Break Wide the Sea

BREAK WIDE THE SEA is a fascinating and consuming YA fantasy. Susannah (Annie) took over her parents' whaling company years ago as a child with the help of her grandfather. Now that he is sick and she is 18, she is helming the company herself. In this world, they hunt a specific type of magic whale to harvest its oil for its healing and other magical properties. The whales are protected by the fae finfolk, who frequently curse the sailors they find.

Annie suffers from one of these curses, passed down through her family. When she experiences heartbreak, she begins to turn into a monster. Her transformation began when she saw her parents die and has been fighting her for dominance ever since. The boy who saved her from the shipwreck, August, is now her fiancé and knows about her curse, but she has received word that he may be on the brink of betrayal - something her heart and curse cannot take.

As they set sail for a voyage to establish a new port, closer to the whales, Annie also seeks a cure for the finfolk curse so that she may live. Silas, another boy who survived the wreck when they were kids, is part finfolk and he has promised to help her. However, this deadly trip will change everything and put everyone Annie cares about in danger.

What I loved: This was quite the twisty and shocking read. There were quite a few twists that I did not see coming, and I loved being surprised as the plot revealed betrayals and surprising new information. The ending was explosive with a lead-in for a next book, and I am very eager to see what will happen next.

Annie was a compelling character who wants to do the best she can for her parents' legacy and for her two younger siblings. She carries the weight of the world on her shoulders. As the trip continues, she begins to realize that maybe her trust has been misplaced, and she grows closer to Silas while reevaluating August. Despite the heartbreak curse, she finds it challenging to guard her heart as her father had requested, and it is physically changing her as she interacts with the others on the ship.

Silas is also an intriguing character whose motives don't become clear until towards the end of the book. He has been dealt a challenging card and has a found family of cursed sailors (whose curses are not life-threatening). He and Annie hate each other, but the reasons for their animosity begin to fade away as they continue to speak with and be around one another. Lydia, Annie's sister, was another interesting character, who felt very background but was growing up and trying to be more for Annie and the world. The other people on Silas's crew were also strong characters though we only get to know them a little in this book.

Themes around conservation, death, grief/loss, trust/betrayal, politics, war, love, and the weight of knowledge were also really thought-provoking throughout. A central theme of the story is the use of the whales while knowing they are dying out and decisions around how to forge forward, when people rely on the product while disregarding the cost. The world-building was really strong throughout with a great atmospheric feel from being at sea. It seems the world will continue to expand in future books with insights into more, which is very exciting.

What left me wanting more: As a small thing, the first couple chapters were tough to get into, but once we got into the ship and on the voyage, I found the story beyond consuming. Definitely recommend getting a few chapters in.

Final verdict: BREAK WIDE THE SEA is an atmospheric and consuming YA fantasy with thought-provoking themes, fantastic world-building, and plenty of shocking twists to keep readers on their toes. Highly recommend for fans of FABLE, DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING, and THE SEA WITCH.

Oh the delicious torment of tortured souls. Picture a misty-gray New England-esque town, sustained by whalers who risk the seas and the vindictive fin-folk to hunt massive, mystical whales for their meat, blubber, and magical blood. As Annie learns more about this family enterprise she's expected to run, her experiences clearly condemn the gruesome realities of the trade while also exposing the reality that recognizing a moral need for change doesn't make the solution simple. How is it possible to contemplate not hunting further and faster, when everyone down to the smallest child or poorest pauper in town benefits from a successful season?

Annie also has a complicated history with both August and Silas, built on shared secrets and tragedy, and I was totally hooked by it all. Sure, attraction has a large role to play (and Annie is refreshingly aware of when that's clouding her judgement), but each of them are also pursuing a larger, murkier agenda that elevates their tangled relationships beyond the standard connotations of a love triangle.

The story spends a lot of time in Annie's head, rehashing her suspicions and fears. I'd have liked to see more action, but those scenes are gripping when they come, and for the atmosphere and relational tension, I enjoyed it very much.

(That ending hurt, okay. Need the next one now.)

**Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC**

I LOVED Sara Holland's Everless duology and absolutely adored the Havenfall duology, and this *clenches fists* THIS BOOK exceeds my love for both of those combined.....okay maybe not Everless as it's one of my top tier favorite books of all time, but Break Wide the Sea is a close second.

Break Wide the Sea by Sara Holland is a YA fantasy novel that combines a readers love for Fae and mermaids into creatures known as finfolk. A young woman cursed with a fatal heartbreak-induced sickness must race against time to find a cure and protect her family legacy from the ancient finfolk that would destroy it, the fiancé that would kill her for it, and the boy who would love her if she forsook it. The seafaring humans of Kirkrell have always been plagued by finfolk—bloodthirsty fae who haunt the seas, sinking ships and cursing bloodlines. Yet it’s only by hunting magical whales that Kirkrell can prosper. Nineteen-year-old Annie is heir to the Fairfax Whaling Company, but their family's success came at a cost: a curse by which heartbreak turns Fairfaxes slowly into monsters. And six years ago, the shipwreck that killed Annie’s parents left her with scales spreading up her arms, claws sprouting from her fingertips.

The love of her fiancé, August, salved her heart for a while—but when she learns August is maneuvering to take over the company, the curse worsens. Fearing her time is running out, she strikes a bargain with a disreputable young captain, half-finfolk and half-human Silas Price: on a voyage to hunt whales in the far north, Silas will take Annie to the finfolk queen, who can lift the curse in return for a promise to end whaling forever. As Annie, August and Silas sail north, she is determined to uphold her family’s legacy, but the threat of the finfolk tests her resolve. Lies corrupt her relationship with August; meanwhile a dangerous connection with Silas blooms—but he’s keeping secrets too, and his might be the most dangerous of all. As heiress, it’s Annie’s responsibility to deliver whale magic to her city. But as heartbreak looms, she must choose between saving herself and her family’s legacy—and hope it doesn’t cost her everyone she loves.

Where to even begin with this book, because I love most, if not, all of it. First off, the writing. Holland's style has always been easily understood and deeply haunting at the same time. In the case of Break Wide the Sea, Holland's writing makes you feel like you're on the ship with Annie and Silas and (ugh) August. While still easily accessible/not too fancy in terms of it's word usage. Speaking of, I am forever scared to go into the ocean because of this book, because Holland has the originality of creating creatures that I never want to cross paths with.

One pesky thing that I found I didn't like about this book (and this could totally just be a big ME thing) is most of the time Holland just tosses the reader into the deep end with their scenes, and doesn't give all that much exposition/explanation as to what is happening. Hence the need for me to go back and re-read some scenes to figure out what is really happening. But, I digress, this could totally just be a me thing.

Regardless, Break Wide the Sea is a haunting YA historical fantasy that is perfect for anyone looking for a book with unique curses and generally haunting sea vibes. I can't wait for more people to read this book.