm a huge sucker for talking animal companions, and I loved the foxes in the previous book. This expands on them as part of the world very well.
Hava is ultimately dealing with childhood trauma, and she doesn't know how to trust or who to put her trust in. Things that seem small can be much bigger deals to her, but she is ultimately on a personal journey of allowing connections to build and allow herself to figure out who she really is and wants to be.
There's a very subtle and slow beginning to a romance here too, and I loved how differently that was presented with Hava than the other protagonists' love stories in this series. To me she comes across as being somewhere on the asexual spectrum, like demi or grey-ace. I loved how this was dealt with because it just felt completely right for her character.
The story itself basically unfolds in three sections - first they're on the sea voyage, then a dangerous walking through the snow, and finally at a stable location where plot points continue to unfold and make their way to a satisfying end. The book is very much character-driven over plot, but the plotlines established in Winterkeep are developed on and then concluded very well in this one, with the characters of Bitterblue and Giddon still being key players.
There's something about this series that just has such a different vibe to many YA fantasy series. I'm not easily invested in YA fantasy these days because so much of it feels the same, but in these books the world-building, characters, and relationships unfold differently to most, and it's what keeps me coming back and loving every book despite being mostly out of my YA fantasy era now that I'm more of an adult fantasy reader.
Hava is ultimately dealing with childhood trauma, and she doesn't know how to trust or who to put her trust in. Things that seem small can be much bigger deals to her, but she is ultimately on a personal journey of allowing connections to build and allow herself to figure out who she really is and wants to be.
There's a very subtle and slow beginning to a romance here too, and I loved how differently that was presented with Hava than the other protagonists' love stories in this series. To me she comes across as being somewhere on the asexual spectrum, like demi or grey-ace. I loved how this was dealt with because it just felt completely right for her character.
The story itself basically unfolds in three sections - first they're on the sea voyage, then a dangerous walking through the snow, and finally at a stable location where plot points continue to unfold and make their way to a satisfying end. The book is very much character-driven over plot, but the plotlines established in Winterkeep are developed on and then concluded very well in this one, with the characters of Bitterblue and Giddon still being key players.
There's something about this series that just has such a different vibe to many YA fantasy series. I'm not easily invested in YA fantasy these days because so much of it feels the same, but in these books the world-building, characters, and relationships unfold differently to most, and it's what keeps me coming back and loving every book despite being mostly out of my YA fantasy era now that I'm more of an adult fantasy reader.
January 9, 2023
1.5-2 stars ⭐️ ✨ This was very disappointing from start to finish. I am almost convinced Kristin Cashore didn’t even write this, it’s so far away from what her previous four novels sound like. The original trilogy was amazing, Winterkeep was OK, and this was the most uneventful and boring book I’ve read in months. Part 1 of this book (which is 200 pages!) is a very long winded description of life on a ship. That’s it. Part 2 there’s some plot but it drags on the whole time and the only enjoyable part to read was in Part 3, the last 40 pages. It was a chore to get there.
Hava was an interesting and complicated character in the first few books and this one, written complete in her POV, destroyed any interest I had in her. She thinks and acts like a child, she’s extremely mean and not in an endearing way that makes you like the MC for being snarky. I definitely do not recommend this one for any fans of Cashore. Leave the series at Bitterblue or Winterkeep and pretend this one doesn’t exist.
Hava was an interesting and complicated character in the first few books and this one, written complete in her POV, destroyed any interest I had in her. She thinks and acts like a child, she’s extremely mean and not in an endearing way that makes you like the MC for being snarky. I definitely do not recommend this one for any fans of Cashore. Leave the series at Bitterblue or Winterkeep and pretend this one doesn’t exist.
Currently reading
September 19, 2024I don't know how I've become this type of person but after ALMOST TWO YEARS of this book being out, I am finally reading it. And just after a couple of pages, I am SO happy to be back in this world. Truly no one can transform me into another world like Cashore.
1.) Graceling ★★★★★
2.) Fire ★★★★★
3.) Bitterblue ★★★★★
4.) Winterkeep ★★★★★
1.) Graceling ★★★★★
2.) Fire ★★★★★
3.) Bitterblue ★★★★★
4.) Winterkeep ★★★★★
November 11, 2022
Has anyone ever noticed that someone almost always freezes to death in Cashore's books? I'm not complaining, I'm just noticing that it looks like this one won't be the exception.
January 1, 2023
Waffled over how to rate this book for the longest time. I think it's 3.5 stars but it's unfair to previous books in the series — which are proper 4-stars — to round up.
