Publishers Weekly
01/15/2024
Anxious Betsy Young hardly has the courage to leave her house; her half sister Ophelia, by comparison, is bold and assertive, and dreams of escaping the teens’ island hometown, where she’s regarded with suspicion because of her late mother’s reputation as notorious pirate Ophelia Cray. Shortly after Cray is executed, Ophelia steals Betsy’s identity and joins the navy. When she learns of Ophelia’s ruse, Betsy too takes to the sea to bring her sister home before she’s arrested. While Ophelia conceals her identity from a mutinous crew she’s not sure she can trust, Betsy is forced to confront vicious pirates, and both sisters grapple with their own identities and sense of self-worth. Ophelia and Betsy spend most of Calella’s debut apart, but their alternating POVs deftly render their complex relationship and parallel arcs. Some of its many plot and worldbuilding elements—such as the lore surrounding Cray’s secret island and information about her other daughters—are underdeveloped, but swashbuckling action and hints of magic make this a rousing jaunt for fans of fantasy adventure. Most characters read as white; Betsy’s love interest, Ravi, has brown skin. Ages 14–up. Agent: Laurel Symonds, KT Literary. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
"Readers looking for high-seas action and teen girls defying their era’s stereotypical gender roles will be in for a delight."
—BCCB
[An] action-packed historical fantasy [...] the sisters’ loving but spiky relationship is the heart of this swashbuckling tale."
—Booklist
"Calella’s action-packed debut manages to combine fairytale and drama with a hint of comedy, drawing upon the best elements of each. With a charming voice and a focus on girls who aren’t afraid to be imperfectly messy, this book is a fun, seafaring romp!”
—M.K. Lobb, author of Seven Faceless Saints
“A vast and thrilling tale! Calella’s delightful debut charts a steadfast course through an emotional story of sisterhood, friendship, and the meaning of legacy. A spectacular swashbuckling adventure from start to finish.”
—Rosiee Thor, author of Fire Becomes Her
“I absolutely adored this book for its brave heroines and cheered for them as they fought pirates, scoundrels, and their own deepest fears. Perfect for fans of Our Flag Means Death, Pirates of the Caribbean, and feminist takes on history that put swords in girls' hands and let them fight fiercely for what and who they love."
—Jamie Pacton, author of The Vermilion Emporium
“Calella's worldbuilding and characters shine, taking us on a journey filled with magic, danger, and lots of heart. The real curse would be never picking this book up in the first place.”
—Alex Brown, author of Damned If You Do and contributor for the Indie Bestseller The Gathering Dark
“A page-turning pirate adventure about sisters finding themselves and each other on the high seas. You'll discover a treasure trove of loveable, vibrant characters, vital prose, and gasp-inducing twists.”
—Leanne Schwartz, author of A Prayer for Vengeance and To a Darker Shore
Kirkus Reviews
2024-01-19
Two sisters find themselves and each other on the high seas.
Sixteen-year-old Ophelia Young has never felt at home on the island of Peu Jolie, where she lives with her father, stepmother, and anxious half sister, Betsy. She’s ostracized because of her resemblance to her absent birth mother, the “cursed” pirate queen Ophelia Cray. After witnessing Cray’s hanging, Ophelia steals her sister’s identity and joins the Imperial Navy, hoping to make a new life for herself. When their father dies while Ophelia is away, Betsy vows to find her and bring her home. The chapters, told in the third person, alternate between following Betsy and Ophelia as they chart their own courses of self-discovery, and the story is filled with sadistic pirates, mutinous crews, and newfound friendships. The clunky, unpolished prose is frequently cringeworthy, however, filled with awkward similes, self-conscious dialogue, and excessive telling rather than showing. Ophelia, who has “wild curls” and “light olive” skin, is coded as aromantic and asexual; Betsy, who has “blond hair,” “rosy cheeks,” and “an appealing roundness,” is agoraphobic. Betsy’s male love interest is this fictional world’s equivalent of South Asian. While it’s exciting to see characters with these underrepresented identities having high-seas adventures, the weak prose undermines this strength. Readers looking for diverse stories of swashbuckling ladies should pick up Mackenzi Lee’s The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy or C.B. Lee’s A Clash of Steel instead.
Skip this one for more seaworthy tales. (note to readers) (Adventure. 14-18)
