Review Detail

I really don’t understand people only giving this book 4 star reviews. Sarah Beth Durst has hit her mark once again with Vessel! I found this story to be unique and completely immersive. I didn’t want to stop reading it!


The first thing I noticed about Vessel was the amazing world building that Sarah Beth Durst is so famous for. She didn’t disappoint with Vessel. The first page is so descriptive that it sucks you into Liyana’s world before you even realize it. In fact, I used the first two paragraphs to show my students the “power of sensory details.” (Hope the author doesn’t mind.) It was great timing that we were discussing building your setting and using descriptive details to make your writing more interesting, and then I opened Vessel and viola: perfect example! The opening page’s example was a huge hit with my students (who are also reluctant readers). I booked talked the awesomeness and now they all want to read it. J


If you’ve read any other books by Sarah Beth Durst, hearing that the world she creates for her characters in Vessel is like none you’ve ever read about won’t surprise you. She seems to have a knack for developing unique settings.


The mythology she used throughout Vessel was great. I’m a huge mythology nerd, so anything even loosely based on myth will grab my attention. With Vessel, I could recognize the trickster tale elements, but I had a hard time pin-pointing which culture the myths truly came from. Were they borrowed from many cultures or were they a product of the author’s divine imagination? Hard to say. What I can say, though, is that it was flawless. The way the mythological elements were woven into the characters’ every being was fantastic. From battling glass sky serpents and sand wolves to saving your gods/goddesses from an unknown threat—Vessel had it all! I cannot even begin to tell you how much I loved it.


The mythology element in the book also plays a HUGE role in the plot. (Loved it!) It’s rather hard to explain the intricate plot, but I can safely say there were numerous surprises along the way. I usually figure out plots midway through a book, but not with Vessel. I can honestly say I was surprised by the ending. While I was a little disappointed with the turn of events in the resolution, it was still a fulfilling ending.


The characters were also pretty spectacular too. It was hard to make a connection with them because they were so different, but I certainly found myself invested in them. Liyana was the epitome of a strong female lead, and I loved her. She was resourceful and stubborn. Korbyn was mischievous (which makes sense since he was the trickster god). I could just picture the twinkle in his eye! Loved him. Team Korbyn FTW! The other characters that you meet along the way were equally impressive. They were each unique and brought something special to the plot.


I really wish I would have wrote this review the moment I finished reading Vessel instead of waiting two weeks. I feel like now I can only capture the superficial elements that I enjoyed, instead of the overall impact I had when I read the final words. Since this is the second book by Sarah Beth Durst that I’ve read—and I loved it—I’ve decided that I need to read everything else she has written. Vessel was so different from Drink, Slay, Love, but it still managed to find a place on my shelves as a favorite. (For the Record, Drink, Slay, Love is my favorite, non-sparkling vampire book of all time.) I also think it should be noted that truly talented authors (like Sarah Beth Durst) are able to make each book they write unique and special. Vessel was nothing like DSL—seriously. It was if I was reading the author for the first time, and I appreciated that.


So, for all the mythology fans out there, you need to read Vessel. It’s like nothing you’ve read before!