Fresh off the various disappointments of Winterkeep, I nearly DNF'ed this book 5 to 6 times in the first 20%. My intense dislike of the immature, sometimes weirdly contemporary voice of the last book bubbled up almost immediately, the delightful acidity of Hava's voice from before suddenly mired in My name is Percy Jackson, I'm 12 years old-style, first-person narration. There's nothing wrong with PJ, or middle grade — it just didn't line up with the voice I felt I'd heard Hava use previously.
It's the Baby-Sitters Club recap chapters, for me, almost all of which swing between recounting Winterkeep (which I unfortunately remember) and Hava sharing her fascination with ships and sailing with what feels like the enthusiasm and syntax of a small child who loves something far past the point of caring whether anyone else is interested. ("This is aft! This is rigging!" Thank you! I get it!)
However. As soon as it settles in and goes, it GOES.
I was both delighted and relieved by Cashore's return to character-driven writing, complete with pacing that feels odd or lopsided until you realize which narrative expectations she's purposely upending. It might not work for everyone, and I feel like some of the bigger themes didn't fully cohere in the end, but I love the tight focus on Hava's internal life enough to enjoy the ride. The callbacks to Hava's traumas, old and new, and her difficult reckoning with them make this book feel spiritually much closer to Bitterblue for me, in the best way. I'd be chugging right along and then suddenly weeping at Hava's astonishment that people admire, respect, and love her.
Something has undoubtedly shifted in Cashore's writing and how her work's being edited, and I mourn the loss because I think it's a difference in both heft and cohesion, but occasionally there's a line like, "If we must be trapped, let there be something we can do about it. Even if it hurts." — and I'm back in, honestly. She's writing towards the current moment, for young readers whom I hope will be buoyed by it.
Fresh off the various disappointments of Winterkeep, I nearly DNF'ed this book 5 to 6 times in the first 20%. My intense dislike of the immature, sometimes weirdly contemporary voice of the last book bubbled up almost immediately, the delightful acidity of Hava's voice from before suddenly mired in My name is Percy Jackson, I'm 12 years old-style, first-person narration. There's nothing wrong with PJ, or middle grade — it just didn't line up with the voice I felt I'd heard Hava use previously.
It's the Baby-Sitters Club recap chapters, for me, almost all of which swing between recounting Winterkeep (which I unfortunately remember) and Hava sharing her fascination with ships and sailing with what feels like the enthusiasm and syntax of a small child who loves something far past the point of caring whether anyone else is interested. ("This is aft! This is rigging!" Thank you! I get it!)
However. As soon as it settles in and goes, it GOES.
I was both delighted and relieved by Cashore's return to character-driven writing, complete with pacing that feels odd or lopsided until you realize which narrative expectations she's purposely upending. It might not work for everyone, and I feel like some of the bigger themes didn't fully cohere in the end, but I love the tight focus on Hava's internal life enough to enjoy the ride. The callbacks to Hava's traumas, old and new, and her difficult reckoning with them make this book feel spiritually much closer to Bitterblue for me, in the best way. I'd be chugging right along and then suddenly weeping at Hava's astonishment that people admire, respect, and love her.
Something has undoubtedly shifted in Cashore's writing and how her work's being edited, and I mourn the loss because I think it's a difference in both heft and cohesion, but occasionally there's a line like, "If we must be trapped, let there be something we can do about it. Even if it hurts." — and I'm back in, honestly. She's writing towards the current moment, for young readers whom I hope will be buoyed by it.
January 5, 2024
Reread 2024: Why do I find this book so comforting when it has such a tense and stressful plot?
Review:
Hava loves being on board a ship. She enjoys learning about the rigging, the way everything on the ship is absolutely essential, and the sense of freedom she feels when she sees the sails. Her sister, Bitterblue, the queen, is severely sea-sick, and only her suffering upsets Hava's sense of pleasure in the day-to-day. But then Hava discovers a drugged and injured blue fox, and her sense of harmony of shipboard life is complete upended. This is at once an adventure story set in an ice-bound wilderness, a story of political intrigue, a fantasy story in which foxes can communicate and Hava has magical powers, and a companion to Cashore's 2012 novel Bitterblue, as an exploration of trauma, loss, and attempting to regain a sense of self.
