Review Detail

I devoured this book! Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle is the first in a fantasy trilogy about a young woman finding the truth about what happened to her and her friends last school year. Emory is studying as a healer at the prestigious Aldryn College when a night in the Dovermere sea caves leaves a group of fellow students dead with Emory the only survivor. Now she has abilities that she shouldn’t have, Eclipse magic. In a race to discover the truth and master her abilities, Emory finds herself at the center of a conspiracy dating back hundreds of years.

Emory is a fun character to follow. Her naivety works in the reader’s favor as she learns about her new magic and how it can be used. Her depression and grief are the center of the story. When one of the students who supposedly drowned washes up on the beach alive, Emory’s depression turns into a desperate search for her missing best friend, Romie, who could also still be alive.

Then there’s Baz, Romie’s older brother. Baz is an Eclipse born and recognizes Emory’s new abilities for what they are. At first, he wants nothing to do with his former friend and crush, distancing himself from her in case she is caught. He’s already suffered so much loss, his father’s collapsing and Romie’s death. But now, he wants answers. What happened to Romie? Why was she out at the caves that night? And the only person that can answer those questions is Emory. So he agrees to train her in secret.

The plot of this book is a book within a book, which is one of my favorite things. In the story, there is a book about a Scholar who travels to the heart of the worlds, going through doorways and gathering other travelers. Everything that happened last spring seems to revolve around this book and its missing epilogue. The deeper Emory digs into Romie’s life, the more she finds: secret lovers, a secret society, and more. The mystery of it all adds to the story's tension, driving the plot at a fast pace.

The world-building is one of my favorites that I’ve read this year. It’s reminiscent of Harry Potter and The Ninth House. I’ve also heard comparisons to Atlas Six, which I haven’t read so can’t confirm. But in truth, The Magicians by Lev Grossman is the closest in similarity. Academic, magical system, and a story within a story. So much fun!

Overall, I loved Curious Tides. I could not read it fast enough. Told in dual POV between Baz and Emory, the story unfolds at a breakneck pace. If you are a fan of fantasy set in an academic setting, I highly recommend it.

Audiobook Note: I listened to this one at my normal 2x speed. There are three narrators: one each for Baz and Emory, and a third who reads the story. I loved this. Each narrator brought something to the story and drew me in. Fantastic listen and highly recommend it for audio lovers.