Name: The Assassin's Curse
Author: Cassandra Rose Clarke
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Release Date: October 2, 2012
298 pages
Summary:
Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to another pirate clan. But that only prompts the scorned clan to send an assassin after her. When Ananna faces him down one night, armed with magic she doesn't really know how to use, she accidentally activates a curse binding them together.
To break the spell, Ananna and the assassin must complete three impossible tasks--all while grappling with evil wizards, floating islands, haughty manticores, runaway nobility, strange magic...and the growing romantic tension between them.
Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to another pirate clan. But that only prompts the scorned clan to send an assassin after her. When Ananna faces him down one night, armed with magic she doesn't really know how to use, she accidentally activates a curse binding them together.
To break the spell, Ananna and the assassin must complete three impossible tasks--all while grappling with evil wizards, floating islands, haughty manticores, runaway nobility, strange magic...and the growing romantic tension between them.
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My Review:
I liked this book and its sequel so much that I recommended it to my sister when I was done. She enjoyed it, too; and she made a comment about it that fit so perfectly, I couldn't resist using it in my review: she called the story swashbuckling. Gah. A more perfect adjective to describe this book has never been used. The truth is; I've read YA with more complex plots than The Assassin's Curse, but this novel has something a lot of those books don't: it's fun. Like, giggle to yourself while you're reading it and get weird looks fun. Like, wish you were the main character fun; because come on, who doesn't want to be a badass pirate chick fighting her way across the high seas with a ninja companion?
The plot is relatively straightforward (and lest you complain of spoilers, it's all in the summary!): girl flees arranged marriage, girl accidentally saves assassin's life, they try to break the curse she put on him, and hilarity/adventures ensue. Also, romantic tension; and let me tell you it is beyond well written. The sequel's already out; so there's no nail biting to see how it all ends - and believe me, if you read this book, you will want the sequel immediately.
The world of this story is also really intriguing. The way the author slowly fleshes out the setting and the rules of magic is fascinating; and there's some great action sequences that show it off. Both boy and girl save each others' lives multiple times in different ways; and instead of the weird, kind of unhealthy dynamic that can develop when two characters are literally stuck together the way Ananna and Naji are, it actually brings them closer together in an organic way.
Overall, if you like pirates, ninjas, really well-drawn characters, cool world-building, and sassy manticores with a heart of gold (although those are in book 2, whoops - call it a preview? IT'S IN THE SUMMARY), definitely check this one out. It's a great end-of-summer read.
My Rating:
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I really like how Ananna escaped from her arranged marriage. That delivered her some credit points, haha.
ReplyDeleteMel@thedailyprophecy.
I'm glad you liked this one! I bought right around the time it came out but never got around to it. I am excited to read it, though!
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