As the queen's secret half-sister, Hava has spent much of her life in hiding: first, she is hidden by her mother, from her abusive and tyrannical father, the King, and then she hides herself from the whole country. She's also graced with the power of disguise: she can change people's perceptions of her form, so they see her as a statue, a pile of canvas, a cloud or a boat. Hava sees herself as selfish, a practised liar, and a spy. She doesn't believe she's capable of good things, only limiting the harm she causes. As the story unfolds, Hava begins to gradually change her perception of herself, helped by the highly traumatised psychic fox that she finds, drugged and abused, hidden in the hold of the ship. After saving the fox, the world Hava knows begins to fall apart around her, and then the ship is destroyed in a collision with ice, and Hava, Bitterblue, and the rest of the crew, are cast into a wilderness, and must fight for survival.
Cashore's books are remarkable for the way she captures characters, and Bitterblue is particularly memorable for her nuanced portrait of Bitterblue, and those around her, as she attempts to uncover her kingdom's secrets, and find a new way to live in the wake of her father's destruction of the realm. Seasparrow is another complex and tender portrait of trauma, survival, loss and rebuilding. Hava is a brilliant character: angry, frightened and lost, she struggles to do the right thing, or approach those around her with kindness. Having lived with so much fear, she constantly misjudges the intentions of those who wish her well, and is belligerent, difficult and uncompromising. Her hurt follows her everywhere and she struggled to find any peace. Over the course of the novel, Cashore captures the ways she begins to change and to trust. This is a brilliantly subtle portrayal, as well as a gripping and compelling book.
It will also make you want to meet a psychic blue fox very, very badly.
Review:
Hava loves being on board a ship. She enjoys learning about the rigging, the way everything on the ship is absolutely essential, and the sense of freedom she feels when she sees the sails. Her sister, Bitterblue, the queen, is severely sea-sick, and only her suffering upsets Hava's sense of pleasure in the day-to-day. But then Hava discovers a drugged and injured blue fox, and her sense of harmony of shipboard life is complete upended. This is at once an adventure story set in an ice-bound wilderness, a story of political intrigue, a fantasy story in which foxes can communicate and Hava has magical powers, and a companion to Cashore's 2012 novel Bitterblue, as an exploration of trauma, loss, and attempting to regain a sense of self.
As the queen's secret half-sister, Hava has spent much of her life in hiding: first, she is hidden by her mother, from her abusive and tyrannical father, the King, and then she hides herself from the whole country. She's also graced with the power of disguise: she can change people's perceptions of her form, so they see her as a statue, a pile of canvas, a cloud or a boat. Hava sees herself as selfish, a practised liar, and a spy. She doesn't believe she's capable of good things, only limiting the harm she causes. As the story unfolds, Hava begins to gradually change her perception of herself, helped by the highly traumatised psychic fox that she finds, drugged and abused, hidden in the hold of the ship. After saving the fox, the world Hava knows begins to fall apart around her, and then the ship is destroyed in a collision with ice, and Hava, Bitterblue, and the rest of the crew, are cast into a wilderness, and must fight for survival.
Cashore's books are remarkable for the way she captures characters, and Bitterblue is particularly memorable for her nuanced portrait of Bitterblue, and those around her, as she attempts to uncover her kingdom's secrets, and find a new way to live in the wake of her father's destruction of the realm. Seasparrow is another complex and tender portrait of trauma, survival, loss and rebuilding. Hava is a brilliant character: angry, frightened and lost, she struggles to do the right thing, or approach those around her with kindness. Having lived with so much fear, she constantly misjudges the intentions of those who wish her well, and is belligerent, difficult and uncompromising. Her hurt follows her everywhere and she struggled to find any peace. Over the course of the novel, Cashore captures the ways she begins to change and to trust. This is a brilliantly subtle portrayal, as well as a gripping and compelling book.
It will also make you want to meet a psychic blue fox very, very badly.
January 3, 2023
Kristin Cashore never disappoints. I'm quite in love with the way she allows her characters to fail and grow. Definitely one of my favorite books of the year, I can already predict it.
July 30, 2023
This was my least favorite book of the series
2.5 stars
2.5 stars
November 11, 2022
There's no way for me to separate my fondness for this universe and its characters from the actual books. They are always a little messy, oddly paced and plotted, but so heartfelt. Joyful to read!
June 11, 2023
Seasparrow mainly focuses on Hava’s journey after Winterkeep and is such an apt title. I feel like this was a bit weaker as an addition to the Graceling series, but it was still interesting to get to know Hava better and watch her go through tremendous character development. There’s a lot of sailing jargon in this book (maybe I should have paid more attention to those parts so I can actually gain some knowledge) and it’s pretty long. But it wasn’t hard to push through; I think I’m just too invested in the characters to not finish the book. I’m glad it was written.
