Review Detail

Gaudy.

Outrageous.

Hilarious.

Foolish.

Dazzling.

Piratica is a swashbuckling adventure, an over-the-top comedy, and of course, an unforgettable love story.

It's been long since I last described a novel as a blockbuster. Piratica is one, just like one of my top books of 2011, Heist Society. Like a vibrant scroll of swirling colours, Tanith Lee's wonderful tale unfolds like an epic drama.

Piratica has a mesmerizing premise right from the start. First things first, I love pirates (Take Captain Jack Sparrow or Bloody Mary) and Art was a great personality to add to my list of suave pirates.

And then there's the HUGE twist, and by huge, I really mean it. It completely blew me away, and I was staring at the story with a slack jaw. Was Tanith Lee kidding me?! Aren't they supposed to be pirates? What on Earth was she thinking?

I almost put the book down, but thank goodness I didn't. I marched on, doused from head to toe with bewilderment. And, then I couldn't put the book down.

How would I know that the TWIST which I had looked upon with disbelief was to be one that would make Piratica so uniquely breath-taking?

Because of the TWIST, we get to see how she becomes a pirate from scratch. Because of the twist, we see the emotional depth of the book that is astounding for what I believed was just a showy pirate tale. Because of the twist, Piratica is to me more than just an average adventurous story. Instead, it becomes a coming-of-age novel where Art finds her past, her ship, her life, her destiny and her love.

Oh, need I talk about Felix?

This is one rare YA boy.

With dark blue eyes and ice blond hair, he is more of the ridiculously beautiful kind than jaw-droppingly handsome type. Just before you rule him into the kind of pure hottie category, listen to this-- his hair used to be black, but at the tragedy that befell his family it turned white.

Now, your eyes grow slightly wider.

Because Felix Phoenix (his false name) cannot be classified. He is a rare boy, a royal person, a planner, a strategist, a kind heart and a soul on an evil mission for revenge. He is charming enough to avert a pirate battle (between Art and Goldie Girl), but cunning enough to charm the one girl he swore to kill; he is cunning enough to plan a seamless revenge, but not cunning enough to keep himself for falling in love.

What can I say? You can simply read Piratica for him. But, don't forget the TWIST and the amazing and astounding Artemesia Blastside (funny last name?).

Find this book and kidnap it home. I give 5 stars with no hesitation to this wondrous creation of Tanith Lee.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you... Piratica.