Review Detail

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.