Cashore’s books have gradually increased in character diversity, too. Before, it was more of an implied thing in her writing, and now it’s more overt. I can’t decide which type I like better, but I’m glad for it either way. As with her previous works, read trigger warnings before diving in. Anyways, the ending still leaves room for more books! I’ll be glad if there are, but for now, getting to revisit old characters is worth it. And I smiled a little more every time the title was referenced in the book. The Graceling series feels like home to me and will always hold a special place in my heart.
Quotes:
So. Excited.
Cashore’s books have gradually increased in character diversity, too. Before, it was more of an implied thing in her writing, and now it’s more overt. I can’t decide which type I like better, but I’m glad for it either way. As with her previous works, read trigger warnings before diving in. Anyways, the ending still leaves room for more books! I’ll be glad if there are, but for now, getting to revisit old characters is worth it. And I smiled a little more every time the title was referenced in the book. The Graceling series feels like home to me and will always hold a special place in my heart.
Quotes:
So. Excited.
February 13, 2023
it’s so captivating to see how Kristen Cashore‘s characters are struggling and failing and coping but keep growing regardless (and they’re always growing on me). the depiction of trauma as well as violence and anger makes it hard but somehow significant to keep reading. the portrayal of Hava is incredibly complex; she is uncompromisingly herself while being unsure of who she wants to be and it’s so fascinating to see her evolving.
also now I really, really want to meet a blue fox.
also now I really, really want to meet a blue fox.
May 28, 2023
4.5 Stars
For me, this started a little slow and Hava was a bit too childlike to begin with but it certainly built to be an amazing book and possibly my favourite of the series so far.
I ADORE the blue foxes with my whole heart. I've never wanted a fox buddy more than I do right now.
The characters were brilliant in this book. I especially loved Linny who was a brilliant addition to the series. Hava really grew on me and I loved her by the end. She really has a interesting internal journey which added a lot to this book.
The story was fantastic and I felt the balance of the different settings was absolutely perfect.
I cannot wait for the next book and am really intrigued as to whose POV will be next and where the story takes us as I feel it's so wide open!
Also the humour in this book was HILARIOUS. Especially from the foxes, I adored it!
For me, this started a little slow and Hava was a bit too childlike to begin with but it certainly built to be an amazing book and possibly my favourite of the series so far.
I ADORE the blue foxes with my whole heart. I've never wanted a fox buddy more than I do right now.
The characters were brilliant in this book. I especially loved Linny who was a brilliant addition to the series. Hava really grew on me and I loved her by the end. She really has a interesting internal journey which added a lot to this book.
The story was fantastic and I felt the balance of the different settings was absolutely perfect.
I cannot wait for the next book and am really intrigued as to whose POV will be next and where the story takes us as I feel it's so wide open!
Also the humour in this book was HILARIOUS. Especially from the foxes, I adored it!
November 7, 2022
“If we must be trapped, let there be something we can do about it. Even if it hurts.” (182)
“It made me wonder, wish, that something essential remains, no matter how much we are hurt.” (599)
Immediately after the events that occurred in Winterkeep, Hava and company set sail for the Royal Continent. For home.
In the course of this rather treacherous journey, though, across an icy sea with a crew of mismatched souls, some discoveries come to light. Some, such as those Hava is making as she translates the notes recovered from Keepish chemist Linta Massera on using zilfium to make devastating weapons, are bittersweet.
Other discoveries are quite awful and triggering.
Such as what Hava uncovers about some of the crew and the secrets they are smuggling across the cold.
Such as the depth of Hava’s own hurt, and the anger and grief she can’t shake.
When the ship wrecks against the ice, Hava and company must not only burden the weight of these discoveries as they try to return home but, also, the terrible, necessary weight of surviving in spite of it all.
Hava, especially, grapples with not only how she will carry on in this new and terrible world but also who she will be—who she will WANT to be in this new world.
What a beautiful and heartbreaking story! This book is so thoughtful and profound in its inspections of the human experience. As always, I am ever impressed with Cashore’s ability to use fantasy and the “unreal” to explore such deeply real facets of being human and surviving in a world that can be so unforgiving—but, also, so unconditionally loving.
I always feel like a better person after reading Cashore.
Her stories are healing.
As always, too, I’m impressed by how Cashore has managed to create such a prolific and horrible villain in King Leck.
His shadow is immense—but not swallowing.
I always appreciate how she uses his character to demonstrate not only the complexity of abuse but how trauma can have such a long, lasting, and complicated shadow in our lives—but not an inescapable one.
Highly recommend this book and this series and this author always! One of my favorites~
“It made me wonder, wish, that something essential remains, no matter how much we are hurt.” (599)
Immediately after the events that occurred in Winterkeep, Hava and company set sail for the Royal Continent. For home.
In the course of this rather treacherous journey, though, across an icy sea with a crew of mismatched souls, some discoveries come to light. Some, such as those Hava is making as she translates the notes recovered from Keepish chemist Linta Massera on using zilfium to make devastating weapons, are bittersweet.
Other discoveries are quite awful and triggering.
Such as what Hava uncovers about some of the crew and the secrets they are smuggling across the cold.
Such as the depth of Hava’s own hurt, and the anger and grief she can’t shake.
When the ship wrecks against the ice, Hava and company must not only burden the weight of these discoveries as they try to return home but, also, the terrible, necessary weight of surviving in spite of it all.
Hava, especially, grapples with not only how she will carry on in this new and terrible world but also who she will be—who she will WANT to be in this new world.
What a beautiful and heartbreaking story! This book is so thoughtful and profound in its inspections of the human experience. As always, I am ever impressed with Cashore’s ability to use fantasy and the “unreal” to explore such deeply real facets of being human and surviving in a world that can be so unforgiving—but, also, so unconditionally loving.
I always feel like a better person after reading Cashore.
Her stories are healing.
As always, too, I’m impressed by how Cashore has managed to create such a prolific and horrible villain in King Leck.
His shadow is immense—but not swallowing.
I always appreciate how she uses his character to demonstrate not only the complexity of abuse but how trauma can have such a long, lasting, and complicated shadow in our lives—but not an inescapable one.
Highly recommend this book and this series and this author always! One of my favorites~
March 21, 2023
Never again. I literally just read a book about being on a boat for 300 pages... then walking on land with the same people who were on a boat for another 100 pages. And then hoped that SOMETHING would happen in the last 200 pages and was surely disappointed. Nothing happened. Literally nothing.
Also can we talk about how the first 4 books were in 3rd person and then this book was in 1st person, where I was eternally trapped in Hava's head, who is written as the most unlikable character. It's back to the.. it's a me thing and I do not like how Cashore writes her characters. But anyways, it was a jarring change and I hated it.
So cliff notes of all my hatred:
-Literally got to the point of being exhausted anytime I saw a long paragraph. They were just long winded statements about either a boat, a boat metaphor, or about Hava has no idea what the fuck is going on ever.
-Characters didn't matter. Somehow though we formed a relationship with Linny? How? Couldn't tell you.
-The adorable foxes became just annoying as hell (mostly Moth). I would of found them more endearing if I wasn't so annoyed with everything else.
-Boat. For 300 pages.
The one bright side was when Hava's character actually GREW. But was all within about the last 50 pages, which I will admit did completely save this book from being less than 1 star (if that's possible), but it wasn't enough to offset the nothingness. But the book should of ended there and it instead made me read another like 10 pages of BEING BACK ON A BOAT.
If I never read another book about being on a boat, I'd be a happy person. And it's with a sad heart that I will also say I will never read another Cashore book. I can't after this. Graceling and Fire will hold spots in my heart but this book has killed anything else. That's it. My journey is complete.
Also can we talk about how the first 4 books were in 3rd person and then this book was in 1st person, where I was eternally trapped in Hava's head, who is written as the most unlikable character. It's back to the.. it's a me thing and I do not like how Cashore writes her characters. But anyways, it was a jarring change and I hated it.
So cliff notes of all my hatred:
-Literally got to the point of being exhausted anytime I saw a long paragraph. They were just long winded statements about either a boat, a boat metaphor, or about Hava has no idea what the fuck is going on ever.
-Characters didn't matter. Somehow though we formed a relationship with Linny? How? Couldn't tell you.
-The adorable foxes became just annoying as hell (mostly Moth). I would of found them more endearing if I wasn't so annoyed with everything else.
-Boat. For 300 pages.
The one bright side was when Hava's character actually GREW. But was all within about the last 50 pages, which I will admit did completely save this book from being less than 1 star (if that's possible), but it wasn't enough to offset the nothingness. But the book should of ended there and it instead made me read another like 10 pages of BEING BACK ON A BOAT.
If I never read another book about being on a boat, I'd be a happy person. And it's with a sad heart that I will also say I will never read another Cashore book. I can't after this. Graceling and Fire will hold spots in my heart but this book has killed anything else. That's it. My journey is complete.
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